Water Bill a recipe for hurt, division and higher food prices: NFF
Farmers are warning that a bill introduced today by Water Minister Tanya Plibersek would obliterate consensus on the Basin Plan and give the Government unchecked power to shut down irrigation farms in Australia’s food bowl. NFF Chief Executive Tony Mahar said the proposal would blow up the Basin Plan and destroy trust and livelihoods in Basin communities.
Environment groups welcome progress on Murray-Darling Basin Plan, but guarantees needed to ensure real water reaches rivers: NCC
In response to a new bill allowing water purchases being introduced to federal parliament, environment groups from across four states have welcomed progress on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, but warn that delays will be costly to the health of our rivers … “While it’s great to see the Basin Plan moving again, it’s important to remember how far behind the Plan is...": Nature Conservation Council of NSW Water Campaigner Mel Gray.
Devastating scale of water buybacks revealed while critical questions go unanswered: NFF
The Federal Government has inadvertently revealed that damaging water buybacks will make up at least a third of water recovery under its revised Murray Darling Basin Plan, at a starting price exceeding $3 billion … “The Minister has said last week the current 1500GL cap on buybacks will be lifted': National Farmers' Federation Water Committee Chair, Malcolm Holm.
Take buybacks off the table – MRSG
A leading community and farming representative group in the NSW Murray is calling on the Albanese Government to "take water buybacks off the table". It comes after Water Minister Tanya Plibersek announced buybacks would be used to recover water, including an additional 450 gigalitres which was not part of original Murray-Darling Basin Plan recovery targets ... MRSG chair, Geoff Moar, described news of the buybacks as a "dagger in the heart" of rural communities, especially after constant government promises that they would only be considered if there were no negative social and economic consequences.
Sailing away
There are many ways for people to escape life’s often mundane activities, some hook the van on and head to warmer climates, others traverse the globe to far flung destinations. These three couples decided to do it in style, sailing down the mighty Murray.
Vic stands strong, NSW crumples under Albo water grab
The Albanese Government has officially declared war on Basin communities and Australian families who are suffering with the cost-of-living crisis. On Tuesday, the Federal Water Minister declared that the Murray-Darling Basin Plan MKII would remove the legislated protections around taxpayer funded water buybacks and the new plan extended to 2027 ... The Murray-Darling Basin Plan clearly demonstrates legislation is only abided by when it’s convenient to the political outcomes sought, and changed when it’s problematic to those ends.
Introducing the River Country Biolink
As farming communities face growing pressure to meet environmental, social and governance (ESG) demands in supply chains, a new perspective emerges. Could all the natural and man-made advantages of our productive inland river delta attract not just income, but a large premium in the emerging environmental goods and services markets? This biodiverse hotspot, acting as a significant carbon sink through on-farm wetlands and an advanced gravity-fed irrigation system, might just be Australia’s prime site for carbon and biodiversity investment.
Listen to people who have ‘lived experience’ – SRI
“We know the devastation of flooding caused by holding too much water in dams. We know that due to constraints issues it is pointless recovering the massive water volumes that are being planned, because it is impossible to deliver them downstream ... governments must listen to people who are ‘on the ground’ and have a different understanding of Basin Plan implementation to those who live in cities and base their assessments on computer modelling”: Jan Beer.
Dream come true: Murray rafters raise nearly $100,000 for prostate cancer awareness
A group of men who set off on a raft affectionately known as ‘Shed down the Murray’ to raise money for prostate cancer earlier this month have now successfully completed their journey. The group stopped in at various towns along the way, including Narrandera, to rest as well as raise awareness around prostate cancer.
Malinauskas Government welcomes agreement to deliver the Murray Darling Basin Plan in full: Close
The Malinauskas Government welcomes the new agreement to deliver the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in full including the 450 gigalitres of environmental flows we have long campaigned for. With the exception of Victoria, all Basin jurisdictions and the Commonwealth have agreed to deliver the plan in full including legislating for voluntary buy backs...
