A VOTE to block the NSW Government from issuing floodplain harvesting licences was a “political stunt” that would not affect recently issued licences that were valid and effective from July, NSW Minister for Water Kevin Anderson says.
Labor, Greens, the Animal Justice Party and independent MPs voted 18-15 to disallow a NSW regulation that permitted the issuing of licences for floodplain harvesting.
The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers members abstained from voting.
Former water minister Melinda Pavey introduced the regulations last December, two days after the release of a floodplain harvesting inquiry report.
Floodplain harvesting involves redirecting water into private storage before it reaches waterways.
Independent MP Justin Fields, who raised the motion, said the current arrangement favoured large northern basin water users over irrigators in the south, and the environment.
“What will result is billions of dollars worth of water entitlements being gifted … to less than 1000 mostly large, corporate irrigators in the northern part of the state,” Mr Fields said.
He said the current regulations would retroactively legalise existing structures on some properties, while preventing others from participating in the practice.
Menindee Stakeholder Advisory Group member Jane MacAllister said it was crucial the NSW Government got its modelling right to ensure “end of system flows” for downstream communities, irrigators and the fishing and tourism industries.
The Floodplain harvesting inquiry recommended the NSW Government use the “best available” modelling to show downstream outcomes and impacts of floodplain harvesting, which was found to be “more prevalent” in the northern basin.
“If we don’t have current, up-to-date information, then we’re not using the best scientific knowledge as we have to under the Basin Plan,” Ms MacAllister said.
She said while the Murray-Darling Basin plan allowed NSW to issue floodplain licences to harvest up to 46 gigalitres of water, an independent study had found harvesting had exceeded the limit by 142 per cent.
“By stealing our floods … now we’re seeing the amount of water in Menindee Lakes is already dropping, the amount of water downstream around Pooncarie already dropping – the Tallywalka (Creek) hasn’t fully connected.”
Swan Hill councillor Nicole McKay said the excessive take of water through floodplain harvesting threatened water access for southern basin users, including the Murray region’s family farming sector.
“When we have drying coupled with over-extraction, the water prices can kill that those successful businesses, family businesses,” Ms McKay said.
Member for Murray Helen Dalton said floodplain harvesting licences couldn’t be issued until metering and monitoring of water take was standardised across the basin.
“The metering has to be done – all this work has to be done before you issue any licenses,” Mrs Dalton said.
“We’re metered in the south; we’d like the metering to be done in the north.”
Mr Anderson called the disallowance motion a “political stunt” and said it would not disrupt the issuing of further licences.
“The NSW floodplain harvesting policy is proceeding, and the licences already determined for the NSW border rivers and Gwydir valleys remain valid,” Mr Anderson said.
He said environmental groups and water users in northern NSW now had “certainty” and floodplain harvesting licences for the border rivers and Gwydir valleys would “come into effect on 1 July, 2022, after the relevant water sharing plans have been amended”.
“The NSW Government has consulted with professionals, scientists, industry and with local communities to introduce legally enforceable controls on floodplain harvesting.
“Getting the balance right is important; we need healthy rivers, healthy farms and healthy communities and the government’s policy achieves this balance. Floodplain harvesting needs to be regulated,” he said. “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.”
