Concerned stakeholders in the Southern Riverina have come together to take a united stance against proposed water buybacks as part of the Water Amendment (Restoring our Rivers) Bill 2023, expected to be voted on in the Senate later this year.
Members of Edward River Council, Murray Regional Strategy Group, Southern Riverina Irrigators, Sunrice, Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre, Murray Irrigation Limited, Murray Valley Private Diverters, National Farmers Federation, Ricegrowers Association of Australia and NSW Irrigators' Council say that the Bill in its current form is unacceptable and has the potential to decimate rural agricultural communities.
If the Water Amendment Bill is passed into legislation in its present form, the Murray Darling Basin Plan will be amended to reintroduce water buybacks from farmers.
The Southern Riverina stakeholders' group are united in their opposition to the reintroduction of water buy-backs, which will put livelihoods and communities at risk, erode food security and add to cost-of-living pressures for all Australians.
They believe that the Water Amendment Bill has been rushed into Parliament without proper process and consultation.
They also fear that the environmental waterflows proposed under changes to the Basin Plan will mean that some areas would be in a permanent flood condition.
The Stakeholders group supports the environmental outcomes that the Australian Government aims to achieve through the Basin Plan but believes there are better ways to deliver the positive environmental outcomes without resorting to buybacks.
"The Government must abandon buybacks in favour of complementary measures and other options that will make a real difference to river health without causing further hardship to Basin communities." said Claire Miller, CEO of NSW Irrigators' Council.
The stakeholders group maintain that the government can instead fund measures which directly benefit the environment, including fish breeding programs, fishways, carp eradication and bank restoration.
The stakeholders group urge the government to continue investing in alternative water-saving and efficiency projects; and to ensure that the important protections in the current legislation, designed to mitigate the social and economic impacts of water recovery, be maintained.
David Crew, Manager of Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre urged the government to take a more collaborative approach and ensure the issues and rights of Indigenous people are considered.
"In making decisions we ask that Governments take care to manage impacts on local communities and work in partnership with them to create sustainable practices." said Mr Crew.
Edward River Council has made a submission to Local Government NSW, requesting that they call on the Australian Government to acknowledge that water buyback has a detrimental effect upon local communities.
