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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-09-28 Daily Xml
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FOOD PRODUCERS AND LANDOWNERS ACTION GROUP OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (15:42): I rise today to speak about the Food Producers and Landowners Action Group of South Australia (otherwise known as FLAG SA). In December last year, I was contacted by a constituent, Mr Peter Manuel, who was very concerned about the actions and policies of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and, in particular, the decisions of natural resource management boards.

Peter had previously heard rumours that the NRM was going to tax farmers for water which fell out of the sky and into their dams. In August 2010, Peter publicly made these claims on FIVEaa but was dismissed as somewhat of a conspiracy theorist. In the following months, after a discussion with a neighbour, who claimed that he was required to obtain a water licence, even though he did not use water for irrigation purposes, Peter attended a public meeting held by the Mount Lofty Ranges NRM board at Victor Harbor. It was during this meeting that he discovered that there was some truth to his suspicions. The NRM planned on making it a requirement for farmers to have meters on dams in order to impose a levy for certain water uses. Naturally, Peter was outraged by this and became very vocal in his opposition.

It was at this stage that I met Peter. In the following months, Peter and I were contacted by a number of people who were concerned not only about the NRM policies but also about the actions of some NRM and Department for Water officers. I was told stories by farmers who felt intimidated and threatened by NRM and Department for Water officers. For example, one farmer was threatened with a fine of $35,000 for removing a small amount of silt from the river to avoid flooding. Another farmer told me about his frustrations at having to wait 12 months to gain approval to repair a dam wall in order to prevent the dam bursting, which, if it had burst, would have resulted in his neighbour's house being washed away. Another farmer told us how he was run over by two NRM officers and was subsequently charged for obstructing authorised officers.

Many of these incidences were made public and an awareness of Peter's campaign became known in rural areas. As a result of this and growing mutual concern about the government's draft water allocation plans and the effect these would have on sustainable food production in South Australia, Peter formed FLAG SA with a group of landowners and farmers. FLAG SA is also equally concerned about the increasing erosion of landowner rights.

Earlier this year FLAG SA organised a very successful public meeting which was attended by the Minister for Environment and Conservation, along with an estimated 1,000 concerned citizens. Following this meeting FLAG SA was contacted by other groups which had been formed due to concerns about similar problems interstate. I understand another public meeting has been planned for 30 October this year at Victor Harbor and people will be coming from interstate to show their support.

These public meetings are not only to raise awareness about issues concerning water allocation plans but also to protest against the often heavy-handed actions of overzealous officers from the NRM and the Department for Water. FLAG SA is not just a vocal minority of anti-environmental radicals. Its members are simply food producers and landowners who are concerned about the measures taken in the name of protecting the environment when it seems that little regard is given to the impact these actions will have on South Australia's food producers. Far from being anti-environmental, these people are concerned that South Australia's food bowl will be lost if they are not allowed to undertake their work in a sustainable fashion. In the meantime, FLAG SA continues to fight for the rights of South Australians, focusing in particular on food producers' and landowners' rights.

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