Water meant to save the Murray is being scooped out upstream, Committee hears

A “LOOPHOLE” lets farmers take water meant for the environment out of the Murray-Darling, dudding South Australians, the chair of a Federal committee says.

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A LOOPHOLE that allows farmers to take water meant for the environment out of the Murray-Darling is swindling South Australia, says the chair of a Federal Committee.

His comments come as the SA Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission visited the “vulnerable” Murray Mouth, Coorong, and Lower Lakes, warning of what will happen if the water flows are low.

In Canberra yesterday, NSW Labor MP Pat Conroy described the situation as “bizarre”. Water released into a catchment to help the environment is legally protected, but the committee heard that once the water passed into a different catchment, the protection vanished.

The Environment and Energy Committee is investigating the use of environmental water as the $13 billion Murray-Darling Basin Plan comes under scrutiny amid accusations of water theft and rorting.

“The environmental water flows every taxpayer is funding are supposed to not just benefit individual catchments, they’re designed to improve the health of the entire Murray-Darling Basin ... it’s the people of SA that cop it in the neck if that water is taken out by a farmer somewhere in between,” Mr Conroy said.

New Commonwealth Environment Water Holder, Jody Swirepik, told the committee “as soon as what was our water passed through the end of a catchment it becomes open catchment and available legally to be pumped.

Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission receives a Welcome to Country from Ngarrindjeri elder Major Sumner. Picture: Leon Mead Photography

There has been a decade of work to look at how to protect that water and how to shepherd it through the system” she said.

Ms Swirepik described it as a “historical legacy” that each catchment was treated independently of others.

Mr Conroy said he was “amazed” that was possible and that it had not been fixed despite the Plan being in place for years.

The Royal Commission has started a series of visits to key Murray sites and community consultations.

State Government Minister for Environment and Water David Speirs said: “I’ve had a very productive meeting with Federal Water Minister, David Littleproud, specifically discussing the Murray Darling Basin Plan.

“I emphasised that the South Australian Government is committed to working collaboratively with the Federal Government and other basin states to deliver the full basin plan.

“South Australia is back at the table advocating strongly for the River and the interests of South Australian communities,” he said.