Senior Federal ministers have made a promise of ‘‘better use of water for the environment’’ in a $35 million announcement yesterday.
The funding was granted to Murray Irrigation Limited with the purpose of benefiting the environment and ‘‘reducing operating and maintenance costs for 2200 irrigators’’ in the MIL footprint.
Member for Farrer and Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said it would create 256 direct and indirect local jobs, and provide MIL with the funding to build important infrastructure to deliver water in the NSW southern basin.
Minister for Resources and Water Keith Pitt and Senator Perin Davey were also present to make the announcement in Deniliquin yesterday.
Ms Ley said the benefit to MIL would have flow-on effects on southern irrigators and benefit water-users in the region.
‘‘MIL is southern irrigators, because the 2200 farms are, of course, the irrigators who make up the southern basin — or much of it — in this part of my electorate of Farrer. So this should be welcomed by everybody,’’ said Ms Ley.
MIL chair Steve Fawns said ‘‘this is a very welcome announcement’’.
‘‘This is a project of self-determination that Murray Irrigation has been working on for a number of years now. And ultimately, it is the intelligent use of water that we appreciate — it is solutions.
‘‘These funds are an important first step for a real win:win outcome where the environment and the community can benefit from the efficient use of environmental water.’’
Mr Fawns said part of the funding would connect 130km of the Jimaringle and Cockran Creeks to the Murray system, restoring ecological health to our waterways.
He added the funding would also enable reconnection of at-risk environmental assets to improve the economic and operational sustainability of Murray Irrigation, which is one of Australia’s largest ‘national interest’ irrigation districts that has been impacted in the past by water buybacks.
Ms Ley said the announcement was ‘‘absolutely’’ a sign that she was listening to the needs of southern irrigators.
‘‘So today (Monday) we’re walking the talk with $35 million for Murray Irrigation Limited, which brings together a strong ongoing partnership between the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, environmental water, and productive water for irrigation.’’
Ms Ley has previously faced heavy criticism on water policy and the Murray-Darling Basin Plan from this sector of her electorate.
She said MIL will continue to receive revenue from the environmental water holder for its work. It already received about $1 million in revenue for delivering 90ML of water in the past year, according to Ms Ley.
Mr Pitt said the boost would improve ‘‘environmental water delivery across 372km of ephemeral creeks and up to 100 ephemeral wetlands’’ in the Edward-Wakool river system.
The ministers also reiterated their former promises that water buy-backs would not return under their leadership.
‘‘Production changes, reduced inflows and untargeted buy-backs have reduced water delivery in the MIL region by 40 per cent in the past 30 years, leaving valuable water infrastructure stranded — for farmers and environmental water holders,’’ Ms Ley said.
Senator Davey said the funding was a ‘‘game changer’’ for the area, and with 98 per cent of water recovered, it was time to focus on projects which deliver environmental outcomes.
Senator Davey predicted that combined with the $126 million off-farm efficiency program announced in January for Murrumbidgee Irrigation, agriculture would become a $100 billion industry by 2030.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated its national worth at $61 billion in 2019-20.
‘‘It brings water back to the district, and every bit of water that is used locally helps farmers,’’ Senator Davey said.
‘‘This is the environment and productive agriculture working together and it’s going to benefit not just this area, but also downstream users.’’