MinCo (or the Ministerial Council) is an annual meeting of the federal and state water ministers to discuss the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
Murray Regional Strategy Group executive officer Shelley Scoullar said the group found out MinCo had been brought forward this year through a news article only days before the meeting.
“We believe the meeting, known as MinCo, is scheduled to take place this Friday, November 27, but we have not been informed,” MRSG said on Tuesday.
MRSG chair Geoff Moar said the lack of consultation from the NSW Government was of particular concern.
“These days we seem to have a ‘top down’ approach where our views are not sought or respected,” Mr Moar said.
Before the basin plan started in 2007, local groups used to work in close collaboration with NSW water bureaucracy.
Mr Moar said the NSW system needed to return to the pre-2007 structure where government servants had healthy relationships with each valley in the state.
“It’s hard to understand how the ministers can negotiate outcomes on our behalf if we have not been given adequate opportunity to engage and communicate our concerns,” Mr Moar said.
State Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed co-chairs the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District Water Leadership Group which performs a similar role to MRSG, only in Victoria.
Ms Sheed said she knew about MinCo’s early date because of GMID Water Leadership Group’s good relationship with Victorian Water Minister Lisa Neville.
“We were advised of the date (by Ms Neville) soon after it was decided about a month ago,” Ms Sheed said.
The information was then passed onto the GMID group’s members.
This follows the pattern most people experienced, where they learnt the date by word of mouth.
MinCo is organised by Federal Water Minister Keith Pitt.
“It would be fair to say the Federal Government didn’t seem to be broadcasting the date,” Ms Sheed said.
“I don’t know why Keith Pitt didn’t make that information available to the public as soon as it is decided.”
Mr Pitt said it was the responsibility of each state water minister to bring issues from their respective areas to the table at the MinCo discussion.
“Despite the restrictions imposed by COVID, I have held countless meetings with stakeholders from all Basin states this year that have provided important feedback,” Mr Pitt said.
“My decisions are focused on putting communities back at the heart of Murray-Darling Basin management".
Mr Moar said MRSG was disappointed in Mr Pitt’s lack of engagement.
“We have been unable to have detailed and meaningful discussions with him,” Mr Moar said.
“I appreciate the impact of COVID-19, but question whether we can continue using the pandemic as an excuse.”
Mr Moar said he hoped MRSG could talk with basin officials and water ministers before MinCo so they could “help prevent further damage to our region”.