Pearce lashes out at Feds over irrigation funding

Primary Industries Minister Gavin Pearce has lashed out at the Federal Government after Tranche Three of the Tasmanian Irrigation projects were removed from their latest Infrastructure Priorities list.

Known as the "Pipeline to Prosperity" program, Tranche 3 involves a suite of 10 potential irrigation projects across Tasmania aimed at delivering up to ~78,000 megalitres of additional irrigation water annually. 

It has been on Infrastructure Australia's Infrastructure Priority List (IPL) for several years as a potential high-priority initiative for national funding support.

Minister Pearce said that Tasmanian farmers have been left hanging after the Federal Labor Government failed to commit to the remaining Tranche Three Tasmanian Irrigation projects in their latest Infrastructure Priorities List. 

“I’ve written to the Federal Minister for Water, Murray Watt, and the Federal Minister for Agriculture, Julie Collins, expressing my concern around the uncertainty the Federal Government has caused regarding these critical irrigation projects,” Minister Pearce said. 

“Irrigation is about more than just water in Tasmania, it’s the backbone of our farming communities.

“We want to see a commitment from the Federal Government that they will fund the irrigation projects promised.

“Our Liberal Government is delivering for our communities and the farmers that keep food on the table - we expect the Federal Government to step up and do the same.”

To date the Federal Government has committed funding totalling $364 million to five Tranche 3 schemes (Don, Northern Midlands, Sassafras-Wesley Vale Augmentation, Tamar, and Greater South East Irrigation Scheme).

Schemes not yet funded are the Southern Midlands Irrigation Scheme, Flowerdale, Harcus, Detention, and Fingal.