Angry irrigators met at Scott Armstrong's Cooinda Cotton shed earlier this week, climaxing with a ritual burning of a SunWater bill that seeks further payment of his Part A charges.

It's an increasingly contentious issue that was first raised during the winter months when Water Minister Craig Wallace, speaking in State Parliament, likened the Part A charges to renting a telephone line at home.

With the mood of the meeting underscoring "something has to be done" and that "doing nothing" was no longer an option, Mr Armstrong called for irrigation community support from schemes at Emerald, the Downs and Bundaberg.

Local Nationals Member, Howard Hobbs and Shadow Minister for Natural Resources and Water Ray Hopper are demanding Minister Wallace meet with the affected irrigators.

On the day, it was left to Mr Armstrong to lay bare his frustrations by detailing how he was at his wit's end – both emotionally and financially – in championing not only the survival of his own farm but also the wellbeing of both the local irrigation community and the town of St George.

He said the actions of the State Labor Government and its "illogical water pricing policy " were "ripping the heart" out of the district.

Mr Armstrong castigated the Bligh Government for refusing to accept the financial realities of the drought, labelling the Part A charges as akin to a drought tax.

"And they are demanding this payment on threat of cutting supply on any remaining water balance we may have," he said.

"This is nothing short of government sponsored extortion of farmers in the worst drought ever recorded."

The State Government fees are charged for maintaining infrastructure.

Irrigators contend they maintain their own infrastructure with their own resources, arguing that making "drought-busted" farmers pay for State Government infrastructure is both unfair and irrational.

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