INTERVIEW WITH DAVE EISENHAUER FM 96.3 SOUNDS OF THE MOUNTAINS

Thursday, 7 November 2024

Subjects: Hay, Harvest and Crops, Fagan Family Beetroot Farm, Water, Mark Speakman tour, IPART, Wallendbeen Bridge, Remembrance Day

E&OE…

Dave Eisenhauer: Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooks on the line, Steph, a very good morning.

Steph Cooke: Good morning, Dave, It's good to be back with you and your listeners this morning.

Dave Eisenhauer: And lovely to have you back as well every fortnight, Steph, look forward to catching up on what is a bit of a showery morning around the Riverina and the Highlands down through the south -west slopes, they're about a half a mill or so in the gauge, but it's putting a dampener on our hay baling operations, I'd say, at the moment, and maybe the wind rowing. Maybe, Steph, what's it like when you're young?

Steph Cooke: Oh, look, we're definitely seeing that hay are happening, and I think it's with mixed feelings, Dave, there's no doubt harvesting that hay is really, really important.

But for some farmers or a lot of farmers, particularly in the West, that comes off the back of those terrible frosts that we experienced in September, and farmers have made a very difficult decision to, I guess make hay out of the situation and it's good to see that happening across the region and hopefully whilst we don't like to say no to rain that for sure timing is everything it would be really good to see those canola crops properly harvested and the hay before we get any huge downpours.

Dave Eisenhauer: My word it is well. It would be nice to have seen the canola to come off as an oil seed crop, but I suppose as we mentioned talked about these yesterday farmers always make the best out of a situation.

I mean the hay is better than nothing when it could all go in a fire, now I suppose I could look at it from a positive aspect there so those bales of hay they might come in handy in a couple of months time you just never know so our farmers always adapting to situations particularly Steph when we talk about water.

Steph Cooke: oh, look absolutely Dave, and I had the great privilege yesterday of touring a beetroot farm and processing plant just west of Cowra, and the Fagan family have been there for four generations and they really started their operations around asparagus and they were suppliers the Edgell, back in the day, and the Edgell factory is sort of long gone out of Cowra, which is really, really disappointing, but they continue to manufacture, produce and process asparagus, and they do have some dry land cropping as well, which is really good to see, and the crops in that part of the world that were not frost affected are really coming along nicely, and they'll be harvested in a few weeks.

But it's also beetroot harvesting time. So, it was great to be out with the Fagan family and I took opposition leader Mark Speakman out with me on this whole day yesterday, this big day which was focused entirely on water and just how important it is, and you can see the results of what water can do when you're on the farm of someone like Ed Fagan and his family.

The beetroot they produce, they're the second biggest supplier or producer in the country and it's an extraordinary operation and they do everything from the planting and the growing of the beetroot, right through to the harvesting, the washing, the sorting, the grading of the beetroot and then processing it, and either, you know, some of your listeners may have seen the vacuum-packed product in supermarkets, that comes from their farm, and then another type then goes on to be processed, sliced and tinned or bottled elsewhere.

So, it's a fantastic operation, but what underpins at all is water, and you've got to have, you've not just, you've got to have certainty around water. It's not enough just to have a full dam, you've got to know that as a producer, or even as a local government area that's supplying town water, that it's not just about having the water on hand, you've got to be able to access it, and so there's that, you know, that combination of ensuring that we capture and store enough water to start with, but that the rules and regulations that are set down by government make it easy to do business and easy for our councils to operate.

And what Mark Speakman, as Leader of the Opposition, and I heard loud and clear yesterday wherever we went, is that there are huge concerns in the water space.

The first one being that we are not investing in the infrastructure that we need now,

you know, much less in the future, to make sure that we are able to physically access all of the water that is available.

And the second issue is red tape, and it came up over and over again, whether it was from the local government sector or medium, small to medium size producers, they are really up against it when it comes to overcoming red tape regulations.

And we came away with the message loud and clear that as we look to form our policies ahead of the next election, we need to have some clear policies around what we think we can do better in that space to help the industry.

Dave Eisenhauer: And Steph, what a unique crop for Mark to have a look at coming in from the city, something that you don't see in fields of canola and fields of wheat and fields of barley, but we get to these smaller industries like we had around the Batlow district and still do with the apples, these unique operations that are quite, quite stand out on an international scale as well, but they all need that little drink of water,

Steph. What an interesting thing there, because this is, this is one of your shadow portfolios as well, so, it's, it's an issue that's really close to heart.

Steph Cooke: Absolutely, and it's one of the great things, and one of those opportunities where you live and sort of what you do day to day, and for me that's being the member for Cootamundra in a large rural electorate where one in five jobs is tied to agriculture and then we've got further processing that's tied to agriculture beyond that, and you get great alignment between what you do every day and then an additional responsibility, and in my case that's the Shadow Water Ministry.

So, I don't have to go too far. I do go much further afield, and we can talk about the Macquarie Valley and Macquarie Marshes in a moment, but I don't really have to go too far with the Lachlan to the north and the Murrumbidgee to the south. I really do have that great opportunity of talking to local people who I've known for years because of all different issues about how water impacts them and their lives and their livelihoods and how we can do a better job, so I'm sort of immersed in lived experience all day and it really does benefit.

