NEWS & EVENTS

NIC membership continues to grow
16 Nov '10

The National Irrigators’ Council has continued its recent growth, with the Council welcoming two new members at its AGM in Canberra today. Southern Riverina Irrigators (NSW) and Sunraysia Citrus Growers (Vic) were both admitted as new members on top of the recent addition of Renmark Irrigation Trust (SA) and a further three corporate observer members. […] Read More…

Irrigators welcome Victorian food bowl funds
6 Nov '10

The National Irrigators’ Council has welcomed the Commonwealth Government’s announcement confirming its $1 billion commitment to the upgrade of northern Victoria’s irrigation infrastructure. NIC CEO, Danny O’Brien said investments of this type were critical to enabling a strong future for irrigation districts and would help in achieving the balance necessary in the proposed Murray Darling […] Read More…

Basin Plan won’t help with food trade deficit
27 Oct '10

The revelation today that Australia now has a trade deficit in food and grocery manufacturing should be a warning sign to the Federal Government that it cannot afford to needlessly slash food production in the Murray Darling Basin. The National Irrigators’ Council said the release of the Australian Food and Grocery Council’s “State of the […] Read More…

Path clear now to consider the impacts on people
25 Oct '10

The National Irrigators’ Council says the path is now clear for a triple bottom line approach to the proposed Murray Darling Basin Plan. Commenting on the release of government legal advice on the Water Act 2007,NIC CEO Danny O’Brien said it was now up to the MDBA or Water Minister Tony Burke to put some […] Read More…

MDBA confirms it again – people don’t count under the Water Act
19 Oct '10

The Murray Darling Basin Authority has confirmed again today that it has no power to give equal consideration to the needs of the environment, food production and regional communities when setting new sustainable diversion limits. The National Irrigators’ Council said no further evidence was needed now that the Water Act is ill – equipped to […] Read More…

Focus on environmental efficiency welcomed
17 Oct '10

Irrigators have welcomed the Federal Government’s change of tone on water recovery in the Murray Darling Basin, saying that engineering works and measures can help deliver a better environment while reducing the need to remove water from rural communities. Minister for Regional Australia, Simon Crean and Minister for Water, Tony Burke have both highlighted the […] Read More…

Irrigators welcome Parliamentary review of Basin Plan impacts
14 Oct '10

The National Irrigators’ Council has welcomed the announcement of a Parliamentary inquiry into the social and economic impacts of the proposed Murray Darling Basin Plan but says its terms of reference must allow it to examine the Water Act2007 and consider amendments. NIC CEO Danny O’Brien said the inquiry announced today by Ministers Crean, Burke […] Read More…

Consultation without information killing the process
13 Oct '10

The Murray Darling Basin Authority must immediately release the scientific and economic modelling behind its “Guide to the Proposed Murray Darling Basin Plan” if it is truly committed to genuine consultation with basin communities. The National Irrigators’ Council said Water Minister Tony Burke needed to understand it is impossible for the community to engage in […] Read More…

10 missing pieces the MDBA must address
10 Oct '10

he National Irrigators’ Council has outlined the first 10 issues it believes the Murray Darling Basin Authority must urgently address with its Guide to the Proposed Basin Plan. NIC CEO Danny O’Brien said while proposed cuts to water for productive use clearly failed to deliver balance between the needs of the environment and those of […] Read More…

Deliberate policy to depopulate inland Australia
8 Oct '10

Drastic new limits on the amount of water that can be used for food and fibre production in the Murray Darling Basin will be an unmitigated disaster for all Australians and must be rejected by the Federal Government and Water Minister Tony Burke. The National Irrigators’ Council said the proposed new sustainable diversion limits (SDLs) […] Read More…

Basin Plan “range” just prolongs the uncertainty
6 Oct '10

Reports that the Murray Darling Basin Authority will release only an upper and lower “range” that new Sustainable Diversion Limits (SDLs) may fit into will prolong the uncertainty surrounding the new Basin Plan, according to the National Irrigators’ Council. The reports, confirmed by sources tonight, add insult to the injury of the likely scale of […] Read More…

Basin Plan must be balanced – for everyone’s sake
4 Oct '10

The proposed Murray Darling Basin Plan to be released this week will fail the nation if it doesn’t adequately balance the needs of the environment, food and fibre production and regional communities. The National Irrigators’ Council is concerned that the Plan will focus too heavily on the environment to the detriment of all Australians. “Irrigators […] Read More…

MDB Leadership Opportunity
1 Jun

Applications soon close for the first cohort's of the ARLF and MDBA Murray-Darling Leadership Program (MDBLP).  The program aims to bring together people from across the Basin who are ready to work beyond their own interests and contribute to something shared — including strengthening understanding of how the Basin’s water resources are managed and why they matter.

This is a leadership experience designed for people who care deeply about the future of the Basin and the communities, industries and water dependent ecosystems it supports.  To find our more - visit the webpage and lodge an expression of interest.  Read More…

New Basin Community Committee Members Wanted
1 Jun

The MDBA is seeking expression of interest applications for Basin Community Committee (BCC) Members that provide input to the MDBA on their activities.  

New tenures and reappointments will begin in April 2027 for a 3-year term and nominations will undergo an extensive selection process involving all Basin governments.

The Basin Community Committee, established under the Water Act 2007 (Cth), is chaired by Ms Rachel Kelly and includes irrigation, environmental water and Indigenous water subcommittees. 
Read More…

Integrating Basin-Scale and Onsite Water Systems Webinar
18 May

In One Basin CRC up-coming webinar series explores integrating Basin-scale and onsite water systems with a joint partnership with One Basin CRC and One Water Program at Texas A&M University in the United States. In response to increasing water scarcity, climate variability, and growing agricultural and municipal water demands, integrated “One Water” approaches are gaining global traction.Hear more at the Webinar Thursday, 21 May 2026, at 10:00am. Read More…