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NIC Media
Auditor General report of buybacks shows a well-paved road, but to where?
19 February 2025, Canberra, ACT – The release of the Auditor General’s report[1] of
the Federal Government’s water buybacks finds the Government implemented a well-paved road of effective process but struggled to find the
link between the buyback program and the intended policy objectives for the Murray Darling Basin Plan.
“Many will glance at the key findings of effective process and give the Government a pat on the back, but the devil is in the detail when
the report goes on to question the link between the buyback program and the intended policy objectives for the environment” said National
Irrigators’ Council CEO, Ms Lowien.
“It found that the buyback program, designed to bridge the gap between current diversions and the Basin Plan’s Sustainable Diversion Limits
(SDLs), was a well-paved road but questions, to where?”, said Ms Lowien.
“Achieving Sustainable Diversion Limits in the Basin was the centrepiece of the Basin Plan, but achieving the broader environmental
objectives requires going beyond just adding water,”
“Government reporting indicates that SDLs are enforced[2] and
being achieved[3]–
so it’s fair to ask the question, as the Auditor General infers, why is the Government buying more water and not investing in other
solutions?” said Ms Lowien.
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Media
Media snippets (not endorsements):
- Water allocations face potential shake-up with climate review under way [HERE]
- Minister Plibersek concedes that the accreditation of water resource plan is unlawful [HERE]
- These Traditional Owners are demanding that First Nations voices are heard on water [HERE]
- Buybacks inquiry launched [HERE]
- Landholders want to see changes to water basin plan [HERE]
- Farmers fear forced flood easements [HERE]
- MDBA plans for year ahead [HERE]
- Research confirms environmental water supports “nerve system” of Narran Lakes (Dharriwaa) [HERE]
Read More
Water bill increases proposed
Proposals by Water NSW and WAMC would result in water prices to increase by 170% within five years. “Here in the Gwydir valley, we grow
pecans, oranges for fruit juice, as well as cotton, all of which is at risk due to these exorbitant proposed price hikes,” Mr Cush said.
“But this is not just about farmers – households in Moree and other towns will also be hit through council water utilities, as well as other
water licence holders like local golf clubs, rugby and cricket grounds and children’s parks.”
Telemetry uplift program
The Telemetry Uplift Program aims to assist eligible water users in the Murray-Darling Basin with compliance to the metering rules, to
ensure water taken from inland regional water sources is extracted fairly, equitably and according to the rules.
By opting in to the program, eligible water users will be offered free telemetry devices, including a local intelligence device (LID) and
data logger.
The $10.5 million Australian Government funded program will benefit over 2,500 eligible water users.
Register your interest by 31 March 2025 to receive further information and make sure you don’t miss out.
National Water Grid Fund
| The NSW Government is calling for expressions of interest to participate in the Australian Government’s next round of National Water Grid funding applications, likely in June 2025. |
|
The National Water Grid initiative makes funding available for priority water infrastructure projects to improve the reliability and
security of water for Australia’s regional and remote towns, agriculture and primary industry sectors. Expressions of interest for the next funding round must be submitted no later than 11:00 pm (AEDT) on Thursday 27 February 2025, to allow sufficient time to prepare proposals and for the Water Group to have further discussions with proponents. |
Water NSW, DCCEEW and NRAR pricing proposal
The pricing proposals put to IPART for review by Water NSW and Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (WAMC) in November 2024 are we
believe excessive. The GVIA have made submissions on both proposals and have had a one on one meeting with the IPART WAMC and WaterNSW
regional and rural water price review teams to discuss our concerns. The team at NSWIC have also prepared a submission and held a meeting
with IPART.
Submissions to the IPART Issues paper are available here
NSWIC Monthly Newsletter
Please find included a link to the January newsletter from the NSWIC.
- Federal election
- Basin Plan is working
- Proposed wetlands in inland WSPs
- National Water Agreement
- Review of rural water pricing
CA Meeting with Qld Govt on NAW
Meeting with Qld Water Minister Ann Leahy
Cotton Australia, National Irrigators' Council and Border Rivers Food and Fibre, met with the Hon Ann Leahy, QLD Minister for Local Government and Water, to discuss the proposed National Water Agreement (NWA) and provide insights into matters of concern.
