Key Points
- Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has announced an updated $13 billion Murray-Darling Basin plan.
- The plan excludes Victoria but Plibersek said the state would be welcome to join.
- The timeline to recover 450 gigalitres of water earmarked for the environment has been pushed out until the end of 2027.
The federal government has announced an updated $13 billion plan to revive the troubled Murray-Darling Basin water system, which will involve more water being pumped back into the environment, but over a longer period than first proposed.
The 12-year plan to restore the nation's largest and most complex river system, which runs through four states and dozens of towns and cities, was created in 2012 after years of overuse and the devastating millennium drought.
, and similar fish kills occurred in 2019 in the same stretch of the Darling-Baaka River.
The new agreement will require NSW to stop opposition to water buybacks in exchange for more time to deliver water-saving projects.
Water buybacks are where the government purchases water entitlements from growers, ensuring less water is removed from river systems.
Federal Environment Minister Plibersek said the agreement struck between the federal government and the NSW, South Australian, Queensland and ACT governments came at a crucial time with the next drought "just around the corner".
"What we're proposing is more time, more money, more options and more accountability," she told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.
"We can't stand by and allow our threatened species, our rivers, our wetlands and the three million people who rely on this river system for their drinking water to be unprepared for the next dry period."
Plibersek said the agreement was important for any Australian who cared about the environment.
"The Murray-Darling pumps life into the heartland of our country."
The Murray-Darling Basin supports 7,300 irrigated agriculture businesses. Source: AAP / Samara Anderson
What is the new Murray-Darling Basin plan?
The timeline to recover 450 gigalitres of water earmarked for the environment has been pushed out until the end of 2027 and water infrastructure projects until the end of 2026, after the initial June 2024 target was on track to be missed.
The new plan - which limits the amount of water extracted from the basin - includes more options and funding to deliver the remaining water, such as through voluntary buybacks.
The Murray-Darling Basin Authority has previously advised there would be a shortfall of 750 gigalitres - about a quarter of the target - by June 2024.
Ms Plibersek said voluntary water buybacks would complement the infrastructure projects and that all options remained open.
"It is obvious that what's happening at the moment isn't working," she said.
"What I'm proposing for that 450 gigalitres is that instead of relying on some mythical projects that haven't eventuated until now, and are unlikely to eventuate in the future, we'll also be open to water purchase."
But the minister said she wanted to be careful speculating about the details of the water buybacks - such as how much money would be made available - as it would have the potential to distort the market.
Plibersek said more would be invested in water-saving projects to limit the amount that needs to be bought.
Victoria, which has previously opposed water buybacks, is the only basin government that hasn't signed up to the new plan, but Plibersek said her door remained open and there were significant benefits for the state to sign up to the plan.
The legislation will be introduced into federal parliament in coming weeks, with both houses to sit for two weeks from 4 September.
Why is the Murray-Darling Basin so important to Australia?
Covering an area of more than one million square kilometres, or 14 per cent of mainland Australia, the Murray–Darling Basin is the country's largest river system.
It runs from Queensland, into NSW and the Australian Capital Territory, then out through Victoria and South Australia.
It includes 77,000km of rivers and more than 25,000 wetlands.
The area is called a basin due to the number of streams, creeks and rivers that run to a common point.
The government describes the basin as "the food bowl of the nation", noting that the agriculture industry that it relies on it is worth $22 billion annually.
"Over three million people have access to fresh, clean drinking water from the basin," it says.
What have the Greens and the Coalition said about the Murray-Darling Basin plan?
The Greens are negotiating with the government to get the legislation through the Senate, with South Australian senator Sarah Hanson-Young saying there needs to be stronger oversight to ensure the updated plan is delivered.
"We've wasted 12 years already so another four years, unless you make some changes that really deliver that water, is just kicking the can down the road," she said.
"We want some guarantees."
But Hanson-Young wouldn't say if the Greens would push for incremental targets, amendments to the amount of water or big stick legislation for the 450 gigalitres.
Federal Opposition water spokeswoman Perin Davey said the extended timeframes were "cautiously welcomed" but warned the government to not immediately resort to buybacks.
"Questions remain around funding, especially given not all states have signed up," the deputy Nationals leader said.
Environment Victoria slammed the state government for not signing up, with CEO Jono La Nauze saying buybacks were the "most cost-effective and feasible solution".
"We're concerned Victoria will miss out on some benefits from being part of the deal including significant federal funding for regional communities," he said.
The legislation will be introduced into federal parliament in coming weeks, with both houses to sit for two weeks from 4 September.
