Hugh Schuitemaker, Murray Pioneer

One of the Riverland’s major irrigation trusts has been left unable to make water trades due to new market reforms.

Renmark Irrigation Trust (RIT) has advised new regulations under the Federal Government’s water market reform would restrict it from facilitating any water trades of allocation or entitlement between customers for now.

“Renmark Irrigation Trust is disappointed to advise customers that from July 1, 2025, it is unable to provide services that could be regarded as a water market intermediary service under the new laws,” a public notice on the matter read.

RIT CEO Rosalie Auricht said requests to delay implementation of the new requirements were denied.

“Throughout the extended consultation on this reform, (RIT) strongly advocated to retain its ability to provide cost-effective water trade services for its customers,” Ms Auricht said.

“However, the final regulatory framework treats irrigation infrastructure operators (IIOs), like the Trust, as equivalent to commercial water market intermediaries, though some requested practical concessions for IIOs were accepted.

“The framework introduces some technical obligations that the Trust cannot meet by the regulated implementation date.

“The Trust is determining a pathway for these important customer services to continue, though remains extremely concerned about the level of financial risk imbedded in the regulations for entities like the Trust.”

It is understood transfers of water between accounts, or on/off licence, where the Trust is an approval authority only, may still occur.

This article appeared in Murray Pioneer, 9 July 2025.