Ms MARTIN - 2000-10-18
On 29 May 1997, a permit was issued for the construction of a dam at lot 205 on Whitewood Road, Howard Springs. Since then, we have seen a litany of ministerial and administrative blunders that have sought to cover up the fact that the initial permit allowed for the construction of a dam wall that caused flooding upstream in the surrounding Wadham Lagoon area. One legal firm has described the then minister’s action – that is the member for Karama - as unlawful and that there was a conspiracy between the minister and the Controller of Water Resources to damage the interest of his clients.
The bottom line is, taxpayers are now footing the bill to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars to correct the minister’s mistakes and keep him out of the courts. Will the minister tell Territorians how much the corrective works have cost Territory taxpayers?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I appreciate this question. It is good to be able to get on the record what is going on for the residents of Wadham Lagoon. I put on the record also the good work done by the member for Nelson on this issue.
As the Leader of the Opposition said, some years ago a permit by the Water Controller was issued for a retaining wall in the area of Wadham Lagoon downstream. That gave him access to the waterway, to impound some water to a height that at the time was thought to be the relevant height for his own uses.
Ms Martin: Based on anecdotal information.
Mr BALDWIN: This was based on information, designed by engineers within the department, and our water people. It was good information at the time. Since that time, it has been shown that with the increase in wet seasons and what have you, and other drainage issues in that area, upstream in Wadham Lagoon itself the residents have experienced some minor flooding. To alleviate that problem …
Ms Martin: When your lounge room is under.
Mr BALDWIN: Oh, be quiet. The Leader of the Opposition asked this question …
Ms Martin: Well, it is the truth. That is minor flooding?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BALDWIN: Picking up on the interjection, I would not believe anything the Leader of the Opposition said as the truth.
Mr Speaker, if I can continue. To alleviate the problem in that area of Wadham Lagoon, a number of things have occurred at the expense of government. I have no problems putting that on record …
Ms Martin: We want to know the cost.
Mr BALDWIN: In the order of $300 000. What we have done is put new drainage works under the road, the Litchfield Shire responsible road. We have done that to ensure that there is a greater flow capacity under that road to deviate some of the water away from the area of concern of one of the blocks. We have lowered the weir wall, which will bring the height of the overall water that is encapsulated in the entire Wadham Lagoon catchment area down to a level that will not now cause any flooding, minor or otherwise. I thank the members of my department for coming up with this engineered design. We have also put in another diversion drain further downstream that will take away some of the water that was flowing into this system as well.
The end result, at the cost of government, will be that people, residents in the area in the electorate of Nelson, with the good help of the member for Nelson, will not now suffer any problems in the future, one would hope, and it will be a good outcome for everybody concerned.
The bottom line is, taxpayers are now footing the bill to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars to correct the minister’s mistakes and keep him out of the courts. Will the minister tell Territorians how much the corrective works have cost Territory taxpayers?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I appreciate this question. It is good to be able to get on the record what is going on for the residents of Wadham Lagoon. I put on the record also the good work done by the member for Nelson on this issue.
As the Leader of the Opposition said, some years ago a permit by the Water Controller was issued for a retaining wall in the area of Wadham Lagoon downstream. That gave him access to the waterway, to impound some water to a height that at the time was thought to be the relevant height for his own uses.
Ms Martin: Based on anecdotal information.
Mr BALDWIN: This was based on information, designed by engineers within the department, and our water people. It was good information at the time. Since that time, it has been shown that with the increase in wet seasons and what have you, and other drainage issues in that area, upstream in Wadham Lagoon itself the residents have experienced some minor flooding. To alleviate that problem …
Ms Martin: When your lounge room is under.
Mr BALDWIN: Oh, be quiet. The Leader of the Opposition asked this question …
Ms Martin: Well, it is the truth. That is minor flooding?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BALDWIN: Picking up on the interjection, I would not believe anything the Leader of the Opposition said as the truth.
Mr Speaker, if I can continue. To alleviate the problem in that area of Wadham Lagoon, a number of things have occurred at the expense of government. I have no problems putting that on record …
Ms Martin: We want to know the cost.
Mr BALDWIN: In the order of $300 000. What we have done is put new drainage works under the road, the Litchfield Shire responsible road. We have done that to ensure that there is a greater flow capacity under that road to deviate some of the water away from the area of concern of one of the blocks. We have lowered the weir wall, which will bring the height of the overall water that is encapsulated in the entire Wadham Lagoon catchment area down to a level that will not now cause any flooding, minor or otherwise. I thank the members of my department for coming up with this engineered design. We have also put in another diversion drain further downstream that will take away some of the water that was flowing into this system as well.
The end result, at the cost of government, will be that people, residents in the area in the electorate of Nelson, with the good help of the member for Nelson, will not now suffer any problems in the future, one would hope, and it will be a good outcome for everybody concerned.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016