September 10, 2023 • 14 mins
Were you at this year's AgQuip? Celebrating 50 years of Australia's largest agricultural field days, the Inspector-General went along for the first time, to speak to people about the work that we do. We also learnt about what some of the issues are in the community and how it's affecting people around water compliance and regulation.
We're now heading to Riverland Field Days, and then straight to Henty after that so we'd love to hear from you.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
AgQuip_Final:Waters Edge podcast acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout the Murray-Darling
(00:05):
AgQuip_Final:Basin and Australia and recognizes the continuing connection to lands, waters and community.
AgQuip_Final:We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to the elders
AgQuip_Final:past, present and emerging.
AgQuip_Final:Well, for this episode of Waters Edge we're coming to you from Ag Quippet, Gunnada, where
(00:25):
AgQuip_Final:we've heard from hundreds of people over three days about issues in the basin affecting them.
AgQuip_Final:Welcome to Water's Edge.
AgQuip_Final:The Inspector General Troy Grant was here and he was able to speak to people
AgQuip_Final:directly about their concerns. Here's a bit of what you in the community had to say.
(00:48):
AgQuip_Final:We're talking about a Murray-Darling Basin in Water and the fact that being an ex-Western
AgQuip_Final:and division person water is the most important part of life out there without water you just
AgQuip_Final:cannot survive.
AgQuip_Final:That goes not just for the rivers but it goes for underground water too.
AgQuip_Final:So I'm reluctant to support people that are irrigating crops with underground water but
(01:14):
AgQuip_Final:as far as the Murray-Daling goes it should never have been left to the states to look after
AgQuip_Final:and administer it.
AgQuip_Final:should have been looked after right from the word go by the commonwealth as one person.
AgQuip_Final:So it's a balancing act, but they should be enough information between all the states
AgQuip_Final:and the Feds and the Murray-Dulling Basin Commission to be able to work out what the flows are
(01:40):
AgQuip_Final:going to be within the river systems there.
AgQuip_Final:And the allocations need to be adjusted to those flows that are there, not what's held
AgQuip_Final:in the dams, adjusted to what's in the flow. They know what is in what's entering the system.
AgQuip_Final:They've got gauging stations all the way along the rivers. They know what's coming or they
(02:02):
AgQuip_Final:should know and they need to let take advice from people that are lived on the rivers for
AgQuip_Final:a long, long, long time.
AgQuip_Final:You're passionate about the system. You know a ton about it from what you've just said
AgQuip_Final:there and your frustrated states run constitutionally because they won't refer all their
AgQuip_Final:powers to be run singly by the federal department or in a single entity. We've been created,
(02:28):
AgQuip_Final:you said you've heard of us but you didn't understand what we do. So we've been created
AgQuip_Final:as an independent body to police or everyone responsible for that water management.
AgQuip_Final:What's your views on that? Do you think that's a good thing? Like an independent umpire
AgQuip_Final:an independent arbitrator, while we can't run the,
AgQuip_Final:and manage the river ourselves,
AgQuip_Final:we're now in the independent body
AgQuip_Final:that makes them all accountable.
(02:49):
AgQuip_Final:And we've transparently put that information out
AgQuip_Final:to the public, is that something
AgQuip_Final:you think is a good thing going for it or what you use?
AgQuip_Final:- I think it is a good thing.
AgQuip_Final:Given, as long as the regulator looks at it
AgQuip_Final:in a broad view.
AgQuip_Final:- What I'm interested to know is how are you going to make,
(03:10):
AgQuip_Final:How are you going to get cooperation with all this water management?
AgQuip_Final:You know, you've got different states, you've got New South Wales,
AgQuip_Final:Victoria, you've got South Australia and Queensland.
AgQuip_Final:How do you make all those governments cooperate to manage water better?
AgQuip_Final:That's what I'd like to know.
AgQuip_Final:And I know the government's heading queries and it goes on and on and on.
AgQuip_Final:But nothing concrete comes out.
(03:33):
AgQuip_Final:And I respect the issues and the difficulties that, you know,
AgQuip_Final:they would be having with this pretty slightly now.
