SEVERAL Senators and politicians have confirmed they will attend next Wednesday’s Murray-Darling Basin Plan forum in Barham, with local irrigators urging members of the community to raise their voice at the meeting.
Senator John Madigan, who was recently successful in establishing a Senate inquiry into the economic and social impacts of the Basin Plan, will be joined at the meeting by crossbench Senators Bob Day and Dio Wang, and MPs Bob Katter and Sharman Stone.
Senators Jacqui Lambie and Glen Lazarus have also indicated they would like to come, but have not given their confirmation.
Mr Madigan said the public meeting, open to anyone interested in attending, will be “a first-rate opportunity for me and other Senators and MPs to interact directly with people who live in the Basin”.
“In talking to my crossbench colleagues and others I have told them the best way to learn is to visit the Basin, talk to local people, visit local farms and businesses and see what’s going on,” he said.
“The meeting on July 8 is an opportunity for some of my parliamentary colleagues to do just that.”
Benjeroop farmer and meeting organiser Lindsay Schultz said he and fellow organisers were expecting more than 1000 people to show up to the forum.
For more on this story, grab a copy of Friday’s Guardian (July 2).
