The organisation established as the key representative group on water issues for the NSW Murray region has joined the long list that is highly critical of the Albanese Government’s approach to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
Murray Regional Strategy Group says the promised flexibility, adaptability and transparency has been “thrown out the door” by new Water Minister Tanya Plibersek, who it says is “hiding behind legislation to force pain on regional communities”.
At the same time, MRSG says her actions will force up food prices and further increase cost of living pressures across the nation.
Its chair, Geoff Moar, said it is hard to comprehend the approach being taken by Ms Plibersek after she visited the region last year and promised that “all options are on the table” for water recovery.
Yet the only option being considered is water buybacks, which are the worst form of recovery in every respect.
Mr Moar said MRSG believes the government should listen to communities, accept the “indisputable evidence” and change its approach.
“The Murray Regional Strategy Group was established at the request of governments to present a unified approach to water policy and management,” Mr Moar said.
“An extraordinary amount of voluntary time has been committed to developing effective solutions that can provide our nation with a balance between water use for productive and environmental use.
“Considering the extreme effort that has been made to work with governments, their departments and agencies and the numerous meetings and workshops that have been held, the manner in which our group and our communities is being treated and ignored is extremely disappointing.”
Community organisations have been almost unanimous in their condemnation of a Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water information session process which took place in Deniliquin last week.
Although Mr Moar received a personal invitation, MRSG did not receive one.
Nor did many other groups which MRSG believes should have been participating.
Mr Moar said some representatives of local organisations who wanted to attend were banned.
He said overall the invitation process was handled poorly, causing confusion and stress in the community.
“It was also unfortunate that some individuals were not allowed to attend.
“Where is the transparency and why wasn’t the major community representative group consulted as the best approach to engage the region?”
Mr Moar said the key message the new federal government and Water Minister do not want to take on board is the proven damage that buybacks cause to our communities.
“Ms Plibersek is hiding behind legislation and taking no notice of the numerous reports which have highlighted the social and economic damage of water buybacks.
“There has been the Sefton Report, the MDBA’s own community profiles and other independent reports which all came to the same basic conclusion.
“What is so disappointing is that the buybacks are unnecessary, which has been discussed many times with government personnel.
“For the benefit of our nation, the minister needs to acknowledge this fact.
“It seems incomprehensible that despite all the evidence, the minister is prepared to barge ahead and tear apart the social fabric of southern New South Wales, while at the same time forcing up food prices across the nation.
“I heard one comment that the current approach is ‘insane and inhumane’, and while that sounds harsh, it is hard to argue against it.”
Mr Moar said a common-sense approach would be to first complete next year’s review of the Basin Plan, to determine whether the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder needs more water and whether or not it can be delivered.
“This would be a far better approach than have more poorly organised government meetings that appear nothing more than a ‘tick a box’ exercise, which deliver the same message but do not address the real issues,” Mr Moar said.
“Our federal government, which promised to be a government of collaboration and for all the people, needs to reassess its approach.”