That is the promise from Mick Keelty, who has been appointed Inspector-General of the inquiry into the management of Murray-Darling Basin Water Resources.
Mr Keelty’s ‘town hall session’, looking at water sharing under the rules, was held in Deniliquin on Thursday morning.
Emotions were high at the start of the meeting, with years of frustration at a lack of inaction from similar meetings at the forefront for many of the capacity crowd to attend.
It was Mr Keelty’s willingness to listen, respond to questions and make his intentions clear which eased tensions as the meeting continued.
‘‘We have to be realistic here, I am not going to come here and lie to you and say I am the person for all of these problems,’’ he said.
‘‘But, I am in a position now not only to oversight government agencies, but government itself.
‘‘I am really concerned for our future generations because if we don’t get this right now, and by we I mean collectively the community and the government, we are not building a future for the next generations.’’
Basin stakeholders at the meeting raised issues around accessing information easily, legislation, the need for immediate help and relief, the feeling of being ignored by governments and agencies, mismanagement concerns affecting water allocations to grow food and fodder and the legacy that will be left for future generations in the industry.
Accountability was also a key concern, with NSW Member for Murray Helen Dalton saying ‘‘there has been multimillion dollar crime under the basin plan’’.
‘‘Will you (Mr Keelty) see some of the politicians and bureaucrats responsible for this water mess accountable?’’ she asked at the meeting.
Mr Keelty assured Mrs Dalton, and the rest of the room, part of his role is to do just that.
‘‘Be assured part of the role of the inspector general will be to call out corruption,’’ he responded.
‘‘I am totally apolitical; so it matters not to me where that corruption is from.
‘‘While I am trying to do some practical things on your behalf, I also have a very close eye on corruption.’’
Mr Keelty said, like many others in the room, he does believe there are some elements of the plan and water management that need to be ‘‘called out’’.
‘‘The ministerial council worries me, I’ll put that on the record,’’ he said.
‘‘As most of you know I have had 45 years working with governments, both state and federal, but I have never seen a group so divided.
‘‘That does not order well for the coordination and commitment to what is a national asset and what is the food bowl of Australia.’’
Murray Irrigation chairman Phil Snowden said for far too long, decisions on water management has been based on what appears to be practical on paper and not tested in the field.
‘‘We have inquiry after inquiry, submission after submission; it is bloody unbelievable and has been happening for the last 10 or 12 years,’’ Mr Snowden said.
‘‘But what won’t come out of those is the emotional toll on the people, farmers who have left the region and what it is doing to the community. You can’t get that in a report.
‘‘It is not until you come and live it that you understand how bloody bad it is.’’
Mr Keelty’s report is due on March 31. It is anticipated to offer several recommendations to the Federal Government, and Mr Keelty said he would be ‘‘watching to make sure they come to fruition’’.
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