SIXTEEN district farmers have joined forces in an attempt to achieve viable access to water and ensure the long-term future of farming in this region.
A meeting last week with the Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce, who is the Federal Minister for Water, is part of a strategy of political engagement at both a Federal and State level to seek a serious and sensible solution from both levels of Government and the region’s rural water supplier, Goulburn-Murray Water.
A submission released by the group yesterday claims that we must allow a more reasoned approach to water management to stop the wholesale devastation to Victorian irrigation farmers and the towns who rely on them.
Cohuna-based lobbyist, Andrew Gibbs has revealed that for the past six months he has been working with the 16 farmers who appointed his firm to prepare a strategy to not only look at our short-term pain, but our region’s long term farming future.
From this, the Gannawarra Water Action Council was formed and funded by its farmers.
“When we started out we had three main priorities and from the active political lobbying and industry engagement we have undertaken, it appears our national and State leaders are starting to listen,” he said.
Mr Gibbs said that just eight days before Goulburn-Murray Water chief executive officer, John Calleja left his position, he was presented with a discussion paper that addressed recourse in the high cost of on-farm delivery shares, the much need reduction in the capacity to carry water over from one season to the next and an incentive investment scheme to help young farmers survive the tough conditions, as well as support to our small businesses in our towns.
The group held a 90-minute meeting with Mr Joyce.
“He was certainly attentive to the concerns we raised and assured our group that he will review our recommendations, and offered some alternative relief he would like to review, should they be re-elected,” he said.
The group is now preparing for the final round of political engagement with a delegation planning a roundtable with the Victorian Minister for Water, Lisa Neville.
“Without doubt this will be a vital meeting. There is a lot at stake and the enormity of the task has not been lost on any one person involved in the campaign we have undertaken,” Mr Gibbs said.
“Amidst a regional crisis of collapsing milk prices and ongoing costs surrounding water, it has been impressive that the farmers of Gannawarra have led the charge on a national debate, offered sensible solutions and been prepared to take their message directly to the top, in order to help each farming business in our region,” he said.
