Not for the first time, the sitting member for Indi was overlooked after federal taxpayer money was given to her electorate. Again, Cathy McGowan was told after the fact when it came to an announcement about phone towers in her electorate.

Instead, Nationals deputy leader Bridget McKenzie and would-be Nationals member for Indi Mark Byatt fronted up for the announcement.

Ms McGowan is the person the people of Indi elected to represent them, whether the National party likes it or not. When she is left out of such announcements, and treated with contempt, then all of those who voted for her are treated with contempt too. If they think this is the way to win over those who voted for Ms McGowan (which is what they are out to do, after all), it may well backfire.

As a food producer trying to make a living and feed our nation, it is disheartening to read articles from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority's chief executive Phillip Glyde, as they do little, other than show the authority's failure to understand the Basin Plan, its impacts and its failings.

Mr Glyde, in a recent article, told us this summer of record-breaking heat and low inflows had provided plenty of evidence of the finite nature of water in the basin.

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Does he think this is the first drought we've ever seen? We have all endured many dry periods, droughts and hard times in the past. The difference this time is that we previously had some water security, with availability at reasonable prices to see us through and still produce the nation's food. Now we have a constant man-made drought, exacerbated by appalling water waste under the Basin Plan that Mr Glyde is trying to implement.

Better than anyone, we understand that water is our most precious and finite resource, though it would appear this is not something Mr Glyde has had to deal with until this drought.

He tells us the drought shows "staying the course to implement the Basin Plan in full is more important than ever, to fairly share the precious water resources across communities, the environment and industries so no one sector bears the brunt".

Is he kidding? Where have we seen any "fair sharing" of water? Obviously he is not listening to the cries for help, the desperation and the frustration of communities which watch helplessly as water pours into the forests, causing needless and damaging floods under a plan that is trying to force volumes to South Australia that simply will not fit down the river.

Why won't Mr Glyde listen to what is happening in the real world?

I suggest we invite him to Shepparton or Deniliquin to face a roomful of people, where he can tell them they are not bearing the brunt of his precious Basin Plan.

Mr Glyde also had the temerity to state that "ahead of us, there's a tremendous amount to do and the door is open for your involvement". This must be something new at the MDBA, because it has been our experience that opinions and advice to the MDBA over six long years have all fallen on deaf ears.

Sorry Mr Glyde, but your rhetoric is no better (or worse) than the average politician or bureaucrat. You are enforcing a plan that is a monumental disaster, but refuse to acknowledge what is obvious to those of us who are living the nightmare.

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