MAIN SUBMISSION TO THE MDBA

SUBMISSION TO THE MURRAY DARLING BASIN AUTHORITY

RE: MURRAY DARLING BASIN PLAN

Peter Gilmour – Experience and qualifications

The Gilmour Family settled in the Cobram area some 150 years ago, my great grandfather John Gilmour was an early importer of Clydesdale horses and was known as the “Father of the Tungamah Shire”. Up until my career was cut short by mental illness I was a third generation stock & station and real estate agent and very proud and happy to be so.

During my career I took on many very strong challenges including starting from scratch my own real estate agency in Tocumwal NSW.

I was heavily involved in Apex for over 20 years being a member of 5 clubs and holding every executive position up to District Governor.

My father ran an irrigation farm along with his own stock and station agency when I was a child.

I have many life long friends who are irrigation farmers.

Prior to the Murray darling Basin Plan consultation process beginning I created a Facebook page: “Save Murray Darling Basin communities”.

I spend many hours each day researching articles etc regarding the Murray Darling Basin and keeping the page updated.

Therefore I believe I have an inherent knowledge of the Murray River, its environs and irrigation.

WATER REQUIRED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS

It has always been my belief that all water savings required for larger flows in the river systems can be achieved through infrastructure spending, this view has been enhanced greatly with my research.

 Victoria’s NVIRP and other infrastructure programmes have already returned some 344 gigalitres per year for environmental flows and we have not even scratched the surface yet for infrastructure improvements.

THE AMOUNT OF WATER ACTUALLY NEEDED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS

Nobody knows this and can not purport to, Australia is a boom and bust environment and we have certainly seen that over the last 12 years.

I find it deeply disturbing to read some of the figures bandied about that need to flow down our rivers, most of these are ridiculous and can not possibly flow through some of the rivers natural limits, the Barmah Choke on the Murray River being one of those.

I question anybody that believes they can put an accurate figure on what the “environment” needs for flows down our rivers.

Farmers also need to be recognised as amongst the best carers of our environment.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA AND THE LOWER LAKES

The lower lakes have also been altered considerably since Captain Cook sailed in to Sydney, they have been made in to a predominately fresh water system, where as before the concrete barrages were put in they were a salt water estuary.

The lower lakes lose in the vicinity of 2000 gigalitres per year in evaporation.

The notion that the Murray River mouth should be naturally open 9 years out of 10 is complete nonsense, it would never have been this prior to dams and irrigation.

There are many stories prior to dams and irrigation of the rivers being reduced to puddles.

MURRAY DARLING BASIN IRRIGATION AND LACK OF MAINTENANCE

The whole Murray Darling Basin was created with vision just like the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric scheme.

The Murray Darling Basin has helped shape Australia in to the wonderful country it is today, the basin directly affects 2.1 million Australians and indirectly affects every Australian. It secures clean, safe and well priced food for Australia and indeed the world.

What we need now is that same vision and commitment.

Since the major irrigation infrastructure was started during the depression and really spurred on after the second world war their has been minimal spending on maintenance of the system, the channel system has leaked for at least 50 years.

I would like to acknowledge the important work that has been done on irrigation over the years especially in regard to salinity and drainage along with laser levelling etc, this has seen a huge savings in water use which to the best of my knowledge has not been recognised properly.

EFFECTS ON COMMUNITIES OF WATER BUY BACKS UP TO DATE

There also needs to be far more recognition of the shocking effects water buy backs have already impacted on our communities. Shepparton for example, one of Victoria’s major provincial cities has 77 (seventy seven) empty shops.

The soldier settlement scheme just out of Cobram which 20 years ago had dozens of flourishing farms on every road, drive down some of those same roads today and you quite often only see

3 or 4 farms, that means less people shopping in towns and less children going to schools etc.

So the effects of more water buybacks are going to have a far greater detrimental effect on Basin farmers its communities and Australia.

If this plan is allowed to go through in its current format I can see in 10 years many devastated communities in the Murray Darling Basin.

It is my wish and I would say many others in the Murray Darling Basin along with many Australians that you cease water buy backs for at least 5 years and concentrate on infrastructure spending.

Don’t be the ones Australians of future generations call

“those people who ruined our food industry”.

Agriculture has been the mainstay for Australia right from when white man settled here, irrigated agriculture is an integral part of that.

Mining has a finite time line, agriculture and irrigation can go on forever.

Yours Faithfully,

Peter Gilmour