TAG
water buybacks
Labor’s sneaky closed-door consultation on water buybacks: Littleproud
Labor is sneaking into St George to hold closed sessions on its water buyback plan. A St George information session on the Strategic Water Purchasing Framework will be hosted by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water on Monday, 13 March, between 2 and 4pm. However, the location remains a secret, and the website link only allows invited guests to rsvp. Leader of The Nationals and Member for Maranoa David Littleproud described Labor’s tactic as “outrageous”.
MRSG ‘disappointed’ that solutions are ignored
The organisation representing community and farming interests across the NSW Murray region has expressed ‘disappointment’ at the Albanese Government’s push to reintroduce water buybacks. The Murray Regional Strategy Group (MRSG) has worked tirelessly on solutions that would help deliver environmental water without sacrificing food production.
Locked out!
Community members, farmers, industry representatives and journalists have been locked out of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) Bridging the Gap water buyback consultation meetings in Deniliquin ... The Federal Government and their bureaucracy’s contempt for southern NSW and northern Victoria communities has no sign of slowing down, even a meeting over a community good, like water, is essentially invite only.
Water wars continue
It’s said “when you’re a hammer, everything is a nail,” and the blunt political instrument of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan is a jumbo hammer that swings with the force of the political party who wields it at the time ... Neglecting private environment and ecosystem function holds a certain irony as the plan has been for the environment with no consideration for the social and economic aspects of Australians who live and work within the basin.
Murray–Darling Basin Ministerial Council communique, 24 February 2023
Murray–Darling Basin water ministers met on Gadigal Land (Sydney) to discuss the impacts of flooding on catchments and communities, next steps to deliver the Basin Plan and opportunities to strengthen First Nations' role in water management and ownership.
Bridging the Gap under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan: Plibersek
The Government is beginning the process to buy water to Bridge the Gap under the Murray–Darling Basin Plan. These water purchases are voluntary. This water purchase is only for the remaining 49GL of the Bridging the Gap target. ‘Bridging the Gap’ is the largest pool of water to be recovered under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan – a total of 2,075GL. Around 49GL remains to be recovered: Tanya Plibersek.
Statement on water buybacks: NFF
Reports are that these buybacks will not be used to progress the 450GL or 605GL recovery targets. However, it’s important this proposal doesn’t become a stalking horse to open up broader buybacks. We need open consultation and transparency in decision making and we’re looking to Minister Plibersek to lead that approach. We have recently written to water ministers seeking openness and transparency – both from the Ministerial Council and their advisory body the Basin Officials Committee: Malcolm Holm, NFF.
Water buyback plan ignores evidence and farming communities: VFF
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says the Albanese Government’s plan to buyback water under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan ignores all evidence of the devastation farming communities will be forced to endure. VFF Water Council Chair Andrew Leahy said the announcement by Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek to buyback water continued to ignore the concerns of farmers about the reduction in the amount of water available to produce food.
SA Liberals need to get onboard Team SA on Murray-Darling Basin Plan: Close
The SA Liberals misguided opposition to voluntary water buybacks risks undermining South Australia’s position ahead of Friday’s Murray–Darling Basin Ministerial Council meeting. A united South Australian position is crucial when dealing with the unwillingness of the NSW and Victorian governments to deliver the 450 gigalitres promised when the Murray-Darling Basin Plan was agreed to: Susan Close, SA Deputy Premier, Minister for Climate, Environment and Water (SA).
People and industry must be at centre of Basin Plan: VFF
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says people and industry must be at the centre of discussions during next week’s meeting of state and federal water ministers on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan ... “The MDBA’s report card doesn’t look at the impact on jobs, on food production and on communities that have resulted from water buybacks and broader Basin Plan implementation”: VFF President Emma Germano.
