Mayor backs farmers against State Government

Lockyer Valley Mayor Steve Jones has gone into bat for the Lockyer Valley's farmers against the State Government's proposal to reduce the amount of water farmers can access, saying there is no doubt the decision will severely impact the local economy.

He says if the situation wasn't so serious, the hypocrisy would be laughable with the government on one hand spruiking about how it will generate employment and on the other introducing policy that could result in job losses.

It's almost unthinkable that a State Government would even contemplate reducing the water supply of one of the world's most fertile agricultural areas without even looking at the widespread implications that decision will have, he said.

Under the State Government plan, the intention is to reduce the amount of water primary producers in the Lockyer Valley can use by 30 per cent, even to rain water caught on their own properties.

This region supplies over 90 per cent of Australia's winter vegetables and any cut in water supply will have a huge detrimental impact on the region.

The Lockyer Valley relies on the local agricultural industry - it is our lifeblood. When the agricultural sector is doing well, we all do well and I'll be damned if I will sit idly by and watch it be destroyed by the State Government.

Council has already started the ball rolling in determining the type of impact this ludicrous decision will have on our local economy, including the real possibility of job losses.

I will back our farming families in the Lockyer Valley to ensure this crazy policy decision by this State Government is scraped.