Food producers and their supporters demanding action to save farmers and rural communities will converge on Canberra early next month.
A Convoy to Canberra is the latest event hosted by several water lobby groups across the Goulburn, Murray and Murrumbidgee valleys to try and convince the Federal Government, in particular Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Water Minister David Littleproud, that current water management is failing the nation.
The convoy will be calling for the Murray-Darling Basin Plan to be paused and fixed.
“While an increasing number of politicians can see the damage being caused to farmers and rural communities by the plan, the government refuses to acknowledge the disaster and take proactive steps to repair it,” co-organiser Chris Brooks said.
The convoy will gather participants before assembling in Yass on Monday, December 2, before continuing on to Canberra as one group.
“A ‘water embassy’ will be established, which politicians from all parties can visit and learn more about what the current water management and policies are doing to regional Australia,” Mr Brooks said.
He said the convoy was the latest in a series of events designed to highlight why the plan had failed the nation, and what we could do to fix it.
“We want trucks, tractors on trucks, utes and cars to join us on the road to Canberra,” Mr Brooks said.
“If Mr Morrison won’t come out and look at the damage to our communities from their disastrous plan, we’ll take the message to him.
“There is an increasing number of National Party members — those who have the courage to stand up and not simply toe the party line — who believe it is time to take action that protects our farmers and rural communities.
“We’ll stand side by side with any politician who is prepared to call out this crazy plan for what it is: an attempt to appease environmentalists and win South Australian votes, at the expense of communities in southern NSW and northern Victoria.”
Anyone interested in being a regional co-ordinator is asked to email speakup4water@gmail.com, or phone Jan Beer on 0407 144 777 or Darcy Hare on 0437 794 723.