Buyback alternative offered but irrigators want flexibility in basin plan

The NSW Government is proposing a plan to deliver on existing projects and speed up the delivery of new ones to help reach the Murray Darling Basin Plan targets.

NSW Minister for Water Rose Jackson said the government does not support water buybacks.

"Our state is doing the heavy lifting when it comes to delivering the Basin Plan, and we will continue to work with the Australian Government to ensure the plan is delivered in a way that minimises impacts on our regional communities," she said.

"My message is clear: we will not take a backwards step in advocating for the interests of regional and rural NSW, and we will continue to explore and advocate for projects that deliver environmental benefits to the Basin while protecting our communities from large scale water buybacks."

The plan says the federal government needs to show greater flexibility in how it recognises water savings.

Not included in the Basin Plan, projects like the Murrumbidgee Irrigation and Coleambally Murrumbidgee Optimisation project "could build efficiencies and resilience so communities are better equipped in the long run."

Murray MP Helen Dalton criticised the plan, saying it lacked substance.

"This so-called plan is just a wish-list of projects that don't stack up and will never be taken up by the Commonwealth," she said.

"If the NSW government really wants to protect regional communities, it needs to ban Commonwealth buybacks from our state, just like Victoria has already done."

In August 2023, then Victoria premier Daniel Andrews refused to sign up for the federal government's new plan agreements. Ms Dalton said NSW need to follow suit.

"So why is all the pain being put on NSW and SA? It's unfair and the Minns government can protect regional communities by simply saying it won't allow buybacks from NSW," she said.

The NSW Irrigator's Council were cautiously optimistic following the state government announcement but said any decision regarding buybacks will ultimately lie with federal minister Tanya Plibersek.

"The NSW Plan does not give communities much hope buybacks will be minimised because much depends on the Commonwealth agreeing to greater flexibility in how it recognises water recovery," NSW Irrigators' Council CEO Claire Miller said.

"Too much relies on Commonwealth goodwill - and we have seen very little of that coming out of the Commonwealth since it decided to go down this path last year."