[ { "post_id": "1034", "post_category_id": "419", "post_title": "Interim Draft Report", "post_content_short": "Independant Reviewer, Geoff Leaper has released the draft Interim Report of Review of the Water Act 2007.  
\n
\nA public webinar will be held on Friday 13th November 2026.
\n
\nConsultation period has opened until 17 December 2026 with the Final report due to Government in February 2027.
\n
\n Visit the website to read the report or register for consultation. ", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/1034\/Independant-review.png", "post_content_type": "url", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/consult.dcceew.gov.au\/water-act-review", "post_date": "2026-11-04 22:10:00" }, { "post_id": "1016", "post_category_id": "405", "post_title": "Media Release - Buybacks are not the answer in the Murray Darling Basin", "post_content_short": "Basin communities have responded to the Water Amendment (Ending Further Murray-Darling Basin Water buybacks) Bill 2026<\/em> introduced in parliament today, saying “it’s time to move beyond ‘just adding water’”. \n

\n\t“The science is clear, restoring the remaining environmental challenges in the Basin cannot be solved by “just adding water””, said CEO of\n\tNational Irrigators' Council, Zara Lowien.\n", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/1016\/Media-Release.png", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/news\/media-releases\/nic-media-release-buybacks-are-not-the-answer-in-the-murray-darling-basin\/", "post_date": "2026-10-15 02:05:27" }, { "post_id": "1021", "post_category_id": "407", "post_title": "Menindee Lakes Position Statement", "post_content_short": "NIC Members agreed to a Menindee Lakes Position Statement following on-going work program of reviews into Menindee Lakes.
\n
\nThis position statement was prepared in conjunction with our Position Statement on Reliability of Water Access Entitlements and\nour guiding principles. 
\n
\nApproved14 October 2026.", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/1021\/Policy-Position-icon.png", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/policy\/position-statements\/menindee-lakes-position-statement\/", "post_date": "2026-10-13 23:51:00" }, { "post_id": "1001", "post_category_id": "406", "post_title": "NIC Water Act Review Submission", "post_content_short": "NIC provided their final submission into the Indepedant Reviewer for the Statutory Review of the Water Act.
\n
\nKey points included ensuring the Water Act reflects the constitutional arrangements for water, reshaping the Act to reflect the changed roles of the Murray Darling Basin Plan from a plan of recovery to management and ensuring the froundations of water management framework, agreed in 2004 are reflected in legislation.", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/1001\/Submission.png", "post_content_type": "file", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/1001\/20260831-Water-Act-Review-NIC-Submission-FINAL.pdf", "post_date": "2026-09-03 21:18:26" }, { "post_id": "998", "post_category_id": "405", "post_title": "Media Release - Enough is enough, the NIC message from the Bush Summit", "post_content_short": "The National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) sent a clear message at the National Bush Summit: ‘enough is enough’ <\/em>of taking water away\n\tfrom farmers.<\/em> \n\n

\n\t“Communities are at tipping point right around the Basin,” said Zara Lowien, CEO of NIC, after 1 in 3 litres of water has been removed from\n\tfarming over more than 30 years of reform. [...] \n\n

 ", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/998\/Media-Release.png", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/news\/media-releases\/media-release-nic-at-the-national-bush-summit\/", "post_date": "2026-08-26 22:44:00" }, { "post_id": "994", "post_category_id": "409", "post_title": "National Water Agreement released", "post_content_short": "The Australia Government together with State and Territories have agreed to released the proposed new National Water Agreement\nfollowing the recent National Cabinet Meeting. ", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/994\/Member-new-resource.png", "post_content_type": "url", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.dcceew.gov.au\/water\/policy\/publications\/national-water-agreement", "post_date": "2026-08-21 03:36:43" }, { "post_id": "993", "post_category_id": "405", "post_title": "Joint Media Release - Water policy must be on the food security menu", "post_content_short": "Australia's food security strategy cannot ignore water as a critical input, according to irrigation industry leaders in Canberra attending the National Farmers Federation Summit today.
