Home / Environment / NSW & Queensland fail on $160m river health promise
NSW & Queensland fail on $160m river health promise
22 Apr
Summary
- States severely underdelivered on $160m+ in river health infrastructure.
- NSW's fish passage project delivered only 3% of its target.
- Queensland's promised weir upgrades never progressed beyond feasibility.
A major independent review has revealed that the New South Wales and Queensland governments have significantly failed to deliver on over $160 million in promised infrastructure measures aimed at improving river health in the northern Murray-Darling basin. These commitments were made eight years ago as part of the "northern basin toolkit" program, intended to compensate for reduced environmental water allocations.
The review, conducted by federal inspector general of water compliance Troy Grant, found "severe underdelivery" on these measures. In New South Wales, a project to install fish passages has only completed 64km, a mere 3% of its original target. Another NSW initiative to improve water flows to wetlands has seen minimal progress beyond basic riverbed stabilization.
Queensland's contribution also fell short, with promised refurbishments and upgrades to weirs not advancing beyond the feasibility stage. Grant described the situation as "abysmal" and stated that "the environment is the loser along with the taxpayer." The program's failure raises concerns about governmental accountability and the future health of rivers and wetlands.
Water ministers from NSW acknowledged challenges in meeting the targets within the timeframe, attributing some of the delay to the previous government. Recommendations include improving accountability and transparency. The federal government is considering the findings as part of broader reviews of the Murray-Darling Basin plan.
