Andrews backs basin farmers over Burke plan

The Andrews Labor government will fight its federal ALP counterpart’s proposed Murray Darling Basin Plan changes.

Tatura dairy farmer Hamish Crawford, with his children Hugh, 9, Mietta, 5, and Amelie, 10, says many basin farmers are struggling to remain viable. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

The Andrews Labor government has opposed its federal ALP counterpart’s proposed changes to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, promising to fight for the interests of Victorian farmers.

Federal Labor water spokesman Tony Burke announced last week that a Shorten government would withdraw its support for a major part of the basin plan, pledging to change the way 450 giga­litres of water was recovered, by “restoring the socio-economic definition” for delivering water. The about-face comes less than a year after the Coalition government struck an agreement with basin states on a means of measuring the socio-economic impact of water recovery.

A spokeswoman for Victorian Water Minister Lisa Neville said the Andrews government was opposed­ to Mr Burke’s plans.

“We do not support these changes and we will, as always, stand up for the interests of Victori­an irrigators and farming communities who rely on the basin,” the spokeswoman said.

“Victoria, the commonwealth and the other basin states agreed at (the Murray-Darling) Basin Ministerial Council to socio-econo­mic criteria to protect basin communities. Any changes to this … are a decision for the states.

“While work clearly needs to be done on responding to floodplain harvesting and other issues in the Darling River and northern basin, removing the agreed socio-economic criteria for further water recovery would be detrimental for communities and the environment.

“Numerous studies show Victorian­ communities have alread­y been negatively impacted by water recovery.”

Dairy farmer Hamish Crawford, 44, told The Australian that with water prices already exceeding $500 a megalitre, many farmers­ were struggling to remain viable. The second-generation dairy farmer milks 450 cows near Tatura, in northern Victoria’s Goulburn Valley.

Mr Crawford said that with Anzac Day considered the deadline for autumn irrigation to maintain feed for the winter months, federal Labor’s announcement had put extra pressure on farmers at an already difficult time.

“The Goulburn-Murray irrig­at­ors have already done the heavy lifting in terms of environmental flows,” he said. “The fish kills in the Darling River have got nothing­ to do with our well-­managed,­ regulated system down here, and yet we’re being asked to sacrifice even more water.”

Victorian Coalition water spokeswoman Steph Ryan said federal Labor’s plan would do “untold­ damage” to northern Victorian­ communities.

“While people in northern Victori­a send their herds to abattoirs­ because they can’t access water, Bill Shorten plans to take even more,” Ms Ryan said.

Mr Burke said federal Labor supported the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and remained committed to its implementation.