Basin Announcement Big on Spin, Critical Questions Unanswered

ROBERT HEYWARD

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has expressed serious concerns over the Federal Government’s announcement regarding 1,000 responses to the southern MurrayDarling Basin open tender process. While Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek emphasized the high volume of interest, the NFF asserts that vital questions remain unanswered.

NFF Water Committee Chair Malcolm Holm highlighted signifcant issues surrounding the announcement:

• Water volume: How much water do the 1,000 responses represent, and are they confrmed tenders?

• Pricing: What prices are being requested, and how is “value for money” defned?

• Buyback confdence: What assurances exist that expressions of interest will lead to successful buybacks?

• Impact analysis: Will the Government assess and report the scope, impact, and costs of this tender round before proceeding with the next two within 12 months?

• Community impact:

How will water buybacks affect local communities and food production amidst a cost-of-living crisis?

Concerns Over Policy Hypocrisy

Mr. Holm criticized the Government’s approach, noting contradictions between addressing the cost-of-living crisis and reducing water availability for agricultural production.

“Reducing water in the system threatens the capacity of dairy, rice, and fruit and vegetable farmers, exacerbating production challenges during a critical time,”

Mr. Holm said. Unanswered

Questions and Environmental Oversights

The NFF has also questioned the Government’s broader commitments to environmental health:

• What progress has been made on installing fsh ladders at Menindee and preventing fsh kills?

• Were alternative solutions from the NFF’s 1,000-gigalitre submission (July 2023) considered?

• What strategic measures are being implemented to optimize environmental water use?

Mr. Holm accused the Government of prioritizing political optics over meaningful action.

“It seems more about grandstanding than achieving real environmental outcomes. The rhetoric is undermining a healthier Murray-Darling Basin and the resilience of regional communities.”

Call for Comprehensive Reviews

The NFF has repeatedly sought a review of environmental water usage effectiveness to identify areas for improvement. However, the lack of response from the Government has left critical concerns unaddressed, even as further buyback rounds are launched.

“Instead of answering these important questions, the Government continues with rapid-fre buybacks. We urge them to go beyond buybacks and focus on creating lasting environmental outcomes for our river systems,”

Mr. Holm concluded.

The NFF remains committed to holding the Government accountable and advocating for sustainable solutions for the Murray-Darling Basin.