AgQuip_Final:How can they make it public?
AgQuip_Final:- You're the star of the show because we were established
AgQuip_Final:two years ago to exactly fix that.
AgQuip_Final:So we're the Inspector General Water Compliance
AgQuip_Final:from the Ari Dulling Basin and we police the Australian
(03:53):
AgQuip_Final:government, which is the Water Division, the MDBA,
AgQuip_Final:the Commonwealth Environmental World of Holder,
AgQuip_Final:and then every state's jurisdiction.
AgQuip_Final:When we started up, we got a blade called
AgQuip_Final:Des Peers and did an audit basically,
AgQuip_Final:and he looked at how they all managed it individually,
AgQuip_Final:and then what was required to do exactly what you'll talk about how to get them together.
AgQuip_Final:Yes.
AgQuip_Final:So one of the recommendations you may was to create something called the Registry Leaders Forum
(04:17):
AgQuip_Final:that I chair, so I'm independent, and I bring them all together, and we get them whether
AgQuip_Final:it's because there's a whole different components, there's the metering component, there's the
AgQuip_Final:enforcement, how many inspections they do, what sort of panel they hand out, decisions
AgQuip_Final:about.
AgQuip_Final:What are releases?
AgQuip_Final:It's state and federal, it's both.
AgQuip_Final:And that's part of the problem, it's so confusing, people get confused.
(04:37):
AgQuip_Final:So ironically what people don't understand is before I started that meeting in 10 years
AgQuip_Final:the base and plan have been alive they've never met before.
AgQuip_Final:So that's why they haven't ever worked together.
AgQuip_Final:But since then we've produced a couple of things that they put in together so that you can
AgQuip_Final:see whether they're doing their job properly.
AgQuip_Final:One of them is called the metering report card.
(04:58):
AgQuip_Final:So by 2025 they've all got to reach a certain coverage of meters, a quality of meeting
AgQuip_Final:and the information that comes from the meters in the reporting
AgQuip_Final:So is that legislated?
AgQuip_Final:It's part of the Morodalein Basin Plan, it's called the Compliance Pack
AgQuip_Final:Yeah, that's a legislative document
AgQuip_Final:So the compliance compact is...
AgQuip_Final:Because you've got to have, unfortunately, you've got to have a hammer
(05:20):
AgQuip_Final:to hit them on the head with to make them comply
AgQuip_Final:Otherwise, it's a toothless tiger
AgQuip_Final:Who is that fellow yet?
AgQuip_Final:Mick Keildi, didn't he?
AgQuip_Final:Keildi?
AgQuip_Final:What did Keildi do?
AgQuip_Final:He had no power to really do anything
AgQuip_Final:So I replaced Mick Keildi and then they gave me the powers
AgQuip_Final:you're making the points 100% right.
AgQuip_Final:So Mick didn't have the powers.
AgQuip_Final:So on the 5th of August, two years ago,
AgQuip_Final:the powers came in, so we're two years old,
(05:42):
AgQuip_Final:so it takes time to recruit people, get people up.
AgQuip_Final:So we just start and need our straps.
AgQuip_Final:So the metering and port cards out
AgQuip_Final:to get the states working together.
AgQuip_Final:And by the end of the year,
AgQuip_Final:we'll have a compliance reporting framework.
AgQuip_Final:So that you'll be able to read off our website
AgQuip_Final:and everyone will be able to read exactly
AgQuip_Final:what every state is doing
AgQuip_Final:and trying to do it more similar together
AgQuip_Final:and right across the base.
AgQuip_Final:And so it's not stable.
(06:02):
AgQuip_Final:great interest and we're sure the best. Also joining the Inspector General here were two of our
AgQuip_Final:field officers. Gundawindi based officer Jess said the three days were really helpful and an
AgQuip_Final:important way for her to speak to some people she may have never met before. Jess what are some of
AgQuip_Final:the issues that people have been talking to you about the last few days? We've had a quite a few
AgQuip_Final:stakeholders drop in and talk to us about just trouble with getting compliant with their meters
(06:29):
AgQuip_Final:so accessing a Julie-qualified person to install meters or repair meters,
AgQuip_Final:particularly in that sort of Namoi Guaida sort of New South Wales area of the Northern Basin.
