No Tillegra Dam Group

At Dungog Council’s Meeting 20 October, 2009 a motion was moved by Cr Thompson and seconded by Cr Ainsworth that:
Dungog Shire Council be publicly opposed to the proposed Tillegra dam project.

An amendment was moved by Cr Lloyd and seconded by Cr McKenzie that:

1. Dungog Shire Council call on the NSW Government and HWC to provide:

a) A statistically robust attitudinal survey of the residents of the lower Hunter and Dungog Shire.

b) A commitment to undertaking an Upper House Inquiry into the need for the proposed Tillegra Dam and the information presented in the EAR in the NSW State Parliament.

c) A comprehensive analysis of the social, environmental and economic costs, both positive and negative, associated with the Tillegra Dam utilising current best practice as contained in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and Benefit Cost Analysis approaches for evaluation and reporting.

2. That Dungog Shire Council cannot support the proposed Tillegra Dam project as detailed in Hunter Water’s EAR for the project because:

a) The Hunter Water EAR provides for grossly inadequate compensation to the residents of Dungog Shire for the imposition on the residents of the Shire for the proposed Dam;
b) Hunter Water has not made it a condition of approval of the project that the Dam be made available for recreational use on completion and filling;
c) Hunter Water has made no provision for a permanent source of funding to be paid by Hunter Water to Dungog Shire Council annually and in perpetuity from the profit to be made by Hunter Water from the operation of the Dam;
d) Hunter Water has made no adequate provision in its EAR to compensate Dungog Shire Council for the loss in perpetuity of:

i) rate income from those properties acquired or to be acquired by Hunter Water in and around the proposed inundation area of the Dam; and
ii) infrastructure built and installed by Dungog Shire Council in and around the inundation area over the past five (5) years

e) Hunter Water and/or the State Government have failed to make adequate provision for the upgrade of road infrastructure to be used by construction vehicles associated with the construction of the Dam. Such upgrading works estimated to cost not less than $20 million.

3. Advice to this effect is forwarded by letter to all relevant parties, including government and opposition members, Hunter Water, community organisations and to the media.

4. A Policy reflecting Councils’ position is drafted for consideration and adoption by Council at its next meeting, to provide clear guidance to all Councillors and staff for all future dealings with the Tillegra Dam proposal.

The Division resulted in 7 for and 2 against, as follows:

For: Crs Booth, Ainsworth, Johnston, McKenzie, Lloyd, Thompson, Farrow.
Against: Crs Wall, Mitchell.