NATIONAL IRRIGATORS’ COUNCIL

POLICY PORTFOLIO - ABORIGINAL WATER

Advocating for the Australian irrigated agriculture industry

In 2010, the Murray Lower Darling Indigenous Nations (MLDRIN) and Northern Basin Aboriginal Nations (NBAN), as part of the Echuca Declaration stated that:

“Cultural Flows” are water entitlements that are legally and beneficially owned by the Nations of a sufficient and adequate quantity and quality to improve the spiritual, cultural, natural, environmental, social and economic conditions of those Nations. These are our inherent rights.”

Since then the Federal Government established an advisory body the Committee of Aboriginal Water Interests to provide advice to government on Aboriginal Water Interests. The group provided an 'insights paper' designed to "present[s] a set of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander water values, principles, and actions that the Committee wants recognised and reflected within national water reform initiatives. However, we do recognise that these may not capture all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ water interests and values and we welcome comments and questions so that we can continue to advocate for water rights and advise the Australian Government to the best of our ability."

KEY MESSAGES

National Irrigators' Council acknowledges that Aboriginal's have a deep connection with country and water and we welcome their involvement in the management of rivers, including being involved in how water held by environmental water holders can be used to meet multiple benefits.

Australia's water entitlement framework provides a clear mechanism for greater involvement of Aboriginal people in water ownership and use, and we welcome engagement in utilising water to generate economic and social benefit. We emphasise that there must be no third party impacts on current water entitlements, or their reliability, from any agreement to progress initiatives in relation to cultural flows.

Position Statements

Aboriginal Cultural Water

Position Statement Under Review

Key Related NIC Resources on Aboriginal Water

Closing the Gap Report Card update

11 Feb

On Monday, Prime Minister Albanese announced the 2024 Annual Report on Closing the Gap and the 2025 workplan.

We note, that for 2025 actions the priorities will be to develop a First Nations Water Strategy to inform Commonwealth actions under the proposed National Water Agreement. As well as, the Commonwealth continues to work with jurisdictions and a Coalition of Peaks to develop the inland waters target to measure progress towards securing First Nation peoples interest in inland water bodies.

Under Objective 15 there are current targets for land and sea, but the inland target was not nationally agreed.

We hope to have a Member Policy update on this in the coming month.

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