AgQuip_Final:Some other issues are we're having state agent like lots of stakeholders coming in and talking
(06:52):
AgQuip_Final:to us about how they're finding it very challenging to access information from state agencies
AgQuip_Final:like New South Wales Water, particularly around licensing. How do they get licensing?
AgQuip_Final:How do they apply for it? How do they check if they've done the right thing with processing
AgQuip_Final:paperwork? Most people are using the online tool, but again they're looking for feedback around whether
(07:15):
AgQuip_Final:they've done that process correctly or not and are unable to do that. So we've had to refer quite a
AgQuip_Final:few across to or back to New South Wales Water and also to NRAR around those sort of licensing and
AgQuip_Final:compliance issues. And then what are you what where are you sort of seeing people
AgQuip_Final:coming from are they mostly from New South Wales? Yeah lots of people from New South Wales
(07:38):
AgQuip_Final:so obviously lots of people from Gunnida, Narbray, Moree we've had quite a few from sort of the
AgQuip_Final:Lockland area down near Dubbo. Some from Correndi, Tamworth region so yeah very heavily
AgQuip_Final:New South Wales based with the stakeholders we've been speaking to over the last two days.
AgQuip_Final:And now that we're nearly wrapped up with day three, what will you do with all this information
(08:02):
AgQuip_Final:and that you've gathered after talking to people?
AgQuip_Final:Yeah, so the information, the first process with, I guess, collating this information, we will
AgQuip_Final:have a meeting with our Assistant Director who can pass all of the intelligence into a report
AgQuip_Final:and we'll go through a detailed debrief of what the key themes were, what the key messages
AgQuip_Final:from stakeholders were. From that report, that information will be delivered directly
(08:26):
AgQuip_Final:to the executive. Usually there will be a number of field reports that sort of go along
AgQuip_Final:with that as well as probably follow-up engagements. The Inspector General has been here for
AgQuip_Final:two days as well, so he'll probably have some value to add to that. And that information
AgQuip_Final:eventually, you know, in 12 months' time when we've compiled the field days that we've
(08:47):
AgQuip_Final:set out to do this year, all of that information that will go towards supporting decision-making
AgQuip_Final:around next future work planning.
AgQuip_Final:So, people can rest assured knowing that the information they've shared with you will
AgQuip_Final:actually be put into something meaningful.
AgQuip_Final:Yeah, absolutely.
AgQuip_Final:Every bit of information that we get from stakeholders is uploaded onto a log in real time.
AgQuip_Final:So I might be speaking with a stakeholder.
(09:09):
AgQuip_Final:I'll take their details.
AgQuip_Final:I'll either make an arrangement to have an engagement with them, you know, maybe in a week
AgQuip_Final:or Tuesday or whenever that sort of availability then works and then that
AgQuip_Final:data is put into a like a sort of kind of spreadsheet and I will send that
AgQuip_Final:directly to another team member via email immediately and she will
AgQuip_Final:upload that to the log so we don't have any lag with this with recording any of
(09:34):
AgQuip_Final:this data and often if people have asked quite a few people have come in and
AgQuip_Final:said oh we don't have a contact for this person or we're not really sure
AgQuip_Final:about how to get this across the line or what agency is this with again and we have maybe
AgQuip_Final:it doesn't fall exactly in our remit but we've got that information. You just take
AgQuip_Final:their email, you quickly punch out an email and you send that directly to them so everything
(09:56):
AgQuip_Final:is recorded and everything goes towards adding value to future work that we do.
AgQuip_Final:Well our quip is the second field day the IGWC has attended this year with some more on the
AgQuip_Final:calendar soon. Maggie is in charge of organising the IGWC's presence at Field Days.
AgQuip_Final:Maggie, can you tell us what goes into organising something like our quit?
AgQuip_Final:We get together with the field offices and chat over the biggest issues that are going to be
(10:25):
AgQuip_Final:relevant to the area and we get some collateral together, a little bit of marketing giveaways for
AgQuip_Final:people. So what Field Days have we been to now and have we got any more planned coming up?
