Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek has called for submissions on how 450 Gl of environmental water can be secured for the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
But lobby groups say the Federal Government’s bookshelves are filled with dozens of ideas and the latest move could easily be seen as a cynical attempt to placate the constituency with more consultation.
Goulburn Murray Irrigation District Water Leadership Group co-chair David McKenzie said it appeared to be an extremely cynical exercise with no policy coherence at all.
With next year’s deadline fast approaching, he fears the process will be: “Run the consultation, report on what was said, wait for a few months to work out a response, then — oh, we’ve run out of time. We’ll have to go out and do the buybacks.”
“That’s when they will get out the economic sledgehammer and smash the regions,“ Mr McKenzie said.
“I think there are already plenty of ideas that have come forward.
“They have stopped funding projects that could deliver some savings, when they should be re-looking at the ‘below the line’ projects.
“How about finishing the projects that have already been shelved?
“Delaying further will cost more and take longer.
“We’re getting to the point, where, no matter if it’s the best idea in the world, it won’t be done by June 2024.
“Now, the only thing to be said about this, is that perhaps the minister is indicating that the deadline is flexible.”
On the subject of ideas, Mr McKenzie said community groups have been inviting the minister to the region to see Australia’s biggest irrigation efficiency project, Connections, but she has not ventured here.
VFF Water Council chair Andrew Leahy described the call for submissions as “a farce”.
“This is not meaningful consultation,” Mr Leahy said.
“Ministerial Council, the Productivity Commission and countless others have been telling the Commonwealth for over five years what changes need to be made to the basin plan — the Commonwealth Government think they can solve this in six weeks.
“The workshops need to be face-to-face. At least (former water minister) Tony Burke showed us the courtesy to talk directly to us — not a disingenuous webinar.
“The whole community will be impacted, the Commonwealth need to talk to the whole rural community not a few select groups.”
Mr Leahy said the Federal Government was seeking ideas to “achieve the plan in full”.
“The rub here is that a plan in full to rural communities means a 2750 Gl plan, but to the Commonwealth they are adding in the 450 Gl to make it a 3200 Gl plan.
“The 450 Gl was never guaranteed and is only possible if it doesn’t hurt communities — but we all know it will.”