Irrigators have cautiously welcomed the extension of a deadline on plans to find more ways of improving environmental flows in the Murray Darling Basin system, without compromising agriculture.
State and Federal water ministers, meeting in Brisbane, last week agreed on a package of supply, efficiency and constraints measures on the plan’s sustainable diversion limits (SDL’s).
Tallygaroopna dairyfarmer and member of the Australian Dairy Industry Murray Darling Basin taskforce Natalie Akers said there was still more work to be done on the SDLs.
“It’s a step in the right direction - the industry has been arguing for more time and that’s what we have got,” Ms Akers said.
“Farmers on the ground can take some comfort that it gives us some breathing room, although we keep looking to the skies, hoping for rain.”
Ms Akers said it was encouraging ministers had agreed to look at measures, such as carp control, and other ways of increasing river flows.
Prior to the meeting, interest groups called on ministers to maintain environmental standards in implementing the Plan’s baseline target of 2750 gigalitres in SDLs.
The deal means Murray Darling basin states now have another year to come up with measures, which could see the amount of water taken from productive use for environmental flows reduced by a further 500 gigalitres of water.
Ministers were looking to reduce the overall 2750GL environmental water target by up to 650GL, through engineering and infrastructure works.
In a communiqué, the ministers said projects were expected to be completed in the next eight years.
The council agreed to 37 projects to achieve the target, 15 of which have been extensively modelled and were expected to save 370GL.
Deniliquin irrigator and founder of lobby group Speak Up, Shelley Scoullar, said 268GL of Murray Irrigation water entitlements had already been recovered from productive use for environmental flows.
“That's the loss of potential production to our footprint,” Mrs Scoullar said.
“When we were about to plant rice in October we were on nine per cent allocation - prior to the plan we would have had an extra 23.7GL available for productive use.”
Mrs Scoullar said the meeting marked a shift in mindset, that environmental outcomes were based on volumes.
“They are allowing more flexibility and an adaptive component to SDL projects for the plan,” Ms Scoullar said.
“This will provide some relief for the communities impacted by the implementation of the Basin Plan and acknowledges that socioeconomic impacts need to be considered when implementing the plan.
“We hope it helps, it’s not the saviour, but a step in the right direction.”
There is a long way to go, but they believe a meeting on Friday indicated a “shift in mindset” to deliver a more balanced Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
Speak Up spokesperson Shelley Scoullar said Friday’s decision by the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council (MINCO) to provide for a second round of projects under the sustainable diversion limit adjustment mechanism “will provide some relief for communities impacted by the Basin Plan”.
It also acknowledges that socio-economic impacts need to be considered when implementing the plan.
“This is a shift in the mindset that environmental outcomes can only be met with volumes of water.”
She said producers and water advocacy groups had been calling for a more flexible and adaptive approach to the plan’s implementation.
“If we have a Basin Plan based on quality and not quantity, hopefully there will be no need for losers,” Mrs Scoullar said.
She added it was crucial food producers held the maximum amount of water, as rural communities and the nation as a whole were dependent on a vibrant, productive rural sector.
“Our farmers have the capacity to achieve these outcomes and play a huge role in the nation’s transition from the mining boom, but it can only be achieved if we have sufficient water to grow food and fibre.
“We also fully understand the importance of caring for our environment and the need to meet environmental outcomes.
National Irrigators Council Chair Gavin McMahon also welcomed agreement.
Mr McMahon said that “sensible decision” would allow further time for a second round of projects to be developed, in addition to those already put forward, to maximise all supply contributions under the mechanism.
But Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) Healthy Ecosystems Program Manager Jonathan La Nauze said the ministers had delivered mixed results.
La Nauze said irrigators should be happy with the decision, which paved the way for a 500GLs increase in the consumptive pool and unlocked an extra $1.5 billion for efficiency projects.
But he said the health of rivers, fish and waterbirds was less certain, because ministers had decided to delay incorporating an extra 450GLs of environmental water into diversion limits until as late as 2024.