AgQuip_Final:Yeah, so earlier this month we were in Mali at the Mali machinery field days.
AgQuip_Final:That was our first one for the year.
AgQuip_Final:It was a great local event that brought in a lot of irrigators and dry land farmers.
(10:51):
AgQuip_Final:So there was a lot of good engagements that came from that one.
AgQuip_Final:Obviously we're at Ag Quip at the moment in Ganada and again a lot of irrigators here,
AgQuip_Final:a lot of people who are from town as well.
AgQuip_Final:So it was always interesting to get people's different perspectives on the water issues.
AgQuip_Final:Next up we have Riveland in South Australia and then shortly after that we've got Henty
(11:11):
AgQuip_Final:machinery field days.
AgQuip_Final:And what about next year are you already looking at planning events for next year now?
AgQuip_Final:We sure are.
AgQuip_Final:I imagine we'll be back at a couple of these field days but we're also looking into some
AgQuip_Final:of the bigger shows in the bigger areas as well as some of the more local grassroots events
(11:32):
AgQuip_Final:and shows in some of the smaller communities as well.
AgQuip_Final:people can expect to see more of the Inspector General of Water Compliance.
AgQuip_Final:They certainly can.
AgQuip_Final:It was the 50th anniversary of Ag Quip and after a couple of years of it being delayed,
AgQuip_Final:it was good to see it back and bigger than ever before.
AgQuip_Final:The Inspector General was at the official opening congratulating everyone on their mammoth
(11:52):
AgQuip_Final:efforts.
AgQuip_Final:So one more pleasure and privilege for us to be here as a supporter of the 50th Ag Quip.
AgQuip_Final:personal mates I've been coming to our equips since I was seven years old, back in 1977.
AgQuip_Final:And to be able to contribute to this wonderful celebration 50 years as a sponsor and supporter
AgQuip_Final:of this event as the Inspector General for Water Compliance for the Murray Darling Basin
(12:16):
AgQuip_Final:is a wonderful opportunity that we're very appreciative of. So I'd like to extend my congratulations
AgQuip_Final:to the organizers from 50 years ago, you know, as Max Ellis on my left over here as well,
AgQuip_Final:a wonderful legend of this wonderful event in this region as well.
AgQuip_Final:This is such an important event for us to be able to engage with the community.
(12:38):
AgQuip_Final:Tell us what we need to be doing to hold those government agencies to account, to make
AgQuip_Final:sure that water management across the basin is fair and equitable, is being managed on
AgQuip_Final:a level playing field and transparency and accountability about the spending of taxpayers
AgQuip_Final:money, some $13 billion of it, has been done for the right reasons in the right way.
(13:00):
AgQuip_Final:And the scope of the amount of people that they come from across the basin is enormous.
AgQuip_Final:It's been really pleasantly surprised to learn throughout sites.
AgQuip_Final:How many people are coming from the Middorf Coast through the Hunter as well into this
AgQuip_Final:area.
AgQuip_Final:So it's been, it's been a wonderful draw card.
AgQuip_Final:It gets wonderful people together to see the very best on offer in the agricultural sector.
(13:23):
AgQuip_Final:We'd also have those conversations to showcase what they do and make us a lot of available
AgQuip_Final:programme. We've been really reliant on to do our job. So on behalf of us, congratulations
AgQuip_Final:to the ACREC team. Well done. Very proud to be a supportive sponsor this year and have a wonderful
AgQuip_Final:way to go everyone. Thank you. Well now we're preparing for Rivalent and to Henty Field Base
(13:45):
AgQuip_Final:later in the month. We look forward to seeing you there.
AgQuip_Final:Our field officers will be at the Ritalan Field Days on the 15th and 16th of September.
AgQuip_Final:Visitor said, "Site 236 on the corner of Central Boulevard and Second Street."
AgQuip_Final:And say good day.
AgQuip_Final:For those visiting the Hanty Machinery Field Days over the 19th, 20th and 21st of September,
(14:11):
AgQuip_Final:make sure you call in and see us at Site 708 Block P.
