General News
28 April, 2019
$10 Million for Lakeland Irrigation Area
The Morrison Government will invest up to $10 million to ensure the Lakeland Irrigation Area Project is shovel ready.This investment will ensure the final engineering and scoping works on this region-defining project are completed.
The Morrison Government will invest up to $10 million to ensure the Lakeland Irrigation Area Project is shovel ready.
This investment will ensure the final engineering and scoping works on this region-defining project are completed.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the Coalition Government want to build dams.
He said the Coalition Government’s investment for this project will be delivered through the feasibility component of the National Water Infrastructure Fund.
“We know that unlocking the potential of our regional communities goes hand-in-hand with water security,” Mr McCormack said.
“That is why we are investing up to $10 million to further progress the business case for the Lakeland Irrigation Area Project to unlock the region’s agricultural and economic potential.
“Every day this government is getting on with the job of building water infrastructure for the 21st Century that will deliver great water security for rural communities, grow jobs, underpin new and expanded agriculture and support regional economic growth and prosperity across Australia.”
Federal Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch said ensuring the Lakeland Irrigation Area project would be a game changer for Far North Queensland.
He said the Coalition Government had also committed to funding the project once the engineering and scoping works had been completed.
“I am proud the Coalition Government is putting money on the table to unlock the potential of this project,” Mr Entsch said.
“This project has the potential to unlock 8,000 hectares of irrigated land and could create more than 1000 jobs during construction of the project not to mention the many local jobs that would be created with the expansion of the region’s economy.”
Federal Northern Australia Minister Matt Canavan the Coalition Government was determined to unlock the economic potential of Far North Queensland.
“We are not afraid to build dams – in fact we want to build more of them because we know the potential of our communities, particularly in North Queensland, and the importance of these projects to grow regional Australia,” Mr Canavan said.
“The Lakeland Irrigation Area is huge potential to increase its agricultural output, but we need to ensure there is a secure water supply – and in this region there are huge opportunities to do so.”
The Coalition Government is investing more than $3 billion to identify and build new water infrastructure across Australia.
