The re-scheduled hearings on the impacts of the Commonwealth Government’s water reforms on regional areas of NSW will be heard in Deniliquin and Griffith next week.

Originally scheduled for last month, the hearings were postponed when fog prevented inquiry members from flying in to the region.

The Deniliquin hearing will be held Tuesday, July 22 at the Deniliquin Town Hall, with the Griffith meeting will be held on July 23, at the Regional Theatre.

The NSW Government’s Committee on Investment, Industry and Regional Development inquiry is looking at water reforms including water buybacks.

The change of date means Member for Murray Helen Dalton is unable to attend, but she urges community members to attend.

“The panel is here to interface with people - to have a yarn,” Mrs Dalton said.

“I am encouraging people to go to the public hearings, and to go with placards which say ‘no water, no food’.

“The message is as simple as that.”

The inquiry is chaired by Independent Member for Barwon Roy Butler.

“We understand the importance of hearing directly from regional New South Wales communities,” Mr Butler said.

“The committee received a large number of submissions from the Riverina and Murray areas, and we will ensure these stakeholders have the opportunity to tell us first-hand how changes to water policy have impacted their communities, their local agriculture and their businesses.”

101 public submissions were received during community consultation, after the inquiry was announced in February.

A livestream of the two public hearings will be available on the NSW Parliament website, and details will be published by the inquiry as they are finalised.