Mick Keelty may have been a good cop, however, he is tugging a chain reportedly saying a string of scandals involving water thefts and corruption have fostered public mistrust in the plan to save the Murray-Darling Basin. Well maybe the public, but then again what public?
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Ask most suburban punters and they would not have a clue where the Murray is let alone the Darling.
From where I sit, water theft and fraud are not the drivers behind the push to have a fresh look at the plan. Where is the evidence of theft and fraud in Victoria?
There have been investigations into 800 alleged breaches in NSW and only 10 have resulted in charges being laid.
A number of those have nothing to do with Basin water.
Keelty's reported comments put all irrigators in the same basket and he is just plain wrong.
The volume of any illegally diverted water has hardly put pressure on the overall current dire situation.
Who is playing politics, is it Keelty or Minister Littleproud who appointed him.
Also, singing from a hymn book that encompasses the whole of the basin is flawed.
Currently, it could be argued that there is not enough water around to pinch or corruptly misappropriate.
What is driving angst is a swirling Murray surrounded by parched paddocks and lost jobs.
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Local councils, mainly suburban, have been putting their sticky fingers over issues that are far removed from rubbish, roads and rates.
They fly a multitude of flags supporting causes aligned to their personal beliefs - they wish to alter Australia Day's date and have even declared climate change state of emergencies.
Or they push their barrow on issues that should be the domain of state and federal governments.
The issue of chest-beating was obvious when the Yea saleyards received the Shane Knight Memorial Award at the Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Victoria conference recently.
Out came the mayor welcoming the award for a fixed double deck loading ramp. Thump, thump went the press release about agriculture and its importance to the shire but not one mention as to who designed and manufactured the award-winning structure.
To set the record straight, it was designed and built by ProWay, of Wagga.
The company has worked closely with the Livestock and Rural Transporters Association and funded an excellent booklet for the organisation on yards and loading race design.
Also, in the consultative picture were processors and cattle buyers.
The Yea ramp enables around seven head more being safely loaded onto the top deck.
