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Murray Darling Basin Plan

Barrage of lies

When South Australians were trying to turn their estuary into a freshwater dam in the 1940’s, the Mulloway natural migration was devastated. Now, Australia’s only freshwater estuary hangs like a noose around the neck of the Murray Darling Basin, consuming huge volumes of freshwater to raise an artificial lake height for yachting, and an attempt to dilute the Southern Ocean, under the fundamentally flawed Murray Darling Basin Plan.

Democracy failing regional Australia says agricultural leader

The NSW Government has been urged to show its commitment to regional NSW by backing a feasibility study into a community-supported water-saving project. Narrandera resident David Farley, who has spent time abroad developing water management strategies that support both the environment and agriculture, is calling on NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson to back a $1 million feasibility study for the Lake Coolah project.

MLDRIN v the Commonwealth – The battle over the fractured rock water plan

First Nations environmental lobbying group Murray Lower Darling River Indigenous Nations (MLDRIN) is in the Federal Court today to challenge the decision by Minister Plibersek to accredit the NSW Fractured Rock Water Resource Plan (WRP) ... “We repeatedly advised the MDBA that the Fractured Rock Water Resource Plan should not be recommended for accreditation," Brendan Kennedy, Chair, MLDRIN, Tati Tati Nation member, said.

Lazy river times

A boat, a BBQ, a swag and the mighty Murray to Murrabit were the order of the day. With a meagre 5,700 megalitres a day flowing past Barham, we set off for Murrabit.

$20.9m funding for Murray-Darling Basin water savings – Where’s the benefit?

Hugh Schuitemaker. Senior Riverland politicians have questioned the potential benefits of a multi-million dollar environmental plan to use treated wastewater – rather than Murray River water – to water public areas and “to supply some industries”. The Federal and State Governments last month announced $20.9m in funding to build infrastructure allowing local governments to substitute Murray River water with storm water, treated wastewater or other alterna-tive water sources.

NIC welcomes MDBA’s refreshed approach on constraints, calls for firm Government commitments: NIC

National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) has welcomed the refreshed approach proposed by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) to relax delivery constraints in the Murray-Darling Basin to value add environmental benefits for rivers and floodplains but warns that firm commitments from Basin governments are critical to ensure the program’s momentum is not lost.

Think, question

Ian Penno. Getting around lately and in general discussions mainly with locals, it is satisfying that they are still thinking for themselves and in their own minds questioning the management and direction of our great region, state and country. Courage must be to ask the questions out loud and demand answers ... Water ... Fair go for horticulture transition ... Energy ...

Use local knowledge, not misleading academic reports

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.

River Murray system well-prepared for summer water demands: MDBA

The Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) has reassured communities the storages and weirs are well positioned to meet irrigation, community, and environmental needs this summer. MDBA Executive Director of River Management, Jacqui Hickey, said managing the system adaptively to respond to the changing conditions is key for ensuring the River Murray System operates smoothly during the peak demand period.

$13B spent on the Murray Darling Basin Plan but Dalton calls it “lazy politics”

Helen Dalton MP, Member for Murray, says the truth about what she describes as $13 billion of wasted taxpayer money needs to be told. The independent member is referring to a new four-year study into the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) Plan reveals mixed results. The four-year study released last involved 12 scientists from Australia’s leading universities, and drew on data from 1980 to 2023.