{"id":34700,"date":"2016-09-22T19:37:43","date_gmt":"2016-09-22T09:37:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nofibs.com.au\/?p=34700"},"modified":"2020-09-02T18:37:27","modified_gmt":"2020-09-02T08:37:27","slug":"dam-scam-3m-in-federal-funds-awarded-to-qld-lnp-connected-consortium-qldaah-auspol-qldpol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/dam-scam-3m-in-federal-funds-awarded-to-qld-lnp-connected-consortium-qldaah-auspol-qldpol\/","title":{"rendered":"Dam scam: $3m in federal funds awarded to Qld LNP connected consortium &#8211; @qldaah #auspol #qldpol"},"content":{"rendered":"<h6>High ranking Qld LNP members awarded millions for feasability study<\/h6>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-34702\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nofibs.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DamScam-300x150.jpg?resize=300%2C150\" alt=\"Dam scam: $3m in federal funds awarded to Qld LNP consortium.\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DamScam.jpg?resize=300%2C150&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DamScam.jpg?resize=768%2C384&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DamScam.jpg?resize=600%2C300&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DamScam.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<h6><!--more--><br \/>\nTable of contents<br \/>\n<a href=\"#2020Update12m\">2020 update: Another $12 million.<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#TheDamScam\">The dam scam.<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#BarnabyJoyceDamBuilder\">Barnaby Joyce, dam builder.<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#TheRiverPeople\">The river people.<\/a><\/h6>\n<h6><span style=\"color: #ffffff\">.<\/span><a name=\"2020Update12m\"><\/a><\/h6>\n<h2>2020 update: Another $12 million<\/h2>\n<p>Another $12 million in federal government grants has found its way to the Queensland Liberal National Party (LNP) linked company, Bowen River Utilities, for the feasability into the latest version of the Urannah dam scheme.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BenSmee\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ben Smee<\/a> reports, &#8220;The new project\u2019s proponent and the recipient of the federal grants \u2013 Bowen River Utilities \u2013 is worth $100 on paper and run by John Cotter Jr, a former member of the LNP executive.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Urannah scheme: how money for a Queensland dam project flowed to LNP-linked firm <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/r7Tjlpvh1J\">https:\/\/t.co\/r7Tjlpvh1J<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Ben Smee (@BenSmee) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BenSmee\/status\/1300885253939101696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 1, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>In June 2020, we learnt that Queensland Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington had links to Bowen River Utilities through her husband, Jason.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/knausc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Christopher Knaus<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AmyRemeikis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Amy Remeikis<\/a> wrote, &#8220;The Guardian has learned that Frecklington\u2019s husband, Jason Frecklington, took a job with the main proponent of the Urannah Dam project, Bowen River Utilities, in September.&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/australia-news\/2020\/jun\/25\/queensland-lnp-leader-deb-frecklington-campaigns-for-dam-project-her-husband-works-on\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Queensland LNP leader Deb Frecklington campaigns for dam project her husband works on.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Ms Frecklington denied there was any conflict of interest in the arrangement.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&quot;Not a glamorous job&quot;. Deb Frecklington asked about the potential COI in the Urannah Dam project that her husband Jason is working on with traditional owners &amp; landholders. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/qldpol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#qldpol<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/co4KG7EiB9\">pic.twitter.com\/co4KG7EiB9<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; David Marler (@Qldaah) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Qldaah\/status\/1276349647527620608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 26, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Read more on the 2016 funding grants below.<\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"color: #ffffff\">.<\/span><a name=\"TheDamScam\"><\/a><\/h6>\n<h2>The dam scam<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2016-09-22\/company-run-by-lnp-members-linked-to-group-awarded-federal-funds\/7865950\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Company run by Queensland LNP members among consortium awarded $3m in federal funds<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jOJX-L4JZlk?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">ABC investigative journalist, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/markwillacy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mark Willacy<\/a>, has revealed a controversial allotment of federal funding to a consortium which involves\u00a0high ranking members of the Queensland Liberal National Party. The project is to provide a feasibility study for the building of a dam at\u00a0Urannah.