SA irrigators call for fierce protection of water, as Mick Keelty meets locals in Langhorne Creek
More than 100 people have packed a meeting at Langhorne Creek to air their worries about how water in the Murray-Darling Basin is being managed – and potential threats to SA’s share.
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Australia’s historic water-sharing agreement must be left alone and the flow of water into the Lower Lakes fiercely protected, Interim Inspector-General Mick Keelty has heard.
About 100 people packed the water watchdog’s town hall meeting in Langhorne Creek today – among a series being held across the Murray-Darling Basin.
Former premier Dean Brown, who sits on the River Murray Advisory Committee, said the 1915 agreement delivering 1850GL to SA must be maintained.
“There are two states – Victoria and NSW – which haven’t yet complied with the basin plan and there should be no change in the water sharing arrangement until … we have the chance to have the basin plan operating for a period years,” he said, receiving applause.
Calls were made to address flood plain water harvesting and improve transparency in water management, including lifestreaming Ministerial Council – where water ministers from basin states regularly meet.
Mr Keelty said there was “no cabinet solidarity” in the Ministerial Council, which was “a disgrace”. “I’ve not seen that in the justice portfolios I’ve worked in or in the health or education portfolios,” he said.
Mr Keelty’s appointment came amid a backdrop of angst over water scarcity – particularly in NSW and Victoria – following the drought.
Some interstate irrigators have called for the Murray-Darling Basin Plan to be abandoned, as growers on 0 per cent of their “general security” water allocations watch flows travel past them towards SA.
Here, irrigators have “high security” licences, which also come at a higher price, though many sold some of their entitlements and now rely on the temporary water market, where prices have skyrocketed.
Some irrigators have been calling for the Murray Mouth’s barrages to be removed, and a “Lock Zero” installed near Wellington, to reduce freshwater evaporation.
Alexandrina councillor Melissa Rebbeck, chair of a Murray-Darling advisory panel, said attacks had been directed at the Lower Lakes for years. “We’re really tired of it and really want to put it to bed down here,” she said.
“It takes a lot of energy and resources when we could get on with addressing the problem.”
Glen Hill, of the Southern Fishermen’s Association, said angst over water resources had resulted in communities pitted against each other, and irrigators facing off against environmentalists.
“We’re told the environment should be taking a loss as well – well it’s taking a loss all the time,” he said. Mr Hill said evaporation was part of a healthy system.
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Former water security minister Karlene Maywald told the meeting there were too many agencies involved in water management and “checking their own homework”.
Mr Keelty said more transparency was needed around political donations linked to water management. Water literacy must also be improved, he said, along with an understanding of the measures SA had put in place to improve efficiencies.
Mr Keelty will deliver a report on water sharing in the Murray-Darling Basin by March 31.