Budget 2020: It’s water: more dams if you do

Canberra looks to build more dams in $2bn cash injection for water infrastructure.

An extra $2bn has been poured into national water infrastructure that will lead to more dams, weirs and pipelines.

The Morrison government announced the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund would more than double to a total $3.5bn.

The fund has grown into a 10-year rolling program for water infrastructure projects to bolster water security, jobs and the overall agriculture sector.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said Australia’s north would be a priority of the fund.

“This long-term focus will help identify and build the dams, weirs, pipelines, water recycling plants and other projects that will deliver the national water grid,” he said. “(It’s) a series of region-specific systems that will help secure reliable supplies of water for rural and regional Australia now and into the future.”

The decision to add to the national water supply comes amid increasing uncertainty about ­climate variability and the need to create more infrastructure to deal with a growing population and global demand for food.

It comes amid intense debate in NSW about dams and greater community interest in the health of waterways. The federal government has pledged to work with the states and territories to deliver new projects.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud announced $328m to help grow food and fibre ­exports and pursue the goal of making farming a $100bn industry by 2030. The package includes $222m to improve farmer access to digital technology with a heavy focus on exporters.

A further $14m would be spent to help cut red tape for the seafood and live export trade and nearly $11m to build a more competitive export meat industry.

And young people will be ­encouraged to work on farms.