Southern Riverina food producers lobby group Speak Up has called on recently relected Farrer Federal MP Sussan Ley to ensure fairness and equity are brought back to the Murray Darling Basin Plan (MDBP)
Spokeswoman Shelley Scoullar congratulated Ms Ley on her re-election, on behalf of of the group.
“The next three years are arguably the most important in the region’s future and cannot be wasted,” Mrs Scoullar said.
“They are the opportunity to right the wrongs which have been forced on communities, through ill-conceived implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, and bring fairness and equity back into the plan’s implementation.”
She said that must be the number one priority for Ms Ley.
“Ms Ley told us about the importance of ‘local solutions’ to the flawed Basin plan implementation by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority.
“It is imperative that these are centred around working with our food producers, who know their environment better than any bureaucrat.
“We must ensure local voices are heard.”
Mrs Scoullar said the group welcomed Ms Ley’s comments, that she would push for a full audit of the effectiveness of the environmental watering plan.
“Like ourselves, Ms Ley knows that taxpayers have invested heavily and, as she said, ‘have every right to know whether environmental targets are being met,” Mrs Scoullar said.
“We also welcome her stance that adjustments are needed to provide further flexibility for the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder when it comes to trading water,” Mrs Scoullar said.
Many of the important issues relating to the failures of the Basin Plan were addressed in the Senate Inquiry into the plan, which presented its report earlier this year.
“Speak Up believes the new Federal Government, whoever that will be, needs to revisit this report and implement recommendations which can improve productivity in our region.”
At a time when innovation was being highlighted and reducing the nation’s debt was such a priority, governments had ‘dropped the ball’ in their support of food production.
“It needs to be picked up – and quickly – before hard-working producers and the next generation of farmers walk away in frustration,” Mrs Scoullar said.
“It is essential that we call the MDBA to account and get genuine Government support to achieve a balance between environmental, economic and social imperatives.
“With common-sense thinking and government determination we can ensure environmental outcomes are achieved without decimating rural communities,” Mrs Scoullar said.
