How is NSW planning to feed projected population growth in 50 years time?

Chair of the West Berrquin irrigators, Shelley Scoullar, spoke about the frustration of some members at attempting to implement water saving efficiencies reliant on telecommunication technology but, due to poor services, are unable to receive full benefits.  An outlay of more than $50,000 has been spent by one family due to this conundrum of not being able to demonstrate the benefits which, in turn, impacts on their water availability, reliability and affordability.

Ms Scoullar challenged the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s social and economic impacts on the region claiming they had been grossly underestimated.

“The MDBA stated there would be a loss of around $800m and 800 jobs when the water recovery had been completed. However, industry analysis shows a minimum loss of of to $2 billion in gross regional production and the loss of between 5000 and 8000 jobs”.

“This was proven in the recent northern Basin Review and the independent study undertaken for the Goulburn Murray irrigation district late in 2016”.

“According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, each Megalitre of water produces $1900 worth of goods. Murray Irrigation has seen 28 per cent of its water resource returned to environmental flows which equals around $1.9 billion in lost potential production for NSW (on a full allocation)”.

“The population of NSW is estimated to be 35 per cent higher in 2070 and I ask, where is the food coming from to feed everyone?  The 1047.7 GL already recovered from NSW could have been used to grow around 900,000 tonnes of rice, or, 1.2 billion litres of milk (or 5 billion lattes), or 1.5 million tonnes of wheat and transformed into 2.5 billion loaves of bread”.

Ms Scoullar added, “It is critical for NSW to have a well thought out plan in order to provide for this huge increase in population.  Will there be adequate resources to capture water in urban areas? Is there a plan to accommodate tourism, cultural, housing, educational and social needs for everyone across the State?”

Another issue raised in the West Berriquin Irrigator’s submission was that of the price of water due to recovery through buybacks. Prices per ML had risen by around 25 per cent and, with many more players in this market place now including corporate agriculture and investment companies, playing the water market is almost a full-time profession. Ms Scoullar said the average family farming enterprise is at a disadvantage with limited time, resources and often, internet connection, to devote to constantly monitoring the market.

:The Plan isn’t working and it is time for a review. My colleagues and I hope that by meeting with the politicians our realities are conveyed so they fully understand what is happening here, on the ground, every day, as a result of water policies”, Ms Scoullar concluded.