On his family's dairy farm near Cohuna in northern Victoria, there was always plenty of water around.

''Up until a few years ago, water wasn't an election issue for us … traditionally we had good allocations,'' he said.

It's no secret that times have changed in country Victoria, where rainfall rates have collapsed in recent years.

A Saulwick poll has revealed water management is a major weakness for the Brumby Government, just 12 months from the next election.

City people describe Labor's performance on water as ''poor''; country people go further, labelling it appalling.

While the poll suggests consensus across the state that Labor has failed on water, Mr Peace reckons Melburnians and country people are angry for different reasons.

He says resentment in the city probably stems from water shortages, while rural anger comes more from plans to fix Melbourne's problem by taking water from the north.

Mr Peace has never been involved with a political party, or protest groups such as Plug the Pipe, which has campaigned for years against the controversial north-south pipe.

But still, he counts himself among the disgruntled.

''There are perhaps alternatives in Melbourne that can be done, but one thing is for sure, once this north-south pipeline is functioning, nothing will happen,'' he said.

Nestled close to the Murray, the Peace family live close to the border of two electorates held by the National Party: Swan Hill and Rodney.

Mr Peace says that situation might explain some of the Brumby Government's policies, particularly the pipe:

''We are in the unfortunate position where a Labor Government doesn't need our vote … they've managed to gain power without us, and they sure as hell don't need us.

''I feel that it's purely driven by votes in the electorates that he [Premier John Brumby] needs, and that is why it is happening.''