In its submission to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan review, the council highlights more than a decade of cumulative socio-economic impacts experienced across the shire.
This includes declining school enrolments, reduced agricultural production, shrinking local workforces, and a 27 per cent real decline in Gross Regional Product since 2012.
Mayor, Dr Julia Cornwell McKean said the evidence presented in the submission reflects what the community has been saying for years.
“Our communities have carried the burden of Basin Plan decisions for more than a decade, and the impacts are real, measurable, and deeply felt,” she said.
“We are not asking for special treatment; we are asking for fairness, transparency, and a genuine partnership in decisions that shape our future.”
The submission strongly supports the recommendations of the Riverina and Murray Joint Organisation (RAMJO), including calls to cease further water recovery, maintain current Sustainable Diversion Limits, and adopt clear, realistic environmental objectives.
“The data is clear. Further water recovery would only deepen the harm already experienced by our towns,” Cr Cornwell McKean said.
“We need a Basin Plan that protects local economies while delivering environmental outcomes through smarter, more collaborative approaches, not through taking more water away from the very communities that rely on it.”
Council’s submission highlights several priority areas for reform, including:
• No further water recovery unless impacts are neutral or explicitly supported by affected communities;
• Maintaining current Sustainable Diversion Limits, noting that environmental shortfalls stem from operational issues, not a lack of water;
• Clear, measurable environmental goals supported by transparent science;
• A genuine place-based model that empowers local communities to lead decision-making;
• Recognition of environmental outcomes on private land, including wetlands, habitat creation, and threatened species protection;
• Improved river operations to protect tourism and recreation;
• Investment in national water storage and resilience infrastructure;
• Long-term support for communities affected by past water recovery.
Cr Conwell McKean said the 2026 review is a critical opportunity to rebuild trust and deliver a more balanced approach.
“The future of our communities depends on a Basin Plan that respects local knowledge, protects local jobs, and works with us.”
Council has requested that its submission be considered alongside RAMJO’s, noting that both documents reflect the lived experience of southern basin communities and the urgent need for change.
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