Farming towns and tourism enterprises can survive the adjustment to a more open water market only if they are at the centre of negotiations about their future.
That's why the COAG agreement's guarantee of "wide consultation" before the cap may be raised to 6 per cent by the end of 2009 is welcome, and the commonwealth also agreed to consider financial support for affected communities.
The call to save the Murray is the right one, but it should not mean sacrificing small communities along the way, especially for no environmental gain.
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COAG has shown there is a better way forward.
Victoria's farmers and all of the people who are directly and indirectly dependent on the mighty river deserve no less.
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