Inside the engineering megaproject that went horribly wrong | Four Corners

Australia’s Snowy 2.0 was sold as a nation-building megaproject for a low-carbon future - and was meant to be feeding power into the grid by the end of 2024.
Instead, the pumped hydro project, which was once estimated to cost $2 billion, is four years behind schedule and now forecast to hit $12 billion.
In this documentary, Four Corners reveals the inside story of Snowy 2.0 and how it all went so horribly wrong.
Reporter Angus Grigg challenges its founding champion, former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who says as much as $2 billion of the cost blow out can be traced back to a massive tunnel boring machine called Florence.
Florence is currently stuck.
Read more about this story here: www.abc.net.au/news/102995568
This episode was originally broadcast as ‘Tunnel Vision’ on 23 October 2023 on ABC TV and ABC iview.
Four Corners is Australia’s premier investigations documentary series.
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Note: In most cases, our captions are auto-generated.

Пікірлер: 221

  • @iceman4660
    @iceman46606 ай бұрын

    Politician becomes engineering guru after reading a articles. What could go wrong?

  • @linoiovenitti7207
    @linoiovenitti72075 ай бұрын

    " I was wrong ", now there is a comment that you will never hear a politician say.

  • @Enonymouse_
    @Enonymouse_6 ай бұрын

    "It may affect the contractors reputation" It damn well should affect them, that work is dangerous but worker safety is a must!

  • @philhogan5623
    @philhogan56236 ай бұрын

    I can't think of a single infrastructure project that DIDN'T go way over budget. It doesn't help that contractors immediately bump up their prices as soon as they see the words 'government project'.

  • @kirkjohnson6638
    @kirkjohnson66386 ай бұрын

    So, it's not a $2 billion mistake, it's a $12 billion mistake and that is if they don't overrun their current projections which is very dubious.

  • @christophero1969
    @christophero19696 ай бұрын

    This is comparable to watching children playing in a sandbox and discovering the different properties of wet-sand vs. dry-sand. The public is being taken for a ride, in my opinion.

  • @mickking5913
    @mickking59136 ай бұрын

    It seems that florence shouldn't have been used until they were deeper and in the hard rock.The company in charge of the tunnelling should have known this so therefore they should pay all the extra costs not us the taxpayers.

  • @philanderson2220
    @philanderson22206 ай бұрын

    I'm learning as i go, he's a funny bastard 🤣

  • @nedenede
    @nedenede6 ай бұрын

    Mismanagement of public funds in the billions. Why isn't a public inquiry called and pple held accountable? The public needs to know.

  • @prizecowproductions
    @prizecowproductions6 ай бұрын

    Not in my back yard always seems the response to any proposed infrastructure project. But with that said fair compensation should always be on offer.

  • @trojanhatchet8204
    @trojanhatchet82046 ай бұрын

    They cheaped out on geological studies ?

  • @TheFrogga69
    @TheFrogga695 ай бұрын

    People can’t pick a flower in a national park but these guys can trash it.

  • @leskobrandon691
    @leskobrandon6916 ай бұрын

    This has $100 billion written all over it by the time they get this done. Isn't one of the reasons you release the names of companies with safety violations is to affect their reputation? Unbelievable

  • @dedrakuhn6103
    @dedrakuhn61035 ай бұрын

    Skip the video to 22.20 minutes in to begin watching before starting at the beginning of the video. Whoever choose the order of events should have put the quick overview of this project first

  • @actualfacts1055
    @actualfacts10555 ай бұрын

    The project should have been cancelled after the geology assessment was done.

  • @marklock1238
    @marklock12386 ай бұрын

    Turnbull’s involvement would explain the failure. Just like his NBN fiasco.

  • @user-uk8qt9zl6k
    @user-uk8qt9zl6k6 ай бұрын

    Looks like a few people did alright off it...

  • @scottgordon1781
    @scottgordon17816 ай бұрын

    Oh crap , they tunneled ahead and ignored it :-) They knew it was soft !

  • @paulchasteauneuf2098
    @paulchasteauneuf20986 ай бұрын

    As my dad used to say, poor planning produces piss poor performance. Thanks Turdball

  • @AlexBint

    @AlexBint

    6 ай бұрын

    Prior planning prevents piss poor performance

  • @jonramsey6348

    @jonramsey6348

    6 ай бұрын

    I remember this old electrician used to tell me “ Proper preparation prevents piss poor performance “

  • @rwo5402

    @rwo5402

    6 ай бұрын

    12 Billion is small change compared to the nuclear subs or what is spent on public transport in Sydney and Victoria. Although it is annoying, in the long term it is a worthwhile investment. As far as bad decisions go let's not forget the 5 billion Scomo paid to France to get out of the sub contract and we didn't get anything for that.,

  • @-JonnyBoy-
    @-JonnyBoy-6 ай бұрын

    "I'm learning as I go" is not what you want to hear from an "Expert"

  • @seventyfive4899

    @seventyfive4899

    6 ай бұрын

    Exactly. I could've done this dude's job for half the salary and still learnt as I went. I coulda saved the government some cash.

