A public forum run by the Conservative Party in Berri on Monday night received an "enviable" response from Riverland voters, according to South Australian Senate candidate Rikki Lambert.
The Murray Pioneer reports, Rikki and Conservatives' leader Senator Cory Bernardi interacted with locals from across the region at the Berri Hotel, with uncertainty regarding River Murray resources dominating discussions.
"We had a turn-out that I think would be the envy of any other party and there were a lot of familiar faces I've known along my
journey growing up in the Riverland," Rikki said.
"We had people come from Cadell, Waikerie, Loxton, Murtho and Paringa, so it was a good representation of people across the Riverland. Understandably the biggest concern across the district was about the future of the Murray, not just the irrigation allocation, but the prospect of a Labor/Greens-dominated government controlling the Basin Plan," he said.
Rikki said the Conservatives want to see issues affecting regional South Australians receive the same government attention as those in cities, "Our focus is squarely on representing all South Australians, not just the people in metropolitan Adelaide," he said.
"We understand the way country people feel forgotten and almost an afterthought of the major parties. If you have government policy that is only focused on metropolitan concerns, you're going to see continued shrinking of the Riverland and I don't want that to happen. The Conservatives Party is here to stay in the Riverland; we're going to keep supporting locals," Rikki said voting for Australian Conservatives in the Senate is the only way to ensure responsible management of the River Murray for local irrigators and farmers.
"It's absolutely critical that people use their senate vote to look after the River Murray and stick up for South Australia," he
said.
Rikki told ABC Radio Adelaide this week that, "The Palmer and Hanson parties want to scrap the Basin Plan and the Greens don't support it. We are a vote that is a guarantee for the Basin Plan and one that will unashamedly stand up for South Australia in the Senate."
