Landholders have been given a three-week extension on the consultation period for the draft Landholder Negotiation Scheme (LNS). Photo: Chris Roe.
The NSW Government has agreed to a three-week extension of the consultation period for the draft Landholder Negotiation Scheme (LNS) after a backlash from farmers in the Riverina.
The public exhibition period is now open until Sunday, 24 November, to allow more stakeholders to learn about the draft LNS Regulation and to have their say.
Last week, a group of farmers gathered in Wagga, angry that a webinar had replaced a face-to-face event to explain the controversial proposal from the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
A statement on the DPIE’s website explained that the “extension gives the department’s Water Group another opportunity to meet with the community in person in late October/early November in Wagga Wagga and Darlington Point after the most recent meetings were moved online”.
A spokesperson reiterated to Region last week that the intention is to “ensure a fair, transparent and consistent approach to negotiating agreements with landholders affected by proposed future environmental water releases”.
A growing number of landholders claim that they have been left in the dark about the government’s plan to acquire flow easements along the riverfront and the action group Save Our River Dwellers (SORD) was established last week.
Spokesperson Paul Funnell said farmers had little to no notice about the meetings that were scheduled during one of the busiest times of the year.
“The communication has been appalling, and even the late announcement of the extension just goes to highlight the inefficiency and lack of transparency in the process,” said Mr Funnell.
“This has all the warts of government overreach and bureaucracy out of control, and we’re not backing down because this is a matter of protecting our fundamental property rights.”
Collingullly farmer Paul Funnell is the spokesperson for the Save Our River Dwellers (SORD) action group. Photo: Chris Roe.
Independent Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr, acknowledged the concerns of landholders “who fear their livelihoods and amenity will be significantly impacted by flooding”.
“Landholders have contacted me to say they have been given insufficient time or information to consider how the program would affect them or to adequately understand the processes in which they will be compensated for damage to property, income and assets,” he said.
“It is essential that riverside landholders are not left to carry the cost of damage caused by flooding without being fully informed about how the program will affect them and what compensation or mitigation will be available to those who may be negatively affected financially and emotionally from regular inundation of their land.”
Mr Funnell said that the future of the Murrumbidgee River flats is under threat and that farmers will unite to protect their rights.
“We do appreciate the fact that there’s an extension, but that said, it changes nothing,” he said
“How can you make a decision on something this important after a one-hour consultation process?
“This affects every single landholder differently, and it affects them and their property in perpetuity.”
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