NATIONAL IRRIGATORS’ COUNCIL
Advocating for the Australian irrigated agriculture industry
Today's release of the National Climate Risk Assessment and National Adaptation Plan exposes the risks to Australia’s agriculture sector from climate change, particularly water security for irrigation to grow food and fibre. “Climate change poses a very real risk to irrigated agriculture,” said NIC CEO, Zara Lowien. [...]
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 looks to refocus the Basin Plan on outcomes rather than numbers.
Australian Farm Institute, Executive Director Katie McRobert says "Much of Australia’s agricultural policy is caught in a loop. When a crisis erupts – be it drought, market disruption, or community outrage – political and media attention surges. Decisions are demanded, headlines 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 Zara Lowien examines the long and often reactive trajectory of water policy reform in the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB)...[They] offer offer an original contribution to this challenge in the form of the Triple Crown of Water Reform Framework, which conceptualises reform as a three-pronged effort: water-sharing (Flows), watermanagement (Functions), and integrated resource initiatives (Further)."
Director nominations for the National Irrigators' Council board are due by 10th September 2025.
There are three positions vacant this Annual General Meeting information, with one director not considering re-election.
Please visit the Meeting Documentation - Annual General Meeting page for more information.
NIC and our local Murrumbidgee region Members, are helping coordinate the study tour component of the MDA's 81st Conference which is in Griffith, NSW this year. The study tour will be on 30th September via a bus tour and includes:
- Murrumbidgee Irrigation Ltd, including their control room and looking at their recent efficiency projects including urban channels.
- One Basin CRC hub
- One of the local fish farms
- Sunrice in Leeton
The tour include lunch at Whitton Malthouse.
Tickets for the tour are to be book at the 'Member Price' via the MDA conference website.
NIC is hosting a Member Networking dinner with guest speaker Matt Linegar from the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation on 30th September at Belvedere Restaurant, Griffith. This event is a great opportunity to hear Matt's leadership story, which no doubt will include a few laughs, and consider industry's next steps as we embark on the review of the Murray Darling Basin Plan. Tickets for this event are via the event link using Try Booking - an Italian feast has been organised to celebrate the evening. Drinks are at your own cost.
On 1st October, Day 1 speakers include The Hon. Murray Watt, Minister for Water and Environment, Troy Grant the Inspector General Water
Compliance, Dr Simon Banks, the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder and there is a panel session on Basin Governance. These speakers and
others provide a foundation to inform discussions at NIC General Meeting on Thursday, 2nd October. The Conference also provides an
opportunity to Members to network with Murray Darling Association Members.
We encourage consideration of attending, however it is up to Members. Tickets must be purchased from the MDA website
using the Member rate for Day 1.
On 1st October, the National Irrigators' Council is holding its Annual General Meeting from 3pm at the Yoogali Club Griffith. Please
use to link to RSVP.
This event is after the Day 1 Conference proceedings.
NIC General Meeting Administration will occur thereafter until 5pm.
On the evening of 1st October from 6:30pm - celebrate and socialise at the Piccolo Family Farm, situated in the heart of Griffith.
Enjoy the ambience and view of Griffith and it’s surrounds while you network over local wines and drinks.
Dine with the MDA and enjoy an incredible, seasonally prepared 3-course meal.
Tickets purchased via the MDA webstie using the 'Member Price'.
On 2nd October, the National Irrigators' Council will be holding their Member General Meeting at the Yoogali Club, Griffith. Proposed time
is 8:30am - 2pm to allow time to catch flights or travel home.
Agenda to be confirmed - discussions on what we heard from the conference, Climate and Risk and Succession planning and industry development
are being planned.
Please RSVP using the link.
A new report has found the Murray-Darling Basin is in full compliance with the new Sustainable Diversion Limits, consistent with previous
findings and the recent 2025 Evaluation that the Basin has seen an environmental turnaround.
“The report confirms Sustainable Diversion Limits are being enforced and in fact, water diversions are well under these limits,” said
National Irrigators’ Council CEO, Zara Lowien.
“Getting water use below these Sustainable Diversion Limits was a huge feat, and it means 1 in 3 litres of irrigation water are now out of
production and remain in rivers.”
The Australian Government committed $3.5 million over 2 years in the 2025–26 Budget to develop the Feeding Australia: National Food Security
Strategy. This was part of an election commitment from the Federal Government, backed by NIC and NFF.
The Government has now published a discussion paper for feedback, with submissions closing on 24 September 2025.
NIC will be providing a submission, and we encourage our memebrs to do the same. We will share our draft submission with you shortly.
The IGWC has published the Sustainable Diversion Limit Compliance Report for 2023-24, while the MDBA has published their Registers of Take.
The IGWC report found "All 78 SDL resource units assessed for the 2023–2024 water accounting year were found to be compliant. Those water resource areas without an accredited WRP (for the full water year), were also seperately assessed as compliant. Our analysis shows
water usage is actually 12% below the SDL.
IGWC Report: https://www.igwc.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2025-08/sustainable-diversion-limit-compliance-report-2023-2024.pdf
MDBA Registers of Take: 2023-24
Sustainable Diversion Limit Accounts
The National Irrigators’ Council shares the concerns of stakeholders regarding the halting of licenced environmental water delivery in NSW but emphasises this is a dispute between the State Government and the Commonwealth Environmental Water holder, not irrigators.
We have just put in our submission for the third Water for Environment Special Account (WESA) review - take a look.
Our key recommendation: "The Independent Panel take a broad view to examine the policy settings and decision-making on the use of
WESA funds to achieve enhanced environmental outcomes with consideration of socio-economic impact - to ensure WESA can be used
transparently to target priority environmental investments. We encourage you to explore the option to amend the WESA to ensure it can be
used transparently to target priority environmental investments such as community-supported constraints measures and investment in non-flow
complementary measures as evidence within the 2025 Basin Plan Evaluation and Sustainable Rivers Audit."
Thank you to our members who have contributed to this piece of work, and taking the time to provide feedback.
OneBasin CRC and the Australian Water School hosted on webinar on "the impact of climate change on crop irrigation requirements across
the Murray-Darling Basin".
We haven't had a chance to watch it yet, but you can view the recording online.
Here's the outline:
Irrigated farming in the Murray–Darling Basin faces increasing challenges due to a warmer and drier climate. With water supply
decreasing and irrigation demand rising, farmers need better insights into future water needs to sustain their crops and investments.
Understanding these changes is crucial for medium to long-term planning and for making informed decisions about crop choices and water
sourcing.
Join a panel of experts who are modelling the future irrigation needs of key crops in the Murray–Darling Basin under various climate change
scenarios via a One Basin CRC funded-project.
Join our panellists as they explore:
- Using existing climate, soil, and crop data to calculate potential changes in irrigation demand;
- How crop water requirements might change over the mid to long-term; and
- Initiatives to help farmers and irrigation suppliers plan for a future with higher temperatures and less water.
The 2025 Ricardo Water Markets Report was published this week. The report has really useful data on water markets, including on Cth water
buybacks. Worth a look!
Some quick facts:
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 (watch from 45 minutes
into Day 1).
Let us know your favourite quotes!
One of our favourites (1hr 18mins in) - in response to a question on what a future Basin Plan should look like: "If the subsequent
versions 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
that the more you can make water rights look like normal property rights, the more effective the system will be. I come from a country
where we can't even get to the starting line of that kind of thing."
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agriculture industry.