Food Needs Water campaign: Irrigators fire up: Irrigators fire up to protest Basin buybacks

Backed by Australia’s major dairy processors, a lone farmer has launched a campaign warning against a federal bid for water buybacks. See the details.

Thousands of people rallied at Tocumwal in 2019 to protest against the impacts of the Murray Darling Basin Plan. Now they are about to gather again in Riverina towns on Tuesday.

A lone dairy farmer has brought together community leaders and food processors to launch a campaign warning a federal bid to buyout 25 per cent of northern Victoria’s water for the environment means “less water means less food, more imports and higher grocery prices”.

Tallygaroopna dairy farmer Natalie Akers convinced Fonterra, Saputo, Bega, Noumi and Ky Valley dairy processors to fund a foodneedswater.com.au campaign website and TV commercials presented by TV personality Charles Wooley, with the simple message that the story of food always begins with water.

The short punchy TV commercials show Mr Wooley on farms and in stores highlighting the link between water and food, warning Australians to “protect the water that grows your food” by hitting the blue button on the campaign website to show support.

TV personality Charles Wooley is the face of the water fight, warning “the government plans to take away what will amount to 25 per cent of water to (used) grow food”.

“People around here tell me the government plans to take what will amount to 25 per cent of the water (used) to grow food,” Mr Wooley says.

Ms Akers has also drawn a raft of fact sheets and Australian Bureau of Statistics together in interactive maps, which browsers can use to see what foods are produced in each northern Victorian local government area.

Tallygaroopna dairy farmer Natalie Akers is leading Northern Victoria’s campaign to highlight to consumers the impacts of federal water buyouts. Picture: Zoe Phillips

The campaign comes as the Albanese government prepares to amend the Federal Water Act to

remove hurdles to stripping up to 750 gigalitres from irrigation communities, on top of the 2100GL already recovered.

Riverina irrigation communities have responded to the threat by organising #NoMoreBuybacks Community Rally rallies in Leeton, Deniliquin and Griffith.

Griffith mayor Doug Curran said people in the community were furious at the prospect of further buybacks and the fact they had not been consulted.

“Our town has done its part and suffered the pain of buybacks already,” Cr Curran said. “Enough is enough.”

He said business and community confidence had taken a nose dive a decade ago in the wake of previous water buyouts.

“Real estate values fell, public and private investment dried up and government agencies compounded the pessimism by projecting a 20 per cent reduction in Griffith’s population. This cannot be allowed to happen again.”

He said the Griffith rally would be held in Memorial Park at noon on Tuesday, November 21.

Leeton Mayor Tony Reneker encouraged residents, farmers and businesses from across the shire to take part in a #NoMoreBuybacks Community Rally at noon next Tuesday at Mountford Park.

“Buybacks will hurt us all,” Cr Reneker said.

“The MIA (Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area) has done more than its share of heavy lifting to return water to the environment and we are not prepared to suffer further impacts – including job losses – when it’s entirely unnecessary.

“There are other very good options available to improve the health of our rivers and these need to be fully explored and exhausted before we expose our community to further buybacks.”

The Deniliquin rally will be also be held at noon next Tuesday at the Multi Arts Centre Precinct on Cressy St.