Australian Productivity Commission hears sense of resignation at MDBP implementation review

Held on June 27 in a Griffith Quest conference room, some twenty people attended to share their views on what should happen with the plan going forward.

An overriding opinion was that the Plan be put into a moratorium.

Some 18 locations across the Basin area are being visited by the Australian Productivity Commission, with the MIA now having it's turn to weigh in.

Those in attendance expressed dissatisfaction with not being heard by those on the other side of the great dividing range, a key message at the meeting.

"Much of the planning around the Plan has been metro-centric," local GP Dr Elizabeth Dodd said.

"Rural Australia can never reach a majority to enforce views to those in the cities."

Resident Daisy Armstrong said she had attended numerous meetings into the plan over the last decade, but noted few views expressed on the ground have been heeded in that time.

"It's good and well to have these meetings, but it's not much good if it isn't getting to those who need to hear it in the cities," she said.

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"What was planned and what has happened are so far apart," another attendee noted.

"Nature is the only thing that will fix this, and I suggest they sit back and take a breather because we haven't gotten it right so far."

In his introduction at the meeting, assistant commissioner Chris Guest said he hopes to take away several key ideas from the meetings to reinforce within the updated plan.

"Water is an extremely complicated issue with a fraught history," he said at the meeting.

"The idea is we want to try and detangle some of that as much as we can and concentrate on the things that can be deliverable.

"I feel we've got an opportunity to get at least some of this right."

Mr Guest said consistent language in relaying the thoughts and feelings of those on the ground to those in power has always been an issue when it come to the topic.

"It's been seen as something of a herculean task that has beguiled this area and what we hope is that we can get this sentiment across."

The forum will next visit Leeton's Hydro Hotel at 2pm this Thursday.

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