29 November 2011
By KIM WOODS
RIVERINA'S green rice fields may be stained red as the Murray Darling Basin Draft plan war hots up.
Angry Griffith irrigators and businesses have vowed to take their fight to Canberra's "front porch" to save the region from savage water cutbacks.
They called for outcomes and solutions at a community forum today in Griffith organised by member for Riverina Michael McCormack.
The Murrumbidgee Valley is set to bear the brunt of the basin plan proposed water savings of 2750GL a year to restore river health.
Speakers blasted the plan for lacking detail, labelling it a "Year 10 commerce socio-economic essay".
Fifth generation Griffith farmer Jim McGann said the region faced a future lacking incentive.
"2012-13 is the centenary of irrigation in Griffith and Leeton, and there might be blood on the ground," Mr McGann told The Weekly Times.
Griffith mayor Mike Neville said the community wanted an outcome-focussed basin plan.
"We are in the battle of our life," Cr Neville said.
"I never thought we would see the day we would go to war in our backyards.
"There will be shots fired and they will be verbal shots."
Griffith retiree and former politician Noel Hicks rallied residents, saying the community needed to have a united front.
"This is going to be a big battle and let's get on with it," he said.
Ricegrowers Association of Australia executive director Ruth Wade said rice growers would not be willing water sellers.
Ms Wade said the industry had improved water use efficiency by 40 per cent over the past decade.
She said irrigators needed to take ownership of the intellectual capital works in the basin.
"We will make sure at the end of this, the rice industry will be employing people and be a pivotal part of the Riverina," Ms Wade said.
Widgelli rice grower Brian Savage said fixed delivery charges on water entitlements were drowning irrigators.
"Last year I paid $34,000 and never turned a wheel," Mr Savage said.
"We have got fixed costs on top of us - it's going to grind away and eventually the food (production) will stop completely."
Shadow Minister for Water Barnaby Joyce said the coalition would not shut down irrigators for the sake of a national park.
"The government believes when a person sells their water licence, the money is equally distributed through the community," Senator Joyce said.
"That person actually goes to the Gold Coast".
Senator Joyce urged Riverina residents to negotiate and unite with other basin communities.
"You will have to ride high in the saddle over the next few months - they Messiah is not over his shoulder."
National Party NSW Senator Fiona Nash said they broader community needed to understand the valley's pain.
"This is just not scaremongering but really serious stuff," Senator Nash said.
"The willing sellers over the past two years haven't been willing, they have been distressed sellers."
Griffith Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Paul Pierotti told The Weekly Times business people have been left "emotionally scarred".
Mr Pierotti said real estate agents and banks refused to tell the real story, with a 20 per cent drop in residential values.
He said the building industry had ground to a halt as $200,000 had been wiped from the value of $500,000-$600,000 homes.
"The effect on the housing market has been just disastrous," Mr Pierotti said.
"The farming and community market is far worse - it is that far damaged it can't be assessed."
Mr Pierotti said 70 major commercial property transactions usually took place in Griffith a year.
"This year there was one," he said.
"This is happening by stealth - our water is being stripped away and uncertainty ramped up, people are starting to lose hope."
I fear there will be a fire sale as the current rate of listings in Griffith is unsustainable.
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