LITTLE WATER BUT STILL PLENTY POPULAR
Last Sunday being Fathers Day plus a nice spring weather, we decided to head out to Lake Wyangan for a picnic lunch.
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What a disappointment, hardly any water and about same could be said about lawn.
But their wasn't a spare table or seat, they were all taken up with families. It's sad a great entertainment area is in such a bad state.
I believe the council are contemplating spending money on refurbishing Kooyoo Street for coffee shops etc. is this the place to take Family for a Sunday picnic?
With Yambil Street taken forever to complete plus losing 30 per cent of parking then closing Kooyoo St for parking we will soon have catch a bus from Hanwood.
Councillors why not take your grand kids out for a picnic out at Lake Wyangan and assess the situation.
I am sure you all would have had good times out there if not you have missed out on some great entertainment, it's not too late to get some action going.
Greg McCarten, Griffith
PROGRAM'S END 'LACKS COMMON SENSE'
The announcement that round two of the federal government's Water For Fodder program will not proceed is disappointing. The program was a response to ongoing drought and made 100 gigalitres of water available for farmers to buy at a reduced rate so they could grow fodder. It was made available by turning on the South Australian desalination plant, which the federal government agreed to pay SA $1000 per megalitre.
We accept that round one of the program was far from perfect and lacked practicality.
Water wasn't available until autumn this year when most needed it last spring, only 40 per cent was made available in round one and the program was offered to all irrigators, including those already on 100 per cent allocation, whereas it should have been reserved for those who were most in need.
However, that doesn't excuse the fact that cancelling the program lacks common sense.
The department stated in their announcement to cancel the program that through round one - 'The program also supported broader communities across the southern basin, with more than $11 million estimated to be spent on supplies to grow and harvest fodder crops.'
With the current economic downturn due to COVID-19 would it not make more sense for the program to continue driving economic recovery?
Water Minister Keith Pitt's department cites temporary water price reductions and good river inflows as indicators for cancelling the program.
The federal government spent nearly $400 million helping SA build its desalination plant, on the condition the state reduced its reliance on the Murray River for Adelaide's domestic water supplies. It can and should produce 100 gigalitres a year to reduce the pressure on the Murray River.
In 2013 the SA Government stated: "The desalination plant allows us to take less water from the Murray ... and we are investigating further reductions in SA Water's allowable take from the river."
It looks like either the federal government has colluded with SA and taken us for a ride again, or SA has again pulled the wool over the federal government's eyes.
Shelley Scoullar, Speak Up 4 Water chairwoman
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