There’s been a positive reaction from irrigators who met with Victorian Water Minister Lisa Neville late last week.
Loddon Valley Water Services Committee (WSC) deputy chairman Lauire Maxted said it had been an “excellent” meeting.
“I was one of the ones who had a meeting with her in Melbourne a month ago and I said I wanted her to get up here and see it first hand,” Mr Maxted said.
There was now trust between irrigators and the Minister. “I think they are going to make these legacy cases, some of which have been going for seven years, more or less a priority,” Mr Maxted said.
“People are exasperated, they are finished with it all, but now, I feel something will happen - I reckon we are going to start kicking some goals.”
His comments were echoed by Torumbarra WSC chairman Guy Duncan and Fernihurst irrigator Ken Pattison. Mr Pattison said the minister had seen, at first hand, stranded assets and the problems with TCC. “We said, this is not about us about delivering an epistle to you, we want an interaction, both ways, on these things,” Mr Pattison said. “There were no harsh words, no animosity.
“If we could have interaction like that, things would never have got to this position, all we have ever wanted is good outcomes.”
Ms Neville said it was good to hear farmers’ concerns at first hand.
“I do think they felt more positive, by the end of the visit,” Ms Neville said. “There is an enormous amount of work being done, by the Connections team, on the legacy issues and I think people have more of a sense now of when things are going to be done and when decisions are going to be made.”
She said at the end of the current Winter Works program irrigators would see a substantial amount of progress had been made.
“I understand it will take a while to build confidence, but it will come about because people see change, both in their circumstances, but also in general.”