SunRice maintenance worker Clint Free spoke at the Deniliquin protest and told the crowd about his 27 years employed by the rice processing company since beginning his apprenticeship straight from school.
“Our maintenance team has continually been made up of locals who have lived in and bought homes in Deniliquin and who have raised their family in Deniliquin,” Mr Free said.
“Our jobs have provided the income and stability to be able to make a great life here.”
Mr Free said farming communities had enough challenges such as droughts and floods and said buybacks would cause ‘havoc’ to local towns and river systems.
He said his role as a skilled tradesperson could be taken from the region if water buybacks restricted what farmers could grow, which would limit mill processing.
“Our farmers are the heart of our town, and all sorts of business and workers rely on them for related jobs in the supply chain,” Mr Free said.
“We need to support our communities and farmers to do what they do best, not make it harder.
“I can’t think of any other government in the world that is trying its best to ruin a world-class farming and irrigation system.
“Rather, our community should be celebrated for the success and contribution that it makes as the food bowl of Australia.”
