Birrell warns against ‘damaging’ buybacks

“Our irrigation communities have played their part and achieving the remainder of Victoria’s 1075Gl target is already occurring through Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism projects,” Mr Birrell said.

“The Albanese Government has announced a round of water buybacks in Queensland and NSW to bridge the gap, but more concerning is that recovery of an additional 450Gl for South Australia through damaging buybacks is still on the table.”

Mr Birrell said the Nationals backed the deal agreed to by all states and the Commonwealth in 2018 designed to protect regional communities from water buybacks.

The agreement put in place a neutrality test, meaning additional water could only be recovered if there would be neutral or positive socio-economic impact from recovering this water.

“We know from experience that buybacks, even from willing sellers, reduces the consumptive pool and has a negative impact on the viability of farms,” Mr Birrell said.

“The impact of farm closures, job losses and reduced productivity and economic output flows through entire regional communities, we can’t afford to let that happen.”

Mr Birrell said public comments from Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek that the basin plan must be completed, using buybacks if necessary, to counter the impacts of climate change and prevent “mass extinction” was deeply concerning.

“This is extremist language lacking any factual basis,” Mr Birrell said.

“The Albanese Government just doesn’t get it. The greatest risk is to irrigation communities if the government proceeds with buybacks to amass additional environmental water it can’t even deliver efficiently.

“It is clear that environmental lobbyists have the Albanese Government’s ear, and they remain deaf to the concerns of hard working regional Australians who rely on water to make a living, and to produce the clean, green produce we all enjoy.”