Golden opportunity offered

Regarding

the Strategic Connection Plan meeting at Numurkah Golf Club on November 23, 2012.

We attended the meeting for MV SCP 35, and were interested to note the various reactions to the

‘‘ update’’ of the plans for our area. There are some important things that need to be taken into account.

First, Goulburn-Murray Water is not ‘‘ the enemy’’, but shows it wishes to work with local farmers to ensure that an efficient costeffective irrigation system is available to those who use irrigation water productively.

G-MW needs to have customers, and ensuring the viability of those customers is of utmost importance.

It is interesting to note that its infrastructure and staffing has been reduced in order to be more effective.

Much time and effort has been put into the background information showing the usage breakdown in each area, allowing G-MW to assess the future requirements and productiveness in those areas. Priority can now be given to those who really do use irrigation to its best effect, and therefore need certainty of supply at reasonable cost.

Our current system is outdated, awkward and expensive, and while it is important to remember how it was set up and used 100 or 60 and even 20 years ago, we now have a golden opportunity to bring this part of our farming into the 21st Century, and at little or no cost to ourselves.

Our livestock, pasture, and farm management practices have certainly changed from those early days, and upgrading our irrigation is another form of productivity improvement— essential in today’s business operation of a farm.

Unfortunately there will be some who will be disadvantaged by the proposed changes, however it was made quite clear that discussion, negotiation and agreement with individual— and groups of— landholders is the first and most effective way of moving forward.

There are various proposals to be put to each, and funds are available to ensure relative work can be done, or compensation made.

While there was some concern that G-MW has the power to override any who will not agree to the proposals, it was quite clear that it would only be used as a last resort in order to not disadvantage other parties who are in agreement.

Concerns about the reduced valuation of properties will be overcome with decisions and planning in place, and that in itself will increase values in the whole area due to the stability that will come with it.

Following the meeting, we are now gaining some certainty in the future, with timelines in place to ensure developments really will happen. While no decisions have yet been made, it seems that we will now be able to ‘‘ flow forward‘‘ rather than ‘‘ treading water’’.

G-MW will continue to provide stock and domestic water.