NATIONAL IRRIGATORS’ COUNCIL

POLICY PORTFOLIO - MURRAY DARLING BASIN PLAN

Advocating for the Australian irrigated agriculture industry

The Murray Darling Basin Plan

The Murray Darling Basin Plan became Commonwealth legislation in 2012. It was enabled under the Water Act 2007. The plan outlines the management of water resources in the Murray-Darling Basin, including water allocation, environmental water management, and water quality standards.

The Murray Darling Basin Plan has been amended twice since becoming law:

2016: Amendments to reduce the Water Recovery targets for the Northern Basin, enable Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism and the additional 450GL of environmental water to be achieved with neutral socio-economic outcomes.

2023: Restoring Our Rivers Bill amended key timelines for implementation, broadened the environmental objectives for the additional 450GL environmental water and enables other mechanisms of recovery without the need for neutral socio-economic outcomes, and removed limits on water purchases.

The National Irrigators Council is committed to finalising the Murray Darling Basin Plan without unnecessarily burdening our industries and communities. The remaining elements of the Murray Darling Basin Plan are shared responsibility of the Australian Government with Basin jurisdictions. We endeavour to monitor their progress to keep them accountable to their promises to achieve the Murray Darling Basin Plan and its outcomes while not leaving any community behind.

Snapshot of environmental outcomes

Over the 9-year period, 15,443 GL of Commonwealth environmental water was delivered to 56 ecosystem types representing 249,079 ha of lakes and wetlands, 187,486 ha of floodplain, 27,715 km of waterways and 23,768 ha of estuarine ecosystems - Flow-MER_22-23 Synthesis Report (CEWH).
The largest bird-breeding events in the decades in 2022-2023 were supported by natural flows and various forms of environmental water- DCCEEW.
Increased abundance in native fish and improved resilience of native fish - CEWH
Improved connectivity between the Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth with 10 years of continuous flow and increased barrage flows, the maintenance of lake levels and salinities within optimal ranges in SA Lower Lakes - Monitoring Report -CLLMM.
The export of at least 4.2 million tonnes of salt through the barrages at South Australia - Benefits of water for the environment (DCCEEW).

Water Recovery Progress

Water recovery towards the Murray Darling Basin Plan Sustainable Diversion Limits and compliance with those limits, is monitored by the Murray Darling Basin Authority.

As reported in the August Sustainable Diversion Limit Water Take Report the Basin Plan Sustainable Diversion Limits are being achieved with all water resource plan units compliant.

The progress to-date means that 1 in 3 litres of water for agriculture is now held by environmental water holders. This is a total reduction in water availability meaning 72% of average river flows are for the environment and 28% to water users.

KEY MESSAGES

The National Irrigators' Council wants to see healthy rivers and wetlands because we are locals too and that is why we are committed to finalising the Murray Darling Basin Plan without unnecessarily burdening our industries and communities and ensuring clear environmental outcomes are achieved.

We support Governments focusing on delivering outcomes which benefit the environment, while ensuring local communities can thrive and our food and fibre growers can grow produce for Australians and the nations that rely on us.

Policy Position Statements relating to the Murray Darling Basin Plan

Finalising the Murray Darling Basin Plan

Position Statement

SDLAM Reconciliation

Position Statement

Constraints Management

Position Statement

Environmental Water Recovery

Position Statement under review

Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism - Supply and Constraints Measures

Key Related NIC Resources on the Murray Darling Basin Plan

New Exposure Regulations Water Markets Intermediaries Code

7 Mar

DCCEEW today released the Exposure Draft of the Water Markets Intermediaries Code (the Code) and an Overview of the draft are now available for consultation. On this page you will be able to submit your feedback on the Exposure Draft. The consultation will be open until 11.59pm on Sunday 6 April 2025. The Exposure Draft incorporates feedback from the Policy Position Paper consultation in November-December 2024.

New Water Market Intermediaries Trust Accounting and Code Exemptions Paper

7 Mar

DCCEEW today released their Final policy position paper on the water market intermediaries trust accounting and code exemptions, the final position to inform the future exposure regulations.

We will review this with interest given the concerns raised regarding the likely impacts and expectations on some intermediaries.

Irrigators question recent efforts to consider socio-economic impacts of buybacks

25 Feb

Irrigators call out Minister Plibersek’s decision to sign off on purchasing another 100 GL of water in the southern Basin with questionable procurement processes and deliberately narrow evidence to support the decision.

“The advice before the Minister to inform the decision is flawed,” said Zara Lowien, CEO of National Irrigators’ Council. [...]

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