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Murray Darling towns get their Voice
18-November-2010
Member for Farrer, Sussan Ley, has welcomed a decision which will see her sit on the
Tony Windsor Committee inquiring into the Murray Darling Basin Authority’s ‘Basin Plan’.
Convention dictates Shadow Ministers are not allocated positions on Standing Committees; however Ms Ley sought an exception given the Basin Plan’s potentially turbulent impact on the future of Farrer’s irrigation and farming communities.
The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Australia convened
today and met with officials from the Authority.
Ms Ley says “with so much of the Murray Darling Basin lying within the electorate,
I felt it was imperative this region’s voice be heard loud and clear and I look forward to working co-operatively with all members of the Committee”.
“Of most concern is the science of The Plan, with all the projected pain coming from
scientific models which clawback up to 7000gl in environmental water”.
“This must be thoroughly tested”.
The Committee will accept written submissions from interested organisations and individuals by 20 December 2010 and will also undertake site inspections and public hearings in affected communities.
Ms Ley says she will press for a visit to specific areas of Farrer to ensure the Committee members get the message “this Plan has the potential to decimate Australia’s primary food bowl, along with the towns and people who grow our nation”.
The Committee report is due to be presented to Parliament by end of May 2011.