NEWS & EVENTS

Murray-Darling Basin Plan Evaluation 2020:<br>Achieving results, but more work to be done
16 Dec '20

The National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) welcomed the release of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan2020 Evaluation, noting while goals are broadly being met, there is still work to be done. NIC Chairman Jeremy Morton acknowledged the work to date on implementing the Plan, butstated there were missed opportunities for the Evaluation to reinforce the triple bottom lineobjectives […] Read More…

NIC appoints Isaac Jeffrey as CEO
1 Dec '20

The National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) has appointed Isaac Jeffrey as ​its new Chief Executive Officer. “NIC is delighted to have Isaac Jeffrey join the Council as CEO. Isaac brings extensive private and public sector leadership experience with skills in government relations and complex policy development which are critical to navigating the challenging issues of water management […] Read More…

Irrigators issue ‘groundhog day’ call on Ministers
24 Nov '20

The National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) has written to Basin Water Ministers ahead of their meeting on Friday calling for a focus on flexibility for ‘supply’ measures projects and an end to ‘black box’ decision making from Basin Governments. NIC CEO Steve Whan said “when we wrote to Ministers before their meeting in June we pointed […] Read More…

Statistics confirm: without irrigation in drought, we wouldn’t eat
19 Nov '20

More than 90% of Australia’s fruit, nuts and grapes; more 76% of vegetables, 100% of rice and more than 50% of dairy and sugar, came from irrigation in 2018-19 according to the latest release from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The figures are based on gross value of farm gate product and come from […] Read More…

Rice farmer, Jeremy Morton, new Irrigators’ Chair
26 Oct '20

The National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) has elected Moulamein rice farmer, Jeremy Morton, as its new chairman. Jeremy Morton steps into the role after long term Chairman, Gavin McMahon, from the Riverland in South Australia retired.  NIC CEO Steve Whan said “Gavin has been NIC chair for eight years and under his leadership the organisation has […] Read More…

Budget building Agriculture’s capacity to produce food and fibre for the nation
7 Oct '20

The National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) has joined other agricultural peak groups welcoming the federal budget commitment to growing and processing food and fibre in Australia. NIC CEO, Steve Whan said “Australia’s irrigators produce more than 84% of our vegetables, fruit and nuts, along with rice, sugar, dairy and cotton, among other things.  Growing those products […] Read More…

Positive focus on agriculture in low emissions tech statement
22 Sep '20

The National Irrigators’ Council (NIC), convenors of the Ag Energy Taskforce, says the Government’s first low emissions technologies statement is an important cog in the wheel of offering agriculture the opportunity to benefit from, and contribute to, achieving Australia’s emissions goals. NIC CEO, Steve Whan said “Minister Taylor was absolutely right about two key things […] Read More…

NIC welcomes agriculture focus on energy technology investment
17 Sep '20

National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) has welcomed the federal government’s $1.9 billion investment in new and emerging technologies focused on jobs, energy reliability and supporting industry capability to be part of Australia’s effort in reducing emissions.   NIC CEO Steve Whan said “We see the $1.62 billion injection of funding to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency […] Read More…

Getting the Basin Plan on track, welcome
4 Sep '20

The National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) has welcomed the announcements on implementation of recommendations from the “Sefton” panel and other reports, saying they will help to get frustrated elements of the Basin Plan back on track. NIC CEO, Steve Whan, said “when Minister Pitt took on the water portfolio, he promised us that he recognised the […] Read More…

ACCC water markets interim report, a catalyst for real improvement?
31 Jul '20

Transparency, more consistent information and streamlined administration. All worthy goals for Murray Darling Basin water markets, but goals that, over two decades, have proved difficult, says National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) CEO, Steve Whan. Steve Whan was commenting on the release of the interim report into water markets from the ACCC, which foreshadows recommendations on improving […] Read More…

Technology Roadmap needs to get costs, as well as emissions, down says Ag Energy Taskforce
23 Jun '20

“Our concern is in ensuring that we make the transition to a zero net emission world – while also reducing the cost of production”, says the Ag Energy Taskforce in its submission to the Australian Government’s Technology Roadmap process. CEO of the National Irrigators Council (convenors of the Taskforce), Steve Whan, said “Australian agriculture needs […] Read More…

Basin Ministers need to act on supply projects
18 Jun '20

Murray Darling Basin water ministers meet on Friday, and the National Irrigators Council (NIC) is saying they need to focus on getting critical ‘supply’ projects on track. NIC CEO Steve Whan said “irrigators have been expressing concern for some years about the possibility of missing the Basin Plan deadlines for implementing supply projects.  “These are […] Read More…

Heroic leap from fact to assertion destroys credibility of report
1 May '20

The National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) says comment in media today, saying more water is being taken from the Murray Darling, are assertion, without factual support. NIC CEO Steve Whan said “the joint report talking about a so-called ‘rebound effect on water extraction’, makes an heroic leap from fact on individual farm water use, to unsubstantiated […] Read More…

Inspector General’s report reflects hard reality
17 Apr '20

The report from the Interim Murray Darling Basin Inspector General on state water shares will disappoint some, but reveals hard reality, says Steve Whan, CEO of the National Irrigators Council (NIC). Steve Whan said “the report tells us there is no new water – no miracle cure for a tortuous, and hard to understand, interstate […] Read More…

SA Irrigator slugged with retrospective $60,000 per month electricity price rise
14 Apr '20

The National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) says the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) allocation of charges is inequitable, after infrastructure failures in Victoria left a South Australian Irrigation company with a 26,000% increase in, so-called, ‘ancillary charges’ between July 2019 and March 2020. The latest increased charges were passed through to customers after infrastructure failures in […] Read More…

Irrigators tell Senate Committee implement existing Basin Plan recommendations rather than adding new ones
14 Feb '20

The National Irrigators Council (NIC) submission to the Senate Select committee on the ‘Multi-Jurisdictional Management and Execution of the Murray Darling Basin Plan’  says the committee should focus its outcomes on urging full implementation of Productivity Commission recommendations; and should not seek to move boundaries of responsibility on Basin rivers. NIC CEO, Steve Whan said […] Read More…

Irrigators congratulate Pitt and thank Littleproud
6 Feb '20

The National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) has congratulated new Minister for Water, Keith Pitt, on his appointment to a very challenging portfolio and thanked deputy Nationals leader David Littleproud for his contribution to water policy.  NIC CEO, Steve Whan, said “water minister is a very difficult job and it can be a delicate task trying to […] Read More…

Irrigation Australia Media Release: Murray system reaches full allocation before spring making river operators and landholders ‘
11 Aug '22

Kitler Rural Media Release: Kilter Rural CEO Cullen Gunn talks water returns on ausbiz
9 Aug '22

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Cotton Australia Media Release: Cotton industry’s new framework to help farmers improve soil health
8 Aug '22

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