Murray-Darling Basin Plan - update

AGIRG
December 2023
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 Basin Plan update

Current status:
• “Restoring Our Rivers” Bill 2023 has amended the Water Act and Basin Plan

• Not being party to the August 2023 `Agreement’ means the Commonwealth hold a policy position to exclude
Victoria from all Basin Plan funding

• Commonwealth’s implementation plan is high risk and broadly opposed by Basin communities

• Water recovery exposure across the Basin is up to 750GL, no confirmed figure for each state.

• For comparison, 2100 GL has been recovered to date Basin-wide, of which 826 GL in Vic- this is a sizeable
task.

There has been no change to Victoria’s position. We maintain that:

• We continue to support and implement SDLAM projects and Constraints. This includes seeking funding and
flexibility from the Commonwealth, contributing to program design.
• We continue to support and implement water recovery projects that do not have negative socio-economic
outcomes. This includes contributing to program design, seeking new projects.
• We continue to oppose buybacks.
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 Key achievements to date

Victoria’s water
• Victoria has delivered to date on all our obligations under the plan. recovery to date =
826.17 LTAAY
• Recovered 826 GL of our 1,075 GL long-term water recovery target. (Victoria’s Target 1,075.3GL)
MDBA reports 825.5 GL LTAAY

• Water resource plans are accredited and fully compliant with SDLs. Vic’s Water Recovery
Graphs

• Delivering water efficiency projects – Mitiamo, Connections, & Goulburn-Murray*

• CEWH’s portfolio is proportionally dominated by Victorian high reliability entitlements at 41%

• This entitlement is doing heavy lifting for the environment, particularly in dry years. In 2018-19, 70% of all allocation held by the CEWH
came from Victorian entitlement

• Led the development of the socio-economic criteria agreed to by all Basin governments in 2018

• Clear and robust Compliance framework with extensive metering coverage, including a high proportion of meters fitted with telemetry
and we have strengthened our legislative framework

• Leading on climate change research, including Climate Change Strategy that sets out Victoria’s zero emissions by 2050

• Strong commitment to partner with First Nations to embed cultural values in waterway management through Victoria’s Water for Life.
* Delivered by June 2024
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 Socio-economic Impacts
Victoria’s 2017 study:
• The dairy industry is heavily reliant on the
allocation market (more than 50% are now net
buyers).
• Basin irrigators are exposed to more risk and
are likely to be less resilient during dry spells
because of their increased reliance on
purchasing allocation.
• There has been a 41% reduction in long term
average deliveries in the Goulburn Murray
Irrigation District (GMID) (from 2000 GL in 2009
to average of 1200 GL in 2016).

Study update in 2022:

• projected demands from permanent horticulture
• Water recovery- particularly buybacks- has demonstrated will increase putting pressure on water
availability
negative impacts.
• businesses purchasing water from the allocation
• Victoria opposes further buybacks. market may need to prepare for higher water
prices in the future
• Alternatives – such as system efficiencies- are available and • Carryover and inter-valley trade are increasingly
important
a better option.
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 SDLAM - Victorian Murray Floodplain Restoration Project (VMFRP)

• The VMFRP will get water back

onto nine high value floodplains
along the Murray River.
• VMFRP will provide protection
for 14,000 hectares of
floodplains (funding to progress
withheld by C’th) .
• These sites cannot be reached
with environmental water
without unacceptable
community flood risk- if they are
not completed, the sites cannot
be watered.
• This is because the sites no
longer receive major flooding
due to long established river
regulation and town protection
• https://www.vmfrp.com.au/ OFFICIAL
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 SDLAM – Victoria’s Constraints Projects

Constraints projects establish a footprint

for environmental watering outside the
river channel.

Some of this work is infrastructure e.g.

raising bridges- but most is establishing
landholder agreements.

Connecting floodplains to the river greatly

increases environmental benefits and
increases options for delivering water
further downstream as greater volumes
may be moved.

If constraints projects are not delivered,

environmental water will not be
deliverable to best effect- the river is not
• Goulburn - 0 GL
a pipe.
• Hume to Yarrawonga (H2Y) – approx. 21GL (Vic & NSW)
• Yarrawonga to Wakool (Y2W) – approx. 21GL (NSW & Vic) 6
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 Next steps

• Victoria is considering next steps in light of the legislation change.

• The priority is protecting communities and environments.
• Ministerial Council will next meet in March 2024.

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