WATER
Moorabool farmers fear amended laws will give government-owned water corporations more control over water on their land.
Springbank farmer and Moorabool councillor Pat Toohey said that under draft changes to the Water Act, new stock and domestic entitlement clauses could allow corporations to dictate how much water farmers can use.
“Farmers have always made these management decisions themselves and we don’t think it’s appropriate for the government to tell people how much livestock they can have,” Cr Toohey said.
The draft act proposes to streamline the Water Act 1989 and Water Industry Act 1994, reflecting “contemporary practice in water management and government policy”.
“The Moorabool River is bone dry in the top part, and the rulings for bulk entitlement have meant bodies like Central Highlands Water (CHW) have stressed this river and sucked up its base flow,’’ Cr Toohey said.
“The Moorabool River used to be able to generate its own flow. But since we’ve changed everything in the landscape, there’s no such thing as natural flow.”
Cr Tom Sullivan said he was disappointed that the closest meeting for the shire’s farmers was in Colac, more than an hour away.
“It was so disrespectful to Bacchus Marsh irrigators. How could you not have a meeting in the Highlands area?” he said.
“This is a significant piece of legislation and they’re wanting to wrap it up quickly.”
Cr Sullivan said a panel appointed by Water Minister Peter Walsh to oversee the review was unrepresentative and Mr Walsh was looking for a particular outcome.
“It’s made up of people from the water corporations,” he said. “There’s no farmers, no local government members or anyone from environmental groups.” Balliang East farmer Chris Sharkey said he doubted rural councils would be listened to.
“I think we can make our suggestions, but they just won’t listen,” he said.
The Water Minister’s spokesman did not respond before the
Weekly went to print.
Submissions closed last Friday. The bill is expected to come before Parliament before September.
PRISCILLA MOCA
