DOCSLIB.ORG

Irrigation Prices in the Queensland Sugarcane Regions

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Irrigation Prices in the Queensland Sugarcane Regions IRRIGATION PRICES IN THE QUEENSLAND SUGARCANE REGIONS AN ANALYSIS OF THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS AND COSTS OF IMPROVED IRRIGATION PRICING APRIL 2020 Prepared by the Australian Sugar Milling Council with economic modelling conducted by Lawrence Consulting WHO WE ARE AUSTRALIAN SUGAR MILLING COUNCIL LAWRENCE CONSULTING The Australian Sugar Milling Council (ASMC) is the peak Lawrence Consulting provides specialised professional services to representative body for the sugar manufacturing sector, businesses and government agencies across Australia. representing the five companies that collectively produce The company has significant consultancy experience in undertaking approximately 90% of Australia’s raw sugar at 17 sugar mills economic and statistical research and analysis and the production across Queensland. of marketable economic reports and related products across a broad These mills also own and operate large sugarcane farms. range of industries, projects and skill areas. Sugar manufacturing generates around $2 billion in revenue Lawrence Consulting specialises in analysing the dynamics of annually – 75% of which comes from global raw sugar sales. regional economies. They provide timely, accurate and authoritative economic and industry data and analysis on a regional basis that The Australian sugar industry – including millers and growers can assist business, government and individuals in their decision – is responsible for $4 billion in annual economic activity and making process. underpinning 23,000 jobs in regional Queensland. DISCLAIMER To the maximum extent permitted by law, the information contained in this document is given without any liability to the Australian Sugar Milling Council or any of their related bodies corporate or their respective directors, officers, partners, employees, advisers and agents (Relevant Parties). No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made by any Relevant Party about the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the information, statements or opinions in this document. No responsibility or liability is accepted by any of them for that information or those opinions or for any errors, omissions, misstatements (negligent or otherwise) or for any communication written or otherwise, contained or referred to in this document. CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 1. INTRODUCTION 5 2. BACKGROUND 5 2.1 DETERMINATION OF IRRIGATION PRICES 5 3. THE INCREASE IN IRRIGATION PRICES SINCE 2006/07 6 4. THE IMPACT ON GROWERS AND MILLERS 8 4.1 SUGARCANE GROWERS 8 4.2 SUGAR MILLERS 10 5. BENEFITS OF IMPROVED PRICE INCENTIVES 11 5.1 REDUCED STRANDED ASSET RISK 11 5.2 SHORING UP MILL VIABILITY THROUGH GENERATION OF ADDITIONAL REVENUES AND EARNINGS 11 5.3 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT 12 5.3.1 FINDINGS OF ECONOMIC MODELLING 12 5.4 ENVIRONMENTAL 14 ATTACHMENT 1: ECONOMIC MODELLING ASSUMPTIONS 15 LIST OF CHARTS AND TABLES CHART 1: QUEENSLAND SUGAR INDUSTRY WATER COSTS BY WATER SUPPLY SCHEME (PER ML) CHART 2: TOTAL QUEENSLAND SUGAR INDUSTRY WATER COSTS BY WATER SUPPLY SCHEME CHART 3: COMPOUND AVERAGE GROWTH RATE INCREASES IN QCA REGULATED BULK WATER AND DISTRIBUTION CHARGES (2006/07-2024/25) CHART 4: PERCENTAGE CONTRIBUTION OF EACH COST DRIVER TO THE INCREASES IN BULK AND DISTRIBUTION CHARGES BETWEEN 2006/07 AND 2024/25 CHART 5: IRRIGATION COSTS AS A PERCENTAGE OF ALL IRRIGATED CANE FARM COSTS CHART 6: IMPACT OF INCREASING IRRIGATION CHARGES IN THE BURDEKIN TABLE 1: IRRIGATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE QUEENSLAND CANE FIELDS CHART 7: CANE PRODUCTION BY MILL AREA (AND WATER SUPPLY SCHEME) CHART 8: CANE YIELD BY MILL AREA (AND WATER SUPPLY SCHEME) CHART 9: IMPACT ON MILL EBIT FROM VARIOUS DECREASES IN CANE SUPPLY TABLE 2: QCA AND SUNWATER ESTIMATES OF WATER USAGE IN QUEENSLAND WATER SUPPLY SCHEMES TABLE 3: ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF A 15% REDUCTION IN WATER PRICES BY MILL AREA AND WSS TABLE 4: ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF A 25% REDUCTION IN WATER PRICES BY MILL AREA AND WSS TABLE 5: QCA PROPOSED PRICES AND 15% AND 25% DECREASES EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ASMC POLICY RECOMMENDATION The Australian Sugar Milling Council (ASMC) is calling for a 15-25% reduction in the Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) proposed water tariffs between 2020/21 – 2023/24 for all Water Supply Schemes. Key Points • Total costs for sugarcane (cane) field irrigation would increase from around $39 million in 2006/07 to $79 million by 2023/24 on a constant consumption basis if the QCA’s draft 2020/21 – 2023/24 irrigation price recommendations were adopted. This would represent a 4% per annum increase between 2006/07 and 2023/24. • Water represents upwards of 15% of a cane irrigator’s total farm costs. A significant increase in irrigation prices coupled with the current, persistently low sugar (and cane) prices would increase total cane costs above long-run revenues. This will exacerbate the current under-utilisation of water allocations and contribute to the flat lining of cane yields currently being observed in all irrigated cane areas. Stagnant and falling cane volumes and mill under-utilisation threatens the viability of mills because 70% of manufacturing costs are fixed and these costs are increasing. • A 25% price decrease in the proposed 2020/21 – 2023/24 irrigation prices in the Mareeba-Dimbulah, Burdekin-Haughton, Pioneer River, Eton, Bundaberg and the Lower Mary River Water Supply Schemes (WSSs) (to various pre-2016 levels) could increase water usage by 130,400 ML or 4% over these four years. • Cane production could also increase by 1.3 million tonnes which would deliver the following community benefits over the 2020/21 – 2023/24 period: BENEFITS 1. Improved mill sustainability via the generation of an additional $88.3 million in raw sugar, molasses and energy revenues (output). 2. Queensland regional development via the generation of an additional $131.9 million in indirect output ($220 million in total output). This $220.3 million in total output generates $41.7 million in incomes, an additional 140 direct and indirect jobs throughout sugar communities and $87.9 million in value add (Gross State Product). 3. Lower risk of stranded water assets via an increase in the utilisation of water allocations, which lowers the socialisation of costs from non-users on to users, making Water Supply Schemes (WSS) more affordable and viable. 4. Environmental gains via reduced losses of nitrogen and herbicides. COSTS (1) SunWater’s revenues would fall by $68 million as a result of the lower water prices (but increasing consumption). 4 | IRRIGATION PRICES IN THE QUEENSLAND SUGARCANE REGIONS 1 INTRODUCTION Approximately two-thirds of the state’s sugarcane (cane) production requires affordable and reliable water supply. The combined impacts of sustained, low global sugar and cane prices, and increasing cane production costs is resulting in flat lining cane yields and reductions in the area of cane under cultivation. Falling cane volumes threatens the viability of certain Australian sugar mills because of the high percentage (70%) of fixed costs. A significant source of increasing costs in irrigated cane farming is regulated irrigation (water) charges. This paper examines the increase in these charges since 2006/07 and assesses the increasingly negative impact on cane farming and sugar milling operations. The economic and environmental benefits of achieving more prudent and economically efficient water pricing are also outlined. 2 BACKGROUND The Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) delivered its report ‘Rural irrigation price review 2020-24’ to the Deputy Premier and the Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy on 31 January 2020. Like numerous reports before it, this report recommends to the Queensland Government further substantive increases in irrigated water prices between 2020/21 and 2023/24 (and beyond). The government will now consider the QCA’s findings, and the views of stakeholders, and make a decision on future prices. This decision comes at a critical time – with sugar and cane prices at decade low levels and the industry financially impaired, regional economies hurting, utilisation of water allocations falling and stranded asset risk now emerging. In guiding its decision, government will need to consider a variety of objectives including the price levels that will promote economic efficiency and outcomes that are in the broader public interest. In keeping with the original regional development objectives of the state’s water supply schemes (WSSs), the question then becomes, at what price levels are allocation holders incentivised to better utilise their allocations and irrigate optimally to maximise regional development and environmental outcomes? 