22 April 2010

Basin Plan threatens water availability

Around 800 people from across the Murrumbidgee Valley attended last night’s Water Forum held in Griffith to learn about the impending draft Basin Plan due for release mid year. Irrigators, non-irrigators, local business owners and community members were in attendance concerned about the impacts on their livelihoods, families and communities if water is taken out of the Valley under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

The forum was a joint initiative of a number of regional representative groups throughout the Valley including irrigation corporations and commodity groups, local councils and business chambers as well as the peak irrigation bodies NSW Irrigators’ Council and the National Irrigators’ Council. 

Chairman of Murrumbidgee Irrigation, Mrs Gillian Kirkup said “the objective for the forum was to raise awareness and inform our communities about our understanding of the Basin Plan and the key issues it contains including the likelihood of a new cap on water extraction and possible compensation for loss of water.”   

A hypothetical session was run by the CEO of NSW Irrigators’ Council Andrew Gregson with a panel made up of representatives from irrigation, commodity groups, business, farming and local council. Questions from the audience were put to the panel resulting in a diverse and broad discussion platform, which from audience feedback was thought-provoking and well received.

The key messages from panel members and speakers were around the need to ensure there is balance between water for the environment and for food production, that we need to work together and adapt to stay resilient to our changing conditions and we must be involved in the process and hold Government to account for the decisions they make.

Danny O’Brien CEO of the National Irrigators’ Council said “that Government needs to balance the needs of environment, food production, communities and regional development in regional Australia.”

“If 20 or so frontline jobs are lost in a small community, it means nothing to the Government or city public. Yet in the city that would equate to tens of thousands of jobs which would be headline news and on every talkshow program,” said Murray Shaw Chairman of Murrumbidgee Private Irrigators Inc.

The Plan, due for release in July, stands to have the largest single impact on water availability in the Murrumbidgee Valley in the history of water reform.  Despite challenges to be faced by water-dependant communities under the Basin Plan, all panel members agreed that we need to work together.

A question and answer document was available on the night and will be updated and available on all participating organisations’ website.

Ends - For further information regarding this media release, please contact Matthew Linnegar, General Manager Corporate & Customers, Murrumbidgee Irrigation on 02 6962 0200.