  • @makego

    @makego

    5 ай бұрын

    I'm an engineer. This is the way every bespoke engineering project works. We marshall all the knowledge we have about the various domains involved, but there are always novel circumstances and constraints, and constant learning is required.

  • @lours6993
    @lours69936 ай бұрын

    How painful to have to hear Scomo's fake blokey accent again.

  • @Anamnesia
    @Anamnesia6 ай бұрын

    Hold on... Wait a minute... Is this *_Four Corners_* or is it *_UTOPIA_* ???

  • @annaclarke7643
    @annaclarke76436 ай бұрын

    There’s small mistakes and then there’s HUGE mistakes that we all pay for. Promising outcomes seems to be the Australian infliction.

  • @captainpoppleton
    @captainpoppleton6 ай бұрын

    We recently all learnt about ocean depth pressure. Next subject is slurry.

  • @ybet1000
    @ybet10006 ай бұрын

    6 times the budget.. someone is taking the piss

  • @travishaines7410
    @travishaines74106 ай бұрын

    Thanks for my retirement job 😂, I'll be here till the end😂😂

  • @TheGronk
    @TheGronk6 ай бұрын

    If it started with a politician it was doomed from the start. If it started with a politician like Malcom Turnbull, we were all doomed from the start

  • @RedpointFive
    @RedpointFive5 ай бұрын

    Curious as to why the tunnels must be under ground rather than on top of the ground? 2nd question is Snowy 1.0 still making power while this project is underway? Looks like they could have had a nuclear power plant for about the same amount of money, and that actually makes power instead of simply being a battery.

  • @bobbyjohn2768
    @bobbyjohn27686 ай бұрын

    Anyone old enough or paying enough attention should see the pattern here. :)

  • @oscarpadron6514
    @oscarpadron65146 ай бұрын

    Follow the money; it is always about the money.

  • @peterjones9732
    @peterjones97326 ай бұрын

    Love the comment about battery development and storage having less environmental impact, maybe on his land but not the environment or the poor people who mine the resources to make them.

  • @harrygroundwater2590

    @harrygroundwater2590

    5 ай бұрын

    We need hydro and batteries

  • @ecleveland1

    @ecleveland1

    5 ай бұрын

    There’s never a free lunch. Somewhere someone else has to pay for it.

  • @DoubtingThomas333
    @DoubtingThomas3336 ай бұрын

    Don't people realise this is how construction companies work? It doesnt matter what kind and who they are... this is par the course for big construction gigs.

  • @skin2117
    @skin21176 ай бұрын

    Going 6 times over budget seems to be acceptable but running power lines under ground ruled out as to expensive is just double talk. You're already 6 times over budget. Run the lines under ground and all are happy

  • @davidlock3695
    @davidlock36956 ай бұрын

    Surprise surprise the ABC didn’t interview the current Labor government and ask them why they haven’t cancelled this renewable energy disaster before we waste more billions!

  • @Kurt_Philanderer
    @Kurt_Philanderer6 ай бұрын

    It would have been humiliating for Malcolm Turnbull and the Liberal Party if the project had been found to be unfeasible. Political pressure drove Florence into the mud, and she's taking our money and worker safety down with it.

  • @matthewsheeran
    @matthewsheeran6 ай бұрын

    Love the double entendre: "Tunnel Vision". I'll say! ABC journalism at its best and keeping the public abreast.

  • @matthoskin3572
    @matthoskin35726 ай бұрын

    Turnbull was only concerned about ensuring his stock portfolio kept getting healthier........what a shill. Nice one captain NBN.

  • @lukenovotny5638
    @lukenovotny56386 ай бұрын

    Turnbull strikes again.

  • @squeakyrabbit
    @squeakyrabbit6 ай бұрын

    "We've learned a lot" "We've learned a few things" -Dennis Barnes

  • @geraldhagen2989
    @geraldhagen29896 ай бұрын

    This is an old and true statement; if you want a project screwed up, involve the government.

  • @trj1442
    @trj14426 ай бұрын

    Utopia in real life.

  • @FreeAsABirdSydneyAustralia
    @FreeAsABirdSydneyAustralia6 ай бұрын

    Nice how they spend taxpayers money like it’s there own bottomless wallet

  • @criticaluplink
    @criticaluplink5 ай бұрын

    When you call the project as a scheme, there you have it.

