Jenny Clarke was a representative of the Narrandera Shire Council at the 80th National Conference of the Murray Darling Association, on which she was the Council’s delegate. She has submitted the following report for the interest of Narrandera Argus readers.

Murray Darling Association – representing local government and community in the Murray-Darling Basin since 1944 – covers 12 Regions from Queensland down to Murray Bridge where the water runs out to the sea.

“Australia’s four longest rivers run through the Murray–Darling Basin. However, in the driest inhabited continent on earth, less than 6 per cent of rainfall makes it into these rivers. Many rivers have little to no flow, except during periods of heavy rainfall,” she said.

“The Murray-Darling system carries one of the world’s smallest flow volumes for its size. The River Murray is around the daily flow of Brazil’s Amazon river. The Basin has significant social. Economic and environmental value. It is home to more than 2.2 million people, including more than 40 First Nations whose ongoing connection to land and water dates back tens of thousands of years.”

The Basin is Australia’s most important agriculture region, producing around one-third of the nation’s food and billions of dollars for the national economy. Agriculture and associated industries helped to create, and continue to support, many of the Basin’s towns and diverse communities.

A challenge in managing the Basin’s resources is delivering sufficient water for people, crops and livestock while maintaining a healthy environment. Sixteen of its more than 30,000 wetlands are listed as internationally important habitats. Many plant and animal species are declining and at least 95 species are threatened or endangered.

“What is also happening at present is that this Federal Government is hellbent on removing more water for the environment from the basin taking it off irrigators etc whilst at the same time members of parliament are holding water themselves and making huge amounts of profit,” Cr Clarke said.

Length of four major rivers in the Murray-Darling basin are: Murray 2508 km, Darling 1545 km, Murrumbidgee 1485 km and the Lachlan 1339km.

The conference represented an important milestone in the continuous discussions and joint endeavours aimed at ensuring water security in the Murray–Darling Basin.

It featured an incredible line up of speakers and panellists including members from State and Federal Government, Government Departments, Agencies, Authorities, Educators, Basin Leaders, Irrigation and Industry, and explored the Future of Water Security across the Murray- Darling Basin.

The MDA hosted its annual Study Tour during which delegates explored key infrastructure, industry and developments in the greater Tamworth and Gunnedah Regions. Key focal points of the Study Tour included the developing Baiada Processing Facility, a Tannery in Gunnedah, Quipolly Dam and the Water Treatment Plant.

Baiada’s Tamworth Processing Facility, which intends to recycle 90 per cent of its daily water requirements of 4ML P/day for 1M (RSPCA certified) birds processed. Delegates were advised that Baiada designed the facility to allocate 80 per cent of its roof apace for solar panels.

Soon to be Australia’s largest of its kind, and a likely project completion slated for June 2026, the facility intends to employ approximately 1000 staff, with around 4000 tradesmen inducted throughout the project’s lifecycle.

Delegates visited the Gunnedah Tannery, a unique facility with only three of its kind in Australia. Through presentations and tours of the site, delegates were advised that through customer influence the Tannery has ensured that it uses environmentally friendly products and chemicals, as well as a great focus on energy and water efficiency, with 7.5L of water used per kg of hides.

These areas visited depend on water from the Murray Darling Basin.

The GALA dinner provided a quality networking environment with delegates taking the opportunity to taste local wines and food, as well as hear brief presentations from Sponsors, including MDBA CEO Andrew McConville, as well the Gala Dinner speaker, Robbie Sefton AM.

Australia’s National Science Agency, the CSIRO, presented and delved into its Aqua Watch Mission through presentations and panel sessions. The goal of the CSIRO’s Aqua Watch Mission is to establish an integrated ground to space national water quality monitoring system to support water management and accurate data and predictive forecasting.

Delegates also had the opportunity to engage in discussion with the NSW Water Minister, Rose Jackson MLC, the NSW Shadow Minister Ms Steph Cooke MP, as well as the Federal Shadow Water Minister Senator Perin Davey. Among questions raised the Murray Darling Basin Plan, First Nations involvement infrastructure development and financing, as well as water were discussed and addressed by delegates and speakers alike.

Guest speakers explored the education perspective in the Basin, as well as Horne Legal, exploring a possible solution for the Menindee Lakes, Public and Response Group addressing the challenges of facing exposure, risk and vulnerability in the Basin, Cotton Australia exploring Australia’s cotton industry perspective, as well as floodplain harvesting, sustainability in the industry and the Basin Plan.

Speakers from the Natural Resources Access Regulator, Water Find, the National Irrigators Council as well as the Murray-Darling CEO Andrew McConville closed Conference Day 1 with an overview of how NRAR can work with councils to improve water compliance outcomes, water management and water security, water reform, and an overview of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, its review, evaluation, and the focus of the Early Insights Paper.

Discussions focused on water security, natural disaster recovery, drought preparation, and the effects of climate change on water resources.

The Federal Minister for water and energy Tanya Plibersek was a no show at the Conference.

During its 2024 Annual General Meeting, MDA Members raised, and successfully carried 13 Motions addressing ongoing advocacy and representation, governance and progress reporting, clarification of water purchasing details, future water storage and usage in industry as well as critical Murray-Darling Basin infrastructure and storage projects that support community, industry and the environment.

The 2025 national conference will be hosted by Griffith City Council. 

This article appeared in the Narrandera Argus, 5 September 2024.