I think, the way that I'm looking at water and what we're looking to do is we head towards the next state election in 2027, and hopefully we will be able to put forward some really, really good policies as we move forward, and that's certainly what my aim and objective is.

Dave Eisenhauer: Steph, it's a busy time, you've got three full weeks of parliament coming up. You're balancing that with these visits like yesterday with the Shadow Ministry there. And we look at water as being one of the big issues in rural Australia. but we're coming up as you mentioned a harvest time the headers, you're watching the headlight step you do thousands of kilometres pretty much every other day headers at night you're watching the machines working through the day it's a busy time ahead.

Steph Cooke: oh, look Dave this time of year is just really busy for everybody and as I move around, I think everyone is just trying to squeeze that little bit extra out of their day as we you know we head towards the end of the year, and I have got three weeks coming up in Parliament, those sitting weeks.

So that's a big chunk of my November, which I'd sort of rather be here, but there's more important work that I need to do in Sydney, and I think just to, I suppose, just to, in talking to your listeners about the water space.

I know that we talk a lot about how water impacts our lives in terms of our farmers and our ability to produce and town water, and I know I was talking to you, not 12 months ago about many towns in our electorate experiencing challenges with water quality and we had Boorowa on water restrictions.

Dave Eisenhauer: That's right.

Steph Cooke: Sorry, not water restrictions on boil water alerts, we had Yass on boil water alerts and Jindabyne, you might recall.

Dave Eisenhauer: That's right, yeah.

Steph Cooke: Yeah, we are heading into another hot summer, I think, and that does worry me, but I think it's also important to recognise that Sydney itself has some significant constraints and challenges in the water space.

So, when I go to Sydney for Parliament, I use it as an opportunity not just to bring to the Parliament the issues that we experience out here in the regions because that's crucial, that's my main job.

But I also use it as an opportunity to talk to Western and Southwestern Sydney councils about the challenges that they are experiencing in the water space and the need for more connections to be able to get houses up out of the ground and get people in new homes. We know there is a housing crisis everywhere and one of the biggest constraints that I don't think gets enough attention is water in that. If you don't have water to the house, you can't move into that house.

Dave Eisenhauer: That's right.

Steph Cooke: So, there are challenges everywhere in this space. So it doesn't matter whether I'm sort of here in the electorate or whether I'm traveling outside of the electorate and across New South Wales into other valleys or whether I'm in Sydney, water seems to be the number one topic for many people that I come across.

Dave Eisenhauer: The big issue that comes up with water as well of course is the IPART review into the pricing of water there which could see water prices double over the next five -year period that's, that's concerning for everybody really whether it's farmers or consumers

11:31

just in domestic applications.

Steph Cooke: Absolutely Dave and we are watching that space very very carefully at the moment, so what we've seen is that Water New South Wales, Sydney Water and Hunter Water have all put forward proposals to IPART.

IPART is the independent regulatory body that makes recommendations to set prices around utilities, whether it's the electricity or water, for example, in this case. And they have put forward proposals that would see massive increases to the cost of water for people both in the city and where we are out here.

And so IPART now has its own independent process to work through. It is entirely independent of government. But what happens at the end of that is that IPART make a recommendation to government about what that would look like, and it's up to the government to either adopt that recommendation by IPART or reject it or do something else.

And so, what we are doing now is, as the opposition is watching very closely that space, and that will all be decided by the end of March next year in time for a 1st of July commencement in 2025.

So, for those people that do take extra interest in this space, IPART have opened up on their website the opportunity to put forward submissions. So, if you have concerns about what is occurring in the pricing space, perhaps it's appropriate to go to IPART and put in a submission, and of course, if you're not really quite sure if you should or how you should, please reach out to my office and we'll give you a hand to navigate through that process.

Dave Eisenhauer: Because that can be pretty challenging if you've never been down the road of putting submissions in particularly on state and federal issues. It's a little bit of a minefield, it gets pretty confusing, so that's a lovely, and give the team at the officer call and you'll help them out.

Steph Cooke: I'll look absolutely and you're right Dave, it's not easy for everyday people to have to sit down and write about how something might impact them in a way that will potentially make a difference to a body like IPART, and I think the problem with that, Dave, as a concept in and of itself, is that we then have the same groups and the same voices putting forward their submissions all the time because they have experts and they know what they're doing.

So sometimes I think it's good for IPART to hear from everyday people and how their decisions impact our lives.

Dave Eisenhauer: That's a good opportunity, Steph, so call the office if people are interested in being part of that, now, Steph, we've only got about six or seven minutes to go. We can fill our time up well, you and I, and we chat on a Thursday, fortnight.

There’s so many things to talk about, looking out around the region, Wallendbeen bridge, we touched on this last fortnight and of course making some steps forward?