  • @user-fl2wn5zr5z
    @user-fl2wn5zr5z6 ай бұрын

    didn't they check the land composition before drilling

  • @zerkfiter
    @zerkfiter6 ай бұрын

    Was she amazing or what?The nice farm lady with cane in one hand and digging tool in other.😊

  • @kevinsteele2773
    @kevinsteele27735 ай бұрын

    Show me a government project that hasn’t gone over budget or over time

  • @PunsaraSagarage
    @PunsaraSagarage6 ай бұрын

    This is why your cost of living is high. Government taxing the sh!t out of people to cover these money black holes.

  • @wheelitzr2
    @wheelitzr26 ай бұрын

    This doesn't sound any different from any other large infrastructure project.

  • @emanuel290
    @emanuel2906 ай бұрын

    What's an extra 10 bil between friends 😅😅

  • @philscott7949
    @philscott79495 ай бұрын

    That's not a sink hole. Look at what happened in Lane Cove. Every concrete truck in Sydney filling it for 2 days. Now that was a sink hole.

  • @adamjones4951
    @adamjones49515 ай бұрын

    "27km of tunnels can never stack up economically or technically " Man doesn't know about the 50km channel tunnel

  • @kwhblade
    @kwhblade6 ай бұрын

    One has to wonder who benefits from these government infrastructure projects with their massive cost overruns its surely not the tax payer.. Is it a lack of educated workforce or private corporation greed? If this wasn't a government backed project you can bet your life the project team would've been sacked for cost overruns and not hitting milestones like with any semi competent organisation in the modern world..

  • @peteypops
    @peteypops6 ай бұрын

    It would be nice to watch a documentary without the unnecessary music mush.

  • @chrisblue46
    @chrisblue466 ай бұрын

    Large scale batteries, ???? what does he think they're made of, and how they were made????

  • @MrFiftymill
    @MrFiftymill6 ай бұрын

    The first thing they say. I’m proud.

  • @sundance2005
    @sundance20056 ай бұрын

    5:39, when have you EVER heard a CEO here in the US say those words, I can't remember that I have.

  • @outwestcreatives127
    @outwestcreatives1276 ай бұрын

    I’m sad, Florence is all alone and has no friends 😥 #saveflorencethetbm

  • @kevwills858
    @kevwills8586 ай бұрын

    They should have a statue of Saint Leprechaun ... the St of Good Luck ☘

  • @irellevant906
    @irellevant9066 ай бұрын

    Better us blowing out a renewable energy project to 12 Billion than buying a war submarine for 368 Billion.

  • @cinemaipswich4636
    @cinemaipswich46366 ай бұрын

    It seems that the tunnel machine is not travelling deep enough. Having a tunell barely below the surface is a mistake. Seismic testing along the route should have picked this up. Backing up the machine is a huge problem in itself. Perhaps digging out the sink hole, fortifying it, and steering downwards may be the only solution. At least the sink hold has road access. Perhaps calling quits is the best option.

  • @lillibitjohnson7293
    @lillibitjohnson72936 ай бұрын

    It will get built and work eventually. Like every other huge nation building project we’ve had.

  • @michaeljohn7398
    @michaeljohn73985 ай бұрын

    A very interesting and thought provocing documentary.

  • @dimensionaltravelerchanga1072
    @dimensionaltravelerchanga10726 ай бұрын

    I wish these big dreamers good luck.

  • @kylesmith8128
    @kylesmith81285 ай бұрын

    Sounds like a failure of planning and surveying rather than problem of contractors....

  • @skippydeenice
    @skippydeenice5 ай бұрын

    my drunk mistakes are not as expensive

  • @jazzeejax5816
    @jazzeejax58166 ай бұрын

    Underground power through farm land is insanely expensive not only to install but maintain, small price to pay

  • @sutherlandA1
    @sutherlandA15 ай бұрын

    Yet the original snowy mountains scheme was finished early AND under budget

  • @tomfuelery2905
    @tomfuelery29055 ай бұрын

    It's really easy to spend other people's money. Six times over budget? Oops. Oh well.

  • @Mark-ok8ss
    @Mark-ok8ss5 ай бұрын

    Just build it and once it’s done. Nobody will remember the cost…. Remember the Sydney Opera House

  • @martinwyke
    @martinwyke6 ай бұрын

    The contractors should be held to their original tender price and bear the cost of their mistakes.

  • @evil17

    @evil17

    6 ай бұрын

    That will never happen

  • @45Grace2009
    @45Grace20096 ай бұрын

    Save the plamet from being fried? Puhleez ... stop the nonsense.

