NSW Labor affirms pre-election Warragamba promise

24 April 2023

The NSW Minns Government has affirmed a pre-election promise to scrap plans to raise the height of the Warragamba Dam and is pursuing other mitigation measures.

“The Government’s position is clear, we have always opposed the raising of the Warragamba dam wall,” Water Minister Rose Jackson said last week.

“We went to the election with this position. The project will not guarantee communities in Western Sydney will be safe from flood events.”

Ms Jackson says raising the wall would flood the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, inundating 1200 Aboriginal sites and artefacts, destroying habitat for critically endangered species and risking the heritage listing.

“The Government also has a real plan to address floods in the immediate term: we will build levies, improve evacuation routes and improve emergency communications in the Hawkesbury-Nepean,” she said.

Ms Jackson says she has requested urgent briefings from the relevant department and Water NSW regarding the Warragamba Dam.

The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has also backed other measures to better address issues in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley, in preference to changing the wall height.

“ICA welcomes the NSW Labor Government’s decision to not proceed with the project to raise the Warragamba Dam wall,” a spokesperson told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

“Managing flood risk in NSW is critical, and the Insurance Council stands ready to work with the NSW Government on where land planning should be reviewed, building standards improved to include resilience and the funding urgently needed for infrastructure to protect existing communities.”