“Government infrastructure decision making has not always demonstrated the rigour of water service providers’ processes,” the Productivity Commission said.
“Since 2017, governments have committed to two major water projects (Rookwood weir and Haughton pipeline stage 2) with business cases demonstrating benefit–cost ratios of less than 1 – that is, the projects are likely to impose net costs on the community.”
The report also includes a case study on the $484m Dungowan dam proposed for Tamworth in NSW, which has been championed by the Nationals’ John Barilaro. It has also received millions of dollars in support from the federal government, from a fund run by Nationals leader Michael McCormick.