AgQuip_Final:It'll be great to have a chat and hear from you.
AgQuip_Final:[MUSIC PLAYING]
AgQuip_Final:[MUSIC PLAYING]
AgQuip_Final:[Music]
AgQuip_Final:Waters Edge podcast acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout the Murray-Darling
(00:05):
AgQuip_Final:Basin and Australia and recognizes the continuing connection to lands, waters and community.
AgQuip_Final:We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to the elders
AgQuip_Final:past, present and emerging.
AgQuip_Final:Well, for this episode of Waters Edge we're coming to you from Ag Quippet, Gunnada, where
(00:25):
AgQuip_Final:we've heard from hundreds of people over three days about issues in the basin affecting them.
AgQuip_Final:Welcome to Water's Edge.
AgQuip_Final:The Inspector General Troy Grant was here and he was able to speak to people
AgQuip_Final:directly about their concerns. Here's a bit of what you in the community had to say.
(00:48):
AgQuip_Final:We're talking about a Murray-Darling Basin in Water and the fact that being an ex-Western
AgQuip_Final:and division person water is the most important part of life out there without water you just
AgQuip_Final:cannot survive.
AgQuip_Final:That goes not just for the rivers but it goes for underground water too.
AgQuip_Final:So I'm reluctant to support people that are irrigating crops with underground water but
(01:14):
AgQuip_Final:as far as the Murray-Daling goes it should never have been left to the states to look after
AgQuip_Final:and administer it.
AgQuip_Final:should have been looked after right from the word go by the commonwealth as one person.
AgQuip_Final:So it's a balancing act, but they should be enough information between all the states
AgQuip_Final:and the Feds and the Murray-Dulling Basin Commission to be able to work out what the flows are
(01:40):
AgQuip_Final:going to be within the river systems there.
AgQuip_Final:And the allocations need to be adjusted to those flows that are there, not what's held
AgQuip_Final:in the dams, adjusted to what's in the flow. They know what is in what's entering the system.
AgQuip_Final:They've got gauging stations all the way along the rivers. They know what's coming or they
(02:02):
AgQuip_Final:should know and they need to let take advice from people that are lived on the rivers for
AgQuip_Final:a long, long, long time.
AgQuip_Final:You're passionate about the system. You know a ton about it from what you've just said
AgQuip_Final:there and your frustrated states run constitutionally because they won't refer all their
AgQuip_Final:powers to be run singly by the federal department or in a single entity. We've been created,
(02:28):
AgQuip_Final:you said you've heard of us but you didn't understand what we do. So we've been created
AgQuip_Final:as an independent body to police or everyone responsible for that water management.
AgQuip_Final:What's your views on that? Do you think that's a good thing? Like an independent umpire
AgQuip_Final:an independent arbitrator, while we can't run the,
AgQuip_Final:and manage the river ourselves,
AgQuip_Final:we're now in the independent body
AgQuip_Final:that makes them all accountable.
(02:49):
AgQuip_Final:And we've transparently put that information out
AgQuip_Final:to the public, is that something
AgQuip_Final:you think is a good thing going for it or what you use?
AgQuip_Final:- I think it is a good thing.
AgQuip_Final:Given, as long as the regulator looks at it
AgQuip_Final:in a broad view.
AgQuip_Final:- What I'm interested to know is how are you going to make,
(03:10):
AgQuip_Final:How are you going to get cooperation with all this water management?
AgQuip_Final:You know, you've got different states, you've got New South Wales,
AgQuip_Final:Victoria, you've got South Australia and Queensland.
AgQuip_Final:How do you make all those governments cooperate to manage water better?
AgQuip_Final:That's what I'd like to know.
AgQuip_Final:And I know the government's heading queries and it goes on and on and on.
AgQuip_Final:But nothing concrete comes out.
(03:33):
AgQuip_Final:And I respect the issues and the difficulties that, you know,
AgQuip_Final:they would be having with this pretty slightly now.
AgQuip_Final:How can they make it public?
AgQuip_Final:- You're the star of the show because we were established
AgQuip_Final:two years ago to exactly fix that.