  • @diGritz1
    @diGritz16 ай бұрын

    I'm pretty sure the first mistake was thinking any idea thought up at a pub...... shouldn't stay in the pub. Don't get me wrong, pubs are a great place to come with shi......I mean stuff. But it should stay there.

  • @dr3857
    @dr38576 ай бұрын

    How goods butter chicken?!?!! Scotty, such a man of the people....

  • @hvacdesignsolutions
    @hvacdesignsolutions6 ай бұрын

    Fail to plan, plan to fail.

  • @amadablam8229
    @amadablam82296 ай бұрын

    Interesting. Hadn’t heard about this before.

  • @KaldekBoch
    @KaldekBoch6 ай бұрын

    As much as this looks like a mess, in the future when we're using this power nobody is going to care that it ran over budget. Like, pick up an old newspaper and just read all the frothing at the mouth during every single large government project. Do any of you care? Nope. Not saying the stuff ups shouldn't be held to account, but what you going to do? Stop the whole project? Pfft.

  • @josephnulley6808
    @josephnulley68086 ай бұрын

    This will be a very expensive Never Ending Story ........

  • @mobster6665
    @mobster66656 ай бұрын

    Watching my four year old dig and play in the sandpit I wonder if he and his friends should be put in charge of this blunder. Some of the 12 billion will be tunnelled off to mates and grifters. It looks like St Barbara will be reporting to her boss with hopeless pleadings.

  • @LifeOnHard898
    @LifeOnHard8985 ай бұрын

    I'm just a simple man but 6x over budget in reality isn't too far off. Seems like everything cost 6x more than it did in 2019

  • @robertmiller2173
    @robertmiller21735 ай бұрын

    I Love Australia,,,,, Kiss Hug from New Zealand

  • @lawrenceleske3470
    @lawrenceleske34705 ай бұрын

    If batteries were bought instead, how much more, or less, would they cost?

  • @epmediaproductions3459
    @epmediaproductions34596 ай бұрын

    This is like the TV Show Utopia. But it’s real! 🤦‍♂️

  • @user-td8op5hx6b
    @user-td8op5hx6b5 ай бұрын

    "Saving the planet " ! Yikes

  • @thomaswhitelake
    @thomaswhitelake6 ай бұрын

    A tunnel is a big hole in the ground that you pour taxpayer $$$ into.

  • @kevwills858
    @kevwills8586 ай бұрын

    Turnbull ... say no more ... No risk(or brains in engineering) besides a public promotion ..

  • @Whosetheworst
    @Whosetheworst5 ай бұрын

    A truly monumental .... ..!

  • @MrFiftymill
    @MrFiftymill6 ай бұрын

    Just another 12bill

  • @AlJay0032
    @AlJay00326 ай бұрын

    So Australia is going to rescue the world now?

  • @rogerterry5013
    @rogerterry50135 ай бұрын

    Once they are in for 2 billion they can't get out.

  • @beemerkon
    @beemerkon6 ай бұрын

    Seems like people paying taxes got hood winked

  • @jameslaupan6499
    @jameslaupan64996 ай бұрын

    Saint Barbara, the patron saint of tunneling. That ridiculous attribution pretty much sums it up.

  • @WyattEmge
    @WyattEmge6 ай бұрын

    I dont think those farmers understand whats needed to underground power transmission lines. Its gonna destroy their land far more the. Transmission towers

  • @kenthoenen5484
    @kenthoenen54845 ай бұрын

    Regardless of which side you're on, the risk taken is more of a gamble or role of the dice and clearly lost. There is a lack of accountability for poor decisions.

  • @180mph9
    @180mph95 ай бұрын

    Energy transition 🤣🤣🤣

  • @neilruedlinger4851
    @neilruedlinger48515 ай бұрын

    When the journalist introduced the CEO of the Snowy Hydro project, I was expecting a person with an Australian accent, not a foreign one?

  • @patrickmukora3184
    @patrickmukora31845 ай бұрын

    Governments are wasteful and the contractor is obviously incompetent.

  • @stunter2875
    @stunter28755 ай бұрын

    Seeing the women taking care of the land and planting native plants is the best highlight of the video. Truly caring for the future generations and the land that we as humans need to survive.

  • @dalebetterton5255
    @dalebetterton52556 ай бұрын

    Who needs competence when you are trying to "SAVE THE PLANET".

  • @kerryscott3287
    @kerryscott32876 ай бұрын

    Learning on the go, no you need to know before you start and anticipate what is unknown!

  • @yuglesstube
    @yuglesstube6 ай бұрын

    Batteries? Environmentally disastrous.

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