OPINION: The irony of water Opinion Property/Sports/Opinion - popup ad by News Of The Area - Modern Media - November 1, 2023 DEAR News Of The Area, MARK Twain was a great humourist who saw the irony of ignorance and contradiction within humanity. It is therefore fitting that Tony Judge would quote Twain in his opinion piece, ‘Muddying the water on water rights’. Judge aims to discredit Gurmesh Singh and Michael Kemp with the suggestion that they have intentionally misled people by providing facts regarding harvestable water rights. He attempts to create his argument with a wash of nonsense and unreferenced statements concerning the effects rainfall and runoff have on the local ecosystem. It is with this that I would share another quote from Mark Twain: “Get your facts first then distort them as you wish.” By acknowledging a fact Tony Judge then attempts to distort the truth by suggesting that the process of harvesting water has an adverse effect on the overall environment. Not true. I would encourage anybody with a serious interest in managing our environment as we move forward into a future of longer dries and more intense rainfall patterns should take the time to review the comprehensive work done by visionary Peter Andrews. Peter has proven that slowing the flow of runoff through a series of weirs and small dams increases the ability for waterways to survive through drought as well as providing more consistent and stable supply to promote healthier waterways from summit to sea. The best people to understand and advise on this issue are those that have a considerable connection to the area and knowledge of the land. Which brings me to another quote from Mark Twain: “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.” Based on the naive remarks from Judge I would presume that he is a ‘sea changer’ from the city who has been in the electorate since breakfast and is touting misinformed ‘Greens’ ideologies for his own agenda quick to slap away the hand that feeds him. An important point to appreciate is that the food that is grown on our farms requires water. You can’t have avocado on toast without avocado trees. I am sure that Michael Kemp and Gurmesh Singh have the ‘place we call home’ in their hearts. I have been fortunate to personally speak with Michael on several occasions and have found him to be very approachable and progressive in terms of achieving better farming practices and sustainable management of our environment. I believe he has the integrity and good judgement to engage in rational and respectful debate regardless of personal views. As the Minns government continues ‘knee jerking’ our state resources into dangerous territory and attempting to box up our state forests and create the potential for catastrophic bushfires, they are strangling our primary producers from an essential means to grow and harvest food. In support of local farmers and their ‘David vs Goliath’ battle against the giant authoritarian Labor government, I feel a final quote from Twain is appropriate. “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” Regards, Adam FULLER, Mid North Coast.
The letter to the editor by Adam Fuller, referencing the harvestable rights of water available to farmers, reduced by the NSW Government from 30% down to 10%, in response to comments made by Candidate/Councillor Towny Judge, raises some I.portant points. Firstly, conservation of water in the form of dams, by landholders, lessens the impact of flooding and aids in the fight against bushfire. There is a classic example of the benefit of dams, reducing the risk of flooding to the heavily populated urban areas, such as Coffs Harbour, which can be seen at the base of Red Hill, where following the floods of 1997, Coffs Council constructed 2 large dams, to slow down the flow of flood waters from the upper reaches of the catchment area, flowing down into Coffs Creek. Reducing the amount of water able to be conserved by farmers, increases the risk of flooding to those further downstream. Secondly, Adam Fuller mentions Peter Andrews, author of 2 books, relating to the slowing down of water across farmland, titled,Back From The Brink and Beyond The Brink. When one understands that it is man who changed the landscape, from, in our area, heavily timbered country, to in many instances, cleared land, then it is man that needs to put adjustments in place, so as to slow down the flow of water across the landscape, which used to happen naturally. Both books provide an excellent insight as to how we can better protect the environment. Owning one of the larger areas of land in the LGA , at the headwaters to the Coffs water supply, I am conscious of the need to conserve water and to endeavour to slow down the flow of water from the catchment, so as to not only mitigate the risk of flooding, but to also provide areas of water storage which can be accessed by those needing water storage areas to fight bushfires. The initiative to increase water storage on farms from 10% to 30% was a “No Brainer”, the reduction back to 10% recently announced by the NSW Labor Government is not. Farmers such as our local member, Gurmesh Singh, who is a third generation local farmer, understand the land. It was not that long ago that conserving water through the construction of dams was encouraged by the authorities, but not now. I have recently gained consent through Coffs Council to construct a dam, once I comply with the conditions of the consent, I am looking at about $50,000. This Dam will be a major asset for the protection against bushfire, of my koala inhabited 650 acres of rainforest, the protection of the Dorrigo National Park, which I adjoin, the protection of the Mt Moombil communication towers, as well as acting as a water retention facility to slow down the flash flooding. Reply
I should add, that the $50’000 mentioned in my previous comment did not include the construction of the dam Reply
Dear Rodger, Thank you for taking the time to comment on my opinion piece and share information regarding the construction of a dam on your property that will become the heart of its life source, which is water. I would like to hear comments from Michael Kemp and Gurmesh Singh more about their ideas regarding sustainable and integrated management of our farms and state forests. I would also like to hear from both Gurmesh Singh and Candidate/Councillor Tony Judge what the $50,000 bill from Coffs Council goes towards for approval of a dam. Is that correct, $50,000 for a tick in the box?? You also mention the importance of dams on rural properties in times of bushfires which is something that needs much attention. The bushfires at Kempsey recently have once again highlighted the reality of such a serious threat. Reply
