Dear Minister Plibersek and Minister Shing,
[your personal message will be inserted here]
The Murray-Darling Basin Authority has advised that there is no way to deliver the water promised in the Murray-Darling Basin Plan on time.
After years of delay and mismanagement across the Basin, this advice is hardly surprising. But it’s not something we can take lightly. Failing to return more water will spell disaster for the Murray-Darling.
With the UN declaring an El Niño event and Australia facing a dry spell, this is the worst time to deprive wetlands and wildlife of the water they will need to survive the tough times ahead.
As our state and federal Water Ministers, you are charged with plotting the way forward. It is your responsibility to look honestly at the shortfalls in how water has been recovered so far and step up to do what’s needed to better protect our rivers.
We’re asking you to commit to the following:
1. The 450 GL water target must be recovered as quickly as possible, using voluntary water purchases.
This water is an essential lifeline for rivers and internationally protected wetlands like the Coorong – but so far, just 12GL has been recovered. We need guarantees that it will be delivered.
The vast majority of water we’ve already set aside for rivers through the Basin Plan was recovered through straightforward, aboveboard water purchases from willing sellers. This is the simplest and most cost-effective way to recover the 450 GL and there are irrigators ready and willing to sell some of their share.
2. Remove barriers stopping water flowing to wetlands.
The Basin’s floodplains support countless species of wildlife, but they are being left high and dry. Only 7% of the Basin’s wetlands in targeted river valleys are receiving effective environmental flows because of outdated river management rules. Meanwhile, the ‘constraints’ projects to fix the problem have barely progressed .
We need a new pathway. That means appointing an independent panel of experts to find a workable way forward and providing incentives and assurances to get private landholders on the low-lying floodplain onboard.
3. Phase out unproven water offset programs.
The Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism (SDLAM) programs to achieve environmental outcomes for the river with engineering works was always an excuse to dodge responsibility. River ecosystems need healthy flows – and healthy flows require real water, not clever accounting.
Victoria and NSW have had a decade to deliver these projects and they don’t deserve any more time. Projects that are off-track should be scrapped and all remaining projects must have the support of Traditional Owners who will be impacted by changing flows.
Our rivers have paid a high price for delays to the Basin Plan. You can see it in the dying Black Box, mass fish kills, drying wetlands and missing waterbirds.
The deal you’re negotiating must attend to these problems now, not keep kicking the can down the road. That means setting aside real water now and letting it flow. These programs should start the day of your agreement.
We’re counting on you not to waste this moment.
Sincerely,
[Your name and postcode will go here]