“Hydro bitter taste” and “Poll casts doubt” are the headlines from the last issue of Gympie Today in which Arthur Gorrie reports, “The Borumba Dam Pumped Hydro Electricity Scheme threatens to become a long term issue for Gympie region residents with a significant number strongly and permanently opposed to dam linked policies… ”
Mr Gorrie reported that Katie McCallum, representing One Nation, received about one-fifth of the votes.
He is right – about 22 per cent.
That means that the LNP, the ALP, and the Greens received about four-fifths or 78 per cent and all of them were in favour of the dam.
It would seem that the correct assumption from the election is that over three-quarters of the Gympie electorate are definitely in favour of the dam.
Ms McCallum ran as a One Nation candidate and One Nation has done very well in Gympie.
In 2017 One Nation won 30 per cent of the vote in Gympie.
This dropped to 13 per cent in 2020.
So 22 per cent is average for One Nation over recent times.
There is no evidence that any of the votes from the latest election were due to anything other than traditional One Nation votes and a competent and committed candidate.
The Borumba scheme will be a major boost to the economy of the region and will provide balancing for the renewables necessary for the electricity system which must double output in the medium term.
The 2024 election showed that it is supported by an overwhelming majority of the people.
– Reg Lawler
Dagun
