Needles Gap Dam D.O.A

MEDIA RELEASE - 10 February 2015

The Greens NSW water spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham today said the Needles Gap Dam was dead on arrival after an investigation report found other options were preferable and that upgrading  Wyangala Dam would be more economically efficient and solve existing safety issues.

“The National Party’s Needles Gap dam is dead on arrival.  The Greens always said that it was a back-of-the-beer-coaster dam that made no sense and this report has confirmed our suspicions,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

“However, switching support for another new dam at Cranky Rock makes as little sense as Needles Gap did.  The National Party need to read the report they commissioned which clearly says the most economically efficient solution is an upgrade of Wyangala Dam, not a new dam elsewhere.

“NSW does not need new dams, we need smart local water solutions such as storm water harvesting, increasing efficiency and recycling.

“The National Party need to time-warp out of the 1950s and listen to the water experts,” he said.

Greens candidate for Orange, Janelle Bicknell voiced concerns: “The recommendations do nothing to ensure the protection of the Cliefden Caves or the fragile ecosystems surrounding it”, said Janelle.

“The report concludes with the recommendation to proceed with in-field investigations in the vicinity of Cranky Rock, due in part to the environmental impact on the renowned Cliefden karst geoheritage area of the Needles Gap location.

“Although further downstream from Needles Gap, the Cranky Rock site has definite potential to impact the caves, fossils and rare thermal spring at Cliefden,” she said.

Contact: Jeremy Buckingham - 0439 460 691    Janelle Bicknell: 0415 687 239

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