Advocating for the Australian irrigated agriculture industries.
Office Closure
We're taking a short break to refuel and get ready for 2026.
The NIC Office will be closed from Monday, 22nd December 2025 until Monday 5th January 2026.
Analysis finds Governments additional water buyback spree is flawed
NIC report reviewed the Federal Government’s purchases and found most have low environmental utility and cannot directly contribute to today’s environmental priorities in the Basin – despite costing taxpayers billions.“These additional water buybacks go beyond what was required to ‘bridge the gap’ to get Sustainable Diversion Limits in place for the Basin Plan,” said NIC CEO Zara Lowien “most of this additional water will not be able to be used as intended and unlikely to contribute to desired environmental outcomes”. [...] Read More…
Basin Plan blowout continues as failed projects open gap in Southern MDB
The amount of water that can be used in the Southern Murray-Darling Basin may need to drop by a further 255 to 355 gigalitres (GL) after
2026, as States remain behind on vital environmental projects, a new report finds
“Water use has drastically declined since the Basin Plan,” said NIC CEO, Zara Lowien “with one in three litres of irrigation water, now out
of production and new Sustainable Diversion Limits (SDLs) set by the Basin Plan in force". [...]
Read More…
Water security for farming must be a focus
Farmers in the Basin are calling on the Federal Government to escalate water security for agriculture as a priority, following the findings
of the Basin Outlook, published today which echoed findings from the National Climate Risk Assessment.
“All climate change scenarios will have significant risks on water security for Australian agriculture,” said NIC CEO, Zara Lowien “farmers
are adapting every day to changing climate, but can only adapt so far, water security is critical” [...]
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WESA Outcome Review needed as $1.3 billion buyback blowout looms
The National Irrigators’ Council is calling for an independent review of program outcomes, after a statutory review on the Water for the
Environment Special Account (WESA) found an additional $1.3 billion would be needed to buy an additional 450 gigalitres, beyond what is
required to achieve Sustainable Diversion Limits (SDLs) in the Murray Darling Basin.
“The report findings call into question the Government focus on just water, with a $1.3 billion blowout, and their own science saying
priorities have shifted” said NIC CEO Zara Lowien [...]
Read More…
Legalwise is again holding their annual Water Law Symposium in Sydney.
As water law continues to evolve in response to environmental challenges, policy reform and heightened regulatory scrutiny, secure expert
guidance on key legal and strategic issues shaping Australia’s water governance framework. You will gain insights into the lessons of
the past decade in water reform, the intersection of Indigenous rights and governance, and the design of the Basin Plan Review.
Read More…
AICD Scholarship opportunities
The Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) has recently opened applications for their Not-for-Profit Scholarship programme for 2025-2026. This program will allow up to 375 NFP leaders the opportunity to deepen their understanding of governance principles. Scholarship recipients will be invited to enrol in scheduled Governance Foundations for Not-for-Profit Directors courses available in capital cities across Australia or courses taking place in these seven regional locations. For more information, see their website with applications due 15 June 2025. Read More…
Ambitious women urged to join ag leadership program
Women with leadership ambitions are urged to apply to the popular Diversity in Agriculture Leadership Program (DiALP). The initiative
is run by the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) and is now entering its eighth year. Twelve women will be selected for the 2025
program. Applications open Monday, 24 February and will remain open for one month.
For more information visit https://nff.org.au/programs/diversity-in-agriculture-leadership/
Read More…
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Griffith, NSW |
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Griffith, NSW |
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Belvedere Resturant |
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Microsoft Teams Meeting |
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Old Parliament House |
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agriculture industry.