About 20 years ago the State Member for Murray Plains (as it is now), told parliament, in his maiden speech, ‘water’ was going to be one of the biggest issues of the future.
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Peter Walsh steps down as leader of the Victorian National Party, after 10 years in the top job, and his words have an uncomfortable but prophetic ring to them.
Water is still here, and the issues — particularly for the Murray-Darling Basin — have not been resolved.
“It was an understatement,” Mr Walsh acknowledges about the ‘prophecy’.
He believes the move by the Commonwealth to take over the management of the Murray-Darling, with an accompanying environmental emphasis, was inherently to the disadvantage of water consumers — urban and rural.
As for the Victorian Labor Party position on water buybacks, he described this as an easy position to take, because there is nothing the state government can do about it.
“My observation is that they could be more vigorous.”
Peter Walsh (centre) when he was water minister in a previous coalition government.
Among the notable leaders Mr Walsh has worked with, he counts former premier Ted Baillieu, and federally, Tim Fischer was a standout leader with tremendous qualities.
“His openness and genuine approach, who cared about doing good. If you knew his personal circumstances he had some significant challenges in his journey.”
On the other side of the political fence he regarded former ALP premier Steve Bracks as having the ability to do what was needed to be done in the parliamentary chamber, but outside was also keen on making sure good things were done.
“With my business experience and previous agri-politics experience, I brought some networks to the job and felt I could add value for regional Victoria.”
He’ll let others judge his performance and resiles from making any pronouncements.
Asked about the opportunities for female leadership of the party, Mr Walsh referred to the current gender composition.
“We have more female MPs than male, so I think we have proven we can walk the talk,” he said.
“We have achieved that without any form of quota.
“The leadership positions are elected by the party room, so if the women in the party room supported a female candidate, they would be elected leader.
“So it’s in the hands of the women.”
The Victorian parliament has provided a room for child care for any female from any party, an opportunity taken up by State Member for Euroa and Nationals MP Annabelle Cleeland, who recently gave birth.
“As I understand it, parliament is making a room available, but parliamentarians need to organise their own child care staff,” Mr Walsh said of the arrangement.
In case anyone is wondering, Mr Walsh is not planning on putting his feet up yet, and didn’t want this interview to sound like an obituary.
He wants to redirect his energies in his remaining time to some projects he hasn’t been able to give his time to.
He won’t renominate for the seat at the next election.
“I would be 72 at the next election and 76 at the end of that term,” he said.
“I love the job and was still enthusiastic as I was 22 years ago, but you have to be realistic about ‘father time’.”
As for ‘stepping down’, he said he did not have the numbers and pre-empted any opportunity to be challenged.
Asked if Danny O’Brien would be a good leader, Mr Walsh replied: “That’s up to him.”
Peter Walsh’s maiden speech, February 2003
One of the greatest challenges ahead for all of us will be satisfying the water and food demands of our society, while protecting our in-stream and riparian ecology.
Even after the drought has broken, water will be one of the biggest issues of the future.
The Living Murray debate that will examine these issues has already begun.
Over a 15-month consultation period, scientists, the community and government will discuss the notion of what constitutes a healthy working river.
We all have a vested interest in a healthy river. Everybody lives downstream of somebody else.
But there is a growing concern among my constituents that we may throw the baby out with the bathwater.
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