After making a submission the the South Australian Royal Commission into the Murray Darling Basin, Toobeah farmer, Chris Lamey hosted Senator Sarah Hanson-Young last week to discuss water issues within the Northern Basin.
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“Senator Hanson-Young made contact with me in mid-January asking for information so she could understand issues that were being raised within the Northern Basin,” Mr Lamey said. “There was no way I was going to dismiss her request. There has only been one other politician willing to step onto my farm and see what we are experiencing first hand.” Mr Lamey showed the Senator examples of water saving projects that have been funded by the government and gave his account of how these projects have been allowed to progress without strict assessment and governance.
Ms Hanson-Young was said to be “shocked”. “My belief is that some of these projects have been a part of the total mismanagement of water. Combining this with the drought, has lead us to the situation where fish kills are occurring but more importantly people and towns are without water,” Mr Lamey said.
“This is completely unacceptable. People must always come before extraction. It’s not about blaming the cotton industry. It’s about government not protecting people and their basic human water needs. The NSW government has a trigger level for Warragamba. It reached that level last week and they have engaged the de-sal plant. What is the plan for those towns that are out of water and have been for so long? The breaking of the drought is nowhere in sight.
“The Queensland government, I believe, are not seeing the big picture. It can’t be state against state. When it comes to people and water it has to be a combined acceptance and then start devising a solution to a problem that is of critical importance.”
Mr Lamey will host Senator Rex Patrick, Centre Alliance Party, this week, for the second time. “Rex Patrick was on the committee for the senate inquiry into the water market. He has a wealth of knowledge and a genuine concern for fairness and equitable distribution of water,” Mr Lamey said.
“Rex Patrick was on the committee for the senate inquiry into the water market. He has a wealth of knowledge and a genuine concern for fairness and equitable distribution of water,” Mr Lamey said.
He has been of great assistance to my family and our issues but the issue of water for all Australians is now gathering momentum. We need a Royal Commission so this problem can be opened up and stop the constant fight between individuals, industry and regions and start making some progress into fixing this debacle.”
It has been a tough few years for the Lamey family after speaking out. Mr Lamey said he just wanted a fair go for everyone.
“I think I’m at the Australian level. I have friends without drinking water; I have another friend who was pregnant and couldn’t live on the family farm because they were worried about water quality; other friends have a farm worth half of what it was three years ago.”
