The Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Bill 2023 will allow the Federal Government to go ahead with water buybacks to meet what it says are shortfalls in the basin plan.
Farmers, community groups, local government and rural lobby groups across southern NSW and northern Victoria are opposed to the changes, arguing a return to water buybacks will devastate the region.
In a joint statement issued on Monday morning, Federal Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek and Greens Environment and Water Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young said after a decade of neglect and sabotage by the Liberals and Nationals, “the basin plan is completely off-track”.
“The previous government let communities down, let industry down, and have failed to protect the environment,” they said.
“It’s critical that legislation to rescue the basin plan passes this year. With another drought around the corner, we must get vital water back into the rivers and onto the floodplains.
“We’re pleased Labor and the Greens have worked together to identify ways to strengthen the legislation before the parliament to get the plan back on track.”
These include:
- Ensuring the government recovers the 450 Gl of additional environmental water by December 31, 2027.
- Giving the Commonwealth the power to withdraw state government infrastructure projects that are deemed unviable, to ensure they are focused on delivering projects that stack up and will meet the targets of the plan.
- Tasking the Inspector-General of Water Compliance to undertake an independent audit to the water allocate to the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder.
- Increasing accountability measures by publishing public information about the status of projects and delivery of the 450 Gl of water for the environment.
- An amendment to ensure the plan acknowledges and adequately outlines First Nations people’s connection, history and water needs.
- Boosting funding for the Aboriginal Water Entitlement Program (AWEP) to $100 million.
- Mandatory reporting to demonstrate how environmental water holders have considered First Nations values and uses, and involved First Nations in environmental watering decisions.
- Ensuring the flexibility to allow additional water recovery in the northern basin.
- Any water recovered from the northern basin will deliver environmental outcomes that improve resilience of the Darling-Baaka to protect precious habitat and help avoid risk of devastating events like mass fish deaths.
Ms Plibersek and Senator Hanson-Young said as the report of the Senate’s Environment and Communications Legislation Committee into the bill identified, there are a number of outstanding issues that will need to be addressed in the plan’s next phase including First Nations connections, delivery of water resource plans, and climate change.
“The legislation is set for debate in the Senate this week. This is an important step in ensuring its passage, and delivering a healthy basin for the future,” they said.
Ms Plibersek said she had “made clear from the start that I am determined to deliver the Murray-Darling Basin Plan”.
“This is a critical time for our environment — I don’t want communities to wake up one day with a dry river and know their governments could have done more,” she said.
“That’s why I have been clear I’m willing to work with all parties who are interested in getting the best outcome for the basin.
“We know better decisions are made when the government works collaboratively with others. I welcome the constructive engagement by Senator Hanson-Young on this matter.
“We’re talking about the largest inland river system in Australia, supporting threatened plants and animals and delivering drinking water for three million Australians. We have to get this right.
“Not delivering this is simply not an option. We want to make sure we have a healthy and sustainable river system for the communities, industry, First Nations groups and environment that rely on it.”
Senator Hanson-Young said the Greens had “secured a critical lifeline for the Murray-Darling Basin”.
“This is a significant win for the environment and river communities to stop our rivers running dry.
“The Greens have secured a guarantee in law that the environment will finally receive the 450 Gl of water needed to protect our precious river system.
This breakthrough agreement will deliver more water for the river across the entire basin, north and south.
“This is a landmark win for South Australia after more than a decade fighting for the water needed to protect the Coorong, Lower Lakes and to keep the Murray Mouth open.
“As part of this agreement, the Greens have secured an independent audit of water in the basin to stop the rorts, inject integrity and restore trust after a decade of mismanagement from vested interests.
“This breakthrough agreement will help protect the river from over-extraction, mass fish kills and environmental degradation as El Niño, drought and climate change threaten.”
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