Andrew McNamara Has His Say
Last week I invited the local candidates for Hervey Bay to have their say here on the Hervey Bay Gossip. To date the only one to respond the invitation has been Andrew McNamara, the current local member and the Labor Party’s candidate on September 9. Here is his response Here is the response:
Hervey Bay is booming. In 5 years we have gone from an economic basket case to the fastest growing city on the Australian east coast. That success hasn’t happened by accident.
As our voice in the Beattie government, it has been my job to ensure that Hervey Bay’s power and water supplies are sufficient to meet our needs, now and in the future. Tens of millions of dollars has been invested in raising Lenthalls Dam and building other water infrastructure over the last 3 years so that we have water security that is the envy of every other city south of Townsville.
Our power supply has also been massively strengthened, with new work at the Point Vernon, Torquay and Pialba sub-stations during the last three years and $250 million worth of work now in construction, design or planned for the region over the next 6 years.
Those investments in water and power have meant that the private sector can invest with confidence and we have all benefited from the housing and construction boom that has followed.
I have also fought hard to keep our valuable seafood industry, protecting hundreds of jobs and the export dollars that they earn. The gazettal of the Great Sandy Strait Marine Park protects our natural environment, while allowing maximum access to the park for recreational anglers.
New police stations and ambulance stations, more teachers, more nurses and better public transport have all contributed to a safer and happier Hervey Bay.
That is why this election is so important. Together, we can take Hervey Bay forward. We can keep the good times going.
I am committed to keeping our community positive and our economy growing. The $100 million expansion of the Urangan Boat Harbour, the building of the $12 million Wide Bay Water Park, the commitment to a Positive Learning Centre to help with behaviour management in our schools, as well as more doctors, nurses and allied health workers for our hospital are among the issues I will be working on for our community, if re-elected.
On 9 September I seek your support, to continue to work for Hervey Bay’s future, together.
As part of a strong, united Labor government I can make sure that we keep the growth and prosperity going.
Andrew McNamara MP
September 7th, 2006 at 6:50 am
[...] Replies were received from three of the candidates and you can follow the link associated with each name to read those replies: Andrew McNamara, Jan Rohzinski and Peter Shuback [...]
October 19th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Andrew Mcnamar is a farce.
Yes he is right Tens of Millions of Dollars have been invested in raising Lenthalls Dam and almost 12 months after completion the infrastructure doesnt work as designed.
Repairs are still underway on the Lenthalls Dam Gates that the taxpayer to quote Andrew cost ” Tens of Millions of Dollars”.
The gates were supposed to be able to lower to ensure that the downstream section of the river recieved environmental flows. It is an indightment on Andrew and his government that the gates dont work as designed. When asked about the Lenthalls Dam Gate Failure ( Feb08 and May June 08) Andrew told the Fraser Coast Chonicle he had ” enough bottles of wine” with the Dam Operator Wide Bay Water to know it was a good project.
Is this the kind behaviour we want from a Minister ? and is this really how we want infrastucture vetted ” over a bottle of wine”
There have been fish kills in the Burrum it is thought due to the lack of a fish ladder ( which had been a Labour Govt requirement) and Wongi Waterholes has been flooded with Eucalpts at risk from being drowned.
Wether you are an environmentalist or just a voter concerned about value for money – Andrew Macnamaras performance is a concern. Who really thinks a waterless water park will bring tourists and did anyone need $5 million in pork barelling spent on it when Hervey Bays Hospitals need all the funding they can get.
Andrew Macnamra wont get my vote – but neither will Sorrenson for the Nats – he was an ineffective Mayor who is just as responsible for the wastage at Lenthalls as Macnamara.
Its just such a pity the Nationals did not manage to recruit fresh new talent. Vote independant and just dont give Andrew your vote.
Unless you want what Hervey Bay is so used to second class infrastructure that doesnt work as designed and dodgy water parks with no water that are unlikely to be finished on time.
November 28th, 2008 at 11:13 am
By way of update – the Lenthalls Dam Gates are still not operable today and upto 270 people downstream are at still risk from this category 2 dam.
If you live at Torbanlea or Howard on the river – watch out – or better still ring WBWC and ask for an innundation map.
This risk is ongoing and dams do kill – ask the community at Blackwater where the little girl died on the weekend.
When the Lenthalls Dam Gate Failure was put to Fraser Coast Regional Councils, Development Committee to vote on a compliance investigation regarding the DA,
Councilor McNiven and a few others were more concerned about the need for the vote to leave out Wide Bay Water Corporations name, than the Dam Gate Failure / Saftey issue itself. ( 12/11/2008)
Dam Saftey was a development condition for the installation of the dam gates.
Councilor Mcniven makes very clear to anyone she talks to that she is a very good friend of Tim Waldron CEO of the Wide Bay Water as is Andrew Mcnamara the local Labour member.
Councilor Mcniven should get her priorities straight and understand that the saftey of Hervey Bay residents is more important than her friendships – or wether or notthe name of WBWC is exposed.
Council Mcniven “the horse has bolted” no matter what your efforts you cannot cover up the Dam Gate Failure and you know that something needs to be done about the structure of WBWC.
The public want greater transparency and a business model that can afford risk assesment and risk management implimentation.
From construction of Lenthalls Dam in 1984 until 2007 when there first Dam Saftey Audit was undetaken – No Saftey Audits had been undertaken.
This kind of slack approach is not what the public expect.
