FAR West NSW’s water shortage crisis is set to be debated on a national scale, after Australian Greens members visited the region this week.
NSW Greens agriculture spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham visited the region on Monday with federal Greens leader Richard Di Natale to view first-hand the effects of a lack of water.
It was the first time Senator Di Natale had visited the Far West, and he said issues in the region were relevant across the state and across the Murray-Darling Basin.
“Access to water is of national significance,” he said. “There is also a lot of anger towards the government about the mismanagement of the Menindee Lakes and Lower Darling, who keep saying the water shortage is because of drought.
“But all of the evidence points to poor management at a state and federal level.
“There are huge cotton irrigation properties upstream, whose water resources look very full. It is unfair that it’s at the cost of landholders downstream, the environment and even potable water for Broken Hill.”
The group toured the Menindee Lakes, which is at 3 per cent of capacity; the Lower Darling, where they had a barbecue on the dry river bed; and finished the day with a community water meeting in Broken Hill, attended by about 100 people.
Sen Di Natale said the long-term water supply solutions proposed by the NSW government were not well supported.
“The community rightly wants surface flows returned to the region,” he said.
“The Lower Darling has not seen surface flows for five months, which locals say is the longest they have ever been without water.
“The Nationals need to decide what their priorities are – foreign-owned companies or the river system, town drinking water and the local businesses that rely on it?”
Local Member for Barwon Kevin Humphries sent a survey out to Broken Hill residents this week, to gauge the level of support for three long-term solutions to secure the city’s water supply.
The letter asked for a preferred option from three shortlisted, which include a pipeline of treated water from SA; a pipeline of raw water from the River Murray to be treated in Broken Hill; and supplementing surface water from the Menindee Lakes system with treated shallow groundwater.
At the meeting and on social media, Broken Hill Menindee Lakes: We Want Action Group spokesman Darryn Clifton said many members were “discontented” with the three options proposed.
“We never asked for any of these suggestions,” he said.
Mr Clifton said their group had strong support for a fourth option – to “restore flows to the Darling River and Menindee Lakes. No Bores. No Pipelines”.
“This is yet another delay by the government on deciding a long-term water solution for the region,” he said.
“I would not be surprised if this gets put off until after the federal election.”
Mr Clifton said it was a big coup to get a major political player to the Far West during an election campaign.
“Many attendees didn’t necessarily agree with some of the Greens’ policies, but it appears to be the only party prepared to stand up for us on the water issue,” he said.
It is estimated there is enough water in the Menindee Lakes to supply Broken Hill until April 2017, after which bore water from Lake Menindee will be used as part of the government’s short-term water solution.
The NSW government said the Menindee Lakes system was experiencing the lowest inflows on record.
“With the short-term water supply secured, the NSW government is determined to take the time needed to ensure the best long-term solution,” its water security update said.
A decision is expected mid-June.
Sen Di Natale’s tour of Vic and NSW regions led into a debate against Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce and Opposition agriculture spokesperson Joel Fitzgibbon in Goulburn, NSW, last night.
- More next week