Water

Hopes fade as public release of Keelty report nears

Farmers and irrigators are hoping a report submitted by Murray-Darling Basin water resources interim inspector-general Mick Keelty will provide them with some reprieve, but hopes are fading fast. The report was handed to Federal Water Minister Keith...

Rodney Woods

Call to suspend basin plan as coronavirus stops consultation meetings

In this time of national crisis, it is essential we re-evaluate how we can efficiently use scarce water resources to support and protect our nation, according to Upper Goulburn River Catchment Association spokesperson Jan Beer. Mrs Beer, from Ye...

Rodney Woods

G-MW offers support to customers struggling due to COVID-19

Goulburn-Murray Water has assured its customers it will continue the same standard of water service during the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The corporation has announced it is implementing a number of additional precautions to make sure customers...

Liz Mellino

G-MW offers support to customers struggling due to COVID-19

Goulburn-Murray Water has assured its customers it will continue the same standard of water service during the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The corporation has announced it is implementing a number of additional precautions to make sure customers...

Liz Mellino

NSW Farmers Association wants more consultation on water plans

NSW Farmers Association is calling for more extensive community consultation on the Water Sharing Plans and Water Resource Plans for eight surface water areas across the state. NSW Water Minister Melinda Pavey unexpectedly announced on March 3 that...

Rodney Woods

Irrigators urged to have their say on Water for Fodder program

The Federal Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment is reviewing round one of the Water for Fodder program. In addition to feedback already received, the review includes an online survey for irrigators and members of the public. The...

Rodney Woods

Fireworks in the water debate

State Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh has ruled out a royal commission into the controversial Murray-Darling Basin Plan. Mr Walsh and Southern Irrigators chairman Chris Brooks have gone head-to-head in a debate on issues of water trading...

Cassandra Power

Mild conditions deliver small lift in final seasonal determinations

The final seasonal determinations for 2019-20 have been released, with the bigger systems recording small increases and the smaller systems remaining stagnant. As of April 1, the Murray system increased from 65 per cent of high-reliability water...

Rodney Woods

Work together, VFF urges

By Andrew Leahy (VFF Water Council deputy chairman) and Paul Mundy (VFF Water Council member) It is unfortunate that the Victorian Farmers Federation again needs to spend time in setting the record straight. The Northern Victorian Irrigation...

Country News

SRI and Sussan Ley disagree over health of Barmah-Millewa Forest

Southern Riverina Irrigators chair Chris Brooks has called for answers to vital questions about environmental damage along the Murray River. Mr Brooks says it is imperative that Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley takes seriously the damage...

Rodney Woods

Understanding unused water options

By Charmaine Quick, Goulburn-Murray Water managing director With so much uncertainty in our daily lives as a result of COVID-19, I am pleased to assure our customers that at Goulburn-Murray Water, business as usual is our current mantra and reliable...

Country News

NSW lags behind delivery of water resource plans

The considerable effort in recent months by basin state governments to complete and put in place their water resource plans is reflected in the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s latest quarterly progress report. The authority’s acting executive...

Rodney Woods

Don’t delay Keelty report, says Sheed

There should be no delay to releasing the report of Murray-Darling Basin water resources interim inspector-general Mick Keelty’s inquiry into water sharing arrangements between the states, according to State Member for Shepparton Suzann...

James Bennett

Taxpayers pay for change of plans to water department transfers

A last-minute cancellation of plans to transfer water bureaucrats between Federal Government departments cost taxpayers $365 000. After the May 2019 federal election, the government decided to remove water staff from the agriculture...

AAP Newswire

Federal Labor criticises delays in giving powers to basin plan inspector-general

Federal Labor has labelled the man in charge of policing water theft across the Murray-Darling Basin a “tough cop without any weapons”. At Senate estimates recently, senior bureaucrats were grilled about the delay in legislating powers for the...

AAP Newswire

Broken system finally gets allocation

The Broken River irrigation system has finally been handed an allocation, while the recent rain also saw significant increases in other systems.

Rodney Woods

Farmers fear for their family’s future

Woodleigh at Gonn (near Barham in NSW) has been home to the McDonald family for a century. Current custodians and third-generation farmers Glen and Kendell McDonald are wondering if they will be the last. The 1000 ha mixed farming property...

Sophie Baldwin

Farmer is running for rain

Luke Barlow is jumping for joy after his Bunnaloo mixed farm received 62 mm of rain last week. But he he will have to work out how to turn jumping into running after pledging on Facebook to run a kilometre for every millimetre of rain his property received.

Sophie Baldwin

Farmers welcome early autumn rainfall

Cropping and dairy farmers were jumping for joy after rainfall gave autumn a kick-start this week. ««March 5»» From 9 am on Wednesday, March 4 to 3 pm on Thursday, March 5, Kyabram saw 66.8 mm of...

Jamieson Salter