The National Irrigators Council (NIC) is holding its council meeting in Dubbo this week, with members discussing the current Basin Plan issues, longer term planning for making the plan work and critical electricity and energy price problems.
NIC CEO, Steve Whan said “our members represent customer owned infrastructure operators, not for profit community based irrigators groups and irrigators from Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia.
“These are key bodies supplying the water that grows the crops that feeds Australia.
“Without them we wouldn’t have a $15 billion industry generating export income, jobs and providing Australians with locally grown food and fibre.
“NIC’s council meeting will be taking place in a key irrigation district on the Macquarie River. The Macquarie is a valley that provides Sydney with fruit and vegetables along with many other products, the river and its infrastructure provides vital water along with environmental water for the internationally recognised Macquarie Marshes.
“On Thursday our members will discuss the issues on the banks of the River in Dubbo while on Friday members will travel to the Macquarie Marshes for a session on the importance of the marshes and the work that is being done there.
“We certainly appreciate the hard work Macquarie irrigators have already done on the Murray Darling basin plan being one of the rivers that has already exceeded the recovery targets for environmental water.
“With the Basin Plan on the brink of collapse this week, it would probably do some of the constant critics the world of good to come out and meet some of the people who are among the world’s most efficient irrigators, to meet farmers who work to protect wetlands and see some of what we are talking about on the ground.”
Media Contact : Steve Whan 0429 780 883
Wednesday 14 February 2018