Federal Government Pushes Ahead with Water Buybacks Despite State Opposition

The federal government has revealed plans to amend the $13 billion Murray-Darling Basin Plan, including provisions to repurchase 450GL of water from irrigators for environmental purposes. While the Victorian government has declined to support the initiative, stating it has already contributed the most water, NSW has expressed its unwillingness for buybacks but is open to collaboration with the Commonwealth. The NSW Premier, Chris Minns, suggested recovering water via structural alterations to river systems instead of buybacks. Despite state resistance, the federal government holds the authority to proceed with its water purchase plans. The NSW Irrigators’ Council (NSWIC) criticized this decision, highlighting the potential economic and environmental impact. Queensland, however, supports the initiative, having already contributed significantly to previous water recovery projects. Federal Environment and Water Minister, Tanya Plibersek, emphasized the need to determine the exact volume of water to purchase based on the outcomes of ongoing projects.