By Denise Deason
FARMERS’ activist Nik Tsardakis has reacted angrily to the revelation that State Government documents show the loss in the “yellow lettuce”disaster in Werribee did indeed cost $1 million.
“Well, the government’s got its figure right,” he said.
The size of the loss has been in dispute for a year since the lettuce crop, irrigated by recycled water from the nearby treatment plant, went yellow and withered.
Cauliflower and broccoli crops were also affected.
About 200 farmers lost their crops in the region which supplies about 70 per cent of Australia’s lettuces.
“The government is treating farmers with contempt,” Mr Tsardakis said.
“The issue here is no one cares about the farmers.
“Pretty much everything that’s been said by the government has done nothing to secure our supply of water or convince us that the risk management will ensure what happened then will not happen again today.
“And that’s not good enough.”
A State Government report could not specify the cause of the damage to the crops, but conceded recycled water was a common factor across the properties and recommended a tightening of recycled water safeguards.
Mr Tsardakis said farmers were angry the government had refused to pay any compensation for the loss of their crops.
“The government has to supply security of the water supply and do something about taking out the salt.
“There’s no compensation for the farmers and it could still happen again. The farmers are very frustrated.”
Mr Tsardakis said the four per cent rate rise proposed by the Wyndham City Council would be another burden to bear, coming on top of the drought and the water problems.
“The farming community is really copping it,” he said.
“But short of shooting themselves in the foot and locking up their farms, what else can farmers do?
“And that’s part of the problem with farming.
“If we were in France or some other countries, there would be riots.
“I guess because that doesn’t happen here, the government gets away with it easy.”
