Local mayors, an industry body and the federal member of parliament joined forces on Tuesday to lead calls for the return of 38.2 gigalitres of over-recovered water to the Macquarie Valley.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Warren and Narromine shire mayors Milton Quigley and Craig Davies, Macquarie River Food and Fibre (MRFF) CEO, and Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton have called on the Federal Government to return the over-recovered water following the release of the Productivity Commission's review of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
The review has endorsed the Governments Restoring Our Rivers Act which makes amendments to the Plan, one of which is allowing for increased water buybacks.
Warren Shire Council Mayor Milton Quigley believes the Murray-Darling Basin Plan has disadvantaged communities in the Macquarie Valley from day one.
"We've already suffered through 10 years of over-recovery, which has been recognised by past federal water ministers, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and other agencies which all agree the water needs to be returned," Cr Quigley said.
"It's unfair and unreasonable that our small communities shoulder the burden for other valleys in the Murray-Darling Basin that have not contributed their fair share to the Plan.
"Why should our town's economic and social viability be put further at risk than could be reasonably expected?"
The impact water has on the livelihood of towns like Narromine and Warren is not being considered by the Government, according to Narromine Shire Council Mayor Craig Davies.
"Prior to the recent amendments, the Basin Plan set equitable targets based on sound socio-economic tests," Cr Davies said.
"Retention or re-purposing over-recovered water from the Macquarie by the Federal Government fails those tests on all measures.
"The inequity of this situation must be resolved immediately to stop the decade-long economic hardship felt by our communities."
As of December 31, 2023, 38.2GL had been over-recovered in the Macquarie-Castlereagh catchment.
Member for Parkes Mark Coulton believes this equates to approximately $90 million of lost production per year at the farm gate alone.
"The Productivity Commission report just further validates Labor's plans to recover the 450 gigalitres of additional environmental water," Mr Coulton said.
"Water Minister Tanya Plibersek has indicated that she has no intention of returning over-recovered water back into production which is very concerning for Basin communities in my electorate.
"Communities in the northern Basin have already been gutted by water buybacks and the over-recovery of water.
"They've done more than their fair share of the heavy lifting and cannot afford to lose any more productive water - water that is used to grow the crops that help feed our country."
