General News
26 February, 2025
Flinders River catchment in the crosshairs of Mid West mayors
The councils have formed an alliance and are lobbying for greater use of the water resource.
Three councils have joined forces to push for collaborative action regarding critical water catchments in the region.
Led by Flinders Shire, the Mid West Water Alliance has the backing of the neighbouring Richmond and McKinlay Shires, who want urgent action on the state government’s Gulf Water Plan and a long-term outcome for water allocations within the Flinders River catchment.
Flinders mayor Kate Peddle was last week in Brisbane to lobby the government for answers.
She met with Water Minister Anne Leahy and Premier David Crisafulli to discuss the problems in the region.
Cr Peddle voiced the urgent need for a collaborative approach to address the challenges faced in the Gulf Water Plan review process, adding that she was representing the interests of the North West, which generates $37 billion annually for the state economy.
The mayor emphasised the necessity for the region to “hunt as a pack” in her discussions with key government figures.
“If we aspire for transformational and generational change, it’s clear we must do it together,” Cr Peddle said.
At the heart of this collaborative effort is the establishment of the Mid West Water Alliance, which aims to integrate technical and local knowledge in partnership with the councils along the Flinders River.
“We recognise the invaluable insights and skills gained through HIPCo (Hughenden Irrigation Project) and are eager to merge these with the perspectives and needs of our local communities,” Cr Peddle said last week.
The mayor outlined several potential solutions, including the need to halt the current process and appoint an independent expert assessor.
“If a halt is not feasible, we suggest immediately appointing independent experts to lead the process, free from current negative influences,” she said, emphasising the importance of regional face-to-face meetings to address community-specific issues.
“If these paths are not pursued, we need new leadership that fosters a consultative culture where stakeholders feel valued and empowered and I’m optimistic that we have found this with the new government and Minister Leahy.”
Highlighting the significance of the Flinders River, the longest river in Queensland, which has a mean annual discharge of approximately 4 million megalitres (ML), Cr Peddle pointed out that only about 200,000ML, or five per cent, was permitted for extraction each year, with mere fractions utilised for productive purposes.
“We must reassess our risk aversion in decision-making to achieve a better balance between environmental protection and socio-economic outcomes,” she said.
“The stagnation of development in our regions has been a long-standing issue, and it’s time for tangible action.
“We are prepared to collaborate with the government to secure a seat at the decision-making table, especially concerning vital resources like water and energy.”
McKinlay Shire mayor Janene Fegan said she was excited about the economic possibilities for the region if the Flinders catchment was utilised to its full potential.
“The idea of this group is to ensure that we get the best outcomes for the Flinders River catchment,” she said.
“Any extra economy you can bring to your shire is never going to be rejected.
“It’s already been successfully proven (in the region) with the cotton, hay, sorghum, chickpeas, grain sorghum, mung beans ... all sorts of different products.
“But, obviously, you need the water; you need the irrigation for a lot of these products.”
Cr Peddle said her meeting in Brisbane underscored the necessity of removing local political barriers of the past to optimise regional water resource management.
She reaffirmed her commitment to prioritising the most effective use of resources to benefit the entire region.
She also thanked Member for Traeger Robbie Katter for raising the issue in parliament last week and his much-needed advocacy.
“Robbie’s ongoing efforts are appreciated, and we look forward to continuing to create partnerships with him and government that promote development in this area,” Cr Peddle said.
“We welcome the government’s dedication to action, and we look forward to working closely with Minister Leahy and her team to overcome the current development stagnation.”
