The federal Environment Minister, Tony Burke, and the Murray Darling Basin Authority would be foolish to ignore the concerns of literally thousands of people in Griffith today who strongly oppose water cuts, Nationals Senator Fiona Nash said.
Up to 12,000 people attended a meeting held by the MDBA to discuss the draft basin plan. It proposes 2750 gigalitres be diverted to the environment with much of the cuts to take place in the southern part of the basin including Griffith and Deniliquin.
“These areas are a part of Australia’s major foodbowl which produces more than one-third of our food,” Senator Nash said.
“Irrigators, businesses and local communities are very concerned their ability to continue to do so will be diminished if water cuts of this magnitude go ahead. The flow-on effects will be devastating to local businesses and communities yet the draft plan does not reflect a proper analysis of social and economic impacts.”
Senator Nash asked the minister who is going to run the farms and produce Australia’s food when the basin plan has driven future farming generations away.
“What would have disturbed those at the meeting is the minister’s comment that the numbers they have in the draft plan won’t affect future production. It seems the minister has already made up his mind and is not listening,” she said.
“The minister’s persistent claims that water will only be bought from willing sellers also doesn’t wash. Many are distressed or reluctant sellers. Many are still recovering from years of drought then floods, combined with rising costs, low commodity prices, the impact of the high Australian dollar, and bad government policy.
“Further, not only are irrigation assets stranded each time a farmer sells their water, others have to pay higher fees adding to cost pressures.”
Senator Nash said contrary to ignorant commentary, farmers are dedicated to a healthy river as their livelihoods depend on it. As the National Farmers’ Federation stated today, farmers have already committed around 6000 gigalitres of water to the environment since the 1980s, before water reform began.
“What we do as farmers needs to be recognised, not tearing these communities apart now, let alone what will happen in the future,” she told the minister at the meeting.
“Farmers are the backbone of Australia and the glue that keeps Australia together. They are sick and tired of being treated like second class citizens.
“This is not about numbers, this is about the impact on real people.”