The drought gripping much of NSW is tightening, forcing authorities to prepare to cut flows along a major river in the north west, while job losses loom as towns in the Northern Tablelands start to dry.

WaterNSW on Monday will announce that unless conditions improve, regulated flows along the Macquarie River below the town of Warren will cease from early spring to prioritise water supplies for towns and key users.

Cotton has become a contentious crop in this drought.

Farmer Andrew Watson, from Boggabri in north-west New South Wales, says some of the criticism of irrigators has been vicious.

"Having seen some death threats … it just shows there's a real lack of understanding of how the systems work," he said. 

"We only use the water that's allocated to us."

It's harvest time and Mr Watson says this year's crop is down.

"We've actually had a real shortfall in water. So the crop outcome is not very good," he said.

"We're probably going to produce an outcome that's about 70 per cent of what we'd like to produce."

Unless there's significant rain, next year will be worse.

 

The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is seeking public input as part of a new investigation it is conducting into the regulation of lobbying, access and influence in NSW (Operation Eclipse).

The Commission released a discussion paper today, Enhancing the democratic role of direct lobbying in NSW, which, amongst other matters, addresses principles of transparency, integrity and fairness concerning or associated with lobbying practices in NSW. The Commission engaged academics Dr Yee-Fui Ng, Senior Lecturer, Monash University Faculty of Law, and Professor Joo-Cheong Tham, Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne, to prepare the discussion paper, which invites respondents to address questions based around the main principles.

The discussion paper is appended to an introductory paper, The regulation of lobbying access and influence in NSW: a chance to have your say, which also explains how to make a submission. In this paper, ICAC Chief Commissioner the Hon Peter Hall QC notes that lobbying, when conducted on proper lines, can have beneficial outcomes. However, it could also be argued that “lobbying might lead to decisions by government and/or public officials in circumstances of unjustified secrecy, where processes are sometimes criticised as lacking transparency or accountability, while particular groups or the public generally are denied the opportunity of being heard.”

Eight finalists have been announced for the Corteva Young Grower of the Year.

The Burke and Wills campdraft may never see the like again but on Friday the Prime Minister dropped in to say hello.

Two more wheat import permits have been granted by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.

FOR SALE    5       2      4      Price $450,000.00  Negotiable and all reasonable offers will be considered.

This weatherboard and Hardiplank home is situated on the outskirts of town inside the levee bank. Zoned General Industrial on 2.3 acres.

Long Term Lease in Main Street

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