By a taste, I don't mean the culinary one. I mean a taste of the financial stress, the anxiety, the uncertainty, the hopelessness and the lack of confidence that the Peel's irrigation farmers (especially the young ones) face as a direct result of the NSW Government’s unfair and excessively high Bulk Water Usage charges.
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The Peel has received little or no support from the other Murray Darling Basin Water User Organisations. Water use in the Basin has been capped and if one valley reduces water use, the other valleys benefit.
The attitude of the other Water User Organisations is summed up by the following extract from Namoi Water's recent submission to the Upper House Inquiry into Rural Water
"On this issue Namoi customers reject any concept of merged infrastructure and therefore pricing between the Peel and Namoi valleys. The negative social and economic impacts and management of infrastructure would have significant negative impacts on Namoi customers."
Well cop that young Harry!! This extract however clearly shows that the Peel's water users are not crying WOLF about the high usage charge in the Peel.
It is more than appropriate that all valleys experience IPART's so called "cost reflective Bulk Water prices"paid in the Peel Valley with the Namoi being first cab off the rank. Each valley in the following order should experience this cost reflective mechanism in action for 6 months.
Usage charge $ ML
2017/18 Namoi / Murray eg Namoi 54.97 Peel 18.12
Murray 54.97 Peel 2.00
2018/19 Lowbidgee/Murrumbidgee Murrumbidgee 54.97 Peel 3.24
2019/20 Border/Gwydir Gwydir 54.97 Peel 11.00
2022/21 Macquarie/Lachlan Lachlan 54.97 Peel 18.20
This measure achieves a triple bottom line result. The other valleys get a taste of the Peel.
The Peel's Usage charge drops to that of the other valleys and the NSW Government coffers are topped up.
This tasting would be a good interim measure for Kevin Anderson National Member for Tamworth. Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Roads, Maritime and Freight to put in place while he creates a suitable Bill to give permanent price justice to the Peel and get it through Parliament.
Laurie Pengelly
Peel Valley Irrigator
