The primary industries and regional water portfolios should be put under two different ministers, a former NSW Labor MLC has said.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
National Irrigators CEO Steve Whan - who served with former Primary Industries, Regional Water and Trade and Industry Minister Niall Blair, thought NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian should consider the move.
"The really disappointing thing out of this is that in Australian politics apparently you can't have differences of opinion without being rude and abusive," Mr Whan said.
"It's fine to have differences of opinion and to strongly put forward alternative points of view, but do that without playing the person."
Merriwa farmer, and One Day Closer to Rain founder, Cassandra McLaren agreed people should be respectful when raising their opinions.
"It's a shame that people take their frustrations out on those trying to help," she said.
"This drought has hit us all hard. Farmers need our help and we are thankful to those who have helped along the way."
Mr Whan paid tribute to Mr Blair's time as a minister and said he was "in politics for the right reasons".
Mr Blair announced last week that he would not seek a ministerial or leadership role in the Berejiklian government's third term and would instead focus on his role in the NSW Upper House.
I'm disappointed that he is not continuing because I think he handled an extremely difficult portfolio well, obviously he couldn't make everybody happy with contentious issues like water, but he was very decisive when it came to implementing recommendations from independent reviews on compliance and getting out and understanding what communities were saying,
- Mr Whan said.
"There are some huge challenges still to go with the [Murray Darling] basin plan in particular but right across the state while we're in drought. It will be a difficult job for whoever takes it on and as irrigators we will work with the new minister."
Former Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald said Mr Blair took his account of drought in the Hunter seriously and was quick to act.
He changed his busy schedule to see first hand the serious impact of the extended dry conditions. I have only respect and admiration for Niall Blair," he said.
He worked incredibly hard and I believe felt real empathy for those under pressure. He successfully prosecuted the case for unprecedented support for our farmers.
"I am sure Niall Blair will have an important ongoing role in rural and regional Australia."
Former NSW Farmers CEO Matt Brand, who is now Horticulture Innovation Australia CEO, also weighed in.
He said Mr Blair was a man of his word who could see the bigger picture.
"Niall was a very active minister, he really understood the whole supply chain and the importance not only at a grower level but also right through from consumer to other players," Mr Brand said.
"He had a really good ability to look at the big picture, and think about things holistically, which I think is a great skill.
He was a politician that was really about outcomes and was focused on delivering outcomes for the farming sector and he understood the important role farmers play in regional communities.
Belinda-Jane Davis
Passionate about community news
Passionate about community news
