FEDERAL Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell has encouraged the Federal Government to adopt a more balanced and community-focused approach to water management, following confirmation that water buybacks will continue under newly appointed Environment and Water Minister Murray Watt.
Mr Birrell said he had hoped the change in ministerial leadership would open the door to fresh thinking and wider consultation with Basin communities.
“We hoped a new Minister would bring change, but Minister Watt is proving he’s continuing the same approach to water buybacks as his predecessor,” Mr Birrell said.
“The Government has expanded the buyback program in the Southern Basin from 170 gigalitres to 300GL, a figure that contributes to the broader target of recovering 450GL of additional water under the Basin Plan. This water recovery target was established in a 2018 agreement that sought to ensure basin communities would not experience negative socio-economic impacts.”
Mr Birrell said the original intention of the agreement was to provide safeguards for regional towns and irrigators.
He expressed concern that buybacks, if not managed carefully, could place pressure on local industries.
“Buybacks are a blunt instrument that removes water from the consumptive pool, reducing productivity and affecting the prosperity of rural communities that rely on irrigated agriculture,” he said.
The expanded buyback program comes ahead of the release of project details under the Federal Government’s Resilient Rivers Water Infrastructure Program.
Mr Birrell said communities are keen to see progress on water-saving and efficiency projects, which many believe can complement environmental goals while supporting local economies.
“Water saving and efficiency measures have an important role to play, and people want to see these projects moving forward,” he said.
Mr Birrell reaffirmed his view that collaborative solutions, developed alongside Basin communities, offer the best path toward meeting environmental objectives without compromising regional livelihoods.
