'Bondi Group' has Turnbull's ear

By LUCY SKUTHORP - Australia
Thursday, 22 February 2007

A small band of irrigators calling themselves “the Bondi Group” and enjoying the ear of Federal Minister for Water, Malcolm Turnbull, seem to have had more input to the Prime Minister’s $10 billion plan for water.
This team of private irrigation companies from across Australia has been meeting with Mr Turnbull regularly over the past three months.
The meetings started with the hope of providing specific detail on what “really” needs to be done to fix water and irrigation problems, both in and beyond the Murray Darling Basin.
While not really seeking the limelight, the lid was lifted on the Bondi Group by Mr Turnbull at Press Conference last week when outlining the extensive consultation he’d already had with irrigators on the problems with the river system.
“…so regularly do I meet with irrigators that’s there’s a group of private irrigators from all around Australia who’ve constituted themselves as the Bondi Group because they’re kind enough to meet me in my office at Bondi Junction.”
The Bondi Group comprises 13 irrigation groups which privately own their irrigation assets.
Its name is to differentiate itself from another outspoken group on water, the Wentworth Group of Scientists.
Seven of the members are from NSW, one is from Tasmania, four are from Western Australia and one is from Queensland.
It has been a registered entity for about three weeks, and now has its own website.
Bondi Group secretary, Murray Smith, from Coleambally Irrigation said Mr Turnbull has been generous with his time with the irrigators, expressing his desire to fully understand the issues.
“He’s like a sponge soaking it all up,” Mr Smith said.
“We appreciate the fact that he can take some time out for us…we haven’t had a trouble trying to see him – he does make time for us and hopefully he gets some value out of it.
Mr Smith said the Bondi Group believe the Prime Minister’s plan can work, providing this level of consultation with irrigators continues.
“There’s a lot of nervousness about the fact that the details aren’t there,” Mr Smith said.
“What we’ve said to government is that we’re happy to talk with them and put the meat around this and show them how it can work so we can put to bed some of the concerns and build something which is a win all round.
“The concept’s there, it’s just building on that concept.”
While NFF has been the public face of irrigators in terms of commenting on the plan, but Mr Smith said the CEOs from the private irrigation companies which sat around the table with Mr Turnbull had 300 years of combined irrigation experience to offer.
“You won’t come across that in government, and I suspect you won’t come across it, with no disrespect, at NFF – it’s just not there,” Mr Smith said.
“We’ve been there, we’ve done it and we know what needs to be done to fix things.”

SOURCE: The Land, NSW, February 22, from Parliament House Bureau, Canberra.
Email this article to a friend