\n
\nNational Irrigators' Council, NSW Irrigators' Council, Ricegrowers' Association, Citrus Australia and Cotton Australia were united in their call that water policy belongs in Australia's food security conversation. [...]", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/993\/Media-Release.png", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/news\/media-releases\/joint-media-release-water-policy-must-be-on-the-food-security-menu\/", "post_date": "2026-08-18 05:31:00" }, { "post_id": "983", "post_category_id": "406", "post_title": "Water Act Review Discussion Paper on First Nations", "post_content_short": "The NIC provided a submission to the Water Act Review Discussion Paper: Strong Voices, Healthy Waters.", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/983\/Submission.png", "post_content_type": "file", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/983\/NIC-Water-Act-Review-First-Nations-Submission-July-2026-FINAL.pdf", "post_date": "2026-07-22 12:11:00" }, { "post_id": "980", "post_category_id": "419", "post_title": "Water Act Review Webinar", "post_content_short": "DCCEEW are hosting an online webinar  at 10:30am AEST on 28 July 2026<\/strong> - you can register\nhere<\/a>.
\n
\nThe webinar will provide information to support participation in the current review of The Water Act 2007<\/em> (Cth) with the\nrelease of a Review Discussion Paper.
\n
\nThis webinar will be recorded and will be available on our website following the event.", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/980\/dcceew.jpg", "post_content_type": "url", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/consult.dcceew.gov.au\/water-act-review", "post_date": "2026-07-22 11:58:09" }, { "post_id": "966", "post_category_id": "406", "post_title": "Inquiry into National Water Reform Submission", "post_content_short": "This submission is provided to the Productivity Commission’s (PC) fourth inquiry on governments’ progress under the National Water\nInitiative (NWI), as required by the Water Act 2007 (Cth). NIC notes that this inquiry comes at a time of significant review, and\npotential change, of water policy settings across Australia, particularly in the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB). The consultation burden affects\nstakeholders and Government.", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/966\/Submission.png", "post_content_type": "file", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/966\/20260513-NIC-Submission-PC-National-Water-Inquiry-FINAL.pdf", "post_date": "2026-05-11 01:10:00" }, { "post_id": "965", "post_category_id": "406", "post_title": "Menindee Review Submission", "post_content_short": "This submission is provided to the review of the operation and management of the Menindee Lakes system. Many of our Members are critically\nlinked into the frameworks and operations of Menindee Lakes via existing sharing arrangements through the Murray Darling Agreement or local\nsharing plans - above and below the Lakes. This submission therefore represents the views of irrigation entitlement holders and water users,\nand non-government water delivery networks, up and downstream of the Lakes.", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/965\/Submission.png", "post_content_type": "file", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/965\/20260508-NIC-Submission-Menindee-Review.pdf", "post_date": "2026-05-08 01:05:00" }, { "post_id": "949", "post_category_id": "416", "post_title": "National Water Reform review", "post_content_short": "The Productivity Commission has released the terms of reference for the tree-yearly review into National Water Reform - this inquiry is into\nthe National Water Initiative and its progress.  The review also includes terms to look at urban water infrastructure and pricing, and\nthus presents an opportunity to raise concerns with bulk water infrastructure and pricing. This is a tight timeframe, with a two-step\nprocess for an initial submission and a final submission deadline, which is similar to the usual process, it will mean we will not see a draft report rather an initial summary.  The intention is this information is available to the Minister prior to the end of 2026, to\nhelp inform the legislative program for 2027.
\n
\nNIC has requested a direct meeting with the inquiry team and we will let you know when.", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/949\/News.png", "post_content_type": "url", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.pc.gov.au\/inquiries-and-research\/water-reform-2026\/", "post_date": "2026-03-31 00:33:00" }, { "post_id": "946", "post_category_id": "406", "post_title": "NIC Submission into IGWC", "post_content_short": "The NIC provided a written, public submission into the Review into the Inspector General Water Compliance saying: "Reviewing how the\nrole is functioning towards these key principles is paramount as the new role matures over time, to ensure that these principles are being\nmet, but also that this is occurring in an effective, efficient, fit-for-purpose and proportional manner. Nothing in this submission is to question or belittle the importance of these principles – rather – to examine how they can be most effectively and efficiently served."", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/946\/Submission.png", "post_content_type": "file", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/946\/20260225-NIC-Submission-IGWC-Review.pdf", "post_date": "2026-02-25 06:25:00" }, { "post_id": "941", "post_category_id": "409", "post_title": "Water Law Symposium", "post_content_short": "Legalwise is again holding their annual Water Law Symposium in Sydney.
\nAs water law continues to evolve in response to environmental challenges, policy reform and heightened regulatory scrutiny, secure expert\nguidance on key legal and strategic issues shaping Australia’s water governance framework. You will gain insights into the lessons of\nthe past decade in water reform, the intersection of Indigenous rights and governance, and the design of the Basin Plan Review. ", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/941\/Legalwise.png", "post_content_type": "url", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/legalwiseseminars.com.au\/seminar-details?event=31691629578", "post_date": "2026-02-09 05:34:00" }, { "post_id": "912", "post_category_id": "416", "post_title": "Water Market Consultation re-opens", "post_content_short": "This update relates to persons or classes of people required to report water market information under the Australian Government water market\nregulation - this can be IIOs and water intermediaries.
