FARMING representatives say a pivotal meeting of senior water ministers has progressed practical changes to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan by increasing the pragmatic flexibility of environmental water recovery targets, to avoid damaging agricultural production.
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Last Friday, state and commonwealth water ministers met in Brisbane for a forum, chaired by federal Agriculture and Water Resources Minister Barnaby Joyce.
Leading into the meeting, pressure was applied by various interest groups to maintain environmental standards in implementing the plan’s baseline target of 2750 gigalitres in sustainable diversion limits and another 450GLs for SA.
But farming groups had also called for the continuation of a balanced approach to water recovery measures, to protect the livelihood of irrigation and farming communities.
National Irrigators Council chairman Gavin McMahon welcomed the ministers reaching an agreement at the forum, to amend the basin plan and provide for a second round of projects by June 30 next year, under the SDL adjustment mechanism.
Mr McMahon said that “sensible decision” would allow further time for a second round of projects to be developed, in addition to those already put forward, to maximise all supply contributions under the mechanism.
“This approach will enable communities and governments to work together to reach an outcome with minimal impact with the aim of a reduction in water being removed from communities,” he said. “The NIC has long argued for flexibility around timelines that would enable the required work to be done on project proposals to gain maximum benefit and to enable all possible supply contributions to be achieved towards meeting the 650GL target under the SDL adjustment mechanism.”
The basin plan was signed into law in 2012 with the ALP and Coalition agreeing to pass legislation to sideline the Green’s demands for a minimum 4000GL in sustainable diversion limits. SLDs are due to come into effect in 2019, while a first round of adjustment proposals by states is due in June this year.
The NIC said an SDL adjustment mechanism stocktake report released by basin ministers in August 2015 found a supply contribution of around 500GL towards an outcome of up to 650GL.
Mr McMahon said the council had always stressed reforms should not focus solely on water but must include various measures that balance food and fibre production.
