In the report by Judith Stubbs and Associates, Griffith was one of seven towns and communities used as a case study as to what the likely impact would be should cuts to water be announced.
It notes that more so than any other community looked at that
Griffith is truly an irrigation community.
It was established, built and grew for the purpose of producing food and fibre to farmers and communities within the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area.
But water cuts are anticipated under the sustainable diversion limits which are yet to be revealed by the delayed Murray Darling Basin Plan.
“This has such bigger impacts than just lowering the water that's available in these communities - it's going to affect our agricultural production, it's to affect our food security in this nation,” Nationals Deputy Senate Leader Fiona Nash said.
“And we shouldn't be putting farmers and towns of Griffith, Leeton and Coleambally to ransom politically by playing politics with their livelihoods and not disclosing Murray Darling Basin plans but the assumptions on which the predictions are made in that plan,” the Liberal Party’s Senator Bill Heffernan said.
And there's a meeting planned for next Monday night in Griffith where all the candidates will be able to put forward their views on water.
The report states employment is likely to be severely affected in any reduction in water.
In fact, a 3.9 per cent fall in employment is expected if just 15 per cent of the city's water is taken away.
That number jumps to more than 2000 jobs under a 50 per cent water reduction.
“I have to say the referees in all of this and the great unknown is Mother Nature and the science predicts we could lose 3,500 and 11,000 gigs out of 23,000 over the next 40 to 50 years, now there is vagary in all science,” Senator Heffernan said.
“You cannot grow food without water and this is an issue that's not only going to affect just our farmers - it flows on to our regional communities and it flows on into our cities,” Senator Nash said.
Along with Griffith, other communities used as case studies in the Stubbs report include Mildura inVictoria, Bourke in New South Wales and Murray Bridge in South Australia.
Interest groups are responding to the report, saying it confirms their worst fears and are calling for the Murray Darling Basin Authority to release the draft Basin Plan
Source: http://www.wintv.com.au/griffith/news/item/33241