Speech by Zara Lowien, CEO National Irrigators’ Council, at the National Ag Rally, Canberra ACT (10, September 2024)
“Thank you Gillian.
Thank you to everyone who has put down the tools this week, to come together with a united voice for farmers wanting a fair go for their industry and for regional communities everywhere.
As the CEO of National Irrigators’ Council, I am humbled to be here today with so many of you.
What each and every one of us do as farmers, and where we live in rural communities, matters to every Australian.
We produce the world’s most efficient, sustainable food and fibre and have a critical role in feeding and clothing our nation, and others.
When agriculture is doing well, so are Australians.
It’s for that reason Governments must work with us, not against us.
We want a future for our industry, our environment and our communities.
But we feel under siege from a Government that seems to make decisions without all the facts, with no care for the impact it will have on people and rural communities, and is selective, almost secretive, in their consultations wanting to favour some stakeholders over others.
This isn’t a farming problem – but a question for all Australians how we want decisions to be made.
Decisions are being made, now, will shape our future and we MUST be part of the solution.
Irrigated agriculture is a nearly $20B dollar business, we feed and clothe Australians and the world, and together with the whole agriculture industry it drives our economy.
But reform after reform, such as the water market rule changes, a new draft National Water Agreement and the Murray Darling Basin Plan are being rushed through and will have an impact, now and forever if they go unchanged.
The Murray Darling Basin Plan has:
- Removed 1 in 3 litres of irrigation water from agriculture for the environment, resulting in, on average, 72% of river flows being for the environment.
- There have been environmental improvements – salinity reductions, water was available to run rivers during the last drought and wetlands and rivers restored.
- A key reason for the Plan, overallocation is now addressed, with usage 23% below the sustainable diversion limits.
But the costs are stacking up:
- Once a $13B Plan – the “not for disclosure” budget items mean we no longer know how much its costing – official estimates suggest adding another $10.8 billion to the direct bill to taxpayers.
- Our best estimate (before inflation) is $602-$914M in lost agricultural production – that’s lost GDP, lost jobs and less food and fibre that drive up grocery prices at the checkout.
- Those losses hurt our regional economies and communities, as populations decline, you see less school enrollments, less schools and services impacting the heart of a rural town. Many communities are at a tipping point and highly vulnerable to further losses from the past buybacks.
- Every megalitre of further water recovered, right now, will have a greater social and economic impact than before.
I, like so many of you, have witnessed the impacts of the Basin Plan in my community. And why the Governments promise to Parliament that water purchases wouldn’t be the first or only tool in the toolbox, and that no community would be left behind, was so important.
But the Government broke that promise pushing ahead with buy-backs.
In making the announcement, Minister Plibersek declared she had considered the social and economic impacts but went on to target catchments that the Governments own reports said were highly vulnerable to change.
All rural communities matter.
We need a Government with the courage to move away from fixed targets and volumes, and one that has people and outcomes at the centre, not politics.
One that doesn’t use fake images to scare Australian’s into supporting their plan.
We need Government to get out of Canberra to discuss solutions to our problems where they occur, and include everyone who matters as part of the discussion.
From there I know, win-win solutions will arise and we can work towards a Basin where our children and grandchildren can live in rural communities that are vibrant and thriving, where they have jobs they love and people to share it with – a Basin where agriculture and the environment work together.
Thank you for the gift of your time and for joining, for helping bring a united voice seeking simple change from our elected leaders to be fair, reasonable and informed, and courageous to work with use, not against us.
Because together, united, we can make a difference and keep farmers farming and our communities thriving.”
Ends [check against delivery]
10 September 2024 | Canberra, ACT
Media Contact: Zara Lowien, CEO, 0427 521 399
ceo@irrigators.org.au