IRRIGATORS looking for hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation were dealt a blow by the High Court of Australia at 11am this morning when their case was dismissed.
About 120 Lower Murray irrigators, who had groundwater entitlements dramatically cut several years ago, will now continue their legal action against the NSW Government in the Land and Environment Court.
The growers failed in their attempt to pursue both the NSW and Federal Governments when the High Court dismissed the case.
The chairman of the class action, Greg Sandford, “Noorumboon”, Deniliquin, told FarmOnline he was “gutted” by the decision.
“People have already lost their farms because of this water sharing plan,” Mr Sandford said.
A total of 180,000Ml was taken from irrigators under the Achieving Sustainable Groundwater Entitlement Reduction Program.
Ten per cent of this was compensated at $400/Ml – water in the valley is now worth $1200.
The loss of the other 90pc was not compensated.
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