See it for yourself, says Dalton

Mrs Dalton said she returned from the fact finding mission relating to the Murray Dalring Basin Plan firmly believing “New South Wales farmers and politicians have been lied to about the state of South Australia’s Lower Lakes”.

“We have all been conned and it must stop,” she said.

“I’m calling on Premier Minns to visit the Lower Lakes immediately to see first-hand what I have just seen.”

Mrs Dalton spent five days touring the state to discuss the state of the Lower Lakes with South Australian farmers, fishermen, water experts, locals, and indigenous leaders.

What Mrs Dalton said she learned was the Lower Lakes are being artificially kept full of river water using water taken from the Murray-Darling Basin.

At the same time, sea water is being kept out of the Lower Lakes by seven huge barrages which were erected in the 1930s and 1940s.

“Those lakes were a mixture of sea water and river water for tens of thousands of years,” she said.

“We shouldn’t be wasting valuable river water, which should be used for food production, just so that a handful of rich and powerful South Australians who live around the Lakes have a nice view to enjoy.

“This has been one of the biggest con jobs pulled on rural farming communities across the Murray Darling Basin and Premier Minns must intervene,” Helen said.

“No more water from New South Wales should be taken from farmers upstream if it is going to be used to fill up these fake lakes.

“I’m happy to show Chris what I have seen and introduce him to the people I have spoken to. He should also bring Water Minister Rose Jackson, Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty, and Environment Minister Penny Sharpe. They all need to see this.

“We can’t keep buying the lies being pushed by the Federal Government and some South Australian politicians when it comes to the Murray-Darling Basin.

“Enough is enough, and the New South Wales Government must act immediately.”