A Federal Government plan to fund regional communities to help build strong and sustainable futures has been welcomed by Terry Hogan, the chairman of both the Riverina and Murray Regional Organisation of Councils (RAMROC) and Water4Food Australia.
Mr Hogan is also the mayor of Jerilderie Shire Council.
This announcement followed on from a breakfast meeting hosted by Water4Food, where more than 60 guests attended Parliament House Canberra to listen to a big picture message spanning global food and water security, water policy in Australia and sustainable inland communities.
A special guest at the meeting was SunRice Australia brand ambassador Stephanie Rice, where she addressed the meeting and outlined her training program leading up to the World Swimming Titles and the 2012 London Olympic Games.
The Water4Food program is a positive community initiative designed to build awareness of the importance of food production and security and the necessity of managing the needs of agricultural and environmental policy.
Cr Hogan said the breakfast meeting was a highlight of the first stage in a process designed to elevate the political profile of water, food and community sustainability issues in the national political environment.
Cr Hogan believes RAMROC represents the voice of practical country people who had a realistic understanding of the limits of what Governments could achieve,
Water4Food Australia is a community-based strategy that seeks to protect water supplies for the production of food in the Murray, Murrumbidgee, Lachlan Valley and Lower Murray Darling Basin valleys.
Water4Food has also formed an alliance with the Murray Catchment Management Authority to promote world’s best sustainable farming practices throughout the RAMROC region.
The Government is seeking proposals from Murray Darling Basin local government organisations for regional strategies to help communities adapt to climate and water policy changes as part of a $200 million program.
The announcement from the Minister for Climate Change and Water Senator Penny Wong follows closely on the announcement of $650 million in funding for private irrigation operators to upgrade infrastructure in NSW.
“We are delighted that some of the key messages of the Water4Food program are being heard in Canberra and we sincerely welcome these new federal government initiatives.
“We are keen to continue to assist Canberra with quality and constructive input from the communities of south west NSW.
“Water4Food Australia also wishes to address the issue of a creating a business plan to assure the supply of water for sustainable food production and also to spread the pain of the water buyback program equitably across Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia,” said Mr Hogan.
In the latest funding initiative announcement, Senator Wong said the Federal Government was seeking proposals from local councils in the Murray-Darling Basin to help them better deal with the huge challenges posed by a future with less water.
“In the face of drought and climate change and after years of over-allocation, Murray-Darling Basin communities are doing it really tough.
“We are calling for proposals from Basin communities for Government funds to help them assess the impact of less water on their local area, and undertake community-wide planning for the future.
“This initiative is part of the $200 million Strengthening Basin Communities program to assist local governments in the Murray-Darling Basin plan for reduced water availability and deliver associated local water saving initiatives,” said Senator Wong.
Mr Hogan said Water4Food had always aimed to form part of the solution in Federal and State government water policy challenges.
“We want to assist in establishing an equitable plan that delivers water for food security, regional socio-economic sustainability and for the environment,” said Mr Hogan.
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