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Brisbane based\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.initiativecapital.com.au\/us\/our-people\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Initiative Capital<\/a>\u00a0was awarded the funds to complete the task. It was founded by Managing Director, John Cotter jnr. The company describes itself as a,\u00a0&#8220;global leader in public private partnerships&#8221;.\u00a0Mr Cotter jnr is also a member of the Qld LNP, a key fundraiser and part of the powerful state executive.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The Cotter family, John snr and jnr, is\u00a0familiar to Queensland. In April 2012, John snr was named\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.brisbanetimes.com.au\/queensland\/queensland-gas-sheriffs-links-draw-fire-20120902-25806.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">chairman of Queensland&#8217;s Gasfields Commission.\u00a0<\/a>His son was running\u00a0FlindersGroup, a mining sector project management company.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">IC Executive Director, Gerard Paynter, is also a LNP member and managing director of lobbying firm <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bartondeakin.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Barton Deakin<\/a> which says on its website, &#8220;Barton Deakin is here to help business work more effectively with Liberal \/ National Governments and Oppositions across Australia and New Zealand.&#8221; He was also a former\u00a0Young Liberal president.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Acting Prime Minister and Nationals leader, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Barnaby_Joyce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Barnaby Joyce, <\/a>toured<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Barnaby_Joyce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u00a0<\/a>north Queensland this week to promote up to fifteen dam building projects. A spokesman told the ABC that the bid had been submitted by the Queensland Government.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Not so, said\u00a0Water Supply Minister <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MarkBaileyMP\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mark Bailey<\/a>.\u00a0Mr Joyce had been previously told in a letter that the Urannah Dam project was not a priority of the State Government for funding from the Commonwealth.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">&#8220;Would like to emphasise that whilst the Queensland Government will be forwarding all applications it receives this does not indicate any formal endorsement or support for particular projects,&#8221; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.documentcloud.org\/documents\/3111910-Letter-to-Barnaby-Joyce.html#document\/p1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">he wrote.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">With Mr Joyce this week\u00a0was\u00a0Queensland Deputy Opposition Leader,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DebFrecklington\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Deb Frecklington<\/a>, who confirmed to the local\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/daily_mercury\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Daily Mercury<\/a> that $3 million of a federally sponsored\u00a0$20 million pool had been given for the Urannah Dam feasibility study. She went on to complain that\u00a0the Queensland Government was inactive on the project.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">&#8220;They are refusing to work with the federal government and refusing to do anything,&#8221; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailymercury.com.au\/news\/acting-prime-minister-slams-legal-office-fighting-\/3092201\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">she claimed.<\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">In Mackay with <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Barnaby_Joyce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@Barnaby_Joyce<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CostoMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@CostoMP<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GChristensenMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@GChristensenMP<\/a> calling on State Labor to get moving on dam funding <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/qldpol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#qldpol<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/6m2WNm1sg1\">pic.twitter.com\/6m2WNm1sg1<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Deb Frecklington MP (@DebFrecklington) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DebFrecklington\/status\/778378724353859584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 20, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Ms Frecklington also released a statement outlining where the $20 million had been allocated for <a href=\"http:\/\/debfrecklington.com.au\/news\/v\/2933\/queenslands-dam-funding-dries-up-due-to-divisive-labor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">all of the feasibility studies across Queensland<\/a>. It is not clear to which companies these projects have been allocated to date.