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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/aug/02/murray-darling-basin-nsw-government-changes-could-be-causing-water-loss
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| Murray-Darling basin: NSW government changes could be causing water loss | Murray-Darling basin: NSW government changes could be causing water loss |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Farmers and water experts say New South Wales government rule changes could be causing more water loss to the Murray-Darling river system than before the national plan was put in place. | Farmers and water experts say New South Wales government rule changes could be causing more water loss to the Murray-Darling river system than before the national plan was put in place. |
| The Barwon-Darling water-sharing plan, which governs the rules in the north of NSW, was signed off by the then primary industries minister and Nationals MP, Katrina Hodgkinson, in 2012, just before the national Murray-Darling basin plan was approved. | The Barwon-Darling water-sharing plan, which governs the rules in the north of NSW, was signed off by the then primary industries minister and Nationals MP, Katrina Hodgkinson, in 2012, just before the national Murray-Darling basin plan was approved. |
| As a result, pumping rules in the area favour larger irrigators – because they have the infrastructure to capitalise on the rules – which has caused fractures in the farming community. The new rules increased allowable pump sizes, removed daily extraction limits and allowed for more storage. | As a result, pumping rules in the area favour larger irrigators – because they have the infrastructure to capitalise on the rules – which has caused fractures in the farming community. The new rules increased allowable pump sizes, removed daily extraction limits and allowed for more storage. |
| John Clements is a former member of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s (MDBA) Northern Basin Advisory Committee, a former head of industry group Namoi Water and former advisor to independent federal and NSW MP Tony Windsor. | John Clements is a former member of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s (MDBA) Northern Basin Advisory Committee, a former head of industry group Namoi Water and former advisor to independent federal and NSW MP Tony Windsor. |
| Clements said the Barwon-Darling water-sharing plan change meant some irrigators were able to increase their legal water take and this had a potentially bigger impact than compliance issues, including cases of alleged water theft featured on Four Corners. | Clements said the Barwon-Darling water-sharing plan change meant some irrigators were able to increase their legal water take and this had a potentially bigger impact than compliance issues, including cases of alleged water theft featured on Four Corners. |
| “The bigger issue is the failure of the Murray Darling Basin Authority to review the 2012 Barwon-Darling water-sharing plan,” Clements told Guardian Australia. “They had legal obligation to review it and they didn’t look at it. | “The bigger issue is the failure of the Murray Darling Basin Authority to review the 2012 Barwon-Darling water-sharing plan,” Clements told Guardian Australia. “They had legal obligation to review it and they didn’t look at it. |
| “The NSW government changed the licence conditions and carry-over rules, which meant some irrigators were able to increase their legal take through increased reliability of access. | “The NSW government changed the licence conditions and carry-over rules, which meant some irrigators were able to increase their legal take through increased reliability of access. |
| “The MDBA can’t object to changes it refused and was obligated to review. The public have a right to know why this occurred.” | “The MDBA can’t object to changes it refused and was obligated to review. The public have a right to know why this occurred.” |
| Clements said the industry had previously been guided by audits that were assessed annually but a process failure meant audits had not been carried out and released in many years. | Clements said the industry had previously been guided by audits that were assessed annually but a process failure meant audits had not been carried out and released in many years. |
| He said, as a result of oversight failures, the credibility and progress of the Murray-Darling basin plan was at risk, as was the entire industry’s reputation because of the “behaviour of a few”. | He said, as a result of oversight failures, the credibility and progress of the Murray-Darling basin plan was at risk, as was the entire industry’s reputation because of the “behaviour of a few”. |
| “As a result of the changes, if you have the infrastructure, you have a vastly increased capacity for water intake and that is legal in terms of a NSW water-sharing plan. It means you are able to turn the pump on more often,” Clements said. | “As a result of the changes, if you have the infrastructure, you have a vastly increased capacity for water intake and that is legal in terms of a NSW water-sharing plan. It means you are able to turn the pump on more often,” Clements said. |
| “If you are in the know, you know your reliability is going to go up, which means you are not going breach the conditions but you are going to increase the take of water. What is done in NSW is legal but risks breaching the commonwealth agreement.” | “If you are in the know, you know your reliability is going to go up, which means you are not going breach the conditions but you are going to increase the take of water. What is done in NSW is legal but risks breaching the commonwealth agreement.” |
| Katharine McBride, from Tolarno station in Menindee in the far west of NSW, said changes to the rules by the NSW government meant many irrigators’ licences were upgraded to allow larger pumps to take water once the river got to a certain flow height – sometimes triggered by the release of environmental water upstream, among other changes. | Katharine McBride, from Tolarno station in Menindee in the far west of NSW, said changes to the rules by the NSW government meant many irrigators’ licences were upgraded to allow larger pumps to take water once the river got to a certain flow height – sometimes triggered by the release of environmental water upstream, among other changes. |
| “Many people did not know about the changes to the plan,” McBride said. “It has created much greater issues than issues of compliance. Small and medium flows are not getting down the river.” | “Many people did not know about the changes to the plan,” McBride said. “It has created much greater issues than issues of compliance. Small and medium flows are not getting down the river.” |
