More than five years after the water-sharing agreement was implemented, the Senate has voted to block the Federal Government’s changes to the Murray Darling Basin Plan, sparking demands for an independent audit of the plan. Essentially an environmental strategy to limit water extraction, the vote to block the changes was led by the Greens and Labor. The changes sought to reduce the environmental water recovery target for the Northern Basin by 70 gigalitres (an 18 per cent reduction). These 70 billion litres represent the amount of water that farmers were hoping to receive.
The reduction was supported by major irrigators in northern NSW and Queensland because it enabled more water for agriculture. NSW and Victoria have said they will rescind from the agreement if the Senate blocked these changes, putting the future of the plan in serious doubt. There is another amendment pending consideration, to be decided on May 7, that seeks to divert an additional 65 gigalitres and the Productivity Commission is set to conduct a five-yearly inquiry into the effectiveness of the plan this year.
Latest posts by Team Nexus APAC (see all)
- MUCH MORE NEEDED TO CLOSE THE GAP - February 15, 2019
- HAKEEM RETURNS HOME - February 15, 2019
- MEDIVAC BILL - February 15, 2019