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">&#8220;Queensland received the largest share of any State for feasibility studies. The list of Queensland projects funded is below:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Feasibility study for the Nullinga Dam &#8211; Funding of up to $5,000,000<\/li>\n<li>Emu Swamp Dam final feasibility study &#8211; Funding of $3,970,000<\/li>\n<li>Feasibility study for North West Queensland Strategic Water Storage &#8211; Funding of $1,765,000<\/li>\n<li>Lakeland Irrigation Area &#8211; Funding of $825,000<\/li>\n<li>Gayndah Regional Irrigation Development (GRID) project &#8211; Funding of $1,231,024<\/li>\n<li>Burdekin Falls Dam Raising feasibility study &#8211; Funding of $400,000<\/li>\n<li>Burdekin Haughton Channel Capacity Upgrade feasibility study &#8211; Funding of $1,915,000<\/li>\n<li>Bundaberg Channel Capacity Upgrade feasibility study &#8211; Funding of $750,000<\/li>\n<li>Urannah Dam &#8211; Funding of $3,000,000<\/li>\n<li>Rookwood Weir Development Feasibility Studies &#8211; Funding of $2,000,000<\/li>\n<li>Utilising South-East Queensland&#8217;s Treated Effluent for Agricultural Production \u2013 NUWater &#8211; Funding of $650,000<\/li>\n<li>Southern Atherton Tablelands Irrigation Development &#8211; Funding of $750,000<\/li>\n<li>Clermont: Providing Water Security and Economic Growth &#8211; Funding of $225,000<\/li>\n<li>Aquifer recharge for agriculture productivity and sustainability &#8211; Funding of $120,000<\/li>\n<li>Hells Gate dam feasibility study &#8211; Funding of $2,200,000&#8243;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Barnaby Joyce did not answer <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/David_Speers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@David_Speers<\/a> question because QLD Gov&#39;t not holding up projects <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BillByrneMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@BillByrneMP<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/spin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#spin<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Joel Fitzgibbon (@fitzhunter) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/fitzhunter\/status\/778843843160518656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 22, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"color: #ffffff\">.<\/span><a name=\"BarnabyJoyceDamBuilder\"><\/a><\/h6>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify\">Barnaby Joyce, dam builder<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">In the lead up to the 2016 federal election, two journalists from the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.betootaadvocate.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Betoota Advocate\u00a0<\/a>asked Barnaby Joyce who his mentor was. His reply involved dams and the most famous of Queensland premiers, Sir\u00a0Joh Bjelke-Petersen.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">&#8220;Joh Bjelke-Petersen I always liked because he was a doer. Made things happen, sealed the roads, built the dams, got the universities in, got the international airports going. So, like most things in life, we like people who are doers. And &#8211; and he got ridiculed too. He was another person; everyone was always getting stuck into him,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Kingaroy based Deb Frecklington is also the downstream successor to\u00a0Sir\u00a0Joh Bjelke-Petersen&#8217;s old seat of Barambah. In 2001, after a redistribution, it became known as Nanango.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bj2_1JvI3gQ?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Also during the election, millions of dollars were promised by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce for dams across marginal Queensland Coalition seats without any feasibility studies having been completed.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">&#8220;The commitment to the Rookwood weir here in Rockhampton is going to result in millions of dollars in extra agricultural production,&#8221; Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told the media.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">&#8220;We&#8217;re committing to feasability studies right across Queensland,&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/jOJX-L4JZlk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">he said.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NBJQQd3sEOo?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"color: #ffffff\">.<\/span><a name=\"TheRiverPeople\"><\/a><\/h6>\n<h2>The river people<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The Wiri and Birri people have expressed concern about the Urannah Dam project. At their website <a href=\"https:\/\/urannah.com.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">they write,<\/a> &#8220;The proposed Urannah Dam project does not warrant the environmental destruction and risks to the land and rivers of Urannah, an area of highly sensitive Cultural and Environmental value of Eungella Hinterlands and surrounding areas of ecological importance.\u00a0This project has always been a great concern for the First Nations people, locals, farmers, environmentalists and scientists.&#8221;<\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>High ranking Qld LNP members awarded millions for feasability study<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":34702,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[3434,1998,61,7,62,63,1469,585,75,395,1026],"tags":[1031,3104,2994,2932,3105,3106,965,297],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DamScam.jpg?fit=800%2C400&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t0mw-91G","jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34700"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34700"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34700\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51463,"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34700\/revisions\/51463"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34702"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34700"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34700"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34700"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}