An Albury district farmer has threatened to walk away from 50 years of farming if nothing is done about the "disgraceful" Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
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Irrigator Geoff Moar's plea to interim Inspector-General of Murray-Darling Basin water resources Mick Keelty yesterday was just one of many from frustrated farmers, retired irrigators and concerned Border residents voicing their ongoing concerns with water.
Despite the obvious desperation in the voices of each person who spoke about their issues with water, there was a glimmer of hope in the room.
And there is a belief that Mr Keelty's inquiry will make a difference.
"This isn't the be-all and end-all - this won't be the last inquiry," Mr Keelty said.
"You can't just admire the problem, you have to get in there, roll up your sleeves and implement some changes and importantly communicate those changes."
Mr Moar said his concern is for the next generation of farmers.
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"We have produce under contract to multi-national companies and those companies at the moment find it easier to boat produce into this country than it is to help us to work with our government with the problem we have with water," he said.
"We are becoming so desperate we are calling for a royal commission to tease this out and get some sense for the future.
"I have had over 50 years getting to where we are and if we don't pull something off with what you are pulling together, we will have to pull the pin and say it is over."
Mr Moar said people are getting behind what Mr Keelty's inquiry and said it is "probably the closest" they are going to get to a royal commission.
"We have had enough, I hope you can get the report to the producers and it can be taken seriously and we can get something to happen," he said.
Mr Keelty, who has been holding the town hall sessions across basin communities since January 21, said the main theme he is hearing from people is the issue with water trading.
"In every meeting I have had across the basin, water trading has been at the heart of the concerns of the people," he said.
"You can't measure what you can't manage.
"Take a look at Lake Hume, once you find what level it is sitting at by going to 100 different websites, as low as it is, who owns what is there?"