Local MP calls on state parties to lift their game - and dam wall

A NSW regional MP likens one argument as akin to parachute reassurances in planes

The federal member for Riverina says the NSW opposition has their focus wrong and called on all sides of politics to back flood mitigation infrastructure like raising the wall of Wyangala dam on the Lachlan and Abercrombie rivers.

Whilst speaking on Flow on Tuesday about flooding impacts on lives, property and farms in his electorate, former National party leader Michael McCormack said:

"It really does annoy me when you get the state shadow water spokesperson, Rosemary Jackson, who comes out with a comment like the fact that we're not going to build more water infrastructure, we're going to build better roads so the people of Forbes can evacuate more quickly.

"That's like saying I'm an airline CEO, don't worry about the safety of the planes because we've got the best parachutes money can buy."

"This was quite an insult to people of the central west who have endured flooding eight times if you count the four peaks this year in the last 12 years, of course before that it was on average every 7 years since 1877."

Hear the full interview on the Flow podcast player below:

NSW Labor shadow Rose Jackson said her name is Rose, not Rosemary, and in any event, the case for Wyangala Dam was underdeveloped:

"Raising the Wyangala Dam wall will sadly not stop flooding in the Central West of NSW. The multi-billion dollar project has no business case, no environmental impact statement and is unfunded by the NSW and Federal Governments. At best it is years away. It will offer absolutely no assistance to some recently devasted communities like Eugowra, which is upstream from the dam. These communities are still cleaning up from the recent devastation and Mr McCormack seems completely dis-interested in talking about practical, immediate support for them – preferring instead to take political pot-shots.

"The reality is the proposal to raise the Wyangala Dam wall was put forward as a water security measure in the middle of the drought – the primary purpose of the additional capacity in the dam was not air space for flood mitigation, it was intended to be kept at full capacity as a water security measure. Labor has always been interested in supporting immediate practical assistance to communities – like clean-up and recovery, upgrading the Newell Highway at key points at risk of inundation or addressing the flood flow issues around the Forbes/Stockinbingal Railway. Mr McCormack might think this is unnecessary, we believe working with local communities on immediate practical priorities is essential.

"We have always said we will wait and see the final business case and environmental impact statement before making a final decision, that remains the case. Considering the multi-billion dollar price tag, multi-year delivery timeframe and need for immediate action to support communities this isn’t unreasonable. Also my name is Rose, not Rosemary."