\n
\nDCCEEW are seeking feedback on the Exposure Drafts for the proposed Water Amendment (Water Markets Information) Regulations 2026\n(Regulations) and the Water Market Data Standards.  These form the final pieces of the water market reform roadmap and are due for\nimplementation in 2026.
\n
\nExposure drafts and a survey for feedback are provided on the webpage.", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/912\/dcceew.jpg", "post_content_type": "url", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/consult.dcceew.gov.au\/water-amendment-regulations2026-wmds", "post_date": "2025-10-14 13:00:00" }, { "post_id": "905", "post_category_id": "405", "post_title": "NIC opinion in Irrigation Australia Limited Spring Journal", "post_content_short": "Irrigation Australia Limited's Spring Journal features our CEO, Zara Lowien's comments on the 2025 Basin Plan Evaluation (on page 32-35) indicating there were plenty of first the MDBA's 'game changing' 2025 evaluation but what does it mean for the irrigation industry.  Zara highlighted the opportunity before Minister Watt has to work collaboratively with communities and industry on a much-needed reset, that\nlooks to refocus the Basin Plan on outcomes rather than numbers. ", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/905\/Comment.png", "post_content_type": "url", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/issuu.com\/irrigationaustralia\/docs\/spring_journal_2025", "post_date": "2025-09-09 14:00:00" }, { "post_id": "904", "post_category_id": "417", "post_title": "Breaking the Hydro-illogical cycle", "post_content_short": "Australian Farm Institute, Executive Director Katie McRobert says "Much of Australia’s agricultural policy is caught in a loop. When a\ncrisis erupts – be it drought, market disruption, or community outrage – political and media attention surges. Decisions are demanded,\nheadlines written, levers pulled. But as the immediate threat subsides, so too does the will to implement lasting solutions...This edition of the Farm Policy Journal explores that cycle – and asks what we can do to break it. ....The opening article by Christine Freak and\nZara Lowien<\/strong> examines the long and often reactive trajectory of water policy reform in the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB)...[They] offer offer an original\ncontribution to this challenge in the form of the Triple Crown of Water Reform Framework, which conceptualises reform as a three-pronged\neffort: water-sharing (Flows), watermanagement (Functions), and integrated resource initiatives (Further)."", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/904\/Member-new-resource.png", "post_content_type": "url", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.farminstitute.org.au\/product\/vol-22-no-2-2025-breaking-the-hydro-illogical-cycle\/", "post_date": "2025-09-08 14:00:00" }, { "post_id": "890", "post_category_id": "415", "post_title": "MDBA River Reflections Conference REPLAY", "post_content_short": "If there's one video those working in water must watch this year, it's this - Professor Forest Reinhardt from Harvard Business School talking to Andrew McConville at this years River Reflections Conference on water property rights<\/strong> (watch from 45 minutes\ninto Day 1). 
\n
\nLet us know your favourite quotes!
\n
\nOne of our favourites (1hr 18mins in) - in response to a question on what a future Basin Plan should look like: "If the subsequent\nversions of the Basin Plan, can make water more and more like a normal commodity... just as if you own a piece of land... I think\nthat the more you can make water rights look like normal property rights, the more effective the system will be. I come from a country\nwhere we can't even get to the starting line of that kind of thing."<\/em>
\n
\n
", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/890\/Member-new-resource.png", "post_content_type": "url", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.mdba.gov.au\/news-and-events\/conferences\/2025-river-reflections-conference\/live-stream-videos", "post_date": "2025-08-07 14:00:00" }, { "post_id": "885", "post_category_id": "407", "post_title": "Reliability of Water Access Entitlements", "post_content_short": "\n\t\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tNIC Members agreed to a specific Position Statement on the reliability of water access entitlements to provide a clear message to\n\t\t\tGovernments on how decisions impact water property rights, as represented and agreed in the National Water Initiative.
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tThis position statement was prepared in conjunction with our guiding principles.
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tApproved 17 July 2025.\n\t\t<\/td>\n\t<\/tr>\n<\/table>", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/885\/Policy-Position-icon.png", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/policy\/position-statements\/reliability-of-water-access-entitlements\/", "post_date": "2025-07-20 14:00:00" }, { "post_id": "884", "post_category_id": "407", "post_title": "Enabling Cultural objectives in water management", "post_content_short": "NIC Members agreed to amend and update our Aboriginal Water Position Statement, and agreed to the following Position Statement titled 'enabling Cultural objectives in water management'.
