00:02Deniliquin in southern New South Wales might be known for utes, but this community of 7,500 people is driven
00:10by rice.
00:11Our retail sector, our health precinct, our education systems, it really relies on that rice industry to be a productive
00:19part of that community.
00:21Last year's rice harvest was the smallest in six years.
00:26Processor Sunrise has laid off nearly 70 workers here in Deniliquin and another 10 in Leighton, blaming drought and government
00:34water buybacks.
00:37Downstream businesses, like this one using rice hulls, are also scaling back.
00:42We've had to put some staff off already.
00:45Community services say people are struggling.
00:48That'll get them through a few days anyway.
00:50It's not only are they dealing with being able to pay the rent while they're looking for another job or
00:55waiting for government allowance, but it's also they won't be able to find one that's now going to be more
01:00affordable.
01:01In a statement, the federal government said it's considering ways to help affected Sunrise workers, along with a proposal to
01:08co-invest with Sunrise in a rice cake facility.
01:11But what the industry wants is water.
01:13I'd love to see the government sell some of the water that it holds back into the system for farmers
01:18to use.
01:19We need our farmers to grow rice.
01:23There is some relief.
01:25Recent rain means there's more water available for irrigation.
01:29The region looks great.
01:30We're enthusiastic.
01:32That catchment rainfall has happened as well.
01:34So we're optimistic that there will be a rice crop this year of some size.
01:39Growing hope for farmers and the community.
01:44We're open to the idea.
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