Federal Member for Farrer Sussan Ley was unable to be at one of the Riverina rallies, but sent a message saying she shares ”your passion, I share your anger and I am there in spirit”.
The deputy opposition leader said she was working hard “to overturn this ridiculous change to the basin plan that is being rammed down our throats by this awful, awful government”.
“If you’re not at the table, you’re part of the menu … and Tanya Plibersek has had us on the menu for a long time,” she said.
“It is deceitful. It’s disgusting. But we are not going to give up.
“We are not going to take a backward step and we are not going to be ignored. Because irrigation feeds the nation and it feeds the world.
“I know this country is backing us all in, because I know that even though this Labor government doesn’t care about us, ordinary Australians do … and they want us to succeed and they want us to prosper and they want fresh food and fibre that we produce.”
But NSW Member for Murray Helen Dalton has questioned whether the Coalition is up for the fight, saying it is still negotiating with the Federal Government over the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Bill 2023.
“The Greens currently don’t support the bill, so a deal between federal Labor and the federal Greens seems incredibly unlikely,” Mrs Dalton said.
“That means the Nationals and the Liberals have the power to kill the bill.
“Even though the Nats say they don’t like the buybacks, they still haven’t agreed to vote down the bill that would allow those buybacks.”
A convoy of trucks and tractors will demonstrate its opposition to proposed amendments to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan on Monday in Shepparton.
The convoy will leave the Shepparton Sports City Precinct at 10am, before driving along Wyndham St and turning left on High St towards SPC.
