Inland waterways

Hugh Schuitemaker and Sebastian Calderon. Senior Riverland politicians say a recent assessment praising the impacts of environmental watering fails to acknowledge economic challenges faced by local primary producers. A recent comprehensive assessment of environmental outcomes in South Australia, conducted by the State Government under the Murray Darling Basin Plan, states environmental water is having a positive impact on ecosystems, biodiversity and habitat quality.

Nicola Centofanti. While many irrigators have been removing patches of wine grapes and converting to other crops, there are still many grape growers feeling the impact of ongoing low prices. With consumption of commercial wine falling globally and the large volume of wine retained in storage, there is little cause for optimism in the immediate future.

The credibility of a group that has prepared a report on Murray-Darling Basin Plan progress is under question, after claims it contains numerous flaws. The Wentworth Group comprises academics who say they are “dedicated to water and land policy reform”, and have been especially vocal on issues around the Murray-Darling Basin Plan which has attracted billions of dollars in government funding ... “It is disheartening when Sydney and Canberra based academics, without local knowledge, make broad-based statements which paint a false picture": Murray Regional Strategy Group Chair Geoff Moar.