An independent report from the National Water Commission (NWC) has given a report card on the progress of water policy reform.
The report is the first independent assessment of water policy since the Federal Government took over significant responsibility from the States, including Basin planning, water pricing and trading, and the management of environmental flows.
Several agricultural organisations, including the National Farmers Federation (NFF) and the Ricegrowers Association of Australia (RGA) have responded to the report and at the same time, the NSW Liberals and Nationals released their policy on fixed water charges, which would have a benefit for irrigators in NSW.
NFF President David Crombie gave the report card a mixed blessing.
“The report showed that more certainty, more information and more transparency are still needed to give irrigators and regional and rural communities the confidence to do what they are proven to be good at, producing food and fibre with ever-scarce water resources,” said NFF President David Crombie.
The NFF welcomed the recommendation for the development of guidelines and better communication links to irrigators of each State and the release of the much anticipated guidelines for the $300 million on-farm irrigation efficiency grants program.
Two key points in the NWC report were that there is still insufficient progress on fully defining property rights to water and that proper identification and assessment of outcomes for environmental water purchases needs more clarification.
The report also stated that more focus is required on structural adjustment to assist community change and that infrastructure investment is a positive contribution to better water management, requiring coordination with a buyback program.
“On a positive note, there has been progress in areas such as the development of a market for water and there are opportunities, particularly through the development of the new Basin Plan, to resolve over allocation in order to give irrigators confidence in their future,” said Mr Crombie.
RGA Executive Director, Ruth Wade, said her organisation is calling for the irrigation efficiency grants program to be implemented as soon as possible.
“The urgent implementation of this program is crucial to allow irrigators to invest in on-farm infrastructure and technology that will secure their long term productive capacity.
“This will provide a sustainable economic future for irrigation industries and their communities across the region, and deliver water savings to the environment.
“We want the Commonwealth to ensure that there is a balance between water purchases and investment in irrigation infrastructure.
“This is our opportunity to ensure that suitable projects are developed and applications are ready for consideration when Round 1 closes on November 17,” said Mrs Wade.
For the first time in four years, many rice growers in the MIA and Murray Valley are preparing to plant a crop this season. Small allocations in the Murray Valley and Murrumbidgee has heartened farmers and given them hope that after the next allocations are announced they will have sufficient water to plant some areas of rice.
The RGA has already successfully implemented two on-farm water efficiency projects through the Murray Darling Basin Commission and the Murray Darling Basin Authority and is keen to assess the new guidelines to determine whether it will seek to become a delivery partner under this program.
On a State level, the NSW Liberals and Nationals have announced they will waive fixed water charges until the end of the current drought.
Shadow Minister for Natural Resource Management and Member for Burrinjuck, Katrina Hodgkinson made the announcement in Forbes along with Shadow Minister for Primary Industries Duncan Gay and the Chair of Lachlan Valley Water, Dennis Moxey.
“We will waive fixed water charges for farmers who have received no general security water allocation for two consecutive years.
“We will also immediately commence a review of the water charging system with a view to a new system that better reflects the cash flows of farmers, businesses, and provides compassion for families doing it tough.
“Relief from fixed water charges is the most commonly requested form of drought assistance from irrigators,” said Ms Hodgkinson
With the southern NSW region one of the major food bowl areas of Australia, there is a need to ensure water security for both agricultural production and the environment and that all levels of Government work together to achieve this goal.
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