24th February 2025
The Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales (NCC), the state's leading environmental advocacy organisation, has welcomed the review of the water rules for Menindee Lakes and the Lower Darling/Baaka River by the Natural Resources Commission.
The review of the Water Sharing Plan for the New South Wales Murray and Lower Darling Regulated Rivers Water Sources 2016 highlights the urgent need to change water-sharing rules in northern NSW to ensure enough water stays in our rivers, allowing them to flow and connect as they must.
"For years, communities have been calling for action while report after report confirms the same truth - too much water is being taken upstream by cotton irrigation," said NCC's Water Campaigner Mel Gray.
This review confirms that water rules introduced by the former government to regulate floodwater extraction are ineffective.
"It's still the wild west of water take out here. The unlimited take of floodwaters will continue even after licencing - all that has happened is billions of dollars of water entitlements have been transferred from public to corporate control.
"Our rivers must have enough water to survive, as required by the Water Management Act.
"The Minns Government must deliver on its promise to restore the Darling/Baaka River and end mass fish kills for good."
