Critics of a plan to buyback water entitlements, as part the Murray Darling Basin plan have taken to the streets of the Riverina. Farmers, business operators and local councils were among those involved in today's protest. They say the removal of more water from irrigation would hurt those left behind and ultimately destroy the region.
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00:00 Tractors and trucks took to the heart of Griffith, fueled by the frustration of irrigators.
00:07 They say the federal government's proposal to resume water buybacks reminds them of the water woes they faced a decade ago.
00:14 It's taken a long time to recover from that and we're only just getting back on our feet and now we get knocked around again if it goes ahead.
00:22 From Griffith to Daniliquin to Leeton, the message was the same.
00:26 Keep workers working!
00:28 It's frustration and it's just not being listened to. I think really people are just sick of not being listened to.
00:34 We reserve the right to kick down the back door if they're not listening and that is the message here today from all of you.
00:41 The government's water amendment bill is due before the Senate by the end of the year.
00:47 It would allow more water to be bought directly from irrigators to help the government meet targets for the Murray-Darling Basin.
00:55 Opponents say it will be death by a thousand cuts.
00:58 Down the line you will lose industry, you will lose confidence, you will lose population and then that will have a decline on our communities.
01:05 There's less water, there's less farming, there's less produce bought from our businesses and we can't employ more people.
01:13 Federal Minister for the Environment Tanya Plibersek says she doesn't want to see buyback supply to all of the 450 gigalitres of water being sought.
01:21 She says other options such as efficiency projects are being considered.
01:25 People are just about over the fight. They've lost confidence. They've lost confidence in the government that they're going to do the right thing.
01:33 But they're still vowing to keep up the fights.
01:35 fights.
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