The Federal Government believes it has the answer to the Murray-Darling Basin’s needs. But for City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali, there are so many more questions.
The Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act was introduced to Federal Parliament last year to implement changes to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, including recovering 450 Gl of additional environmental water.
But river communities are bracing for a buyback program that could strip agriculture of productive water.
Speaking on the banks of the Goulburn River, Cr Sali criticised the proposal to remove a further 450 Gl from irrigation communities.
He said the unanswered questions included: “How much water will be removed from the southern basin? Where will this water be purchased from? What is the process after consultation? What is the plan for compensation for communities?”
The Federal Government’s bill has been slammed by Greater Shepparton City Council for lacking detail and for potentially stripping water from the regions.
Council released its submission to the draft Restoring our Rivers amendment to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan on Wednesday, March 27.
A draft framework was released outlining three programs the Federal Government would establish to deliver the water targets, along with three principles which will guide the approach to water recovery: enhance environmental outcomes, minimise socio-economic impacts and achieve value for money.
“Council supports the draft framework’s intention, however, it fails to detail the location, type and magnitude of the environmental enhancements and the amount of water required from the southern basin, including the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District,” Cr Sali said.
“Water is at the heart of everything our region does and we need further information to fully understand the draft framework and exactly where and how the 450 Gl of water will be taken.”
Councillor and Murray Darling Association Region 2 chair, Geoff Dobson, said the framework and modelling did not include important details such as how much water is to be removed from the southern basin, how the recovery of 450 Gl of water would be monitored within communities, how funding would be calculated and allocated to assist with transition, and how the funding would support affected communities as a result of buybacks.
Cr Dobson also referred to the damage that would be caused to the rivers when excessive levels of water were pushed down the stream beds.
Cr Sali said Ms Plibersek had been invited to visit Greater Shepparton on multiple occasions however, “disappointingly”, the offer had not been taken up.
A total of 2100 Gl has already been recovered for the environment under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.