Pipeline Rally says Bracks must listen and act
“The huge turn out at the rally to oppose Steve Bracks’ plot to take water out of the Goulburn Murray system is a clear sign that the proposed pipeline must not go ahead,” the Federal Member for Indi, Sophie Mirabella said, after serving as the MC of the rally.
“This is an issue of trust – the same people who claimed before the election that there would be no pipeline to Melbourne are now building a pipeline to Melbourne. The same mob that is destroying Lake Mokoan and Honeysuckle Creek Reservoir are now asking us to trust them to protect our water supplies.”
“This is becoming a recurring habit that Labor is using to hurt the North-East – Labor says one thing before an election and another thing after the election.”
“Mere weeks ago they said that water savings would be equally distributed between Melbourne, the environment and irrigators, and they are now saying that Melbourne is their first priority.”
“I can only shudder at the damage that the State Labor Government could wreak on North-East Victoria without the Federal Coalition Government to act as a check and a balance,” said Mrs Mirabella.
Despite the heavy rain and last minute location change over 800 people crammed into the function centre at Shepparton’s Eastbank complex to protest and declare that they refuse to accept water piped from the Goulburn System to Melbourne.
“People travelled for hours to protest from Wangaratta, Wodonga, Tallangatta, Myrtleford, Mansfield, Benalla, Healesville and Yarrawonga. Virtually every State and Federal Member of Parliament representing Northern Victoria was in attendance. Speakers included Victorian Liberal Party Leader Ted Baillieu, Federal Members Fran Bailey and Sharman Stone and Water Services representative, Jamie Craig.”
“The crowd passed two motions unanimously, one by Eril Rathjen of Colbinabbin which was ‘Stop the pipeline now – Just fix up our irrigation system’.”
“The other motion moved by Ken Patterson of Boort was to declare that ‘The Food Bowl Unlimited, the Northern Victorian Irrigators Inc. and the VFF are not authorised to speak on behalf of Goulburn Murray system irrigators, businesses and the communities of Northern Victoria’.”
“The fact is we have the Howard Government’s $10 Billion 10 Point plan on the table right now which will fund upgrades to the Goulburn and Murray systems as well as on-farm water saving works. The offer has been on the table for Victoria to sign for six months.”
“This is an issue of trust – the same people who claimed before the election that there would be no pipeline to Melbourne are now building a pipeline to Melbourne. The same mob that is destroying Lake Mokoan and Honeysuckle Creek Reservoir are now asking us to trust them to protect our water supplies.”
“This is becoming a recurring habit that Labor is using to hurt the North-East – Labor says one thing before an election and another thing after the election.”
“Mere weeks ago they said that water savings would be equally distributed between Melbourne, the environment and irrigators, and they are now saying that Melbourne is their first priority.”
“I can only shudder at the damage that the State Labor Government could wreak on North-East Victoria without the Federal Coalition Government to act as a check and a balance,” said Mrs Mirabella.
Despite the heavy rain and last minute location change over 800 people crammed into the function centre at Shepparton’s Eastbank complex to protest and declare that they refuse to accept water piped from the Goulburn System to Melbourne.
“People travelled for hours to protest from Wangaratta, Wodonga, Tallangatta, Myrtleford, Mansfield, Benalla, Healesville and Yarrawonga. Virtually every State and Federal Member of Parliament representing Northern Victoria was in attendance. Speakers included Victorian Liberal Party Leader Ted Baillieu, Federal Members Fran Bailey and Sharman Stone and Water Services representative, Jamie Craig.”
“The crowd passed two motions unanimously, one by Eril Rathjen of Colbinabbin which was ‘Stop the pipeline now – Just fix up our irrigation system’.”
“The other motion moved by Ken Patterson of Boort was to declare that ‘The Food Bowl Unlimited, the Northern Victorian Irrigators Inc. and the VFF are not authorised to speak on behalf of Goulburn Murray system irrigators, businesses and the communities of Northern Victoria’.”
“The fact is we have the Howard Government’s $10 Billion 10 Point plan on the table right now which will fund upgrades to the Goulburn and Murray systems as well as on-farm water saving works. The offer has been on the table for Victoria to sign for six months.”
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posted by Greg Naylor at
8:08 PM
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