Queensland Government sells out on Murray-Darling Basin plan: Littleproud
Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud says the Palaszczuk Government has sold out Queensland communities by signing up to Federal Labor’s latest Murray-Darling Basin plan. The Albanese Government has announced it would tear up Labor’s original policy on the additional 450 gigalitres of the Murray-Darling Basin plan and ignore the social and economic neutrality test, protecting communities from water buybacks.
Historic deal struck to guarantee a future for the Murray-Darling Basin: Plibersek
The Albanese Labor Government has struck an historic agreement to deliver the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in full, including 450 gigalitres of water for the environment. The agreement, made between the Federal, New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory governments...
TCV reaching out to landholders: TCV
Transmission Company Victoria (TCV) has refined the 5km to 50km VNI West area of interest into a draft corridor for the VNI West project ... Each landholder will be appointed a landholder liaison, who will be their key contact and able to help answer questions on important issues...
Basin Plan flounders as problems mount
Southern Riverina Irrigators said Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek’s determination to deliver the Basin Plan in full shows just how out of touch with reality the minister really is ... To date, 83 per cent of water recovered has already come from the southern basin and SRI is urging NSW water minister Rose Jackson to follow Victoria’s lead and put a line through future buybacks ... Despite the devastation caused by the MDBA in the southern basin, MDBA Chief Executive Andrew McConville said most communities are in support of the plan’s implementation.
Shedders down the Murray stop in Narrandera
Pittsworth and District Men’s Shed members called at Narrandera this week as part of their adventure down the mighty Murray River. For the past year they have been building a raft, affectionately known as "Shed down the Murray," and have been towing it 1,100 kilometres down the Newell Highway to Narrandera.
Mid-year report points to challenges in Basin Plan implementation: MDBA
A report providing an update on the progress of key activities under the Basin Plan has been issued by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority. The tenth in a series, this report card reflects the progress made in first 6 months of 2023, during a period of significant flooding and flood recovery around the Murray–Darling Basin.
Common sense prevails for Basin Plan projects: VFF
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) welcomes the Albanese Government’s decision to extend the timeframe for implementing the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. VFF Water Council Chair Andrew Leahy said common sense had prevailed following Minister Tanya Plibersek’s announcement to allow efficiency projects to progress and be counted towards the Plan’s targets.
Nature Conservation Council of NSW turns on conservationists
The Nature Conservation Council (NCC) of New South Wales has blasted what it calls a “concerted misinformation campaign being spread by corporate irrigators about the proposal to purchase water for the environment.” The move has disappointed communities in the southern connected system as they fight to protect their livelihoods, environment and communities.
Authority advice on Basin Plan implementation: MDBA
The Murray–Darling Basin Authority provided advice to the Hon Tanya Plibersek, Minister for the Environment and Water that full implementation of the Basin Plan will not be possible by 30 June 2024 ... With 16 key SDLAM projects unlikely to be operable by 30 June 2024, the Authority estimates a shortfall in water recovery of between 190 and 315 gigalitres.
Murray–Darling Basin Authority communique, 25 July 2023
The Authority welcomed the opportunity to meet with the Hon Tanya Plibersek, Minister for the Environment and Water. In response to her request, the Authority provided the Minister its advice on the current state of Basin Plan implementation.
More time will allow the Basin Plan to be finished the smart way: NFF
The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) welcomes Minister Plibersek’s announcement that she will seek to extend the Murray-Darling Basin Plan deadlines. NFF President Fiona Simson said the extension would buy time for smarter completion of the plan without resorting to devastating buybacks.
Children’s book resonates with all ages
The author of a book about a young girl growing up beside the Murray River during The Great Depression is coming to Corryong to talk about her work. Cathy Hope’s book ‘Murray River Girl’ is a true story about Roma, the daughter of a swagman and shearer’s cook, who lived in a makeshift tent beside the river until she was eleven years old.