AgQuip_Final:So we're the Inspector General Water Compliance
AgQuip_Final:from the Ari Dulling Basin and we police the Australian
(03:53):
AgQuip_Final:government, which is the Water Division, the MDBA,
AgQuip_Final:the Commonwealth Environmental World of Holder,
AgQuip_Final:and then every state's jurisdiction.
AgQuip_Final:When we started up, we got a blade called
AgQuip_Final:Des Peers and did an audit basically,
AgQuip_Final:and he looked at how they all managed it individually,
AgQuip_Final:and then what was required to do exactly what you'll talk about how to get them together.
AgQuip_Final:Yes.
AgQuip_Final:So one of the recommendations you may was to create something called the Registry Leaders Forum
(04:17):
AgQuip_Final:that I chair, so I'm independent, and I bring them all together, and we get them whether
AgQuip_Final:it's because there's a whole different components, there's the metering component, there's the
AgQuip_Final:enforcement, how many inspections they do, what sort of panel they hand out, decisions
AgQuip_Final:about.
AgQuip_Final:What are releases?
AgQuip_Final:It's state and federal, it's both.
AgQuip_Final:And that's part of the problem, it's so confusing, people get confused.
(04:37):
AgQuip_Final:So ironically what people don't understand is before I started that meeting in 10 years
AgQuip_Final:the base and plan have been alive they've never met before.
AgQuip_Final:So that's why they haven't ever worked together.
AgQuip_Final:But since then we've produced a couple of things that they put in together so that you can
AgQuip_Final:see whether they're doing their job properly.
AgQuip_Final:One of them is called the metering report card.
(04:58):
AgQuip_Final:So by 2025 they've all got to reach a certain coverage of meters, a quality of meeting
AgQuip_Final:and the information that comes from the meters in the reporting
AgQuip_Final:So is that legislated?
AgQuip_Final:It's part of the Morodalein Basin Plan, it's called the Compliance Pack
AgQuip_Final:Yeah, that's a legislative document
AgQuip_Final:So the compliance compact is...
AgQuip_Final:Because you've got to have, unfortunately, you've got to have a hammer
(05:20):
AgQuip_Final:to hit them on the head with to make them comply
AgQuip_Final:Otherwise, it's a toothless tiger
AgQuip_Final:Who is that fellow yet?
AgQuip_Final:Mick Keildi, didn't he?
AgQuip_Final:Keildi?
AgQuip_Final:What did Keildi do?
AgQuip_Final:He had no power to really do anything
AgQuip_Final:So I replaced Mick Keildi and then they gave me the powers
AgQuip_Final:you're making the points 100% right.
AgQuip_Final:So Mick didn't have the powers.
AgQuip_Final:So on the 5th of August, two years ago,
AgQuip_Final:the powers came in, so we're two years old,
(05:42):
AgQuip_Final:so it takes time to recruit people, get people up.
AgQuip_Final:So we just start and need our straps.
AgQuip_Final:So the metering and port cards out
AgQuip_Final:to get the states working together.
AgQuip_Final:And by the end of the year,
AgQuip_Final:we'll have a compliance reporting framework.
AgQuip_Final:So that you'll be able to read off our website
AgQuip_Final:and everyone will be able to read exactly
AgQuip_Final:what every state is doing
AgQuip_Final:and trying to do it more similar together
AgQuip_Final:and right across the base.
AgQuip_Final:And so it's not stable.
(06:02):
AgQuip_Final:great interest and we're sure the best. Also joining the Inspector General here were two of our
AgQuip_Final:field officers. Gundawindi based officer Jess said the three days were really helpful and an
AgQuip_Final:important way for her to speak to some people she may have never met before. Jess what are some of
AgQuip_Final:the issues that people have been talking to you about the last few days? We've had a quite a few
AgQuip_Final:stakeholders drop in and talk to us about just trouble with getting compliant with their meters
(06:29):
AgQuip_Final:so accessing a Julie-qualified person to install meters or repair meters,
AgQuip_Final:particularly in that sort of Namoi Guaida sort of New South Wales area of the Northern Basin.
