Sometime between 23 and 24 September 2019 NSW Nationals MP for Clarence and Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Roads and Infrastructure, Chris Gulaptis, told The Daily Examiner that those who want to dam and divert water from the Clarence River catchment for inter-basin and/or interstate transfer should raise the matter when the Clarence is in flood.
His exact words were; “Let’s have that discussion when we’re in a flood”.
A statement which presumes that, with diminishing rainfall and increased evaporation rates being part of both the Clarence Valley's present and its future, drawing water for an additional 236,984 people, their farms and businesses is in anyway feasible even during a passing flood.
This water extraction would be on top of the current draw for the combined population of Clarence Valley LGA and Coff Habour City LGA - 128,198 people, their farms and businesses, as well as water for over 5 million tourists annually.
Indeed this entire article is typical Gulaptis, who more times than not has to be dragged metaphorically kicking and screaming to defend the Clarence Valley from the ignorance and avarice of a Coalition government of which he is a member.
The Daily Examiner, 25
September 2019, p.3:
Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis has
hit back at claims the government is secretly working on a plan to
divert coastal rivers inland to drought-stricken rivers out west.
Mr Gulaptis’s comments come
after The Guardian reported the NSW government was secretly exploring
a plan to turn the state’s coastal rivers inland to provide more
water for irrigators and towns in the west of the state.
According to The Guardian,
WaterNSW documents obtained under freedom of information show
significant work has been done recently on at least four projects
involving pumping water from coastal rivers over the Great Dividing
Range to replenish western rivers.
The Guardian said the main focus
of work has been on turning the headwaters of the Clarence inland via
a network of pipes and pumps into headwaters of the Border rivers.
Mr Gulaptis said he hasn’t
heard of any plans being put into action.
“My discussions with the water
minister have been along the vein that they are outdated plans which
are not a priority of the government,” he said.
“It’s been on the books for
a long period of time, and it gets rehashed every time there’s a
drought.”
Mr Gulaptis said he would not
support any such plans, especially due to the current vulnerability
of the North Coast region.
“The North Coast isn’t
immune to drought – we’re in the grips of one of the worst
droughts we’ve ever had and there isn’t any water for us to
spare.”
Mr Gulaptis said he believes the
plan is a “fanciful idea”.
“Let’s have that discussion
when we’re in a flood,” he said.
Despite Mr Gulaptis’s denial,
The Guardian said the documents showed WaterNSW was discussing some
projects with western irrigators last year and that it had
commissioned hydrological analysis for some projects this year.
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