THE Federal Government’s second water buyback tender in the southern Murray-Darling Basin has been met with a flood of anger from irrigators.
The government this week opened tenders for water holders willing to sell another 100 billion litres this year, on top of the 70 billion litres from its first tender last year.
NSW Irrigators’ Council chief executive Claire Miller said the one-off $300 million assistance package “will not even touch the sides of what irrigation-dependent communities need”.
“We also know that while more than 3000 gigalitres recovered to date is delivering important, localised environmental benefits, more water will not deliver the basin-wide step change needed to reverse declining native fish and static waterbird populations, and improve water quality,” Ms Miller said.
“For that, the government must stop spending billions of dollars on unnecessary water recovery and instead invest in fixing degradation drivers such as lack of fishways and invasive species like European carp choking waterways and wrecking water quality and native species habitat.”
Ms Miller said history showed water buybacks hurt regional communities.
“We know water buybacks hurt regional communities because this has quite literally played out before our eyes already after the 2008-2012 buybacks,” she said.
“Any form of water recovery must be done in a way that does not have negative social or economic impacts on regional communities.”
Water Minister Tanya Plibsersek previously said it was “absolutely vital” that water was returned to the river system.
“As I say, South Australians are more aware of that than many other parts of the country because you see the results of those long dry years in your environment and in your communities as well,” she told the ABC.
“And although we are committed to delivering on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, I’m not going to be an idiot about it and just splash money around in a way that doesn’t give taxpayers value for their dollar.”
Ms Plibsersek said the recovery of 450 GL of water to the basin would help restore native wetlands and riverbanks, better connect our rivers, and avoid critical species loss.
“We … are getting on with the job of delivering the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in full, in a way that supports communities, jobs and our environment,” she said.
“Alongside basin states and territories, our government is listening carefully to regional communities.
“We understand there may be social and economic impacts of recovering water.
“That’s why we’re providing a record $300 million support package … before water recovery impacts are felt, supporting jobs and economies.
“It will ensure regional communities are as strong as possible as the basin plan is rolled out in full.”
Murray Regional Strategy Group chair Geoff Moar said for the past 15 years “we have been lied to, led up the garden path and now ignored” by Sydney-based politicians “who break promises and refuse any effort at collaboration”.
“It is difficult to hide our anger at the disdain for rural communities, let alone the way in which the decision ignores the obvious future impact on cost of living,” he said.
“Less water for production means a further reduction in growing staple foods for Australian tables.
“So we import more and pay more at the supermarket.”
Mr Moar said it was particularly frustrating for rural communities when there were “viable alternatives” to buybacks.
“Minister Plibersek continually refuses invitations to come to the region, get a better understanding of the impact of buybacks and look with an open mind at these alternatives,” he said.
“On top of all this, communities were promised these buybacks would not occur if there was proven social and economic damage.
“What more evidence do you want than thousands of job losses, schools with significantly reduced student populations, sporting club closures and a plethora of empty shops?”
Member for Farrer Sussan Ley attacked the government for green lighting the tender weeks out from an election.
“Water buybacks is a lazy, uncaring method of taking enormous amounts of water for the environment,” she said.
“If you want to divide farms, split communities, add to the nation’s debt level and stop growing Australian produce, then this is the way to go about it.
“The Environment Minister must put a halt to this latest round of buybacks, and every single candidate at this election needs to be honest with their views on water policy, so voters in Farrer can have a say on their region’s future.”
