Coorong & Tatiara Water Prices Crippling Farmers
Farmers and landholders across the Coorong and Tatiara districts are being crippled by exorbitant water prices, with a public meeting being called in Flow region 97.7fm Coonalpyn this week, to address the issue.
SA-Best party leader Nick Xenophon and Nick Xenophon Team's Federal Spokesperson for Agriculture and Rural Affairs Rebekha Sharkie will both be in attendance to find out how a lack of water price security in the region is impacting on the livestock industry in particular.
Rebekha joined Anita on the Country Viewpoint for more information on the water situation, and to discuss her pending dual citizenship status.
As a public meeting, people from right across the Coorong and Tatiara districts are encouraged to attend and have their say tomorrow, November 16, at Coonalpyn Town Hall from 7pm.
The Coorong Water Security Advisory Group and Coorong District Council previously tried to improve the water situation by securing a deal with SA Water, but turned to campaigning MPs when that fell through.
The local groups had hoped to establish third party access to SA Water’s infrastructure, and secure cheaper reticulated water for landholders within the region via by the Tailem Bend to Keith pipeline network.
However, SA Water deemed this approach unviable.
Coorong District Council Chief Executive Office Vincent Cammell said the upcoming meeting was just one way in which council was continuing to work with the livestock industry to find long-term solutions and drive discussion.
“This issue affects our entire agricultural industry and if we want to continue to see world-class produce coming out of the Coorong region, we need to have all levels of Government working together."
Image Source - Coorong District Council. Gerard Van Den Brink explaining on farm desalination to Rebekha Sharkie Vincent Cammell Neville Jaensch Kelly Gladigau