Victorian Water Minister Harriet Shing has denied there has been any change in her government’s position on water buybacks, after Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek announced funding for a water saving project.
The announcement has been painted, in some circles, as a back-down on Victoria’s strong stand against buybacks.
However, Ms Shing said Victoria’s position had not changed and the government did not support any decision under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan that harms communities and the environment, or puts farmers at risk.
“We will continue to negotiate and advocate for outcomes that do not cause unnecessary harm to them,” she said.
“We welcome the Commonwealth's agreement to finally fund our key environmental projects that will help protect thousands of hectares of Victorian floodplains.”
The Federal Government will help fund the Victorian Murray Floodplain Restoration Project (VMFRP).
The project will provide about 70 Gl to the basin plan’s water recovery targets by removing blockages that stop water flowing into creeks and implement options to manage water effectively and efficiently on the floodplain.
Ms Plibersek has been briefing journalists on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and reinforcing that the Federal Government is attempting to ‘save’ the plan.
The Age journalist Mike Foley is reporting that Ms Plibersek is defying the Victorian Government and ploughing ahead with her pledge to buy more water back from farmers to complete the basin plan and boost the health of the nation’s largest river system.
“The plan was originally set for completion by June this year, but a go-slow by NSW and Victoria on recovering irrigation water entitlements from farmers, as well as large-scale water-saving projects, left the scheme about 750 Gl short of its goal,” Mr Foley said in his report in The Age on Thursday.
Victoria is actually the major contributor to the water recovery program, which has reached 2100 Gl, neither of which was reported by Mr Foley.
Mr Foley said the 750 Gl was equivalent to about two full Lake Eildons flowing down the river each year.
Eildon actually holds 3300 Gl, at full supply level.
Environment Victoria described Ms Plibersek’s announcement as a “new commitment” to the basin plan.
Environment Victoria said the Victorian Government had signalled that it will co-operate, agreeing to the same terms as other states.
“Victoria has been holding out on this new deal to return 450 billion litres of water that was promised for the environment 10 years ago but never delivered,” Environment Victoria’s Rivers and Nature Campaign manager Greg Foyster said.
“Now they’ve finally acknowledged that the Commonwealth has a mandate to get on with the job.”
The National Irrigators Council said the Federal Government’s commitment to fund Victoria's stalled Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism (SDLAM) projects was welcome.
“This crucial step is a win-win for Victoria and basin communities, and has been welcomed by the NIC,” National Irrigators Council chief executive officer Zara Lowien said.
"We welcome Minister Plibersek's renewed commitment to funding the stalled SDLAM projects in Victoria, as this will contribute significantly to achieving government responsibilities towards the basin plan in a manner that avoids the industry and community impacts providing win-wins," Ms Lowien said.