Govt funding ‘offensive’, ‘grossly inadequate’

These were among a vast range of messages delivered to the NSW Government inquiry into the impact of buybacks on regional communities, which hosted a hearing at the Deniliquin Town Hall on Tuesday.

There were also calls to ‘slow down’ or ‘pause’ water buybacks until the benefits of additional environmental water can be balanced against the social and economic impacts, especially on regional communities like Deniliquin.

Representatives from numerous community, business and farming groups addressed the hearing, which had previously received more than 100 submissions.

Presenters to the hearing, or ‘witnesses’ as they were called, appeared to be caught out by its format. Many were expecting to give a 10 to 15 minute presentation in their allotted timeslot, but instead were told they only had 90 seconds to speak and would then be asked questions by members of the panel, which comprised NSW state politicians.

Edward River Council Mayor Ashley Hall and CEO Jack Bond were the first ‘witnesses’ and answered questions, as well as providing written statements to the hearing.

They strongly opposed water buybacks, highlighting the adverse effects on the community, but also said there were opportunities with adequate funding and collaboration to “shape the future”.

The uncertainty created by buybacks and their impact was a common theme throughout the hearing.

Deniliquin Business Chamber representative Rob Brown said buybacks and water reform, with unresponsive consultation, had damaged investor confidence.

However, businesses had survived thanks to entrepreneurial persistence, endeavour and innovation, and there had also been start-ups and new businesses locating to Deniliquin.

He said a positive step would be to “slow down and identify what are the benefits and negative impacts” of water buybacks, with the latter including collapse of river banks, rivers becoming channels, flood risk and food security.

“Maybe it’s time to pause and have a look (at these negative impacts),” he said.

“On the flipside, we could look at what has been achieved in terms of water efficiency on farm and the joint gains, commercially and environmentally, from reconnecting waterways.

“But we’ve tried to address in 10 years what occurred over 200 years. It’s time we slowed down and said, ‘what can we learn from what we’ve done and how can we recognise the good bits’.”

Mr Brown has also suggested a well resourced community-based hub to strengthen community capability.

The transition to a community with less water could involve payroll tax or worker’s compensation reductions, low cost electricity, easier development processes and increasing childcare places to attract young families.

Robbie Sefton, founder of Sefton & Associates, was scathing in her criticism of the nation’s water policy which she described as “some of the worst policy we have in Australia”. She said it was not improving, with lack of leadership from politicians around the impacts of this policy.

Ms Sefton described the government’s $300 million adjustment package as “offensive” and “grossly inadequate”, and highlighted the importance of communities being involved and invested in decision-making.

Murray Irrigation CEO Ron McCalman, Southern Riverina Irrigators CEO Sophie Baldwin, and SunRice Chair Laurie Arthur and CEO Paul Serra also addressed the morning session of the hearing.

In its submission, MIL said the best ‘adjustment’ approach is for governments to avoid any further large-scale water recovery.

It said there was strong evidence that large-scale water buybacks are no longer necessary and that projects such as its ‘Restoring Our Rivers’ can be more effectively implemented through smart, innovative projects that deliver targeted outcomes in a way that also ensures the long-term sustainability of regional communities.

SRI said the push by former Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek and the Albanese Government to secure an additional 450 gigalitres through the Water Amendment legislation in 2023 would “go down as one of the most destructive pieces of policy in the history of the nation”.

“It rips the heart out of the food bowl of the nation and will cripple the country socially and economically. It puts the security of staple food production at risk and leaves a once thriving and self-sufficient agricultural industry in tatters,” it said.

SunRice CEO Paul Serra told the hearing the current legislation is putting the future of the NSW rice industry at risk.

He said SunRice group employs more than 2200 people including 500 in the Deniliquin and Leeton areas.

“Our payments to the region exceed $½ billion annually for procurement of rice and manufacturing of high value food goods that we sell around the world,” he said.

The hearing was told the industry is “at tipping point” and also highlighted that the $160 million NSW share of the Sustainable Communities Program was “grossly inadequate”.

After a lunch break at the hearing, speakers included Roger Knight representing Western Murray Land Improvement Group, Trevor Clark from Yanco Creek and Tributaries Advisory Council, and Howard Jones, the chair of NSW South-West Water Users Association.

The inquiry panel held another hearing on Wednesday in Griffith.