MDBA changes, no buybacks, a "victory of sorts," say southern irrigators

Federal Water Minister Keith Pitt last week launched the Murray-Darling Communities Investment Package, promising spending of $234.2 million on 11 new initiatives to keep the Basin Plan on track.

Mr Pitt also ruled out future water buybacks.

But Victorian Water Minister Lisa Neville said she had concerns the recovery of the additional 450 gigalitres of environmental upwater would now not be achieved by its 2024 deadline.

"Mr Pitt's announcement relates to the 450GL of additional water recovery required under the Murray Darling Basin Plan," Ms Neville said.

"We remain concerned that buybacks could still apply if the timeline for the 605GL of Sustainable Diversion Limit projects is not met - as recently threatened by the Murray Darling Basin Authority.

"I have raised the issue with the timelines with Mr Pitt and sought assurances that no buybacks will occur if timelines are not met, as predicted by the Productivity Commission."

Sustainable diversion limits are how much water, on average, can be used in the basin by towns, communities, industry and farmers.

Under the plan, Victoria is still legally obliged to achieve its share of the 62GL in water efficiency projects, so it can receive credit for the work already underway on the 605GL of environmental offset projects.

Those modernisation projects were designed to reduce system losses - creating water savings that don't come at the expense of farmers.

And Tallygaroopna, Vic, dairy farmer Natalie Akers said she was concerned the commitment to no more buybacks didn't go far enough.

"Currently the 1500GL buyback cap is legislated, so until this is removed farmers do not have long-term protection," Ms Akers said.

'When, or if, the Labor Party wins government they could easily say 'we do not support this government policy' and we will be pursuing buybacks."

She said the government should amend the Water Act, given the proposed changes to the MDBA.

"Why not include some meaningful changes and legislation around no buybacks?," Ms Akers said.

Mr Pitt said future governments could not be tied in terms of legislation.

"If there were to be a change of government, that government controls the house or the senate, and they make their own decisions," Mr Pitt said.

"There is no way, for us, as the current government, to ensure or advise a future government of its future position."

The changes have been described as a "victory of sorts", by the head of a prominent NSW Riverina irrigator's group.

Southern Riverina Irrigators chair Chris Brooks said he saw the changes as a victory, for all those fighting for water policy reform.

"The problem extends from Queensland right through to South Australia and not just in the MDBA head office," Mr Brooks said.

"In fact, I would go as far as to say this has been the single most destructive period in the history of Australian agriculture, it is an absolute disaster and a $13 billion dollar waste of taxpayers' money."

He said about 74 per cent of buybacks took place in the southern basin, while general security water reliability in the NSW Murray had fallen from 84pc average to 48pc.

"We had two consecutive years of zero allocation where irrigators could do nothing but watch water flow by their farmgate," he said.

"Crops died and $25 billion of productivity was wiped from communities and the Australian economy.

"I don't want to take away from all the work people have done, it's great to see the authorities actually listen, after they've been saying 'there's nothing to see here, it's all fine'..

"We've been telling them the 450GL of environmental upwater won't fit in the Murray River - you are flooding it now."

He said it appeared the authorities were finally accepting they might be doing something wrong on the back of their own evidence.

"If you look at it objectively, you can't put any more water down the Murray," Mr Brooks said.

Mr Brooks said unmetered and unlicensed floodplain harvesting in the north continued to take enormous volumes of water from the system, devastating the Menindee Lakes and Darling River and consequently downstream water allocations.

"Why isn't the Darling flowing to take the pressure off the Murray River?" he said.

He said SRI would have concerns, if Interim Inspector-General (IIG) for the Murray-Darling Basin Mick Keelty was appointed to the compliance role.

Mr Keelty was commissioned to look at the water-sharing agreement between NSW, Victoria and SA.

Mr Brooks said he believed Mr Keelty had ignored the advice he had been given, when writing up his report.

The new statutory office will combine existing staff from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), and the Interim Inspector-General of Murray Darling Basin office, established just last year.

Moving former MDBA staff to a new compliance office would not work.

"You need external independent advice from the community, from real people," he said.

The insatiable demand from almond growers and the Lower Lakes of South Australia was forcing Murray River levels higher, resulting in frequent flooding and increasing salinity.

According to the MDBA website, the plan was developed to manage a healthy and sustainable, whole connected basin system, while continuing to support farming and other industries for the benefit of the Australian community.

"Carving up the MDBA is certainly a start but we have a long way to go until any semblance of common sense returns to basin management," Mr Brooks said.

"Let's hope the announcements are the start of a collaborative approach where basin communities really are heard."

Speak Up Campaign chair Shelley Scoullar said it was refreshing to hear a person in authority who was prepared to admit changes were needed to the implementation of the basin plan.

"As a community organisation, it was especially gratifying to get acknowledgement of what we have been saying for many years - that communities are not being listened to. Hopefully today will be a 'line in the sand' moment when this will be rectified," Mrs Scoullar said.

An acceptance that rural Australia needed to play a part in the national recovery was also welcomed,and that could only be maximised if water policy was right.

"Water reform has had a massive impact on rural communities and the nation's staple food production industries," Ms Scoullar said.

"As we have highlighted many times in recent years, these industries need government support, not the hindrance which has occurred since the start of the basin plan process.

"It is a positive sign that our messages are being heard and we look forward to Mr Pitt's words being put into action so our rural communities can regenerate."

She said the group also welcomed a commitment to trust and transparency, which had been sadly lacking.

"Buybacks have been just one part of a massive problem with basin plan implementation, which goes all the way back to the manipulated science on which the plan was based," Ms Scoullar said.

"Those responsible for the flawed scientific reports should 'fess up' so we can move forward and develop more accurate data on which to base our water management."

Ms Scoullar said reassessing flooding regimes, which had been causing irreparable damage to fragile flora and fauna, needed to be reassessed..

"The plan that is supposed to be protecting our environment is destroying large parts of it because the MDBA has always adopted a 'just add water' approach and has not delivered the adaptability in the basin plan that was promised," she said.

"There are still Sustainable Diversion Limit projects in the pipeline which will cause harm to the environment and impact adversely on communities, so it's important we have sufficient rigour in the way these projects are developed and delivered."

Victorian Nicholls Nationals MP Damian Drum said communities would benefit from an overhaul of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan that will see more than $230 million invested in creating jobs, economic activity, and healthy rivers.

Mr Drum said the package should be viewed as an important first step in water policy reform.

"Hopefully, we will start to see some balance in water policy in the future," Mr Drum said

"I have been calling for the MDBA to be split up for over a year and now with an independent statutory compliance body to be created - the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder will have to take responsibility for their actions, as well as abide by the same rules as our farmers.

Mr Drum said it was time to make the basin plan pay dividends to communities rather than communities pay for the basin plan.

"Our government is committing nearly $40 million to improve compliance to provide the assurance communities and governments are seeking while importantly keeping regionally-based staff in our regions," Mr Drum said.

"A total of $34 million is being allocated by government across those communities hit hard by water recovery to help increase economic activity, diversify economies and create jobs through the extended Murray-Darling Basin Economic Development Program.

"There's $20 million committed to a Healthy Rivers Program to fund community-driven proposals to improve the health of local rivers and wetlands."

Four new Indigenous river ranger teams will also be employed across the basin.

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