Member for Murray Plains DO you remember the decades of our telco and electricity services being held by a single monopoly and the lack of compassion for their paying customers?
It wasn’t until government intervention which allowed other providers to compete for paying customers that we saw any improvement.
Out here in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, we have to access water for our livestock and crops through a single desk Irrigation Infrastructure Operator (IIO) called Murrumbidgee Irrigation Limited.
This irrigation corporation was initially government-owned but is now regulated under the NSW Water Act, which does not oversee the manner in which it treats customers.
Our region has faced difficult conditions, with droughts followed by floods which have led to financial hardships.
Unfortunately, we have a company that enforces payment by customers, regardless of whether they pay for irrigation services.
In fact, if a customer questions fees and charges rendered by the company they will slap you with a late fee of $295 and threaten you to cut off your water until their charges are paid in full.
This is a company with a history of water restrictions and poor delivery services, not to mention their ability to trade water against their customers.
This forces everyday food producers here to pay through the nose for a drink of water for their crops and livestock.
It would be a more sensible option for our NSW Government to step in and regulate companies like Murrumbidgee irrigation so that food producers were able to access much needed water for crops and livestock at affordable prices without the tactics employed by a government-created monopoly.
Tanya Ginns
Murrami, NSW
