Agriculture
10 September, 2024
Councils' group has Canberra talks on Basin water
MURRAY River Group of Councils has taken its key regional messages about the impact of the Basin Plan, housing availability and renewable energy to Canberra. Chair and Gannawarra Council Mayor Ross Stanton, mayors and CEOs representing the six...
MURRAY River Group of Councils has taken its key regional messages about the impact of the Basin Plan, housing availability and renewable energy to Canberra.
Chair and Gannawarra Council Mayor Ross Stanton, mayors and CEOs representing the six member Councils, including Loddon, met with ministers and advisers last month.
“Our six councils have been working collaboratively for years and the message we took to Canberra was that we want to work with the commonwealth to deliver for our communities,” Cr Stanton said.
Water was the key issue raised during meetings with the office of Water Minister Tanya Plibersek and Agriculture Minister Julie Collins, as well as Shadow Minister for Water Senator Perin Davey.
“We are very concerned about the impact that the Government’s non-strategic, open tender water purchase program will have on our communities,” Cr Stanton said.
“The scatter gun, open tender approach to water purchase from our irrigation districts, with no planning, is going to put input costs up. Around half of all farm businesses across our region rely on irrigation so that will flow on to supermarket prices.
“We support the Basin Plan but there is a better way of implementing it that will deliver better outcomes for the environment and will leave a sustainable irrigation sector,” according to Cr Stanton.