Griffith farmers are cautiously optimistic following Farrer MP Sussan Ley’s parliamentary address on Thursday.
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Ms Ley brought the ever complex issue of water in the region to the attention of other MPs calling for legislative change to adjust sustainable diversion limits if environmental outcomes in the Murray-Darling Basin can be met with less water.
Her comments came with news the Victorian and NSW Coalition governments together commissioned an independent expert panel to review the Murray Darling Basin Authority’s (MDBA) modelling methods.
In a joint statement NSW Regional Water Minister Niall Blair and Victorian Water Minister Lisa Neville said their panel’s review would investigate “a lack of transparency around the assumptions” in the MDBA’s calculations.
Far away from Parliament House Griffith farmer Chris Morshead has listened to the talk from both levels of government with interest.
After some consideration he said while the efforts of all parties seemed to be on track when it comes to water the answers are never simple.
“The sentiment of what she [Sussan Ley] has said is fantastic,” he said on Friday.
“I think it is a very positive move from our local member who has shown increasing expertise in water issues over the past few months.”
However, Mr Morshead said the legislative change Ms Ley was calling for would need support outside party lines to get through parliament.
“Unless both sides are willing to revisit the Water Act and make appropriate changes, nothing can really happen,” he said.
The irrigation farmer was far from certain re-opening the Water Act would be the answer to the region’s problems, pointing out there was always the potential for things to swing the other way.
“I am not convinced it would not present more risks than advantages,” he said. “You never know when you open a piece of legislation up where it will go or what it will do.”
Ms Ley’s questioning echoed concerns raised at an eastern state level of stopping the economic and social pain felt in irrigation communities.
Mr Morshead agreed the MDBA needed to provide significant information to prove what money spent and water reclaimed is doing for the environment.
