NATIONAL IRRIGATORS’ COUNCIL

MEDIA RELEASES

Advocating for the Australian irrigated agriculture industry

DCCEEW has released an updated 2026-27 Trading Strategy Addendum for the Bridging the Gap program. It lists the catchments with a remaining gap to be bridged and includes key dates for upcoming tenders.

As of 30 June 2026, 9.0 GL/y remains to bridge the gap in full across five catchments: surface water in the NSW Border Rivers, NSW Murray, Lower Darling and Lachlan, and groundwater in the Queensland Condamine-Balonne. Gaps in the NSW Murray, Lower Darling and Lachlan have only occurred due to changes in NSW LTDLEs.

Australian Water Association is calling for Abstracts for OzWater 2027.

You can submit an abstract, case study, video pitch, workshop or panel idea across 13 diverse sub-themes.

Whether you have new research to share, lessons from a project, an innovative approach or a conversation you think the sector needs to have, now is the time to get your submission in.

A great opportunity to showcase the wonder work of the industry, your programs and irrigation effeciency.  Reach out to Zara or Christine, if interested to discuss.  

Due 18 September 2026

NIC provided their final submission into the Indepedant Reviewer for the Statutory Review of the Water Act.

Key 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.

Following the two feedback sessions, an updated Final Draft is available for Members on the Water Act Review Submission. 

A massive efffort today by the team to pull this together.

Feedback is welcome but must be early Monday to allow the submission to be lodged.  There are no extensions. 

Minor checking and AI analysis of messaging will occur Monday before lodging, so there maybe minor changes. 

The NIC Team have prepared a brief two-pager pro-forma that can be used to highlght key points relating to the current preapration of the Water Act Submission.  We hope this is helpful to send your own Members or to highlight key areas to support our own. 

Either use this as a letter template or use the key headings as the core key messages to convey. 

An updated draft of our full submission is due today. 

NIC is hosting two online feedback sessions on the draft Water Act Review Submission.  This is to maximise opportunity for Members to provide direct feedback.

Only one session needs to be attended, but you are welcome to both.

Session 1 - Monday 24th August 1:30pm-2:30pm
Session 2 - Thursday 27th August 10am-11am

Click this link to RSVP and receive the Teams link for Session 2.

NIC is hosting two online feedback sessions on the draft Water Act Review Submission.  This is to maximise opportunity for Members to provide direct feedback.

Only one session needs to be attended, but you are welcome to both.

Session 1 - Monday 24th August 1:30pm-2:30pm
Session 2 - Thursday 27th August 10am-11am

Click this link to RSVP and receive the Teams link for Session 1.

The Peter Cullen Trust is inviting Expressions of Interest from outstanding leaders to join our Board of Directors which will help shape the next phase of the organisation but also future leaders in water, environment and climate. 

The position is voluntary but offers the opportunity to provide your voice and experience in the direction of one of NIC Partner organisations.

EOI close 25 September 2026. More information is available by clicking the link.

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.

National 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. [...]

A first Draft following initial Member discussions has been preared for the Water Act Review Dicussion Paper response. Please review and consider feedback, preferably in tracked changes.  A Policy drop in session will be held to work through feedback also. 

This is a frist Draft, we expect further additional work in a few areas including the inclusion of data from our proposed survey on water information.  We will also be cross checking our Basin Plan submission table to the recommendations to ensure we have captured everything. 

A lot is changing in water and water-related businesses and National Irrigators' Council is changing too. 

We have introduced new membership options recognising that organisations are structured differently and may already contribute to NIC through local or valley representation. Our structure also provides options for organisations with operations outside the Murray–Darling Basin, making direct national representation more accessible while recognising existing contributions. 

Is now the time to explore our options?

Cotton Australia is looking for a Water Policy Officer to join their team. The role works closely with the General Manager, the CEO and other members of the Policy Team to ensure the cotton industry’s interests are well represented across water policy, planning and regulatory processes — engaging with stakeholders including the National Farmers’ Federation Water Committee, National Irrigators Council, Queensland Farmers’ Federation Water and Energy Policy Committee, New South Wales Irrigators Council, valley-based irrigator groups and Cotton Grower Associations.

We are preparing for our Annual General Meeting and General Meeting for the 13th and 14th October in Canberra.

The event will be at Old Parliament House from 2pm 13th October through to 1pm on 14th October, with a dinner at Hotel Kurrajong on Tuesday evening. 

As these dates are a sitting week, please book flights and accomodation. 

NIC provided a submission into the Snowy Water Inquiry Outcomes Implementation Deed Draft Report following a review of the recommendations.

NIC recognised that a modernised, transparent and evidence-based Deed framework is needed. NIC also welcomed the Panel’s stated intent that improved environmental outcomes should be pursued without compromising the reliability of water supply for irrigation. NIC has identified several areas where the draft recommendations, create material risk to the reliability of downstream consumptive entitlements, extend to shared interstate water resources, and sit uneasily with the risk-allocation and compensation principles of the National Water Initiative (NWI) and with the Review Framework’s own stated principles.

NIC provided a submission into the Productivity Commissions National Water Reform Interim update. 

The submission reinterated our key points from our initial submission but also explored a number of topics where the interim update was seeking information, covering intitial assessments, sustainable water limits, managing climate change and metering. 

Every organisation has someone with the potential to lead through complexity, inspire others and make a lasting difference.  Who comes to mind for you?

The Peter Cullen Trust is looking for the next cohort of emerging and established leaders to join our 2027 Leadership Program.

A webinar is being held on 25 Aug 2026 12:30 PM to find out more.

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