It’s time to change the Murray Darling Basin Plan

Federal Water Minister Keith Pitt must remember the Murray-Darling Basin Plan should adapt to changing times when he chairs a crucial looming conference, writes farm lobbyist Richard Anderson.

Keith Pitt is the fourth federal MP to hold the water portfolio in 12 years, but while their faces have changed, little else has. Picture: Kevin Farmer

FRIDAY is a critical day for Federal Water Minister Keith Pitt as he chairs his second Ministerial Water Council.

The Murray Darling Basin Plan has often been described as an adaptive plan, but 12 years on, this has been forgotten by those responsible for implementing the Plan.

We have had four federal water ministers throughout these 12 years, but there has been little preparedness to acknowledge problems and amend the Plan.

Ministers have ignored the lessons of the past and have failed to respond to change. The Independent Sefton report highlighted the negative impacts the Plan is having on communities. The Productivity Commission and the Water for the Environment Special Account Review state the 2024 deadline will not be met. The Independent Review of Lower Lakes Science suggests Basin Plan assumptions will be irrelevant given rising sea levels over the barrages and reduced inflows as a result of climate change.

It is the role of the minister to amend the Plan to respond to this critical new information, not ignore it. The Victorian Farmers Federation is urging the federal and Basin state ministers to acknowledge the inherent flaws that exist in the Plan and agree to make real change. We cannot muddle along until 2024, simply kicking the issues down the road.

Farmers and rural communities are sick of hollow press releases and empty promises. We have seen Minister Pitt’s own department undermine his promise to not recover water from irrigators by announcing six on-farm projects for public consultation last week.

Farmers need to know the 450GL is off the table. The practical reality is this water cannot be delivered.

The pandemic has shown the importance of agriculture by keeping people in jobs and securing food for the nation and world. Australia’s recovery out of the pandemic will be dependent on the number of jobs we can create.

Agriculture is one of the largest employers in regional and rural areas, but jobs in agriculture have been declining because of the Basin Plan.

Regional communities deserve more. Muddling through for the next four years without any change to the Basin Plan would be grossly irresponsible. The federal minister must act now to change the Basin Plan. It is the only responsible thing to do.

• Richard Anderson is Victorian Farmers Federation Water Council Chairman

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