Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) water council chair Richard Anderson has called for $300 million further funding for the Connections irrigation project, to cover future operations and maintenance.
Mr Anderson made the comments at the Echuca VFF water forum, where Victorian Water Minister Lisa Neville released the government’s socio-economic report on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
“Our concerns are about long term operation and maintenance of Connections,” Mr Anderson said. “If you can give us another $300 million, I am sure we can solve the problem. If we were to spend a little bit more money now, to do this a little better, that cuts back our operating and maintenance costs.”
But Victoria’s Water Minister, Lisa Neville, ruled out further funding.
“That’s what we have had to go through, with the Commonwealth,” Ms Neville said. “It’s my aim to deliver it, within the timeframe we have said – the experts have told me they can do it. I’m not about to commit to more money, when they have told me they are going to do it – I expect that from my project deliverers.”
One answer might be getting the pricing right, to ensure the region remained competitive. “But let’s wait and see how we go and let’s see if he (Mr Anderson) can put a good business case, on that.”
Goulburn Murray Water Connections project control group chairman Mike Walsh described the previous engagement process as “crap.
“We have put in place what we think is a solid engagement process, a landowner engagement process, it has set time frames to work with people, constructively, to get the right outcomes.
Ms Neville said she was disappointed there were still “legacy” issues, with Connections. “They have done about 106 now, and that’s touched 300 land owners.”
Mr Anderson said GMW was keen to clean up the legacy cases.
“I know people have been stuffed around for years, and it’s time we fixed it up.”