Community paints a picture of Keneally dam destruction
Hunter Valley residents brought their campaign to stop the Tillegra Dam proposal to the streets of Sydney today.
Greens NSW MP Dr John Kaye, who joined 150 community members and dairy cows Bess and Marty in Martin Place, said: “The Hunter Water management team is leading the Premier and her Water Minister into a political and economic dead end.
“It is time to put this dam on hold and consult with the community and independent experts on the best water supply options for the future of the Lower Hunter. The Greens are confident this would not include Tillegra.
“Water Minister Phil Costa is unable or unwilling to resist the pressure from Hunter Water. He is pushing ahead with the $447 million project despite the advice of his own departmental experts.
“The government and the utility are ignoring widespread community opposition to paying for an expensive dam that is unnecessary. They are glossing over the devastating environmental consequences of building a storage the size of Sydney Harbour.
“Tillegra would destroy up to 90 productive farms, including the dairy that is home to Bess and Marty. It will undermine the local economy and damage food production.
“The Keneally government must face the reality of a project that is increasingly becoming a political millstone round their necks.
“Until the Keneally government casts off the biased and misleading advice coming from Hunter Water they will continue to anger Hunter voters and put the community at risk of having to pay for a $477 million white elephant,” Dr Kaye said.
