A FIGHTING farmers union has been touted as a solution to the State Government's surprise moratorium on new water licences in the Wet Tropics.

More than 100 frustrated farmers, drillers and pump company owners at a water crisis meeting on Wednesday night were told it was time to band together and fight for property rights.

Independent Kennedy MP Bob Katter said primary producers were being crippled by regulation after regulation placed on "some of the most productive farming land in Australia if not the world".

"They are telling us this water licence ban could be 12-18 months (but) I know of one situation on the Gilbert River where it took six years for a comprehensive report and 16 in all with the changing of governments," Mr Katter said.

The new moratorium, introduced without warning this month, covers new bores and surface water works, exempting some but hitting farmers hard.

Government spokespeople say the freeze on new applications will allow them to complete a comprehensive water resource plan in a bid to better protect wetlands and endangered animals.

They say it will also give water security to the Wet Tropics population.

Farmers have been told it could last up to three years.

Innisfail Banana Association president Mark Nucifora said it effectively halted development in the Wet Tropics for banana growers, and called for the blanket ban to be staged over water catchments across the area.

"It will restrict the banana industry – it may even send it backwards and who knows what the final outcome will be," he said. "This covers five or six water catchments. I don’t believe in my area we have water problems."

Meeting chairman and Cassowary Coast
Regional Council Mayor Bill Shannon said the Wet Tropics was among the last regions in Australia to be scrutinised.

While rain poured on the roof of Innisfail’s Senior Citizens Centre, Cr Shannon said it was true that some parts of the Wet Tropics, in particular around Cardwell and the upper reaches of the Johnstone and Herbert rivers, had water problems at times.

"But this will restrict the growth of the banana and tropical fruit industries, probably for up to three years, and we don’t want our biggest single industry to be constrained that long so we’re asking for (the government) to keep the process as short as possible," he said.

Share this article