January 11th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
With a view to investigating the reasons that Public Saftey with Respect to Lenthalls Dam Gate Failure has never been taken too seriously ( or at least upstream saftey issues) we have been looking in the the qualifications and background of the key decision makers within Wide Bay Water Corporation.
Engineers Registered with the as Proffessional Engineers with the Board of Proffessional Engineers Queensland have an obligation under their code of practice to act with public saftey as a priority.
It came as a suprise to us to find that of the senior staff and the CEO of WBW only one person a Peter Robbins of Springwood is registered with the BPEQ to operate as an engineer in QLD. The only other BPEQ registered engineer at Wide Bay Water Corporation in a senior decision making role is Mr Thomsen on the board of Directors WBW. Mr Thomsen is located at Ormiston not Hervey Bay.
The requirements are that unregistered engineers, and it seems there are many in WBW HB, must act under the direct Locational supervision of a registered Engineer.
That is they must be supervised by enineers located at Hervey Bay.
Is the CEO under constant supervision by MR Thomsen from the Board? and if so how much is the ratepayer paying for Mr Thomsen to be continually in HB supervising the CEO? The continual travel from Ormiston Brisbane would be expensive?
The Operations Manual for Lenthalls dam placeds ultimate responsibility for operation with the CEO? Who is supervising the CEO with respect to the Civil and Mechanical and Hyraulogical management of Lenthalls Dam?
Where are is the supervising engineer located?
We are confused about how all this works but at least now we feel we understand where the lack of understanding with respect to the saftey of upstream land holders may lie.
Not being BPEQ registered Engineers these senior staff at WBW do not have the same obigations a registered engineer with BPEQ would have.
It is in the public interest to ask would they be more focussed on public saftey if the code of practice for registered engineers applied to them?
Wether this explains the strange lack of consultation with respect to the Emergency Action Plan and the inability to ensure that practical workable contact numbers are included in this document and the lack of admission to land holders about the risk they face we dont know.
January 12th, 2009 at 7:35 am
270 Downstream Residents at Risk as Lenthalls Dam Gates Hervey Bay are still not operable. Have Howard and Torbanlea Residents been notified of the risk?
What is Andrew Macnamaras position given his strong support for the failed Crest flow gate technology.
Wide Bay Water Corporation still have not consulted affected residents upstream regarding the Emergency Action Plan in the event an evacuation is required or residents need to be contacted. The current contact numbers are not relevant to an emergency and residents have not been provided with a recent draft of the document or been consulted.
With a view to investigating, the reasons that Public Saftey with Respect to Lenthalls Dam Gate Failure has never been taken too seriously ( or at least upstream saftey issues) we have been looking in the the qualifications and background of the key decision makers within Wide Bay Water Corporation.
Engineers Registered with the as Proffessional Engineers with the Board of Proffessional Engineers Queensland have an obligation under their code of practice to act with public saftey as a priority.
It came as a suprise to us to find that of the senior staff and the CEO of WBW only one person a Peter Robbins of Springwood is registered with the BPEQ to operate as an engineer in QLD. The only other BPEQ registered engineer at Wide Bay Water Corporation in a senior decision making role is Mr Thomsen on the board of Directors WBW. Mr Thomsen is located at Ormiston not Hervey Bay.
The requirements are that unregistered engineers, and it seems there are many in WBW HB, must act under the direct Locational supervision of a registered Engineer.
That is they must be supervised by enineers located at Hervey Bay.
Is the CEO under constant supervision by MR Thomsen from the Board? and if so how much is the ratepayer paying for Mr Thomsen to be continually in HB supervising the CEO? The continual travel from Ormiston Brisbane would be expensive?
The Operations Manual for Lenthalls dam placeds ultimate responsibility for operation with the CEO? Who is supervising the CEO with respect to the Civil and Mechanical and Hyraulogical management of Lenthalls Dam?
Where are is the supervising engineer located?
We are confused about how all this works but at least now we feel we understand where the lack of understanding with respect to the saftey of upstream land holders may lie.
Not being BPEQ registered Engineers these senior staff at WBW do not have the same obigations a registered engineer with BPEQ would have.
It is in the public interest to ask would they be more focussed on public saftey if the code of practice for registered engineers applied to them?
Wether this explains the strange lack of consultation with respect to the Emergency Action Plan and the inability to ensure that practical workable contact numbers are included in this document and the lack of admission to land holders about the risk they face we dont know.
It is in the public interest to ask how water corporations like Wide Bay Water manage their responsibilities and whom is BPEQ qualified to make decisions and issue instruction Water and Dam management is a serious responsiblity as is public expenditure.
If ratepayes and tax payers have to pay for continual duplicated BPEQ supervision from outside consultants they dont get value for money – but they may not get the best decisions as those in management not BPEQ registered can and will over ride the recommendations given.
It is in the public interest to as is Time Waldron CEO WBWC a BPEQ registered decision maker or not?
The CEO is listed in the Lenthalls Dam Operations Manual as the responsible entity for the Dams Safe operation.
Contact Fraser Coast Regional Council or Andrew Macnamaras office if you have friends or family downstream of Lenthalls Dam at Howard and Torbanlea to ask what they are doing to protect public saftey?
With a State Govt Election coming up its vital our local member is held responsible for his allegiance to $10 Million Dollar Dam Gates whose failure to operate as designed places 270 people in Howard and Torbanlea at risk!