Dalton tackles floodplain harvesting in the Lower House

For the first time in five years, Independent Member for Murray, Helen Dalton has this week launched a disallowance motion in the Legislative Assembly to block floodplain harvesting regulation.

Mrs Dalton says for the NSW government to serve up this regulation unchanged, after it has already been thrown out of the Legislative Council three times, shows the sheer contempt in which the Liberal and National parties hold the people of this State.

Mrs Dalton says this regulation has been “overwhelmingly rejected by First Nations, communities, recreational fishers, floodplain graziers, riparian farmers, academics, scientists and southern basin irrigators. An Upper House inquiry last year received 263 submissions – and over 78 per cent opposed the licensing process,”

“Floodplain harvesting licensing volumes are currently sitting around 350GL – about enough to fill Sydney Harbor seven times over – and include a 500 per cent carryover. Yet this mockery of a government knows it only allows those floodplain harvesters 46GL,” Mrs Dalton added.

“The carte blanche for their landed supporters in the north of the state means current licensing volumes will severely impact staple food production and the health of our iconic river system.

“That’s where the domino effect kicks in, when the Darling collapses the pressure simply moves downstream and the health of the rivers and the volume of water for both NSW and Victoria will be thrown out the window.”

Mrs Dalton says this regulation is the continuation of a long-term campaign by the coalition, intent on decommissioning the Darling River for decades.

“Even though we lost the disallowance today, I will continue to fight for a fair go for Murray and everything dependent on the sustainability of our river system,” she says.

“Because I promise you, the coalition is only interested in its own private agenda and could not give a damn about anyone else – it’s the only explanation for its determination to defy science and common sense and the will of its own people.

“Come March next year, they will hear from those people, loud and clear.”