Qld weir approval shows contempt: Greens

Efforts to protect wildlife at a new weir on a central Queensland river will be found wanting, the Australian Greens say.

Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney on Monday announced the state government had given the green light to raise Eden Bann Weir and construct a new weir at Rookwood on the Fitzroy River.

Co-ordinator-General Barry Broe cleared the way for SunWater Limited and the Gladstone Area Water Board to prepare the environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Lower Fitzroy River Infrastructure Project.

Mr Seeney said the project would diversify the water supply of Gladstone, a booming gas port, which relies on water from Awoonga Dam.

Fish and turtle passages would be developed in consultation with government environment authorities, Mr Seeney said.

But Greens senator Larissa Waters said Mr Seeney’s “approval” was premature.

“Deputy Premier Seeney has shown his contempt for our environmental laws by announcing approval for the project before the EIS has even begun, or he has profoundly misunderstood how the approval system works,” Senator Waters said.

She says the EIS will reveal the project’s shortcomings.

“We know from Paradise Dam that fishways and turtle passages don’t work,” she said.

“And we know that further industrialisation of the already damaged Gladstone Harbour would further damage the World Heritage values of this area.”

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