The Federal Government has scrapped an advisory body that it established to scrutinise major water projects.

The National Water Grid Advisory Body was not consulted about a recent $5.9 billion spend on two separate north Queensland dams.  

An expert member of the body, Stuart Khan, expressed concern recently that the government’s dam funding announcements were made for “brazenly political purposes”. 

“It is my strong opinion that the Australian government should wait for the outcomes of this significant public investment in the development of the detailed business case before committing public funds to the construction of the dam,” he wrote to colleagues on the advisory body, according to reports.

“Responsible management of Australia’s water resources is of enormous importance in a country prone to extreme drought and extreme floods.

“Water infrastructure investment decisions are far too important, with far too many consequences, to be used for brazenly political purposes in the lead-up to an election.

“It is apparent that the Commonwealth commitment to funding it is being used as a device intended to extract political benefit.”

Shortly after this claim, the advisory body was scrapped entirely. There is no suggestion that the expert’s comments were the reason for the government’s decision.

“The National Water Grid Advisory Body has met the objectives set for it when it was established in August 2020,” a spokesperson for deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said this week.

“The advisory body has provided independent advice to the government on water infrastructure, using the world’s best science to support the work of the National Water Grid Authority. This advice and the science underpinning it has helped inform the government’s decisions on water infrastructure projects.”