Local councils have expressed their deep concern regarding the recent announcement to expand water buybacks under the updated ‘Restoring Our Rivers Framework’.
The expanded water buybacks in the Southern Murray-Darling Basin will see voluntary water purchases from farmers and irrigators increase from 170 gigalitres (GL) to 300GL in a renewed push by the Federal Government to return 450 gigalitres of water to the environment.
Environment Minister Murray Watt announced that the government would purchase an extra 130GL of water, equivalent to 52,000 Olympic swimming pools, through voluntary buybacks in the southern basin.
The announcement has sparked alarm among farming communities and regional representatives, who say further buybacks will deepen social and economic disadvantage.
Federation Council mayor, Cheryl Cook, said the announcement was a matter of profound concern for the council, local irrigators and the wider community.
“The Southern Riverina region, including the Federation Council area, is a vital part of Australia’s food bowl,” Cr Cook said.
“The backbone of our local economy is reliant on a stable and reliable supply of water for agriculture.
“Council fully supports a healthy river system, but environmental outcomes must not come at the expense of our community's livelihoods.
“We need genuine and robust alternative measures prioritised, such as constraints management, infrastructure investment, and efficiency projects that save water without sacrificing regional communities.”
Indigo Shire mayor Sophie Price said while Indigo had relatively few irrigators connected to the Murray system, the shire was part of a broader region where water allocation decisions had real impacts on farming families and communities.
“Any changes to water availability need to be made with genuine consultation with those most affected, the farmers and communities that depend on irrigation for their livelihoods,” Cr Price said.
“We understand the need to balance environmental flows with productive agricultural use but getting that balance right requires listening to local knowledge and understanding regional differences.
“We would encourage the Federal Government to work closely with irrigators and local communities to ensure any buyback program considers both environmental needs and the viability of farming enterprises that underpin regional economies.”
The basin plan is due for a major review in 2026, raising the prospect of major changes to the sustainable diversion limits, how climate change is accounted for, and the involvement of First Nations communities.