2.1 DETERMINATION OF IRRIGATION PRICES The Queensland Government sets the price of irrigation water supplied by SeqWater in South-East Queensland and SunWater elsewhere in Queensland to recover the associated costs of the infrastructure. Of relevance to the sugar industry are SunWater’s bulk and distribution water charges, proposed by SunWater but ultimately subject to QCA scrutiny and determination. Prices are set following a QCA review process generally covering a 4–5 year period. The QCA recommends prices to government, which makes the final decision. Government has a number of regulatory pricing principles1 for the water sector to guide its decision making. These principles include, inter alia, economic efficiency and the public interest. 1 https://www.qca.org.au/project/queensland-wide-issues/water-pricing-principles/ | 5 3 THE INCREASE IN IRRIGATION PRICES SINCE 2006/07 Sugarcane growers in the drier areas of the state consume
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Submission DR130
    To: Commissioner Dr Jane Doolan, Associate Commissioner Drew Collins Productivity Commission National Water Reform 2020 Submission by John F Kell BE (SYD), M App Sc (UNSW), MIEAust, MICE Date: 25 March 2021 Revision: 3 Summary of Contents 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Current Situation / Problem Solution 3.0 The Solution 4.0 Dam Location 5.0 Water channel design 6.0 Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act – Section 100 7.0 Federal and State Responses 8.0 Conclusion 9.0 Acknowledgements Attachments 1 Referenced Data 2A Preliminary Design of Gravity Flow Channel Summary 2B Preliminary Design of Gravity Flow Channel Summary 3 Effectiveness of Dam Size Design Units L litres KL kilolitres ML Megalitres GL Gigalitres (Sydney Harbour ~ 500GL) GL/a Gigalitres / annum RL Relative Level - above sea level (m) m metre TEL Townsville Enterprise Limited SMEC Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation MDBA Murray Darling Basin Authority 1.0 Introduction This submission is to present a practical solution to restore balance in the Murray Daring Basin (MDB) with a significant regular inflow of water from the Burdekin and Herbert Rivers in Queensland. My background is civil/structural engineering (BE Sydney Uni - 1973). As a fresh graduate, I worked in South Africa and UK for ~6 years, including a stint with a water consulting practice in Johannesburg, including relieving Mafeking as a site engineer on a water canal project. Attained the MICE (UK) in Manchester in 1979. In 1980 returning to Sydney, I joined Connell Wagner (now Aurecon), designing large scale industrial projects. Since 1990, I have headed a manufacturing company in the specialised field of investment casting (www.hycast.com.au) at Smithfield, NSW.
    [Show full text]
  • The Burdekin River
    The Burdekin River In March 1846, the Burdekin River was named by German During the wet season there is no shortage of water explorer and scientist, Ludwig Leichhardt after Mrs Thomas or wildlife surrounding the Burdekin River. As the wet Burdekin, who assisted Mr Leichhardt during his expedition. season progresses the native wildlife flourishes and the dry country comes alive with all types of flora and fauna. In 1859, George Dalrymple explored the area in search of good pastoral land. Two years later, in 1861, the land One of the major river systems in Australia, the along the Burdekin River was being settled and cattle Burdekin has a total catchment area of 130,000 sq km, properties and agricultural farms were established. which is similar in size to England or Greece. The Burdekin River is 740km long and the centrepiece to an entire network of rivers. Most of the water that flows through the Burdekin Ludwig River starts its journey slowly flowing through Leichhardt creeks and tributaries picking up more volume as it heads towards the Pacific Ocean. Information and photos courtesy of Lower Burdekin Water, CSIRO, SunWater and Lower Burdekin Historical Society Inc. Burdekin Falls Dam The site chosen for the Dam was the Burdekin Throughout the construction phase the As well as being a fantastic spot for camping, Falls, 159km from the mouth of the river. The weather had been very kind. There had this lake is also popular for fishing with Burdekin Dam required a huge volume of not been a wet season in the 2 ½ years schools of grunter, sleepy cod, silver perch concrete; it took 630,000 cubic metres for it had taken to construct the dam.
