Griffith Mayor welcomes changes to murray-darling Plan

Friday September 11, 2020

Griffith Mayor Councillor John Dal Broi has welcomed an overhaul of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

Last Friday the Final Report by the Independent Panel assessing the social and economic conditions in the Murray-Darling Basin was released by the Minister for Resources, Water and Regional Australia the Hon. Keith Pitt MP.

The Report contains 22 recommendations for action to help support, engage and rebuild communities across this region. As a result the Murray-Darling Basin Authority staff will be combined with the Basin Inspector-General’s office to focus on compliance and water buybacks scrapped.

Councillor Dal Broi is pleased to see positive changes being made to the Plan.

“I’d like to thank the Independent Panel for their work and the many local people who made submissions,” said Cr Dal Broi.

“I also want to acknowledge the role Minister for the Environment, and Member for Farrer Sussan Ley played in achieving this positive result. She asked the Water Minister for an independent investigation around 18 months ago and I’m delighted he listened.

“In the past there has been a lot of talk and no action so it’s a relief to see these changes finally being made.”

A web-based, real-time water information platform, to be the single point of truth for communities on water storages, flows and trade information, will also be built.

“Removing some of the uncertainty of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan is a massive step in the right direction,” Cr Dal Broi said.

“It will mean more certainty for irrigators, water users and the environment in the future.

“I look forward to receiving updates as these new recommendations are rolled out and our community starts to see the results.”

The government has also announced a new funding package for farming communities, in response to findings in the Report. The funding will support communities disadvantaged by the Plan to create jobs.

/Public Release. View in full here.