There are calls to protect a Queensland dam repair project from the federal government's audit of past regional spending promises ahead of next week's budget.
Former federal water minster and current Hinkler MP, Keith Pitt, in February promised $600 million to fund half of the restoration of the Paradise Dam wall, which the state government had lowered in 2020 due to safety concerns.
But comments from Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek that all dam funding was being reconsidered, coupled with new statements from Infrastructure Minister Catherine King, have ignited concerns the project would be left out of the October 25 budget.
"Federal Labor needs to come out and reaffirm their commitment," Mr Pitt said.
"We saw now Prime Minister Albanese here in the Wide Bay saying the project needs to be brought forward and done as quickly as possible.
"All we need is one member of the Labor Party to walk up to a microphone and say they will meet the commitment to Paradise [Dam]."
Regional grants in spotlight
Speaking on ABCTV's Insiders program, Ms King said the October budget, which was promised during the election, would focus on winding back some Coalition promises such as the controversial commuter car parks program.
"The budget in October is really about our election commitments, honouring those and then whether there's any further funding for infrastructure and states," she said.
"I've had to have a really hard look at where did the previous government invest, where it's going to actually help economic development in the regions and really work my way through those.
"Some of the things that the previous government funded we'll fund and some of them we won't."
While not specifically citing Paradise Dam, she said it could mean funding for some projects was delayed, rather than cut.
"I've also had to have a really hard look at what is deliverable within the infrastructure pipeline," she said.
"There's a lot of things that the previous government sort of announced with a lot of fanfare, but when you actually look at the capacity constraints, you look at the amount of money available, they're really going to take a long time to build so there'll be some reprofiling that's built into the budget.
"So, pushing those out a bit with more realistic time frames for actual delivery of them."
A spokeswoman for Ms King said water infrastructure, including Paradise Dam, was a matter for the environment minister.
Delays compound class action
The decision to lower the dam wall by 5.8m reduced the water-holding capacity from 300,000mL to 170,000mL, a move criticised by farmers for reducing water security.
Bundaberg State Labor MP Tom Smith played down the budget concerns, saying there was plenty of time for his federal colleagues to fund the project.
"What we need to remember is that there's a $600 million commitment from the state government and a $600 million commitment from the federal Albanese government," he said.
"If that means that over the next two or three years we spend all of our $600 million and then the federal government come in and do the rest, that's happy days because that's equalling up to $1.2 billion dollars."
But Bundaberg lawyer Tom Marland, who was representing farmers in a class action against the state government over its decision to lower the dam wall, said any delays would add to the size of the claim.
"Farmers have invested hundreds of millions of dollars today to mitigate the loss of that water security," he said.
"If a lack of federal government funding causes the reinstatement of the dam wall to be delayed, then losses will continue to be incurred in our community and those additional losses will be included in the claim against the Queensland state government.
"We're growing concerned, we want to see rubber hit the road and that $600 million put in the budget ... and the dam fixed as quickly as it possibly can be."
He said farmers were looking for certainty to continue to invest in the region.
"The Paradise Dam isn't just a matter for Bundaberg, it's an issue of national importance," he said.
"We grow 25 per cent of Australia's fresh food at a time where we're looking at cost of living pressures and inflationary pressures.
"The investment in Paradise Dam is not just for Bundaberg, it's to secure food security for the entire country."