    [Show full text]
  • Wyaralong Dam: Issues and Alternatives
    Wyaralong Dam: issues and alternatives Issues associated with the proposed construction of a dam on the Teviot Brook, South East Queensland 2nd edition October 2006 Report prepared by Dr G Bradd Witt and Katherine Witt The proposed Wyaralong Dam: issues and alternatives 2nd edition October 2006 Wyaralong Dam: issues and alternatives Issues associated with the proposed construction of a dam on the Teviot Brook, South East Queensland 2nd Edition October 2006 Report prepared by Dr G Bradd Witt and Katherine Witt - 1 - The proposed Wyaralong Dam: issues and alternatives 2nd edition October 2006 Table of contents Table of contents ................................................................................. i 1.0 Executive summary ................................................................... 1 1.1 Purpose ............................................................................. 1 1.2 Key issues identified in this report ........................................ 2 1.3 Alternative proposition ........................................................ 3 2.0 Introduction and context............................................................ 5 2.1 The Wyaralong District ........................................................ 5 2.2 The Teviot Catchment ......................................................... 5 3.0 Key issues of concern ................................................................ 7 3.1 Catchment yield and dam yield ............................................ 7 3.2 Water quality...................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Management of Fish Habitat Values in Burdekin Delta Distributary Streams
    Predicting Impacts of Development and Land Use Change Upon Complex Wetland Systems in Largely Undeveloped Catchments of Northern Australia Damien Burrows and Barry Butler TropWATER – Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook University, Australia • Nearly 20% of Aust land mass, but <1% of population • Most development is on small section of NE coast • Only 300,000 in all of northern Australia • Only 3 towns >10,000 people Pressure to Develop North Australia • Northern part of Australia has 24% of national runoff (equals 23,000,000ML) but <1% is allocated for all uses (urban, mining, irrigation) so essentially free-running rivers • Grazing dominant land use • There is now much pressure to further develop this vast region – to become an ínternational foodbowl • This would be a 21st century development of a relatively intact region - can we manage it right? Gulf Rivers Burdekin Catchment, northern Australia Burdekin Catchment and Dam TOWNSVILLE BURDEKIN BOWEN Burdekin Dam • Grazing = 88%, cropping = 1% BELYANDO • Average Annual Rainfall: 800 to 1200mm Dominant Wetland Management Issues • Impacts of Dams • Management of Aquatic Weeds • Management of Livestock Grazing Burdekin Falls Dam • Built 1987, stores 1.8 million megalitres of water • Captures runoff from 86% of catchment • Supports increased irrigation development on the Burdekin delta and floodplain • Seasonal river with large floods but low dry season flow Wet and Dry Season Differences Above and Below Burdekin Dam Upper Burdekin River, above dam Lower Burdekin River, below dam • Upper Burdekin turbid after 200 stormflows, but runs clear 150 shortly after 100 • Dam traps stormwater andTurbidity (NTU) 50 remains persistently turbid 0 N = 31 10 31 31 • Distributes turbid water Upper Burdekin Bow en River Clare Pump Station Warren's Gully downstream River Region Downstream Implications Turbid Interconnected Irrigation Channels Clear Non-connected Lagoons .
    [Show full text]
  • Inquiry Into Additional Water Supplies for South East Queensland
    16 Varley Rd, south. Glenwood. Queensland. 4570 telephone (07) 54857324 E-Mail [email protected] 2nd April 2007. Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport E-mail www.aph.gov.au/senate_rrat Re – WATER SUPPLIES FOR SOUTHEAST QUEENSLAND- TRAVESTON DAM. To whom it may concern. I live in the Tiaro Shire, downstream from the proposed Traveston Dam site. Much thought has gone into my proposal, as more dams in Southeast Queensland will not alleviate the current water crisis. There are sufficient dams in Southeast Queensland to service the population, all that is necessary is the water! Therefore, a variation of the Bradfield Scheme is envisaged, to alleviate not only future water crises in Southeast Queensland, but to assist in the regeneration of the Murray-Darling river system. It is a huge undertaking, but viable. A pipeline down the Queensland coast was considered but the obstacles that would be encountered viz; population density and deep and wide rivers to cross, tended to negate that proposal. Whereas an inland pipeline would not cause a great deal of disruption to the general population and is a more direct route, and will be there for many generations to come. Also as our population increases and spreads north and west from Southeast Queensland, as it must, the future water supply for those people will be assured. SUMMARY INTRODUCTION – The history of the Bradfield Scheme. PLANNED PROPOSAL- Description of the variation of the Bradfield Scheme envisaged in this proposal to supplement the water in the dams of SE Queensland. FURTHER BENEFITS OF THE PROPOSAL- including the regeneration of the Murray-Darling rivers system.
