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New water minister invited to visit Murray

By Daneka Hill

Jun 9, 2022

2021: 'COVID Keith', an effigy of then Federal Water Minister Keith Pitt, was created by residents when Mr Pitt kept delaying a visit to the region due to COVID-19 concerns. Photo by contributed

New Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek has been invited to southern NSW for some frank discussions and on-site tours.

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The invitation comes from the Murray Regional Strategy Group, a coalition of local water users and community members who formed after the 2018 water crisis rally in Deniliquin.

MRSG chair Geoff Moar said the group has written to Ms Plibersek with the initial aim of lining up an online meeting before hosting an in-person visit to the region.

“MRSG wants to work with governments to ensure we have a basin plan to manage and deliver water for Australians well into the future,” Mr Moar said.

2019: David Littleproud's effigy was thrown off a bridge by angry irrigators and his watery progress towards South Australia was eagerly watched thanks to a tracking device. Protesters were trying to highlight the enormous volume of water being delivered to South Australia. Photo by contributed

The biggest topic on the agenda right now is capacity constraints, in particular the Barmah Choke.

“We have to move away from the ‘just add water’ approach to the basin plan and develop more sustainable management options that efficiently use the water that has already been recovered,” Mr Moar said.

Ms Plibersek has not yet accepted the invitation.

There is a rich history of federal water ministers being turned into effigies and tossed in the Murray River when they’ve failed to accept invitations and meet with rural communities.