NSW Member for Murray Helen Dalton (right) with fellow protesters in Canberra.
Independent Member for Murray Helen Dalton joined the chorus as more than 2000 farmers and their supporters on the lawns in front of Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday.
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They were there to send a powerful message to the politicians who determine the policies that impact farmers’ livelihoods.
“It was critical to attend this rally to send the message that enough is enough,” Mrs Dalton said.
“Policies created by politicians and advisers who are clueless about the agriculture sector cannot be allowed to dictate how the ag sector operates.
“The message is clear - farmers do not feel like they’re being listened to; that their voices are being drowned out by politicians who refuse to listen.”
Mrs Dalton said while a number of policies affecting farmers were discussed on the day, among the most concerning is the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and the new round of water buybacks.
“We know water buybacks are going to decimate remote and regional communities.
“I can't believe the New South Wales and federal governments continue to pursue this agenda just for Green votes in inner city electorates.
“I have tabled numerous solutions to buybacks and all have fallen on deaf ears.
“Bureaucrats don't understand the limitations of water delivery due to constraints, and fail to understand that the biggest environmental threat of our time to our river systems is carp.
“This rabbit of the rivers makes up 90 pert cent of our rivers’ biomass with an estimated 357 million fish destroying our rivers and lakes, their water quality and decimating the breeding habitat of our native animals and fish.”
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