    [Show full text]
  • Legislative Assembly Hansard 1955
    Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly THURSDAY, 13 OCTOBER 1955 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Auditor-General's Report. [13 OcTOBER.] Questions. 661 QUESTIONS. BURDEKIN DAM AND SOMERSET DAM. )lr. AIKENS (Mundingburra) asked the Premier- '' In view of the fact that his Govern­ ment has abandoned work on the Burdekin Dam which, when completed, would pro­ vide water for irrigation and hydro-electric power for industry and so add to the national wealth of the State, how can his Government justify any further expendi­ ture of money on the Somerset Dam which neither irrigates one square foot of land nor generates a single unit of electricity and adds absolutely nothing to our national wealth or development~'' Hon. V. C. GAIR (South Brisbane) replied- '' The development of Stage 2 of the Durclekin Dam project has not been nbandonetl. It has, however, been found necessary to defer its development for the reasons stated in my reply to the hon. member for Buruekin on 27 September last. In ordinary circumstances I would consider :1 further reply to the hon. member's ques­ tion unwarranted but as his question affords further proof of his blinded paro­ chialism and unfathomable ignorance in matters of public importance, I feel some further remarks are necessary. If the hon. member really believes his assertion regard­ ing Somerset Dam, which would indicate colossal ignorance on his part, then he is possibly the only person in Queensland who is of such an opinion. Had the hon. mem­ ber listened to my speech on the Secop.d Hear1ing of the Somerset Dam (Finance) Dill in November last, he would have leamecl that this major multiple-purpose project makes a very considerable contribu­ tion to our national wealth and develop­ ment.
    [Show full text]
  • Central and Western Queensland Floods January 2008
    Central and Western Queensland Floods January 2008 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Clockwise from top left; 1. Flooded roads around Proserpine. 2. Burdekin Falls Dam 3. Giru flooding from the Air. (newsdotcom) 4. Cars washed off road near Giru. 5. Bradleys Gully floods Charleville. 6. Nogoa River at Fairbairn Dam 7. Dragline and coal mine flooded by the Nogoa River 8. Houses flooded in Emerald. All photos are sourced from the Internet via www or email. Note: 1. Data in this report has been operationally quality controlled but errors may still exist. 2. This product includes data made available to the Bureau by other agencies. Separate approval may be required to use the data for other purposes. See Appendix 1 for DNRW Usage Agreement. 3. This report is not a complete set of all data that is available. It is a representation of some of the key information. Table of Contents 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 3 Figure 1.1 Peak Height Map for January 2008 - Queensland.................................................................. 3 2. Meteorological Summary ............................................................................................................................. 4 2.1 Meteorological Analysis......................................................................................................................... 4 Figure 2.1.1 Track of Tropical Low Pressure System from the 9 – 18 January 2008...............................
    [Show full text]
  • The Revised Bradfield Scheme
    THE REVISED BRADFIELD SCHEME THE PROPOSED DIVERSION OF THE UPPER TULLY I HERBERT BURDEKIN . RIVERS ON TO THE INLAND PLAINS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL QUEENSLAND PROPOSAL OF QUEENSLAND N.P.A. WATER RESOURCES SUB-COMMITTEE NOVEMBER 1981. THEBRADFffiLDSCHEME . ·,·:.:.·:::·;: .. The scheme to divert water from the coastal rivers to inland Queensland was proposed by ~e ll.oted engineer Dr J J C Bradfield in 1938. He envisaged diverting water from the coastal Tully,· Herbert, and Burdekin Rivers across the Great Dividing Range to supply the inland watei::s in Queensia1l<i .. The major inland water courses to receive the diverted water would be the Flinders and Thompson Rivers and Torrens Creek. Bradfield's work was based on elevation (height) information obtained from a barometer that he carried on horse back and the extremely sparse streamflow data that was available at the time. Bradfield's scheme emphasised providing water for stock and fodder to offset the recurring problem of drought, plus recharge for the aquifers of the Great Artesian Basin. He paid little attention to using the transferred water for irrigated agriculture or to competing demands for water east of the Divide for irrigation and hydro power generation. In about 1983 the Queensland Government commissioned the consulting engineering fii:m, Cameron McNamara Pty Ltd, to undertake a re-assessment of the Bradfield scheme. The final report by the consultants was not released by the Government however some information from the report was disseminated. A summary of that information is:-. • It wouldbe·possible to·divert 924 000 megalitres of water per year to the Hughenden area.· ..
