They are concerned the Federal Government is pursuing further water buybacks while the Basin Plan Review is ongoing, despite the review discussion paper acknowledging that in much of the Basin, further water is not the answer to ecological problems.
MRSG members say the fact the government purchased $276 million of water in May, at the same time as the national debt is rising and the rest of Australia is facing cost of living pressures, is a “slap in the face” to many of these communities.
MRSG represents farmers, industry and community, and says it’s time the government “stops this blind pursuit of water buybacks and starts working with the community on practical solutions that will deliver outcomes”.
MRSG has tried to reason with decision-makers for eight years, developing solutions and committing to a collaborative approach to deliver a better Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
But Chairman Geoff Moar said the lack of desire for effective change to deliver a Basin Plan that is in the best interests of all Australians is frustrating - to the point of disillusion and giving up all hope.
“We have remained consistent with our messaging over the last eight years,” he said.
“Further water recovery will not fix ecological problems that require specific and localised solutions and infrastructure investments, such as in South Australia or the Darling River.
“The Basin Plan is failing our communities and our nation, but governments are more interested in playing politics than fixing the problems.
“As a result, food production continues to decline and therefore the cost of fresh, clean Australian produce continues to rise in our supermarkets.
“Generational landholders who rely on being custodians of their land for ongoing viability are ignored by politicians and bureaucrats in capital cities who have proven their limited knowledge of either farming or water management.
“It doesn’t matter how many viable solutions are offered to protect farmers, communities and food prices, they are ignored. We are at a loss trying to understand why our political leaders are intent on leading Australia down a path where our food sustainability is compromised.
“Unless we see change, in years to come Australians will be eating more imported food than what we grow in our own country. Our forefathers who helped set up this great food producing nation must be turning in their graves.”
Mr Moar said an area of particular concern is water buybacks, which are destroying food production and rural communities.
MRSG’s calls to halt buybacks has intensified since the Murray-Darling Basin Authority acknowledged that acquiring more water through buybacks would have limited environmental benefit.
“This is basic, common-sense stuff,” Mr Moar said.
“Why would we continue spending hundreds of millions of dollars on buybacks when all the evidence tells us the environment doesn’t need this water?
“When we ask the MDBA to approach the government about a moratorium until the Basin Plan Review is complete, we get an ‘it’s not our job’ sort of reply. This is from an agency that has a statutory requirement to provide advice to the Minister.
“Our only conclusion is that the Basin Plan is purely about politics and nothing to do with the environment,.”
This was further emphasised with the introduction of former Water Minister Tanya Plibersek’s legislation in 2023, which removed the protection for communities and the ‘triple bottom line’ approach to the Basin Plan, which these communities were promised during its drafting and initial implementation.
“Without removing the neutrality test, which was part of the Plibersek legislation, current Water Minister Murray Watt would not be able to pursue the additional 450 gigalitres and, along the way, destroy farmers and the communities which rely on them. Again, we have been out-manoeuvred by politics,” Mr Moar said.
“We try to remain positive and present solutions, but we are being treated with contempt by a system that is focused on votes, power and personal gain, rather than delivering the best outcomes for our nation. The frustration is palpable,” Mr Moar said.
