Water water water.
It's the lifeblood of our regional communities and it's at the very heart of everything we do in agriculture.
It will be at the top of the list along with repairs to regional roads, improved health services, education and the mandatory roll out of electronic identification (eID) tags for sheep and goats as industry representatives and rural politicians sit down with the new Labor government.
A word from the Independents
The three former Shooters Fishers Farmers, turned independent Roy Butler (Barwon), Helen Dalton (Murray) and Phil Donato (Orange) have retained their seats.
Barwon electorate
Barwon MP Roy Butler said he along with Orange MP Phil Donato had compiled a list of the regional and agricultural issues in their respective electorates that they would be delivering to Labor.
The list includes the mandatory roll out of electronic tags (eID) for sheep and goats.
"eID needs a rethink, it can't proceed as planned," Mr Butler said.
"The government needs to go back to industry, they have the answers...talk to the people who deal with goats and sheep and see what works."
Mr Butler said groups like the Pastoralists Association of West Darling had the answers and information.
"Clearly I can see no link between foot and mouth disease (FMD) and eID, it's a strange line drawn in the first place," Mr Butler said of the Coalition announcing the rollout of eID to combat FMD.
In consulting with the community, Mr Butler said there needed to be standard structure on how governments consulted with the regions.
"The last government failed miserably when it came to consulting with regional communities,' Mr Butler said.
"Governments have to understand that it can take over a month to get a letter in the post and some people don't have great internet.
"We need to create a standard for consulting regional communities on the big issues that affect them."
Mr Butler added there also needed to be a proactive approach to drought, assistance as well as social and economic impacts in dry times.
"We can't continue to wait and see what happens then give out assistance," Mr Butler said.
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Also in the document to Labor includes education metrics as well as road improvements for the thousands of kilometres affected by floods.
"It's not all sexy stuff, it's all practical stuff to help move the needle," he said.
On retaining his seat, Mr Butler said the personal support he had been shown in his 'huge electorate' was amazing.
"It's going to get a lot better for us as the results from Bourke and Broken Hill booths come in," he said.
"I didn't have a party machine behind me and they thought I was vulnerable but the personal support for our team has been amazing."
Murray electorate
Helen Dalton said retaining the seat of Murray meant they could continued to do their work especially highlighting the issues of water and water buybacks to a state Labor government.
'Water is a big issue and something we've been working through with feds and state," Ms Dalton said.
Ms Dalton said she had spoken to Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek about the removal of 450 gigalitres from the consumption pool that would decimate industries including dairy and rice most at risk.
She will again invite Ms Plibersek as well as the new state Water Minister to discuss the issue.
"I have made many suggestions to Tanya about water...and that the Murray Darling Basin plan should be about the plan but it seems to be about a number," she said.
What NSW Farmers said
NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said the association had worked constructively with previous governments to secure better outcomes for the agricultural sector - a key pillar of the state economy and an absolute dynamo when it comes to rural and regional communities.
"There are some significant challenges facing these communities that the new government will need to prioritise, from carrying out major repairs to roads, bridges and railway lines that have been seriously damaged to improving local health services," Mr Martin said.
"We've been engaging with all parties during the campaign, reminding them that farmers grow the food and fibre people in Sydney consume - the healthy plants and healthy animals that we all need."
Given the tight relationship between agriculture and rural communities, Mr Martin said it was important to get the right government funding in place to support the future of food in our state.
Mr Martin congratulated new-elect Premier Chris Minns and his team on their victory.
