Southern Riverina residents are being urged to support a critical campaign to protect communities from the potentially devastating impacts of Commonwealth water buybacks.
Berrigan Shire Council is calling on residents to sign the petition led by NSW Member for Murray Helen Dalton to halt the buybacks.
The petition requires 10,000 signatures to be tabled, and calls on the NSW Government to halt any water transfers until a thorough and transparent report is provided on the potential economic, social, cultural, and environmental impacts on our local communities.
Residents can sign the petition at the council’s main office or libraries.
Berrigan Shire CEO Karina Ewer has expressed strong concern over water buybacks conducted without thorough socio-economic assessments, calling them "deeply concerning."
She urges all local residents to act and support this vital cause.
“Council, along with our fellow RAMJO (Riverina and Murray Joint Organisation) councils and communities across the basin, stand united in our determination to avoid being pushed to the edge of an economic crisis.
“This is not the first time Berrigan Shire Council has publicly called out the severe impacts these buybacks will have on our community.
“We will continue to make noise until we are heard in parliament.
“Please sign the petition and ensure our voices are not ignored.”
Mrs Dalton says getting the petition over the line is vital in limiting the hurt of the Federal Government’s plans to push ahead with buying more water from farmers for the environment.
She said this is particularly critical now, with tenders to purchase water already opened.
“The Federal Government’s relentless pursuit of buying back 450 gigalitres of water from our vulnerable irrigation communities is still a disgrace and of grave concern to all of us,” Mrs Dalton said.
“There is a petition on the parliamentary website urging the New South Wales Government to ensure that no water transfers occur until a detailed and transparent report into buybacks is conducted.
“One of my constituents has lodged the e-petition with parliament demanding the government start listening to all communities that will be affected by water buybacks and the transfer of water to the Commonwealth.
“This issue will impact all Australians from the farm gate to the city.
“Buybacks will ruin rural, remote and regional communities, the overall economy and jeopardise our food security and sovereignty.
“I would urge everyone to sign this important document so we can debate this with the government in order to protect the people who feed and clothe all of us.”