Since Rous County Council voted to abandon the Dunoon Dam as a potential solution to the future water needs of the Northern Rivers, a new group has emerged called Our Future Northern Rivers. As of this morning, 74 people have liked the group on Facebook and it has 103 followers. Austin Curtin. Photo supplied.
Tregeagle macadamia farmer Austin Curtin stood unsuccessfully for the Nationals in the state seat of Lismore at the last election. He is the spokesperson for Our Future Northern Rivers.
Mr Curtin agreed to answer a few questions from
The Echo on condition that his answers were printed in full.
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As we move to our new home on The Daily Telegraph website, I want to take the opportunity to reintroduce our team of dedicated and passionate journalists living and working right here on the Northern Rivers.
My name is David Kirkpatrick and I am the editor of The Northern Star.
We have a team of nine journalists working across four titles: The Northern Star, Tweed Daily News, Ballina Shire Advocate and Byron Shire News.
I joined the Star about 14 years ago as a sub editor and then sports editor before rising to become the editor.
With more than 34 years spent working as a journalist, media and public relations specialist across Melbourne, Canberra and regional NSW, I bring a wealth experience to this role.
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The Dunoon Dam has twice been rejected by Rous County Council as an option to secure future water supply for the Northern Rivers, so why does it remain a topic of heated debate?
Lismore City Council heard a motion at its meeting this week, requesting the council support the dam being put back on the table for consideration.
The motion was not successful, with five of eight councillors voting against it, but there remains a push from some sectors to see the dam reinstated to the Future Water Project 2060.
In December, the water authority for the region, Rous County Council, voted to exclude the Dunoon Dam as an option, electing to change the focus of the plan to other options – such as upgrading Marom Creek Water Treatment Plant and the use of new underground water from the Alstonville area for the first 10 years, to develop technology to allow for direct and indirect potable reuse of water.