Urgent water call

Federal Member for Farrer David Farley, NSW Member for Murray Helen Dalton and Edward River Council Mayor Ashley Hall have all called for urgent intervention, arguing that unused water held by governments should be made available to support agricultural production this season.

Mr Farley said the region was poised for a rice season but was being held back by what he described as administrative inaction.

“The ground around Deniliquin is locked into the starting gate. The paddocks are worked up, the bays are laid out, and the seed is booked,” he said.

“The microeconomics have been run, temporary water prices add up, the private capital is fully exposed, and the labour pool is waiting.

“The entire physical supply chain is primed.

“But one variable is missing: a signature from three specific nodes in the state and federal executive framework.”

Mr Farley said Federal Environment and Water Minister Murray Watt, NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe and NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson needed to authorise the release of water before the planting opportunity closed.

“Mother Nature operates an absolute demographic and biological clock,” he said.

“That means it does not issue extensions for ongoing departmental reviews, and it does not reopen for parliamentary consultation.”

Mr Farley warned the loss of the season could result in between 80,000 and 110,000 tonnes of rice production being forfeited, potentially rising to 150,000 tonnes under peak conditions.

“This is sovereign food security, Australian commodity volume destined for domestic supermarket shelves and high-yield export markets, left completely unproduced,” he said.

He also estimated the immediate loss of 230 to 270 jobs across farming, local businesses and rice processing if production did not proceed.

Meanwhile, Ms Dalton said governments were holding more environmental water than required under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan while farming communities faced reduced production and economic hardship.

“Government’s currently control in excess of 4600 gigalitres of water, well above the basin plans water holdings of 3200GL,” she said.

“The federal and state governments are hoarding water in dams and have more water than they know what to do with.

“Meanwhile farming families are underproducing and communities are suffering.”

Ms Dalton pointed to the recent reduction in rice production, noting SunRice had laid off workers and national rice output was forecast to decline.

“Why do we have all this water held in dams that isn’t being used across the state, when farmers are being forced to slash production?” she said.

“Surely, the logical approach would be to make this water available to irrigators so we can get our food production levels back up to normal.”

She also urged Minister Watt and Minister Jackson to “act immediately”.

Adding to the calls, Cr Hall said Deniliquin could not afford another setback after recent job losses at the Deniliquin rice mill.

“I strongly support David Farley's call for immediate action to secure water for the 2026 rice season,” Cr Hall said.

“Deniliquin has already suffered the loss of 68 jobs at the Rice Mill, dealing a significant blow to local families and businesses.

“Our community simply cannot afford further job losses resulting from a failure to provide the water needed for rice production.”

Cr Hall said the rice industry remained “the lifeblood of our region” and supported the largest rice mill in the Southern Hemisphere.

“The time for reviews and discussions has passed. We need action now,” he said.

“If this planting window is lost, the economic and social consequences for our community will be severe and long-lasting.”

The planting window will close on October 28.