| But a spokeswoman for NSW primary industries minister Niall Blair denied there was more water lost under the 2012 Barwon Darling plan and said public consultations on the 2019 plan had just begun. | But a spokeswoman for NSW primary industries minister Niall Blair denied there was more water lost under the 2012 Barwon Darling plan and said public consultations on the 2019 plan had just begun. |
| “There has been no increase to the overall water take,” the spokeswoman said. | “There has been no increase to the overall water take,” the spokeswoman said. |
| The NSW Farmers’ Association president, Derek Schoen, said the changes had caused significant angst among all of the water users within the Barwon-Darling plan. | The NSW Farmers’ Association president, Derek Schoen, said the changes had caused significant angst among all of the water users within the Barwon-Darling plan. |
| “Following the ABC 4 Corners episode ‘Pumping’ which raised a number of distinct water issues, including illegal water take, it’s imperative that any review or inquiry into water management and compliance includes an investigation into the making of the 2012 Barwon Darling Water Sharing Plan,” Schoen told Guardian Australia. | |
| “This needs to include procedural matters as well as any changes to historic low flow management rules.” | |
| The MDBA chief executive, Phillip Glyde, said the Barwon-Darling plan essentially grandfathered the 2012 NSW irrigation rules – prior to the final signing of the Murray-Darlin basin plan – but the new water-sharing agreements due in 2019 would have to adjust to less water in line with the national plan. | The MDBA chief executive, Phillip Glyde, said the Barwon-Darling plan essentially grandfathered the 2012 NSW irrigation rules – prior to the final signing of the Murray-Darlin basin plan – but the new water-sharing agreements due in 2019 would have to adjust to less water in line with the national plan. |
| “If they don’t match the basin plan, we can make our own plan,” Glyde told Guardian Australia. “We will be working hard with the states to get them to produce plans which are complementary [to the Murray-Darling basin plan].” | “If they don’t match the basin plan, we can make our own plan,” Glyde told Guardian Australia. “We will be working hard with the states to get them to produce plans which are complementary [to the Murray-Darling basin plan].” |
| The MDBA confirmed when the new 2019 water resource plans come into effect, the authority will have increased powers to accredit, review and assess. | The MDBA confirmed when the new 2019 water resource plans come into effect, the authority will have increased powers to accredit, review and assess. |
| Hodgkinson said as minister she took a triple-bottom-line approach to the Murray-Darlin basin plan to consider its environmental, social and economic impacts prior to its approval. | Hodgkinson said as minister she took a triple-bottom-line approach to the Murray-Darlin basin plan to consider its environmental, social and economic impacts prior to its approval. |
| “I am confident the NSW Liberals and Nationals in government got the best deal possible on behalf of the people of NSW as a result of those tough negotiations and I stand by my ministerial record,” she said. | “I am confident the NSW Liberals and Nationals in government got the best deal possible on behalf of the people of NSW as a result of those tough negotiations and I stand by my ministerial record,” she said. |
| Also on Wednesday, the Daily Telegraph reported the current NSW primary industries minister and Nationals MP, Niall Blair, had been urging his Liberal colleague, the environment minister, Gabrielle Upton, to change the Barwon-Darling water-sharing plan. | Also on Wednesday, the Daily Telegraph reported the current NSW primary industries minister and Nationals MP, Niall Blair, had been urging his Liberal colleague, the environment minister, Gabrielle Upton, to change the Barwon-Darling water-sharing plan. |
| The paper reported the change would retrospectively give irrigators like National party political donor Peter Harris more water rights under the law. | The paper reported the change would retrospectively give irrigators like National party political donor Peter Harris more water rights under the law. |
| A spokeswoman for Blair said the minister had sought to correct a contradictory error in water trading regulations but no change had yet taken place. | A spokeswoman for Blair said the minister had sought to correct a contradictory error in water trading regulations but no change had yet taken place. |
| “The minister was advised that these contradictory statements in the same regulation needed to be amended to be consistent with the original intent as announced in 2012,” the spokeswoman said. | “The minister was advised that these contradictory statements in the same regulation needed to be amended to be consistent with the original intent as announced in 2012,” the spokeswoman said. |
| “Documents published at the time to help the industry and public understand the regulation clearly demonstrate the intent of the plan. The minister acted to remedy this mistake but no changes have taken place and they remain under consideration.” | “Documents published at the time to help the industry and public understand the regulation clearly demonstrate the intent of the plan. The minister acted to remedy this mistake but no changes have taken place and they remain under consideration.” |
| A spokesman for Upton said: “The environment minister retains an important role in ensuring environmental water flows through the Murray-Darling basin.” | A spokesman for Upton said: “The environment minister retains an important role in ensuring environmental water flows through the Murray-Darling basin.” |
| Guardian Australia contacted Harris’s office but was told he would not comment. | Guardian Australia contacted Harris’s office but was told he would not comment. |
| The Telegraph quoted his lawyer, who said “We are instructed that Mr Harris has no knowledge of the change to clause 66(1) you have referred to, or how or if it had any effect on him. Mr Harris does recall making a donation to the National Party in or about 2011”. | The Telegraph quoted his lawyer, who said “We are instructed that Mr Harris has no knowledge of the change to clause 66(1) you have referred to, or how or if it had any effect on him. Mr Harris does recall making a donation to the National Party in or about 2011”. |