The NSW Government says it remains committed to delivering the basin plan in full in partnership with the Commonwealth and other basin states.
However, the NSW Government says it must be done in a way that reduces socio-economic impacts and allows regional communities to prosper, and should not involve water buybacks.
The NSW Alternatives to Buybacks Plan, released on February 22, recommends a coordinated effort to deliver existing projects and pro-actively bringing forward new ones that can contribute to basin plan targets, and in doing so, limit the volume of water buybacks from NSW communities.
The NSW plan also calls on the Federal Government to prioritise investment in recovering water through other mechanisms.
NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson said with the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023 now in effect, “it is important NSW is on the front foot in putting forward proposals that enable water to be recovered” by the Commonwealth through ways other than buybacks .
The Nationals Farmers’ Federation, National Irrigators’ Council and NSW Farmers have all praised the anti-buybacks plan.
NSW Farmers water spokesman Richard Bootle said the Alternatives to Buybacks Plan was a glimmer of hope that intelligent water recovery — rather than blunt buybacks — could be on the table.
“It is very encouraging to hear [NSW] Water Minister Rose Jackson say she wants the basin plan delivered in a way that minimises impacts on our regional communities,” Mr Bootle said.
NFF president David Jochinke said it was good to see NSW continue to stand up for regional communities and push back on Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek’s pursuit of “community-destroying buybacks”.
“The success of this plan will depend entirely on whether Minister Plibersek is willing to engage collaboratively with her state counterparts to deliver win-win outcomes for the environment and communities,” Mr Jochinke said.
“So far this type of flexibility and collaboration has been in short supply, with the minister giving communities the cold shoulder at every turn.”
National Irrigators’ Council chief executive officer Zara Lowien said while the NIC welcomed the NSW plan, “we do need to get moving on all the alternative options and start funding the new proposals and any new ideas, not more planning and studies”.
“We know there are win-win, no brainer projects sitting collecting dust on desks that just need funding to get going,” Mrs Lowien said.
“Action is what is needed and from all the jurisdictions”.
View the full NSW Alternatives to Buybacks Plan here: https://water.dpie.nsw.gov.au/about-us/how-water-is-managed/alternatives-to-water-buybacks-plan
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