The NSW Government’s Committee on Investment, Industry and Regional Development inquiry will look at the impacts of Federal Government imposed water reforms on regional NSW.
In particular, it will look at the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023 which includes further water buybacks as a form of recovering water for the environment.
The Deniliquin hearing will be held Tuesday, July 22 at the Deniliquin Town Hall.
A hearing will be held in Griffith the following day.
Because the hearings were postponed from June when fog prevented inquiry members from travelling to the region, NSW Member for Murray Helen Dalton said she would not able to make the Deniliquin meeting.
But she urged as many community members as possible to go along, listen and show the inquiry panel they support the need for balanced water policies.
“The panel is here to interface with people, to have a yarn,” Mrs Dalton said.
“I am encouraging people to go to the public hearings, and to go with placards which say ‘no water, no food’.
“The message is as simple as that.”
The inquiry is being chaired by NSW Member for Barwon Roy Butler, who is an Independent.
Other inquiry panel members are Liberal and NSW Member for Albury Justin Clancy, Richie Williams from The Nationals, and Labor MPs Stephen Bali (deputy chair), Charishma Kaliyanda, Warren Kirby and Maryanne Stuart.
The inquiry was announced in February this year, and in the community feedback period 101 submissions were received.
In addition to individual stakeholders, SunRice, Murray Irrigation, Speak Up Campaign, Murray Regional Strategy Group, Southern Irrigators and Murray River Council provided submissions.
“We understand the importance of hearing directly from regional NSW communities,” Mr Butler said.
“The committee received a large number of submissions from the Riverina and Murray areas, and we will ensure these stakeholders have the opportunity to tell us first-hand how changes to water policy have impacted their communities, their local agriculture and their businesses.”
Members of the public interested in the inquiry can follow its progress on the committee’s website.
A livestream of the two public hearings will be available on the NSW Parliament website.
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