Diversion project deadline may require flexibility, says Victoria

A recent independent assessment of the status of the Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism projects, commissioned by the Commonwealth, concluded delivering all projects by 2024 was not achievable.

"Victoria has delivered all our obligations to date under the Basin Plan and is committed to continuing to deliver on Basin Plan outcomes," acting Water Minister Richard Wynne said.

"We are working hard on our projects that contribute to the 605 gigalitres of offsets and fully expect 19 of the 22 we are involved in will enter operation by 2024.

"The Commonwealth needs to show flexibility around the 2024 deadline - as the Productivity Commission recommended."

Mr Wynne said Victoria didn't want to see the risk of any buybacks.

"And we won't ride roughshod over our communities to deliver projects without proper process," he said.

Victoria had been the only state to identify additional water recovery projects, including one for the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District.

The Murray River Group of Councils has also asked Water Ministers, who will meet virtually on Thursday, to agree to a clear pathway for achieving the total 605GL of environmental benefits from the SDLAMs.

"Considering the massive changes that have occurred since the Water Act, and some of the difficulties we have gone through, those SDLAM projects do wonderful environmental good," MRGC chair Councillor Jason Modica said.

"We really need to know they are going to happen and happen on time."

He said most of the MRGC communities were opposed to buybacks.

"The timeline needs to be flexible, but we also need to be able to apply pressure," he said.

"Yes, we want flexibility, but also an understanding they will go ahead."

Ongoing development along the Murray River was also an issue.

"I take my hat off to Victoria for putting a moratorium on new plantings, and I think the other states should think about that too.

"They are all interlinked, it's not just the one thing."

Cr Modica said as things stood, the Commonwealth would have to step in and recover the shortfall through buybacks.

"But Mr Pitt has said no more buybacks, so what's the plan?"

"We appreciate that the Commonwealth is pushing for the projects to be completed on time and is encouraging the states to work faster, but the work needing to be done is scientifically detailed and requires careful discussion with affected communities.

"No-one wants corners cut on engaging with communities due to an arbitrary deadline put in place a decade ago or the science to be ignored because it takes time to get right."

Cr Modica said no one knew what would happen if a project was withdrawn because it couldn't meet community expectations, the science needed more detail, or if works just couldn't be completed by 2024.

"This issue needs to be resolved, and now is the time", Cr Modica said.

"If we do it right, this is going to set us up for the next 50 years of sustainable horticulture and agriculture.

"We urge all ministers to work constructively to find a way forward that will provide certainty to communities and enable the full 605GL worth of environmental benefits to be delivered by the SDLAM projects."

The Victorian Farmers Federation has also called for more clarity around the introduction of the SDLAMs.

But federal Water Minister Keith Pitt said with three years still to go, it was too early to be talking about what couldn't be achieved through offset projects under the Basin Plan.

"Our efforts and focus must be to maximise the outcomes from the package of measures within the existing legislative framework," Mr Pitt said.

"MinCo provides a good opportunity to work with states and territories with a focus on what we can deliver, rather than what they say they can't achieve."

He said that was why the Water Efficiency Programhad been shut down to divert more than $1.4 billion towards off-farm projects.