Rice Will Be Engaged in the 'Basin Discussion'
The Ricegrowers' Association (RGA) welcomes the commencement of a 12-week consultation on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan Review following the release of a discussion paper overnight.
RGA President, Peter Herrmann, said, “Industry would take the time to consider the options and ideas posed in the paper, but welcomed the recognition that after 15 years, a different approach is needed.”
“Our industry and the communities we support have long been saying the focus must be on outcomes, not just recovery volumes and at first glance it seems that may now be being recognised,” Herrmann said.
“Water reform pre-dates the Basin Plan, and environmental recovery now totals around 3,100GL, delivering a significant portfolio of water to manage, but that has come at a cost to industry and communities.”
“We have long called for a shift to integrated catchment management and community-supported solutions.”
Graeme Kruger, RGA Executive Director, said, “The acknowledgement that flow patterns rather than recovery volumes may be the appropriate future risk mitigation in the key rice-growing valleys, reinforces the fact that the ‘just add water’ approach is now outdated.”
“Since water reform began, the irrigation sector has done its part for the Basin Plan – improving water use efficiencies, selling entitlements to the Government and working with Environmental Water Holders, yet successive governments have failed to deliver against their obligations such as constraints management, infrastructure upgrades and finalising the SDL Adjustment Mechanism projects,” he said.
“Unfortunately, the discussion paper is still assuming further water recovery of close to 750GL without any acknowledgement of the impact on communities and industries that have already seen significant adjustment in the name of the Basin Plan.”
“It is time we shifted the focus from water recovery – which has largely been done – to water management and environmental outcomes.”
The RGA encourages everyone who has an interest in the future of the Basin to participate in the consultation and make a submission.
Information about the process can be found online at: 2026 Basin Plan Review | Murray–Darling Basin Authority
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