For Pete’s sake, Vincent visited
Hugh Schuitemaker. Last week's Riverland visit by the State Opposition Leader has highlighted Labor's indifference towards the region, Tim Whetstone says. Alternative premier Vincent Tarzia made his first trip to the Riverland since taking over from disgraced former Liberal leader David Speirs in August 2024, and Mr. Whetstone said the continued absence of Peter Malinauskas – who last visited during the flood, in November 2022 – says plenty about the two parties.
Reconnecting River Country Program – Cater & Blumer Solicitors to hold Easement Negotiation Information Session
From 29 August 2025, the NSW Government will commence negotiations with landowners to secure flood easements along the Murrumbidgee River, between Darlington Point and Balranald, under its Reconnecting River Country Program ... “If landowners fail to negotiate an easement interest, their land could be compulsorily acquired": Bobbie Pannowitz.
Flow-on effect – a decade of science, smarter watering, healthier Basin: Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder
A report released in partnership with Australia’s national science agency CSIRO, Commonwealth environmental water sustaining Murray–Darling Basin ecosystems: 10-year (2014–24) retrospective, outlines how a decade of monitoring, evaluation and reporting is optimising management of Commonwealth environmental water holdings – a public asset with a market value approaching $10 billion.
Irrigators got their day in court
It might have been six years in the making but irrigators across northern Victoria and the Riverina have finally got their day in court with the MDBA. The MDBA used overbank transfers to flood the bush four times during 2017-2019 which resulted in little or zero allocation for irrigators, causing extreme financial and mental stress.
DCCEEW hits back at Dalton’s water theft claims
The NSW department responsible for delivering water to the environment, and setting water allocations, has hit back at Member for Murray Helen Dalton MP's claims that water is being stolen from irrigators. The NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) said Ms Dalton's claims of water theft are incorrect.
Landmark water mismanagement trial against MDBA underway
A landmark class action legal battle against the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) commenced last week in the New South Wales Supreme Court. After six long years, the case – alleging water mismanagement by the MDBA and brought by thousands of farmers - is finally getting its day in court.
Outlook for River Murray water operations released: MDBA
Under the current outlook the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is confident that system demands will be met across the 2025-26 water year, despite a dry start to the season. The MDBA has released its Annual Operating Outlook for 2025–26, which outlines how the River Murray System might be managed under different water availability scenarios for the year ahead.
Killing in the name of: How Coorong’s don’t make a right
I’d always heard the claims that Australia’s most significant water reform was built on falsehoods, political agenda and flawed science, but seeing for myself fundamentally changed me ... I joined a merry band of nine intrepid explorers who ventured to South Australia’s agricultural crown jewel to understand more of the Murray-Darling Myths.
A new way for water?
Hugh Schuitemaker. An ongoing reduction in permanent entitlements being held in a Riverland irrigation trust's district has forced changes to its water accounting. Central Irrigation Trust (CIT) customers were informed in June that all water accounts would now need to be balanced at the end of each month.
Call to take stronger stand against water buybacks
Witnesses at an inquiry have urged the NSW Government to take a stronger stand against water buybacks as part of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, which are not only having an immediate social and economic impact, but limiting drought and flood preparedness.
Farmers take water battle to Supreme Court
After years of simmering frustration, irrigators across the NSW Central Murray and Goulburn-Murray regions are finally getting their day in court. A landmark class action against the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) and the Commonwealth Government is set to begin in the Supreme Court of NSW on August 11. The legal battle represents 28,000 group members, and seeks at least $750 million in damages.
Duxton Vineyards is growing more than grapes, it’s growing hope for an endangered Aussie parrot
Among the red gums lining the Murray River, the endangered Regent Parrot is fighting to hang on. With its bright yellow plumage and unmistakable flight, it’s one of Australia’s lesser-known but most threatened species ... Duxton Vineyards, one of Australia’s largest vineyard holders, is working with the NSW Government’s Saving our Species (SoS) program to restore critical habitat for the Regent Parrot.
Basin Plan Evaluation strong evidence the Plan is working: MDBA
The Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) has released the 2025 Basin Plan Evaluation assessing the achievements and lessons learned from the 13-years of implementing Australia’s most significant water reform. MDBA Chief Executive Andrew McConville said that while implementation is not complete, the Evaluation found evidence that the rivers, wetlands and lakes are in far better shape under the Basin Plan.
Basin Plan Evaluation paints deceptive picture: VFF
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says the recently released 2025 Basin Plan Evaluation portrays a deliberately deceiving snapshot of the Murray-Darling Basin and ignores the real-world reality facing farmers and communities in the region.
MDBA declares ‘game changing’ positive results for the Basin but sends the clear message it’s time to shift from just adding water: NIC
"It’s very hard to look at these findings and argue the top priority for our Basin environments is even more water from farmers, when 72 per cent of flows are now for the environment, Sustainable Diversion Limits are in place, and clear evidence that non-water threats are holding back environmental outcomes and there is no clear strategy and little action to address these gaps": Zara Lowien, NIC.
Inquiry hears of litany of fails from water policy
It was Dwight Eisenhower who famously stated, 'Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you're a thousand miles from the corn field'. The same rings true for water reform, and once again, this week the list of systemic failures and a lack of basic understanding of how policy decisions impact communities was on display. A NSW Government public hearing held in Deniliquin this week looked at the impacts of the Water Amendment (Restoring Our River) Act 2023 on NSW regional communities.
Murray–Darling Basin Authority communique, July 2025
The Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) met on 17 July in Sydney ... covered an extensive agenda heading into a busy period of publishing, end of year reporting and the release of the Basin Plan Evaluation and Sustainable Rivers Audit.
Two paddlers tackle the mighty Murray
Two men are planning to undertake separate journeys down Australia's longest river to raise funds for charity ... In April 2026, Tony Pearce, the former Inspector-General for Emergency Management and current chair of the Emergency Services Foundation (ESF), will embark from Bringenbrong Bridge on an unsupported paddle to raise awareness of the mental health...
Locally led
In a bid to garner a better understanding of the important role irrigation plays in supporting biodiversity on farm, food producers from Southern Riverina Irrigators (SRI) and the Cohuna and District Landcare group met with MDBA regional engagement officer Sam Campi.
Worst ever drought is only three years away
A Riverina-based engineer with vast experience in climate and infrastructure has repeated his warning that Eastern Australia should prepare for the worst drought ever experienced. The prediction is for a drought that would affect entire communities, not just farmers.
Dalton’s water Bill progresses – environmental water is “a mess”
"It matters because, as of December 2022, governments held over 2.5 million megalitres, which is 2,505 gigalitres, of water licences across New South Wales, yet there is no central, transparent record of what has been done with it. There is no way to track trades": Helen Dalton, Member for Murray.
Reforms mean RIT unable to trade?
Hugh Schuitemaker. 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.
