WITH many anticipating this year’s Federal Government election, the United Australia Party has put forward its candidate for the seat, Stewart Hine.
One of Stewart’s first points of interest is the Murray Darling Basin Plan and the party’s proposal to abandon the current plan if elected.
Stewart said, “I have been to so many meetings, spoken with so many people, and seen so many ‘Pause The Plan’ and ‘Water For Food’ signs that I’m thrilled to announce that the United Australia Party policy is to abandon the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and to in fact immediately pause the plan while we are taking the necessary steps to do so.
“Abandoning the plan is not something that can be achieved overnight, so it’s imperative that we do pause the plan immediately if we are going to act in time to save what is left of the agricultural section in Nicholls, and particularly the dairy farming industry; as the starting point for reviving a once thriving local economy with farming at its core.
“Having spoken with farming veterans like Des Morgan, who came in at the very start of Invergordon, and has lived there ever since; and taken the grand tour of the area complete with commentary on the rise and demise of farm irrigation, I am very aware of the negative impact of current water management policy and the huge benefit to dairy farming, the local economy and employment that restoring the water supply to the farming sector will have.
“Plus, I have spent many days over many weeks and driven literally many thousands of kilometres observing paddocks bare of grass and full of cowpats, which in many cases is all that’s left of our once thriving farms.
“It’s time to pause the plan, bring back the water for food production and abandon the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, which is a proven failure; a disaster.”
