Water matters: Who controls our river?
Rosalie Auricht. The states in the Murray-Darling Basin have been arguing, seemingly forever, about how to look after and share the rivers ... At the MDBA River Reflections conference in Albury, the audience was asked to explore ‘what does a healthy river mean to you?’ ... "no carp, native fish are increasing in abundance, and no dead fish ..."
Terra nullius, aqua nullius, farming nullius
Remember ‘terra nullius’ the legal term that rose to prominence in the Mabo case? ... my focus in this opinion piece is not on terra nullius and who owns the land but on aqua nullius and who owns the water ... the Albanese government shows no sign of learning from the referendum disaster and is pushing ahead with building indigenous veto powers into a new National Water Agreement plus revving up the Commonwealth's Heritage Act.
Murray Darling Association 80th National Conference
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 ... 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 ... A challenge in managing the Basin’s resources is delivering sufficient water for people, crops and livestock while maintaining a healthy environment.
Cod and crays come under protection
The Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) and NSW Department of Primary industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) are reminding recreational fishers that the Murray Cod and Murray Crayfish seasons have ended. NSW DPIRD Program Leader Fishing Stocking and Enhancement, Jim Harnwell, said the Murray Cod fishery is subject to a three-month closure every year to protect our number-one native sportsfish during their breeding season.
Boats grounded on the Riverland
Sebastian Calderon. Houseboats traveling along a section of the Murray River are facing challenges, due to low water levels, forcing operators to limit mobility through the Riverland. Changes in the river’s water flow following environmental conditions have recently seen a group of boats unable to travel between towns like Renmark and Berri.
$100m Indigenous Murray-Darling Basin water fund faces devaluation amid rising prices
A Murray-Darling Basin water advocacy group says $100 million in federal funding for Aboriginal water entitlements is expected to lose about 30 per cent of its value before it’s spent. The Murray Lower Darling Rivers Indigenous Nations group wants traditional owners to be given control over the funding to restore ancestral sites. What’s next? The federal government says it is taking "proactive measures" to make sure its water purchasing programs don't drive up water prices.
Southern Basin communities raise alarm over water recovery impact
The Commonwealth Government water buybacks scheme will disproportionately impact the southern Murray-Darling Basin, as the region still struggles to overcome the impacts of earlier water recovery programs. Water users and local government have outlined the significant risks posed by water recovery policies to the region’s agriculture, economy, and mental health, in a letter to State and federal politicians and departments.
Local faces at water resource conference
Hugh Schuitemaker. Local mayors and a senior irrigation industry figure participated in discussions of how to approach South Australia’s future water use at a major conference ... "A key announcement was that SA Water has committed to cap its reliance on the River Murray at the current level": Riverland Irrigation Trust CEO Rosalie Auricht.
Murray Darling Basin Authority visit
An influx of Government and Government Agency staff visited Wilcannia on Monday 29th July to look at the old weir, proposed site for the new weir and meet with local organisations and the Shire. Included in the group was former Western Lands Commissioner and passionate Wilcannia and Darling River advocate Geoff Wise.
Southern Murray-Darling Basin water entitlement markets lost nearly $2 billion in value over 2023-24, despite Commonwealth buybacks
Today Aither, a Ricardo company, released their eleventh annual Aither Water Markets Report. It summarises water trading activity and trends in the 2023-24 water year and provides insights into the outlook for 2024-25 ... Following a decade of 21 per cent compound annual growth, the Aither Entitlement Index (AEI) has fallen 12 per cent since reaching an all-time high in February 2023 ...
The Menindee compromise released
As the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) and the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) continue to change the rules in their favour, irrigation communities are proposing a dramatic change that aims to benefit food producers and Australia’s largest irrigator, the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder.
Koondrook tourism recognised
Koondrook has taken out bronze in the 2024 Victoria Tourism Industry Council Top Tourism Town Awards. Our idyllic Murray locality was one of nine towns recognised across three categories in the awards; Koondrook competing for the Top Tiny Town award against five finalists, with Timboon taking out the win.
Second release set to boost the future of the Murray crayfish in South Australia: Landscape SA
An additional 80 Murray crayfish have been released into the River Murray as part of an ongoing project to re-establish this iconic species in South Australia. The crayfish were released into the river at a secret location to protect the community in its infancy.
Huge, costly flaw revealed in Labor’s buybacks system leaving local growers hamstrung: Centofanti
Struggling South Australian growers could be forced to wait almost a year for compensation after selling water to the Albanese Labor Government to meet its target of 450GL for the Murray-Darling Basin. Labor has released its Restoring Our Rivers - Trading Strategy which outlines its approach to the destructive water buybacks model over the next year, claiming: “The intent of these rules is to ensure that persons or organisations with prior knowledge of market sensitive information that will be publicly announced, do not have an unfair market advantage over other water market participants”.
Enough is enough says Murrumbidgee Council Mayor
Councillor Ruth McRae OAM, Murrumbidgee Council Mayor. Enough is enough...things you all should know. Crippling water buybacks will see many communities, currently with their back to the wall, disappear, and the shiny trinkets offered by the Federal Government as compensation are $300 million. The Federal Government plans to buy back up to 450GL of water which, at our estimates, will cost them $8 billion. No surprises, there is an undisclosed amount in the Federal Budget to buy water ...
Buybacks begin for political plan
Buybacks have begun as the Federal Government seeks to add to the huge volumes of held environmental water ... The plan appears to have moved past the noble intention of a balanced plan with a triple bottom line. Now fuelled by political motives, the political plan risks the viability of irrigation companies, food-producing industries, and locks many young Australians out of the chance to be an irrigation farmer.
Renewed deal to deliver water south of the Barmah Choke: MDBA
A renewed agreement between WaterNSW and Murray Irrigation Limited (MIL) will help to move water around the Barmah Choke for the 2024–25 water year. MDBA Senior Director River Modernisation Joe Davis said the arrangement with MIL would ensure water delivery to downstream users whilst protecting the river environment and community values.
Constraints strategy not feasible but will proceed to business case
Jan Beer. The Feasibility of Relaxing Constraints in Northern Victoria Final Report has been released by Victorian Water Minister Shing. The report recommends proceeding to the next phase of the Constraints Measures Project, which will involve the development of a detailed business case. This will be the third attempt by the Victorian Government to provide a workable business case.
Murray crays released
150 Murray crayfish were released in Barham on Friday after many of the iconic species were relocated during the 2022 and early 2023 blackwater events. During the flood event, blackwater poured out of forests that had already had long periods of inundation with environmental water, contributing to poor water quality within the river system.
An oar-some announcement
Hugh Schuitemaker. Collaboration between Renmark Paringa Council, the State Government and a local rowing club is set to support a $1.7m infrastructure upgrade ... "The project will result in a 70m long wharf with 6m ramps down on either side to allow the Renmark Rowing Club to host large meets and become a premier destination for rowers statewide": Tim Tol.
Dozens of boats unable to take part in rally event
Christine Webster. The owners of about 30 boats found themselves moored around Renmark after a build-up of silt and low River Murray levels in two areas prevented them from travelling to Wentworth, in south-west NSW, for a popular rally. Owners of the PB Curlew, Jim and Heather Maywald, from Good Hope Landing, east of Waikerie, said it was disappointing for the boat owners ...
Buybacks to ‘damage’ local communities
Hugh Schuitemaker. Federal Government water buybacks will increase the price of temporary water for Riverland irrigators and the cost of food production, according to senior local politicians ... Chaffey MP Tim Whetstone said Riverland communities and councils were “extremely concerned about what these open slather buybacks will do to their towns, businesses, and local environment.”
