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| It’s not too late to save the Howard government's legacy on water reform It’s not too late to save the Howard government's legacy on water reform | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| On Australia Day in 2007, the then prime minister, John Howard, announced at the National Press Club a $10bn national plan for water security to “once and for all” address over-allocation of water in the Murray-Darling Basin. | On Australia Day in 2007, the then prime minister, John Howard, announced at the National Press Club a $10bn national plan for water security to “once and for all” address over-allocation of water in the Murray-Darling Basin. |
| In that same year the then minister for environment and water, Malcolm Turnbull, introduced the Commonwealth Water Act 2007, which, among other things, set the foundations for the Murray-Darling Basin plan. | In that same year the then minister for environment and water, Malcolm Turnbull, introduced the Commonwealth Water Act 2007, which, among other things, set the foundations for the Murray-Darling Basin plan. |
| These initiatives came off the back of the historic National Water Initiative in 2004, championed by the then leader of the National party, John Anderson. It was described by many at the time, including the Wentworth Group, as one of the most significant agreements in the nation’s history. | These initiatives came off the back of the historic National Water Initiative in 2004, championed by the then leader of the National party, John Anderson. It was described by many at the time, including the Wentworth Group, as one of the most significant agreements in the nation’s history. |
| These reforms addressed the catastrophic problems caused by the over-allocation of water in the Murray-Darling Basin that was affecting the livelihoods of people and the health of the river. We saw the impact of over-allocation during the millennium drought: salinity, the collapse of the Coorong and Lower Lakes in South Australia, the closure of the Murray Mouth and need for dredging, and widespread degradation of wetlands, floodplain forests, native fish and waterbirds across the basin. | These reforms addressed the catastrophic problems caused by the over-allocation of water in the Murray-Darling Basin that was affecting the livelihoods of people and the health of the river. We saw the impact of over-allocation during the millennium drought: salinity, the collapse of the Coorong and Lower Lakes in South Australia, the closure of the Murray Mouth and need for dredging, and widespread degradation of wetlands, floodplain forests, native fish and waterbirds across the basin. |
| These truly momentous reforms were designed to change the course of water management in Australia. | These truly momentous reforms were designed to change the course of water management in Australia. |
| The solution rested on the recognition that the creation of property rights for irrigators and the ability to trade water provided a once in a generation opportunity to restore the health of Australia’s rivers in a way that also promoted economic development. Creating more wealth, using less water. | The solution rested on the recognition that the creation of property rights for irrigators and the ability to trade water provided a once in a generation opportunity to restore the health of Australia’s rivers in a way that also promoted economic development. Creating more wealth, using less water. |
| The first warning sign that these reforms were beginning to fail was the flawed implementation of the basin plan, which put bureaucrats in charge rather than allowing communities to be at the front and centre of the solution. Instead we saw a centralist, top down program driven by government agencies, where one arm of government produced a “plan”, while another arm spent billions of dollars without any genuine consultation with the communities affected. | The first warning sign that these reforms were beginning to fail was the flawed implementation of the basin plan, which put bureaucrats in charge rather than allowing communities to be at the front and centre of the solution. Instead we saw a centralist, top down program driven by government agencies, where one arm of government produced a “plan”, while another arm spent billions of dollars without any genuine consultation with the communities affected. |
| More warning signs came when the Abbott government reacted against this by capping buybacks, abolishing the independent National Water Commission and shutting down the sustainable rivers audit that was designed to measure river health. | More warning signs came when the Abbott government reacted against this by capping buybacks, abolishing the independent National Water Commission and shutting down the sustainable rivers audit that was designed to measure river health. |
| The final straw came last week when the minister for agriculture and water resources, Barnaby Joyce, wrote to South Australia to signal that 450GL (that’s 450bn litres of water) that he promised the river will now not be delivered. | The final straw came last week when the minister for agriculture and water resources, Barnaby Joyce, wrote to South Australia to signal that 450GL (that’s 450bn litres of water) that he promised the river will now not be delivered. |
| His reaction is based on the flawed assumption that protecting the environment must come at the cost of jobs. This short-term thinking will, in the long run, harm the very people these reforms are designed to help. Australia can’t have viable regional communities without a healthy river. | His reaction is based on the flawed assumption that protecting the environment must come at the cost of jobs. This short-term thinking will, in the long run, harm the very people these reforms are designed to help. Australia can’t have viable regional communities without a healthy river. |
| The issue driving the pushback on water reform is the impact that the poor implementation of the basin plan is having on some regional communities. Research commissioned by the Wentworth Group has shown that while overall productivity in irrigated agriculture across the Murray-Darling Basin has not declined as a result of water reform, some communities have been adversely affected. | The issue driving the pushback on water reform is the impact that the poor implementation of the basin plan is having on some regional communities. Research commissioned by the Wentworth Group has shown that while overall productivity in irrigated agriculture across the Murray-Darling Basin has not declined as a result of water reform, some communities have been adversely affected. |
| Addressing these effects on local communities is vital to getting water reform back on the rails. To date, most effort has focused on water buybacks and on-farm infrastructure upgrades for the irrigation industry. Considerably less funding has been provided to address the impacts on communities, and to help farmers adapt to the changes. This is where the effort is now needed. | Addressing these effects on local communities is vital to getting water reform back on the rails. To date, most effort has focused on water buybacks and on-farm infrastructure upgrades for the irrigation industry. Considerably less funding has been provided to address the impacts on communities, and to help farmers adapt to the changes. This is where the effort is now needed. |
| Instead of taking back control, Joyce seems to have embarked on what can only be seen as a systematic attack with the long-term goal of dismantling the basin plan. | Instead of taking back control, Joyce seems to have embarked on what can only be seen as a systematic attack with the long-term goal of dismantling the basin plan. |
| Paring back water for the environment will not make the problems go away. Drought is and always will be just around the corner in Australia. As Howard said in 2007: “Nothing can change the basic facts of our continent.” | Paring back water for the environment will not make the problems go away. Drought is and always will be just around the corner in Australia. As Howard said in 2007: “Nothing can change the basic facts of our continent.” |
| The long-term consequence is inevitable – it will fail regional communities, it will degrade the river and, in the process, it will waste the $10bn proudly announced in 2007. | The long-term consequence is inevitable – it will fail regional communities, it will degrade the river and, in the process, it will waste the $10bn proudly announced in 2007. |
| It is not too late. We can have a healthy river and prosperous communities if the right incentives are provided to communities to find a solution. | It is not too late. We can have a healthy river and prosperous communities if the right incentives are provided to communities to find a solution. |
| We understand that there is something in the order of $3bn unspent from the 2007 program. Yesterday we wrote to the prime minister seeking his intervention to stop any further erosion of the basin plan, freeze this remaining funding and over the new year convene a national water summit to put water reform back on track by supporting the communities and industries affected by these reforms. | We understand that there is something in the order of $3bn unspent from the 2007 program. Yesterday we wrote to the prime minister seeking his intervention to stop any further erosion of the basin plan, freeze this remaining funding and over the new year convene a national water summit to put water reform back on track by supporting the communities and industries affected by these reforms. |
| There is water in our dams and money in the coffers. Now is the perfect opportunity to protect the legacy of the Howard government and fix the Murray-Darling Basin once and for all. | There is water in our dams and money in the coffers. Now is the perfect opportunity to protect the legacy of the Howard government and fix the Murray-Darling Basin once and for all. |