THE Victorian Government has doubled down on its opposition to water buybacks to fulfil the Murray-Darling Basin Plan agreement as it released its own proposals.
Water Minister Harriet Shing recently published Planning Our Basin Future Together: A prospectus to safeguard Victoria’s environments and communities across the Murray-Darling Basin. It was developed after “engagement by, with, and for Victoria’s basin communities”.
It details the next steps the state will take following the Federal Government’s decision to buy back up to 450 gigalitres of additional water from willing sellers, including famers.
The government said following the release of the prospectus, community engagement will continue across Victorian Basin towns, with industries and stakeholders, to identify innovative new alternatives to open tender water purchases – projects and outcomes that deliver healthy waterways and resilient environments – without causing harm to communities.
The government has put forward the idea of rationalising irrigation infrastructure – reducing the total area under irrigation – as an alternative to open-tender water buybacks.
“These community-driven options will then form the basis of negotiations with the Federal Government on delivery, to ensure Victorian basin communities’ priorities are front and centre in the Commonwealth’s delivery of the basin plan,” the government said.
The prospectus followed the Federal Government’s agreement that funding for Victorian environmental projects is essential to the delivery of the basin plan.
Ms Shing said Victoria remained opposed to buybacks and confirmed it had not signed any agreement with the Federal Government in exchange for this funding.
She said Victoria continued to negotiate for a fair share of Commonwealth funding for vital water recovery projects and “confirms support for outcomes that do not create disadvantage, as we all work together to protect every part of the basin”.
“We’ve done more than any jurisdiction to return water to the environment, improve the efficient use of water, and crack down on water theft,” Ms Shing said.
“Our communities know better than anyone that healthy waterways mean healthy communities and productive crops – and we will continue to work with the Commonwealth and all basin states to innovate, collaborate, and deliver better outcomes for the entire Basin.
“We will continue our advocacy with and for Victorian communities and the environments they depend upon, while protecting households from avoidable increases to the cost-of-living.”
Murrabit dairy farmer and Victorian Farmers Federation water council chair Andrew Leahy said the prospectus was an important step to help communities plan for a future of producing less food if water buybacks occur.
“The VFF continues to oppose the Albanese government’s plan to take more water from our farming communities,” he said.
“Until the situation in Canberra changes, we must be prepared for all possible outcomes.”
Mr Leahy said the Victorian Government showed leadership in starting the conversation across basin communities.
“In a situation where we can’t stop the Commonwealth entering the market, we must look for options with the least impact on communities and agriculture,” he said.
“The release of this document is the first step, now comes the hard part of working with local communities to find local solutions that protect our farmers and communities.”
Mr Leahy added the Victorian Government was helping deliver some answers to northern Victorian communities in the face of a lack of details coming from Canberra.
“The unknown is how and when the Commonwealth will recover the 450 GL and how much will come from Victoria,” he said.
“The VFF has repeatedly asked the Commonwealth for this information. Tanya Plibersek and her department have refused to respond or simply have no idea.”
The Victorian-released paper points out the impact of water purchases under low, medium and high scenarios. A low scenario could see somewhere between 8- 55 GL purchased across the nine catchments, 55-120 GL under a medium scenario and more than 120 GL in a high scenario.
“Significant Commonwealth purchases of water from irrigators will force channels to be closed down and large numbers of farms to be dried off,” Mr Leahy said.
“Irrigators can expect a 15 per cent increase in water charges if 100 GL is purchased and delivery shares are terminated.
“The Victorian government states that any purchase must be matched with sensible transition support.
“We really need to understand what sensible transition support means, because the Commonwealth is also rolling out lines about structural adjustment. We need to ensure that jobs and people are protected.”