AgQuip_Final:Some other issues are we're having state agent like lots of stakeholders coming in and talking
(06:52):
AgQuip_Final:to us about how they're finding it very challenging to access information from state agencies
AgQuip_Final:like New South Wales Water, particularly around licensing. How do they get licensing?
AgQuip_Final:How do they apply for it? How do they check if they've done the right thing with processing
AgQuip_Final:paperwork? Most people are using the online tool, but again they're looking for feedback around whether
(07:15):
AgQuip_Final:they've done that process correctly or not and are unable to do that. So we've had to refer quite a
AgQuip_Final:few across to or back to New South Wales Water and also to NRAR around those sort of licensing and
AgQuip_Final:compliance issues. And then what are you what where are you sort of seeing people
AgQuip_Final:coming from are they mostly from New South Wales? Yeah lots of people from New South Wales
(07:38):
AgQuip_Final:so obviously lots of people from Gunnida, Narbray, Moree we've had quite a few from sort of the
AgQuip_Final:Lockland area down near Dubbo. Some from Correndi, Tamworth region so yeah very heavily
AgQuip_Final:New South Wales based with the stakeholders we've been speaking to over the last two days.
AgQuip_Final:And now that we're nearly wrapped up with day three, what will you do with all this information
(08:02):
AgQuip_Final:and that you've gathered after talking to people?
AgQuip_Final:Yeah, so the information, the first process with, I guess, collating this information, we will
AgQuip_Final:have a meeting with our Assistant Director who can pass all of the intelligence into a report
AgQuip_Final:and we'll go through a detailed debrief of what the key themes were, what the key messages
AgQuip_Final:from stakeholders were. From that report, that information will be delivered directly
(08:26):
AgQuip_Final:to the executive. Usually there will be a number of field reports that sort of go along
AgQuip_Final:with that as well as probably follow-up engagements. The Inspector General has been here for
AgQuip_Final:two days as well, so he'll probably have some value to add to that. And that information
AgQuip_Final:eventually, you know, in 12 months' time when we've compiled the field days that we've
(08:47):
AgQuip_Final:set out to do this year, all of that information that will go towards supporting decision-making
AgQuip_Final:around next future work planning.
AgQuip_Final:So, people can rest assured knowing that the information they've shared with you will
AgQuip_Final:actually be put into something meaningful.
AgQuip_Final:Yeah, absolutely.
AgQuip_Final:Every bit of information that we get from stakeholders is uploaded onto a log in real time.
AgQuip_Final:So I might be speaking with a stakeholder.
(09:09):
AgQuip_Final:I'll take their details.
AgQuip_Final:I'll either make an arrangement to have an engagement with them, you know, maybe in a week
AgQuip_Final:or Tuesday or whenever that sort of availability then works and then that
AgQuip_Final:data is put into a like a sort of kind of spreadsheet and I will send that
AgQuip_Final:directly to another team member via email immediately and she will
AgQuip_Final:upload that to the log so we don't have any lag with this with recording any of
(09:34):
AgQuip_Final:this data and often if people have asked quite a few people have come in and
AgQuip_Final:said oh we don't have a contact for this person or we're not really sure
AgQuip_Final:about how to get this across the line or what agency is this with again and we have maybe
AgQuip_Final:it doesn't fall exactly in our remit but we've got that information. You just take
AgQuip_Final:their email, you quickly punch out an email and you send that directly to them so everything
(09:56):
AgQuip_Final:is recorded and everything goes towards adding value to future work that we do.
AgQuip_Final:Well our quip is the second field day the IGWC has attended this year with some more on the
AgQuip_Final:calendar soon. Maggie is in charge of organising the IGWC's presence at Field Days.
AgQuip_Final:Maggie, can you tell us what goes into organising something like our quit?
AgQuip_Final:We get together with the field offices and chat over the biggest issues that are going to be
(10:25):
AgQuip_Final:relevant to the area and we get some collateral together, a little bit of marketing giveaways for
AgQuip_Final:people. So what Field Days have we been to now and have we got any more planned coming up?
AgQuip_Final:Yeah, so earlier this month we were in Mali at the Mali machinery field days.
AgQuip_Final:That was our first one for the year.
