First Nation leaders, irrigators, farmers, ecologists and environmental organisations gathered in Canberra on Tuesday 14 November to give their take on the impending Murray Darling Basin Plan, urging that it must go further. 

As part of urging the Senate to strengthen the Restoring Our Rivers (2023) Bill, Minister for the Environment Tanya Plibersek was handed a petition with 10,000 signatures from across the Murray-Darling Basin urging her to stand up and protect the rivers they love. 

Macquarie Marshes famer Gary Hall said that politicians needed the courage to make hard decisions so our grandkids don’t face the same issues. 

“It’s not going to be easy but the trip to Canberra was all about giving them support for what’s already happened. The Coalition was negligent. (Government) has responsibilities to implement the plan and now have the opportunity to get back on track,” Mr Hall said. 

"As farmers who grow cattle on floodplains in the Darling Basin, we contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to the economy, and produce food for Aussie tables…We need this Bill to guarantee more for the Darling ahead of the next drought." 

Mr Hall said it was the first opportunity that interested parties could have their say. (Supplied)

While Mr Hall deemed the trip a success in support of the bill, other farming bodies are gearing up to host several protests across the country next week, against the water bill. 

NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said the protests would force the Albanese Government to listen to the farmers and communities who were facing devastation. 

“We are vehemently opposed to this bill, and rather than come and talk to us they hid in Canberra and held hearings,” Mr Martin said. 

“Authorities are already wrecking rivers with too much water, eroding banks, killing trees and flooding properties, and the Government’s bright idea is to buy even more water – and do it with taxpayer money!” 

The National Farmers’ Federation is also supporting the protests. 

Mr Hall, however, said that most farmers are in support of implementing the Basin Plan. 

“They don’t represent farmers in general. NSW Farmers and National Farmers’ are supporting corporate ag and the big end of town. They’re not the mum and dad farmers,” Mr Hall said. 

“Our community will benefit from having more environmental water in the river.”

Several demonstrations against the bill are expected to take place on Tuesday, November 21.