The group, Women for a Living Basin, hopes to highlight the fact that rural women are concerned about the future of their communities, especially their children, if the Murray Darling Basin Plan comes to fruition in its present form.

“Rural women want to know if there is a future for their families in communities like Coleambally that were established specifically for the purpose of irrigation,” Coleambally irrigator Shona Hando said.

“We want to know that the educational and health needs of our children can continue to be met in our communities.

“To maintain these facilities, community population needs to be maintained. Less water in the CIA would mean less jobs and less people. Critical mass would be lost.”

The group is encouraging women from all walks of life to

join the delegation.

“We want our city friends and family to be involved in this

delegation too,” Mrs Hando said.

“The Basin Plan will affect city people as well. With less water available for productive use, food prices can only go one way – up.

“We hope to build links between women in the basin and women in the city. We are after local women at the grassroots level to be involved in the delegation.

“There are many women out there who have ideas that aren’t being heard, because they’re not in leadership roles.

“We feel that it’s now or never and that we need to be in there fighting before decisions are made that will permanently affect our community.”

Mrs Hando has invited all local women who would like to support the delegation at Federal Parliment on February 29 to attend.

Numbers permitting, transport by bus will available.

For more information please call Mrs Hando on 0428 544 049.