Murray-Darling Basin Plan needs to be flexible

My Nationals colleagues and I have sought to remind parliament that our people and communities are at the heart of the plan. These amendments were an attempt to protect our future.

When the basin plan was first legislated, it was intended to be flexible. In practice, it has proven to be rigid, despite the desperate need to make quality improvements.

The Nationals propose four key changes. We are seeking to remove the 450-gigalitre requirement and build in new mechanisms to deliver the environmental outcomes the basin needs.

Next, we want to ensure that no more water buybacks will occur. The government has already promised this, but The Nationals want this written in legislation, to prevent future governments of any persuasion from going back on our commitment.

Then, we want to enable new offset projects. Most supply projects are on track, but a handful are not, which may jeopardise the target of the basin plan. Our amendments would change legislation to give state governments more flexibility to deliver these projects, and meet their targets under the plan.

Finally, we want to give farmers and communities certainty that no further water can be taken when the plan is completed. The plan is due to be completed in 2024, with a review on 2026.

The overwhelming feedback I have received is that these changes are what people have been asking for. The aim of the amendments is to bring back confidence and security in our water systems for basin communities.

Fundamentally, these changes are about making the basin plan more flexible so that we can achieve better outcomes, giving certainty to farmers and communities, and legislating promises that have already been made.

Put simply, it’s about ensuring our communities and river system have a bright future.

Unfortunately, our amendments were not supported this time around by any other party, but The Nationals will continue to prosecute this case to make sure we get positive changes for the basin plan.