\n
\nThis position statement was prepared in conjunction with our Murray-Darling Basin Position Statement and our Positon Statement on\nreliability of water entitlements and our guiding principles. 
\n
\nApproved 17 July 2025.", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/884\/Policy-Position-icon.png", "post_content_type": "page", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/policy\/position-statements\/enabling-cultural-objectives-in-water-management\/", "post_date": "2025-07-20 14:00:00" }, { "post_id": "861", "post_category_id": "406", "post_title": "Submission Water Amendment (Water Markets Intermediaries Code and Trust Accounting Framework) Regulations 2025 – Exposure Draft", "post_content_short": "The NIC recently provided DCCEEW with feedback into the Exposure Draft for Water Amendment (Water Markets Intermediaries Code and Trust\n\tAccounting Framework) Regulations 2025 as part of the ongoing consultations on the matter.  NIC acknowledges the commitment of the\n\tWater Market Reform team to consider the feedback throughout the multiphase engagement.  However, we offer the following as\n\tconsiderations for further clarity within the proposed regulations as well as recommendations regarding the timing of the\n\tregulations.  [...]\n", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/861\/Submission.png", "post_content_type": "file", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/861\/NIC-submission-letter-on-Draft-Regulations-Intermedaries-Code-April-2025_Redacted.pdf", "post_date": "2025-04-07 00:15:00" }, { "post_id": "850", "post_category_id": "416", "post_title": "New Exposure Regulations Water Markets Intermediaries Code", "post_content_short": "DCCEEW today released the Exposure Draft of the Water Markets Intermediaries Code (the Code) and an Overview of the draft are now available\nfor consultation.  On this page you will be able to submit your feedback on the Exposure Draft. The consultation will be open until\n11.59pm on Sunday 6 April 2025.  The Exposure Draft incorporates feedback from the Policy Position Paper consultation in\nNovember-December 2024.", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/850\/dcceew.jpg", "post_content_type": "url", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/consult.dcceew.gov.au\/water-markets-intermediaries-code-exposure-draft-consultation", "post_date": "2025-03-07 06:28:00" }, { "post_id": "849", "post_category_id": "416", "post_title": "New Water Market Intermediaries Trust Accounting and Code Exemptions Paper", "post_content_short": "DCCEEW today released their Final policy position paper on the water market intermediaries trust accounting and code exemptions, the final\nposition to inform the future exposure regulations. 
\n
\nWe will review this with interest given the concerns raised regarding the likely impacts and expectations on some intermediaries. ", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/849\/dcceew.jpg", "post_content_type": "url", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.dcceew.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/trust-accounting-code-consultation-paper.pdf", "post_date": "2025-03-07 06:22:00" }, { "post_id": "844", "post_category_id": "416", "post_title": "New Water Market Information and Pre-trade Data Policy Position Paper", "post_content_short": "DCCEEW have released their Final policy position paper on the Water Market Information, including pre-trade data adn obligations for registering trades.  This information sets the policy positions to be incorporated into the regulations in coming months, for implementation in a staged approach over 2026 and 2027.  For more information visit the Department\nwebpage<\/a>.  Click\nthe link to see the document. ", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/844\/dcceew.jpg", "post_content_type": "url", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.dcceew.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/water-markets-pre-trade-data-policy-paper.pdf", "post_date": "2025-02-28 07:00:00" }, { "post_id": "820", "post_category_id": "406", "post_title": "NIC submission on Water Markets Intermediaries Code and Statutory Trust Accounts Policy Position Paper", "post_content_short": "NIC today lodged their submission to DCCEEW on the Water Market reform - Intermediaries Code and Statutory Trust Account Policy Position\npaper with an overarching concern that the regulatory burden of this reform, particularly given its scale and pace. We are also\nconcerned that the reform is going too far, and is becoming disproportionate to the problem at hand, and the size and extent of water\nmarkets. While market integrity, transparency and good governance are important – there is enormous risk of not striking the right balance\nfor a proportionate policy response […]", "post_icon": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/820\/Submission.png", "post_content_type": "file", "post_content_url": "https:\/\/www.irrigators.org.au\/media\/website_posts\/820\/NIC-submission-letter-on-Intermedaries-Code-December-2024_Redacted.pdf", "post_date": "2024-12-16 00:36:00" } ]