There will be an angry throwdown at the Griffith Ex-servicemen's club when two water ministers hold a heated debate about NSW water management on February 19.
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On Friday Nationals Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Water Niall Blair issued the challenge to Labor Shadow Water Minister Chris Minns, who gladly accepted.
The two of them have been butting heads for ages, but things took an especially nasty turn after thousands of putrid fish washed up on the Menindee lakes.
Mr Minns blamed the fish deaths on “the Nationals disastrous management of water in NSW,” which he argues led to excessive draining of the Menindee Lakes.
Mr Minns has presented NSW Labor’s six point water policy as the better alternative for water management.
“If Labor is elected we are ready to re-write water rules and restore balance to the Darling River,” Mr Minns said.
But Mr Blair has dismissed the “hastily concocted six-point plan,” saying that Labor’s alternative would only hurt irrigators and regional communities.
“A six-point policy driven by the need for a quick photo opportunity last week, does not even touch the surface of what an alternative Government should be offering this highly complex policy area,” Mr Blair said.
He has accused Labor of peddling “alternative facts”, and that there needed to be a rigorous debate to set the facts straight.
Greens MLC Justin Field was also invited to the debate by Farmers NSW, and he said that health of the system needed to be a high priority.
“We can’t continue to sacrifice the environment, or else the communities that rely on water will be negatively affected,” Mr Field said.
The debate will be held by NSW Farmers at 7pm February 19 at the Griffith Ex-Servicemen’s Club, and is open to everyone.
One of the people who will be there is Member for Murray Austin Evans, who said was looking forward to seeing the showdown.
“I think Niall is frustrated about some of the things that have been said that nobody has challenged yet, things that are contrary to areas like ours that rely on irrigation,” Mr Evans said.
Another person who is looking forward to seeing the sparks fly is Shooters, Fishers, and Farmers candidate Helen Dalton, who has long been critical of Niall Blair.
“I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” she said.
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Kenji Sato
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