Cotton Australia General Manager Michael Murray acknowledged that the current public draft of the agreement was much improved on previous versions released throughout last year, but there were still matters of significant concern and an overriding question as to what benefit signing the agreement would bring to a state like Queensland.
“Given the states are being asked to sign this agreement, but no money has been put on the table, it is hard to see why a state would voluntarily limit some of its decision-making capacity and commit significant resources to developing implementation plans, even if the proposed NWA was a good document that could be supported by stakeholders,” Mr Murray said.
Key areas of concern include:
- The inclusion of the statement giving Indigenous Australians a concept of “Free, Prior and Informed Consent,” but no clarity on what this actually means within the context of water management, despite the glossary section assuring that it does not mean a right of veto.
- The retention of the Risk Assignment framework (currently in the National Water Initiative) that allows, under some circumstances, the recovery of water from entitlement holders without compensation, where industry holds that if water recovery is required, it should be through market-based mechanisms.
- A lack of recognition of the importance of irrigated agriculture in the draft.
- Inclusion of a clause encouraging jurisdictions to move towards “Upper Bound” pricing, fortunately something Queensland rejects.
Cotton Australia will continue to work with the National Irrigators' Council, National Farmers Federation, Queensland Farmers Federation, and NSW Irrigators' Council to provide feedback to the federal and state governments on how this draft agreement can be improved. Read More
NSWIC December Newsletter
Please find included the link to the NSWIC December newsletter.
The GVIA work closely with the NSWIC to ensure we are able to advocate as strongly as possible for our members. This partnership will
continue into 2025, and we thank our members for supporting the NSWIC through their levees.
Issues covered in the newsletter include: Water pricing, the National Water Agreement, WSP and MDBA Constraints roadmap.
7News story on wetland classification
Included is the link to the 7 News regional from Thursday 9th January, where NSW National Party leader Dougal Saunders and Macquarie Food and Fibre Executive Officer Michael Drum talk about the implications from the proposals to add hundreds of newly prescribed wetlands into unregulated Water Sharing Plans across the state.
The media talks about lack of consultation with landholders, implications for property sales and valuations and the use of remote sensing to identify the sites in question. It raises the need for compensation where there are impacts to landholders ability to run their
businesses.
Temporary Ground Water Tender Available
1 x 38 ML (megalitres) of Lower Gwydir Groundwater allocation for sale. You can bid in price/megalitre by emailing gvia@gvia.org.au before 5pm Friday 28th February 2025. The buyer will be required to cover the WaterNSW application and dealing fees and the GVIA transaction fee of $55.00 (Inc GST). Please note as of July 2024, there have been changes to the process for tiaging and assessing groundwater temporary trades. More information is available here.
Read More
Lower Gwydir Channel Capacity Constraints
Gwydir Valley Channel Capacity Constraints
6 January 2025: WaterNSW advises customers on the Gwydir River below Tyreel Weir that demand may exceed channel capacity in mid-January and throughout the remainder of the irrigation season.Water demand on the Lower Gwydir recently exceeded delivery capacity, resulting in temporary water delivery shortfalls in lower reaches of the Gwydir.
Customers are encouraged to extract water only at ordered rates and only ordered volumes.
Whilst current water orders and subsequent delivery forecast does not indicate a return to demand exceeding delivery capacity in the immediate future, it is anticipated that delivery constraints will occur throughout late January and early February 2025.
Rostering of available channel capacity will occur if a return to demand exceeding available capacity occurs as was last experienced in January 2018.
Water orders can be placed by accessing iWAS at waternsw.com.au/iwas
Water ordering information can be found at the WaterNSW website Ordering water - WaterNSW
For account enquiries please contact 1300 662 077.
More information: Visit WaterInsights to view announcements and sign up for notifications at waterinsights.waternsw.com.au.
Issued by: Water Operations North