Locals in strife: Murray Darling Basin Guide leaks a real concern
October 7, 2010
If the leaks are anything to go by, the details expected to be released tomorrow in the delayed Murray Darling Basin Guide will have dire consequences for local irrigators and our communities.
The leaks suggest that the Murray Darling Basin Guide will include cuts between 27-37 percent to Murray irrigators allocation rights.
Dr Sharman Stone, Federal Member for Murray, said irrigators can not be expected to survive such extreme cuts and expected a number of communities would contract and become non viable.
“ Extreme cuts will also threaten Australia’s food security as the Basin produces one third of Australia's food supply and supports over a third of Australia's total gross value of
agricultural production.”
“Rural communities are already contracting as result of 7 years of drought, low dairy prices, chaotic Labor government water buy back policies and two pipelines pulling water out of the area.
“Irrigators have been paying full prices for water they have not been receiving and just as things start to look a little more promising with some decent rain, they are now preparing to be told that they will have even less.
Dr Stone said it was vital that Minister for Water Tony Burke, who has the final say under the Water Act 2007, focused on the socio-economic impacts of taking even more water out of Murray and ensured that the livelihood of communities are not destroyed.
“Although Labor has proudly boasted it will continue with its buy backs, it had failed to understand that these sellers are not “willing”, many just merely have no option other than to sell their water. ”
“No country voluntarily and knowingly destroys their Agriculture base.
“I support a plan which will balance economic, social and environmental outcomes,” Dr Stone said.
Dr Sharman Stone also reminded people to rsvp to the Murray Darling Basin Authority Community Information Sessions held on:
· 9am-12pm, Tuesday 12 October at the Goulburn Valley Hotel, 223 High Street, Shepparton
· 2pm-5pm, Tuesday 12 October at the Goulburn Valley Hotel, 223 High Street, Shepparton
· 3pm-6pm, Monday 8 November, Echuca-Moama Bowling, 6 Shaw Street, Moama
“The Murray Darling Basin Authority needs to understand just how further water diversion will devastate local people,” Sharman Stone said.
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