By Deanne Jeffers
WITH less than 18 months until the final review of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, Goulburn Murray Irrigation District Water Leadership Group is seeking answers about what will happen with the $13B MDBP expires.
Part of the Plan stipulates that by 2024, 450GL should be recovered and returned to the environment. However, politicians on both sides seem to agree that targets cannot be met, with only 4.5GL of 450GL recovered by October 31, 2022.
GMID Water Leadership Group co-chairs David McKenzie and Suzanna Sheed met with state Water Minister, Harriet Shing by invitation earlier this month, ahead of the Ministerial Council (MinCo) meeting of water ministers to occur later this week.
“We used the meeting to share the concerns of our irrigation communities in northern Victoria. There is escalating uncertainty as to how the plan can be implemented, given that it is known that there will be a shortfall in water recovery, and the timeframes set nearly a decade ago cannot be met,” said Ms Sheed.
“The entrenched positions of all parties to the plan and a lack of vision and leadership about innovative resolutions to the impasse were some of the issues we raised with the Minister.
“The previous federal government was fully aware of these issues and maintained that the Murray Darling Basin Plan would be delivered in full and on time but failed to address possible alternative means or any way forward,” she said.
Mr McKenzie advised Minister Shing that communities were rightly concerned about outcomes from the imminent MinCo meeting and the lack of transparency around these meetings.
“At the very least the agenda for these meetings should be publicly available so that communities can see what might be coming and what governments are considering. The lack of Federal leadership has been very disappointing.
“As we move toward the last stages there are opportunities for innovation and creative solutions to achieve outcomes which will ultimately see the primary goals of the plan achieved”, Mr McKenzie said.
He said with the NSW election only weeks away, there are concerns that once again, no meaningful decisions will be taken.
“It is essential that the work already done, in particular, the water recovered by Victoria is acknowledged and respected and that we do not see Victoria ultimately disadvantaged for leading the way in the plan when other states have lagged behind,” Mr McKenzie said, adding, “We were very pleased with the Minister’s assurances that Victoria will strongly maintain its position, continuing to endeavour to meet its obligations under the plan noting that it has already delivered more water than any other jurisdiction, and that it will stand firm on the application of be socio-economic test and remains opposed to any buybacks toward the 450GL of additional environmental water.”
GMID Water Leadership Group met for a forum on Monday ahead the MinCo meeting later in the week.
