History Of National Irrigators' Council
The National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) was established in 2008 during a period of major reform in Australian water policy, particularly following the negotiations and passage of the Commonwealth Water Act 2007. The organisation emerged as a national response to growing Commonwealth involvement in water management and the increasing need for irrigators to have a coordinated, national voice in debates about water reform, irrigation communities, food production and the future of the Murray–Darling Basin.
The reason was that passage of the Water Act marked a significant shift in Basin governance. For the first time, the Commonwealth assumed a stronger leadership role in managing the Murray–Darling Basin through the creation of the Murray–Darling Basin Authority and the development of what would later become the Basin Plan. The reforms were driven by concerns about over-allocation, drought, river health and the long-term sustainability of water resources.
Against this backdrop, irrigation industries and regional communities recognised the need for a unified national body that could represent the interests of water users across different states, commodities and irrigation systems. Prior to NIC’s establishment, irrigation advocacy was often undertaken by individual state organisations or commodity groups (see Our Community for more information). The formation of NIC brought together these groups under a single national umbrella to advocate for balanced and practical water policy that recognised environmental, economic and social outcomes.
National Irrigators' Council Objects [2008]: "To develop projects and policies to ensure the efficiency, viability and sustainability of Australian irrigated agriculture and the security and reliability of water entitlements and to promote those projects and policies with a view to having them adopted or ratified by governments, statutory authorities and other groups and organisations."
Since its formation, NIC has grown into the national peak body representing irrigators across Australia. Its membership includes irrigation corporations, valley-based irrigation organisations and commodity groups spanning the major irrigation regions of the country. The organisation has consistently advocated for secure water property rights, workable Basin Plan implementation, investment in water infrastructure and policies that support both healthy rivers and productive regional communities.
Much of NIC’s early work focused on the development of the Murray–Darling Basin Plan, which became law in 2012 under the Water Act framework. During this period, NIC became a prominent voice in national debates about sustainable diversion limits, water recovery targets, buybacks, infrastructure efficiency programs and the socioeconomic impacts of reform on Basin communities. The organisation consistently argued for what it described as a “triple bottom line” approach that balanced environmental objectives with the needs of food and fibre production and regional economies.
Over time, NIC’s role has expanded beyond Basin Plan implementation to broader issues affecting irrigated agriculture nationally whilst remaining focused on our central role to ensure the security of water property rights for agricultural and horticultural production. in 2023 the organisation went through a in-depth strategic review that resulted in constitutional changes and a new strategic offering.
National Irrigators' Council Objects [2023]: The Company is established with the following Objects:
(a) To secure the long-term interests of Members and the irrigation industry by developing and advocating a whole of industry view to protect the security of water entitlements as a property right and seeking to maintain the reliability of water allocations for commercial use in agriculture and/or horticultural production;
(b) promoting the importance and value of irrigated agriculture; and
(c) doing anything ancillary or incidental to the attainment of the Objects.
Through its 2024–2028 Strategic Plan, NIC has reaffirmed its mission to secure and protect water rights for the long-term benefit of its members, irrigation-dependent communities and the nation as per the updated and re-focused Company Objects. The Council continues to position itself as the trusted national advocate for irrigated agriculture, working to support strong regional economies, sustainable food and fibre production, and balanced water policy outcomes that recognise environmental, social, cultural and economic objectives together. The organisation’s strategic focus reflects both the increasing complexity of water policy and the continued need for a strong, coordinated national voice for irrigators.
Today, NIC’s current priorities include influencing national water and irrigation policy, protecting and enhancing water property rights, delivering credible analysis on emerging water issues, advocating for practical and sustainable water management, and strengthening collaboration across industry, governments and regional communities. The organisation is also focused on ensuring irrigated agriculture remains productive, innovative and resilient in the face of climate variability, policy reform and changing community expectations.