    [Show full text]
  • Irrigation Prices for Sunwater Schemes: 2011-16
    Irrigation Prices for SunWater Schemes: 2011-16 Lower Burdekin Water Submission to the Queensland Competition Authority April 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Executive Summary ................................................................................................................. i 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 Context – the QCA review process ................................................................................... 1 Approach to developing this submission ........................................................................... 1 2. Background and context ................................................................................................ 2 Lower Burdekin Water ....................................................................................................... 2 Area serviced .......................................................................................................................... 2 LBW responsibilities ............................................................................................................... 2 LBW financial situation ........................................................................................................... 3 Current reforms ....................................................................................................................... 5 Irrigated production and prospects in the LBW area ........................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Burdekin River Irrigation Area Irrigators Ltd (BRIA) Submission to The
    Burdekin River Irrigation Area Irrigators Ltd (BRIA) Submission to the QCA 4th November 2019 4th November 2019 Queensland Competition Authority GPO Box 2257 Brisbane QLD 4001 Dear Mr Page Re: Rural Irrigation Pricing Review 2020-24 Thank you for the opportunity to provide a further submission to the Queensland Competition Authority’s Rural Irrigation Pricing Review. BRIA Irrigators Ltd (BRIA) represents irrigators in the Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme (BHWSS), who produce sugar cane, horticulture and grain crops with irrigation water being a critical input cost. As an associate member of QFF we have provided input to the QFF submission and support the views put forward in that document. BRIA wishes to respond to the QCA’s Draft Report and provide further comment on key issues raised in our initial submission outlined below. 1. Capacity to Pay 2. Dam safety – Dam Improvement Program (DIP) 3. Operating costs including • Inspector-General Emergency Management • Electricity • Insurance • Renewals • Corporate overheads • Distribution losses • Cost of review and further reviews during the price path • Tariff Structures in the BHWSS • Drainage Charge • Access Charge • Regulated Asset Base • Appendix A - Methodology Should you have any further queries please contact Mario Barbagallo, Chairman 0429 181 276 or Russ McNee, Manager 0427 450 265 2 | P a g e Capacity to Pay BRIA’s initial submission raised customers capacity to pay as a key issue. We recognise that the QCA is directed to recommend prices which fully recover prudent and efficient costs and we acknowledge that the QCA has attempted to balance the legitimate commercial interests of SunWater, with the commercial interests of BHWSS customers, by proposing less than cost reflective prices which transition to a cost reflective price target over time.
    [Show full text]
  • Economic Costs of Inaction on Paradise Dam
    February 2020 Economic Costs of Inaction on Paradise Dam Report prepared for Bundaberg Regional Council, Wide Bay Burnett Regional Organisation of Councils, Regional Development Australia Wide Bay Burnett, Bundaberg CANEGROWERS, CANEGROWERS Isis, and Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers Adept Economics Adept Economics is a Brisbane-based consultancy providing expert economic analysis and advice for private and public sector clients who want to know, for example, whether an investment project is worthwhile, or a policy or program is beneficial and cost-effective. Adept can help you by preparing business cases, reports for boards or senior executives, or funding submissions to governments, councils and other funding agencies. Contact Gene Tunny – Director, Adept Economics Suite T27, The Johnson 477 Boundary St, Spring Hill QLD 4000 AUSTRALIA [email protected] Authors Gene Tunny and Nick Behrens, with research assistance from Ben Scott Disclaimer This report has been prepared in accordance with the scope of services described in the contract or agreement between Adept Economics and the Client. Any findings, conclusions or recommendations only apply to the aforementioned circumstances and no greater reliance should be assumed or drawn by the Client. Furthermore, the report has been prepared solely for use by the Client and Adept Economics accepts no responsibility for its use by other parties. The report is not financial advice. Contents Abbreviations ..........................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • An Initial Environmental Assessment of Water Infrastructure Options in the Burdekin Catchment
    AN INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF WATER INFRASTRUCTURE OPTIONS IN THE BURDEKIN CATCHMENT FINAL REPORT To Department of Natural Resources – Regional Infrastructure Development Program, North Region Report 99/29 December 1999 Prepared by: Damien W. Burrows With Contributions by: Dr. Brad Pusey (River Research Pty. Ltd.) – aquatic fauna and ecosystems Garry Werren (ACTFR) – vegetation/fauna for BFD/Broken River Kerry Walsh (ACTFR) – vegetation for BFD and Broken River Alex Kutt (ACTFR) – vegetation and fauna for Mt. Douglas Russell Cumming (EPA) – upper Burdekin vegetation Dr. Martin Cohen (EPA) – upper Burdekin fauna Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research James Cook University, Qld. 4811 Phone: (07) 47814262 Fax: (07) 47815589 Email: [email protected] Environmental Scoping Study – Burdekin Dams ACTFR Report 99/29 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ 1.0 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................1 2.0 THE BURDEKIN CATCHMENT ......................................................................................2 2.1 VARIABILITY OF WATER FLOWS IN THE BURDEKIN CATCHMENT ........................................2 2.2 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE EXISTING BURDEKIN FALLS DAM..........................2 3.0 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY....................................................................................5 4.0 THE REMAINING DAM OPTIONS
    [Show full text]