Steph Cooke: Yes, look we continue to it's very small progress Dave, but and look I think the temporary bridge is still in place that's the main message I think this morning it's still it's a one-way temporary bridge it has a very low speed limit as you go over it's got traffic lights on either end and people must proceed with caution, particularly at this time of the year when we have more trucks on our road than at any other time, more farm equipment on our roads than at any other time.

So, I'm encouraging people as we head towards that busy season where school is still going as we all know, there's school buses around, excreta, so just really asking for people to take care on our roads over the next few weeks in particular.

Dave Eisenhauer: Oh, look, with harvest operations coming up and Christmas time, people are traveling, not just in their local region, they're all traveling out of town, going somewhere different, going to visit family and friends, visiting all the different markets and all the different events that are on, just like you do, Steph, covering thousands of miles every other afternoon.

Boorowa touch netball carnival, that was a massive event you attended. that the celebration of, of course, the Ardlethan Memorial Hall and Barellan CWA, there's a name steeped in history there, CWA. What have you got there? There's so much on Steph, your calendar is gigantic.

Steph Cooke: I know, I've been everywhere since we've spoken last Dave, but I think one of the things that's really important for me to acknowledge this morning, because I did see you on the day, but I wasn't there for the actual presentation, and that's your Life Membership Award of the Junee Show Society, Congratulations.

It's such an incredible achievement, and it follows a long history of involvement by

your entire family, and I saw your Dad on the day as well, and it was just great to spend some time with you in the commentary box. It was very early in the morning.

Dave Eisenhauer: It was.  

Steph Cooke: It was a hive of activity, everything was sort of up and going. It sort of went from zero to 100 in a matter of moments out there at the show. The Junie show was once again a stunning success, and it's people like you that make it so.

And your commentary all day was just tremendous, and congratulations on your Life Membership following the footsteps of your Grandfather and your Dad. We're very, very proud of you and of course that means now you just have to keep turning up and doing this job.

Dave Eisenhauer: I said that to Peter Commens.

Steph Cooke: You can't get out of it.

Dave Eisenhauer: Peter Commens there was that there's a motive behind that badge, I'm convinced of that with Peter of course.

Steph Cooke: It was very well deserved and it's very exciting and congratulations.

Dave Eisenhauer: Lovely, look our Shows are an amazing thing. They've changed and evolved a lot, but there's still the core fabric is still there, like we've got people coming in every couple of weeks now talking about the Tumut Show and Adelong and Batlow, they'll be talking 100 years coming up there in Batlow.

Our Ag shows are a fantastic event Steph, but to be a life member, I used to watch that as a kid when I used to go to the show, I think, Gee, those people are getting old, they're getting life membership, It's funny. Where does the time go Steph?"

Steph Cooke: Oh, look, you're quite right, Dave. I mean, even when you look at this year, can you believe that the end of the first week of November, it's just extraordinary and there's still a lot to get done between now and the rest of the year and it's great to be able to spend this time with you every fortnight so that we can have a look at what sort of happened and then have a look at the things that are coming up.

Dave Eisenhauer: Yeah, where we're headed, like we've got, I mean, from the opening of the Gundagai Youth Hub the netball courts Remembrance Day very important you must mention before we sign off Steph Remembrance Day next week.

Steph Cooke: I'd encourage everyone to seek out and attend a service it's important that we keep these traditions going they are vitally important to our communities I will be attending an event in Boorowa where we'll also be unveiling a memorial honour roll and looking very very forward to spending time with that community for the first time on a Remembrance Day since the electorate boundaries were changed to incorporate that area for me, but look far and wide I would encourage everyone please it doesn't take much just a small amount of time in your day to pause and remember those who have served and make this country the great country that it is.

Dave Eisenhauer: Isn't that the true Steph from Remembrance Day? We remember that. Of course, our legacy branches, we look at our RSL sub -branches that organise the events and yeah, look for that short period of time.

Turn up on the day, it's a big, big events coming up around our region as there always isn't that special day cenotaphs and of course, Anzac Road, all those wonderful locations around the region.

But Steph, look as always, it's only two minutes to nine, we run out of time. There is so much more that we can chat about, but thank you for joining us today. Anything you'd like to add before we head to the news?

Steph Cooke: I just would really like people to take care as the year comes to an end. There's a lot still to get done. A lot of people will be out and about, and let's try and finish on a high and look after each other in the process.

Dave Eisenhauer: Indeed, and all the very best to our farms in the region as they approach that big end of the season. They're shearing, there's cropping, and then there's harvest time, and it's that time of year, Steph. Thank you so much for joining us there from the Young Office today, really appreciate your time. We look forward to catching up in a fortnight.

Steph Cooke: Thank you so much, Dave.

Dave Eisenhauer:  There you go, Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke, regular guest here on the station, and so many things that Steph has been attending around the region, the Murray Valley Irrigation tour opening the Gundagai Youth Hub mentioned the sod turning

at Taylor Park in Grenfell huge electorate the Cootamundra Rodeo street parade that was back on the first November there's just lots and lots of events underway that Steph's been to and going to we love catching up with our local and regional politicians including of course next week we'll be chatting with the Member for Riverina Michael McCormack or part of our local electorate in the region but Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke a big thank you for your time.