NATIONAL IRRIGATORS’ COUNCIL

MEDIA RELEASES

Advocating for the Australian irrigated agriculture industry

This week the Government's proposed Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 2025 Reform Bills (six of) were referred to the Senate Environment and Communications Committee for review. The Minister for the Environment and Water, Murray Watt says the Australian Parliament must make a choice - support reform that will protect our treasured natural environment and drive productivity, or keep the broken, outdated laws we have which are failing business, the environment and our community.  However Senator  Sarah Hanson-Young said “The Albanese Government’s proposed environment bill will make things worse for nature and the climate. It will take environment protections backwards while fast tracking approvals for business.

Submissions are open now and close on 4 December 2025 with the Committee due to report March next year. 

Following our General Meeting and recent NIC policy discussion session, we have prepared a new Members Only Area on the Basin Plan Internal Strategy, and uploaded two key communication documents for Members to utilise during conversations with  the MDBA and others, on key points and evidence regarding the review of the Basin Plan. These documents include:
1. Internal strategy information on what we are aiming to achieve and how we will get there, with detailed explanations on the key areas of interest.  These are for guidance to keep our messaging consistent and should be high-level enough that you can add your local flair or specific area of interest.
2. External facing document to be shared amongst your networks with key findings and our key requests, as well as high-level points.    

IGWC released the 2023-2024 metering report card, providing an overview of how Basin States are progressing national metering standards. The report looks provides a snapshot of the progression towards AS4747 meters with NSW increasing their coverage of AS4747 meters, just behind Victoria which has the highest number. The report card does highlight the areas where NSW and QLD are still using estimates for water take, although these percentages are expected to decline with the roll-out of floodplain harvesting metering which has only just began. 

It is important to note that the report card refers to productive/commercial extraction of water, and therefore does not report on environmental water measurement. 

This update relates to persons or classes of people required to report water market information under the Australian Government water market regulation - this can be IIOs and water intermediaries.

DCCEEW are seeking feedback on the Exposure Drafts for the proposed Water Amendment (Water Markets Information) Regulations 2026 (Regulations) and the Water Market Data Standards.  These form the final pieces of the water market reform roadmap and are due for implementation in 2026.

Exposure drafts and a survey for feedback are provided on the webpage.

On Monday 22nd September Matt Coulton from Ricardo provided Members a presentation on Climate Risks and Water Policy implications in the MDB.  The presentation slides are attached for your information.

A recording of the first half of the presentation is temporarily available here via teams. The second part of the presentation was discussion and engagement with Matt which was not recorded to encourage open discussion. 

The NIC Board needs your help - they are seeking feedback from Members regarding the 2026 Meeting schedule.  The NIC Board is considering two options for our annual meeting schedule. We want to ensure maximum value from meeting face to face for discussions and networking, and balance this with resourcing of NIC and Members to travel.  Please complete via this survey (takes 3 mins) prior to Wednesday 10th October!!

NIC provided a submission into Feeding Australian: A national food security discussion paper.  We stated "A national food security strategy must consider Australia’s food sovereignty as well as, our role in the future food security needs of our trading partners; to achieve this, a national water security strategy for agriculture will be needed to underpin it. Water is a critical input into agricultural production, and the objectives of this strategy cannot be achieved in the absence of agricultural water security". We provided six recommendations for consideration in developing the national strategy. 

NIC has completed our own internal review into the Murray Darling Basin Plan, which is a series of papers addressing the key themes of the 2024 Early Insights paper using the recently published “Triple Crown of Water Reform Framework” to highlight possible next steps for the Basin Plan.  We hope to help forge a future pathway that embraces the paradigm shift needed for the Basin that is more about a 'plan of management' than the current ‘water recovery plan’ focus.  The review addresses; regulatory design, sustainable water limits, climate change, environment, agriculture and community and contemporary issues.   
We encourage stakeholders to reach out to discuss these papers, the evidence, our findings and recommendations. 

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

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:

  • Estimated value of commercial allocation trade in major southern MDB trading zones: $235 million
  • Annual average southern MDB allocation prices: $115 per ML in NSW Murray (above Barmah) to $177 per ML in NSW Murrumbidgee
  • Estimated value of major southern MDB entitlement on issue (including environmental and Victorian water corporation holdings): $31.9 billion.
An interesting statement: "While the 605 GL SDLAM recovery is legislated under the Basin Plan, the recovery of the 450 GL additional environmental water is an in-principal agreement between Basin states and the Commonwealth. In its first term, the Albanese Government had pledged to recover the full 450 GL; however, there is no legislated requirement for this."

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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