AgQuip_Final:It was a great local event that brought in a lot of irrigators and dry land farmers.
(10:51):
AgQuip_Final:So there was a lot of good engagements that came from that one.
AgQuip_Final:Obviously we're at Ag Quip at the moment in Ganada and again a lot of irrigators here,
AgQuip_Final:a lot of people who are from town as well.
AgQuip_Final:So it was always interesting to get people's different perspectives on the water issues.
AgQuip_Final:Next up we have Riveland in South Australia and then shortly after that we've got Henty
(11:11):
AgQuip_Final:machinery field days.
AgQuip_Final:And what about next year are you already looking at planning events for next year now?
AgQuip_Final:We sure are.
AgQuip_Final:I imagine we'll be back at a couple of these field days but we're also looking into some
AgQuip_Final:of the bigger shows in the bigger areas as well as some of the more local grassroots events
(11:32):
AgQuip_Final:and shows in some of the smaller communities as well.
AgQuip_Final:people can expect to see more of the Inspector General of Water Compliance.
AgQuip_Final:They certainly can.
AgQuip_Final:It was the 50th anniversary of Ag Quip and after a couple of years of it being delayed,
AgQuip_Final:it was good to see it back and bigger than ever before.
AgQuip_Final:The Inspector General was at the official opening congratulating everyone on their mammoth
(11:52):
AgQuip_Final:efforts.
AgQuip_Final:So one more pleasure and privilege for us to be here as a supporter of the 50th Ag Quip.
AgQuip_Final:personal mates I've been coming to our equips since I was seven years old, back in 1977.
AgQuip_Final:And to be able to contribute to this wonderful celebration 50 years as a sponsor and supporter
AgQuip_Final:of this event as the Inspector General for Water Compliance for the Murray Darling Basin
(12:16):
AgQuip_Final:is a wonderful opportunity that we're very appreciative of. So I'd like to extend my congratulations
AgQuip_Final:to the organizers from 50 years ago, you know, as Max Ellis on my left over here as well,
AgQuip_Final:a wonderful legend of this wonderful event in this region as well.
AgQuip_Final:This is such an important event for us to be able to engage with the community.
(12:38):
AgQuip_Final:Tell us what we need to be doing to hold those government agencies to account, to make
AgQuip_Final:sure that water management across the basin is fair and equitable, is being managed on
AgQuip_Final:a level playing field and transparency and accountability about the spending of taxpayers
AgQuip_Final:money, some $13 billion of it, has been done for the right reasons in the right way.
(13:00):
AgQuip_Final:And the scope of the amount of people that they come from across the basin is enormous.
AgQuip_Final:It's been really pleasantly surprised to learn throughout sites.
AgQuip_Final:How many people are coming from the Middorf Coast through the Hunter as well into this
AgQuip_Final:area.
AgQuip_Final:So it's been, it's been a wonderful draw card.
AgQuip_Final:It gets wonderful people together to see the very best on offer in the agricultural sector.
(13:23):
AgQuip_Final:We'd also have those conversations to showcase what they do and make us a lot of available
AgQuip_Final:programme. We've been really reliant on to do our job. So on behalf of us, congratulations
AgQuip_Final:to the ACREC team. Well done. Very proud to be a supportive sponsor this year and have a wonderful
AgQuip_Final:way to go everyone. Thank you. Well now we're preparing for Rivalent and to Henty Field Base
(13:45):
AgQuip_Final:later in the month. We look forward to seeing you there.
AgQuip_Final:Our field officers will be at the Ritalan Field Days on the 15th and 16th of September.
AgQuip_Final:Visitor said, "Site 236 on the corner of Central Boulevard and Second Street."
AgQuip_Final:And say good day.
AgQuip_Final:For those visiting the Hanty Machinery Field Days over the 19th, 20th and 21st of September,
(14:11):
AgQuip_Final:make sure you call in and see us at Site 708 Block P.
AgQuip_Final:It'll be great to have a chat and hear from you.
AgQuip_Final:[MUSIC PLAYING]
AgQuip_Final:[MUSIC PLAYING]
AgQuip_Final:[Music]
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