More than 750 southern Riverina irrigators have signed up as interested parties in the $750 million class action against the Murray Darling Basin Authority.
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And a tent set up at the Tocumwal water rally saw farmers putting pen to paper in their fight against 'negligent water management' with a legal team to 'spend whatever it takes'.
Southern Riverina Irrigators chairman Chris Brooks, who is spearheading the legal fight, said the region's crops had "about two weeks left".
"It was 12 months ago at the first rally in Deniliquin when crops were dying, there was no water allocation and Sussan Ley (federal water minister) came along and said she would fix things," he said.
"But that crop died. And nothing has happened since, crops around here have about two weeks left in them, and probably nothing left out west."
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Mr Brooks said despite the "disappointment" that Ms Ley and federal water minister David Littleproud didn't attend the rally, the farmers are suing the MDBA "not the federal government and not the Liberal party".
"We are in for a long fight," he said to the 3000 ralliers on Thursday.
"I know it is a battle and I know how hard you are all doing it.
"I know what you are going through because I lie awake at night trying to work out how to do it as well.
"I have grandkids and I look at their little faces every day and wonder what they will be left with.
"This is for them.
"But whatever happens we are not going to give up."
Mr Brooks said they have "come a long way in the past 12 months".
"What this region can take a bow for is that we made water a national issue," he said.
"A consultant we have been working with did a poll through media outlets and 12 months ago support for farmers was about 25 per cent by the general public.
"Last week that survey came in and there are about 75 per cent of the people of Australia supporting us."
The class action is filed before the NSW Supreme Court and Mr Brooks said there are claims of "gross negligence".
"We will continue to fight this," he said.
"We had to take it to the highest level because the politicians just wouldn't listen to their community."
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