Stronger stance needed on alternatives

In releasing the plan, the NSW Labor Government said it remains committed to delivering the Murray-Darling Basin Plan “in full in partnership with the Commonwealth and other Basin States, to support thriving ecosystems and economies”.

But it is also highlighted that this must be done to reduce socioeconomic impacts and allow regional communities to prosper, which is why “the New South Wales Government does not support water buybacks”.

But Mrs Dalton said the plan merely suggests several water-saving projects the Minns Government “hopes” the Commonwealth will pursue instead of buybacks.

“This plan is the New South Wales Government’s way of pretending it’s going to protect regional communities when ultimately they won’t,” Mrs Dalton said.

“This so-called plan is just a wish list of projects that don’t stack up and will never be taken up by the Commonwealth.

“If the New South Wales Government really wants to protect regional communities, it needs to ban Commonwealth buybacks from our state, just like Victoria has already done.

“The Victorian government won’t allow buybacks, and Queensland isn’t expected to give up any water under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

“So why is all the pain being put on New South Wales and South Australia?”

Mrs Dalton said the Minns Government can protect regional communities by simply saying it won’t allow buybacks from NSW.

“And let’s not forget the New South Wales Government also has more than 1000 gigalitres of water it controls,” she added.

“Why don’t they offer that to the Commonwealth rather than gutting hard working rural communities?

“It’s time for New South Wales Water Minister Rose Jackson to get serious about protecting the regions.”

NSW Farmers Association water spokesman Richard Bootle said he sees the plan as a “glimmer of hope that intelligent water recovery – rather than blunt buybacks – could be on the table”.

NSW farmers said the plan clearly puts the onus on the Albanese Government to avoid ruinous water buybacks.

It said the scrapping of important legislative protections – designed to ensure towns and businesses would not be killed off due to buybacks under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan – had left farmers and rural communities fearful of widespread socioeconomic devastation.

“We know that every single megalitre of productive water can produce 51,000 potatoes, more than 57,000 apples, or a whopping 21,739 servings of rice,” Mr Bootle said.

“If more and more water is taken away from farmers, we’ll see more and more pressure right through our national food supply chain.

“If the Federal Government executes the rest of their planned buybacks and removes the total 690 gigalitres of water from our basin, the loss in annual profits across irrigated cotton, rice, dairy, and horticulture is predicted to be in the range of $31.6 million.

“Just as concerning is the research from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, which has shown the federal buybacks could cause water prices to spike by $63 a megalitre.

“We have been saying there are better ways to recover water for the Basin Plan, and it’s pleasing to see the New South Wales Government join us in that view.”