IT’S the research study that could save or sink a rural community.
But muddy water still clouds the progress of the Northern Basin socio-economic impact study, as the Dirranbandi community cries out for increased consultation from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA).
It comes after Smart Rivers president and Hebel irrigator Frank Deshon left a Northern Basin Advisory Committee (NBAC) working group meeting held in Brisbane last Monday, where he said it was revealed several key projects were running behind schedule.
After the meeting, from the MDBA’s senior economic adviser, Phil Townsend, allegedly promised Mr Deshon he would visit Dirranbandi.
“Phil has given an undertaking to be in the area in roughly a fortnight to collect data,” Mr Deshon told Queensland Country Life.
The revelation comes after Dirranbandi Progress Association president and irrigator Jonathon Burrell aired frustration last week regarding businesses still waiting 10 months later to receive an update from Mr Townsend on the development of the study.
At time of print, the MDBA’s senior economic adviser, Phil Townsend, hadn’t answered or returned QCL’s calls to confirm if he would visit the region.
Balonne Shire Mayor Donna Stewart sits on the Northern Basin social and economic working group – a subcommittee of the NBAC – which held a meeting last Wednesday.
The outspoken mayor said the socio-economic impact study, which would be used to inform the MDBA’s decision on whether to recommend changes to Sustainable Diversion Limits in the Northern Basin, looked like it would be completed by their next meeting in mid-November.
She said “the information that’s already being gathered is showing some alarming statistical information in regards to the social and economic impacts on Dirranbandi”, far greater than other communities assessed in the Northern Basin.
“Dirranbandi is showing the most impacts. There are some alarming impacts on St George, but nowhere near what’s showing up on Dirranbandi,” she reiterated.
Ms Stewart made a point of swiping at the MDBA’s level of community engagement through the process.
“I believe there needs to be much more – the communications coming through the MDBA should be made much more accessible to the stakeholders involved, which is the community, on the progress, because they are being left in the dark and it’s not good enough,” Ms Stewart said.
“And I keep saying that and it’s falling on deaf ears,” she added.
The mayor did go on to commend subcommittee on progress made, adding that she thought “the results are so far is what the community has known for some time and what we have been trying to get through to the MDBA.”
