Member for Murray Helen Dalton presents new floodplain harvesting bill to parliament

Member for Murray Helen Dalton says the floodplain harvesting bill she introduced to NSW Parliament last week will end the secrecy around water ownership. Here’s why.

Member for Murray Helen Dalton says the floodplain harvesting bill she introduced to NSW Parliament last week will end the secrecy around water ownership.

Ms Dalton has long been a champion for better water legislation, and she was instrumental in uncovering the Murray Darling water scandal.

She said her bill would prevent Northern Basin floodplain harvesting licence holders from seeking financial compensation from taxpayers.

It would be a win for farmers in the Southern Basin, Mrs Dalton said, and would halt what she claimed was a “massive heist” of the NSW public.

“This bill stops a massive heist – a multi-billion dollar transfer of wealth from the NSW public to the private sector,” Mrs Dalton said.

I've just introduced a new bill to prevent Northern Basin floodplain harvesting licence holders from seeking financial compensation from taxpayers.

Given NSW Govt are in minority, it could pass both houses of parliament. https://t.co/1B2ghP2iH5

— Helen Dalton MP (@helendalton22) May 19, 2022

Mrs Dalton argued that “Northern Basin irrigators have been siphoning water into their private dams before it reaches the river”.

She said the unregulated practice, known as floodplain harvesting, had a devastating impact on Lower Darling communities and reduced water allocations for Southern Basin irrigators.

She said her bill ensured irrigators wouldn’t be able to profit off floodplain harvesting licences.

Member for Murray Helen Dalton’s floodplain harvesting bill has been presented to NSW Parliament. Picture: Supplied

However NSW Irrigators’ Council policy manager Christine Freak told the Wagga News the bill was a “slippery slope for water property rights everywhere”.

She said the proposed water reform could see a 14 per cent impact on farmers’ bottom lines in the Northern Basin.

“Independent economic analysis has found that the floodplain harvesting reform will have a 14 per cent impact on farmers’ bottom lines in the Northern Basin,” Ms Freak said.

“Including 48 job losses per annum from the Moree LGA alone, due to the significant cutbacks in floodplain harvesting.”

She said that the amount of water allocated to water licences varied based on available water determinations.

NSW Irrigators’ Council policy manager Christine Freak. Picture: Patrick Morrow

“The amount of water allocated to water licences varies based on available water determinations, which is a process irrigators are very used to, and which will apply to floodplain harvesting licences too – that is not compensable,” she said.

Meantime Leeton farmer Tanya Ginns supported the bill put forward by Mrs Dalton, believing it would help in limiting water downstream and minimise the choke of water which overlaps though the Murray and Murrumbidgee River systems.

“I support the bill 100 per cent, because floodplain harvesting is trying to take the water from the Murrumbidgee downstream through the Yanco water license which is a federally funded project which has been a mess,” Ms Ginns said.

Ms Ginns said if the bill doesn't pass, it would be like “robbing Peter to pay Paul”.

Leeton Farmer Tanya Ginns supports the bill which she said would stop the choke of water which overlaps though the Murray and Murrumbidgee River systems.

“If it doesn't get though it will be like robbing Peter to pay Paul which will impact upstream a lot and will not be fair; that why I support the bill,” she said.

Mrs Dalton said she believed the bill would be supported by Labor and all the crossbenchers, allowing it to pass both houses of parliament.

“There’s no reason why any of these parties would oppose this bill. They don’t believe these licences should be compensable. Supporting this bill is a no-brainer,” she said.

Debate on the bill will occur when NSW parliament resumes in June.