The next federal election just turned into a more interesting contest across northern Victoria and the Riverina, with announcement that a new party headed by water activist Chris Brooks is about to take to the hustings.
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No one could doubt the passion and burning desire for change held by Mr Brooks.
He has made the media his own as he attacked what he sees are the inequities of the Murray-Darling Basin plan. Even blind Freddie could see that the plan has removed water from the presumptive pool and demonstrably delivered it to the environment. Grist for his mill has been record-low inflows into southern storages where irrigators in New South Wales received nil allocations, while environmental allocations - mainly from Victoria -swirled down the Murray and, when added to downstream, commitments flooded over river banks.
The lack of water available on the temporary market pushed prices to record highs. When water was unbundled from land, many water holders sold their high-reliability water with the reasonable intention of being able to source water on the temporary market. To say this was a misjudgement due to drought would be an understatement.
The prudent allocation regime that has been in place in Victoria ensured irrigators received an 80 per cent allocation where NSW irrigators received for 0-10 per cent. Put simply, NSW down the years had overallocated water. Adding insult to injury was that allocation had to be paid for, and not a drop was received.
The problems facing Mr Brooks and his party are monumental. Outstanding candidates need to be found that will be able to stand incessant media scrutiny. Knowledge of water issues will not be enough, as broad-based political knowhow will be demanded. In the last federal election, high-profile independent candidate Kevin Mack took on shaky Liberal Sussan Ley in Farrer and Ley wiped the floor with him. Irrigation certainly matters, but does it grab rural urban and communities in places like Wagga, Albury, Shepparton and Echuca/Moama, Swan Hill and Mildura?
VALE ANDREW
Andrew Gubbins, who passed away last week, was one of the nicest, most genuine people I ever met in the stud breeding industry.
He was passionate, gentle and thoughtful and possessed a wonderful sense of humour. With his wife Mary, he took Te Mania angus to dizzy heights.
Their journey began in 1971 with several bulls and a sizeable draft of females from Mary's brother Edwyn Wilding, who had founded his New Zealand Te Mania stud in 1928.
Andrew's legacy will be an ongoing, highly influential Te Mania guided by family and extended family members.
His role in the annals of performance angus breeding are well documented, however it is the angus breed that has benefited from the commercial focus of Te Mania bloodlines.
