Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to acknowledge the hardship and the efforts that have gone into our region to support our farmers in time of drought. Whilst we welcome the rain that we have received over the last week, it is still not enough to fill the necessary dams and water storages in our region. Unfortunately, as we stand here today, this drought has come on quicker, it has dried a lot quicker and inflows have been much lower than predicted. If we do not get substantial rain and over this winter period, it is highly likely that parts of my electorate will be placed on water restrictions—the first since the millennium drought back in 2010. This is devastating news for many in our electorate.

Whilst we hope to get rain, there is more that we can be doing here in this place to support not just the farmers but also these communities at risk and in need. We need to continue to upgrade and update water infrastructure. I say that boldly and challenge those opposite: do not derail any efforts made to build pipelines to install new or improve existing waterways. Some of our water infrastructure in the Bendigo electorate goes back to the gold rush. It is out of date. We need to update and improve our water systems to ensure that we are supporting all our communities, including our farmers.