NATIONAL IRRIGATORS’ COUNCIL
Advocating for the Australian irrigated agriculture industry
Today marks 600 days since the signing of an agreement between the Commonwealth and Murray Darling Basin states that committed $3.7 billion to irrigation infrastructure – and there’s barely any thing to show for it. The National Irrigators’ Council said irrigators had just about run out of patience with both the Commonwealth and state governments […]
It is disappointing that the VFF’s Richard Anderson (“Best if they just NIC off”, WT 27.1.10) chooses to play the man, rather than the ball when discussing water policy in Victoria. It is more disappointing that he misrepresented the National Irrigators’ Council’s position on security of Victorian water entitlements to 2019. Contrary to Mr Anderson’s […]
National Irrigators’ Council CEO, Danny O’Brien, will visit the Goulburn Valley tomorrow and Thursday to meet with local irrigators and industry representatives. Mr O’Brien said the tour was part of ongoing engagement with local irrigators and an opportunity to raise awareness of the likely impacts of the new Murray Darling Basin Plan which will be […]
Last week’s report in The Weekly Times (Cap on the brink, 13/1/10) about exemptions from the 4 per cent cap for sales of water to the Commonwealth highlights that the re are now two reasons why the cap has become a hindrance for Victorian irrigators, not a help. The first is the ability of irrigators […]
The National Irrigator’s Council said today it did not support a full Commonwealth takeover of responsibility for the Murray Darling Basin because there was no evidence that shifting management from one group of politicians and bureaucrats to another would improve the operation of the system. NIC CEO Danny O’Brien, said management was only a small […]
The Murray Darling Basin Authority must release a list of environmental assets it will be targeting for watering under the new Basin Plan as soon as possible if the community is to retain any faith in the plan process. The National Irrigators’ Council said today it was disturbed that the MDBA had so far failed […]
The release today of a new survey of irrigators in the Murray Darling Basin only highlights the need for balance in the setting of new extraction limits under the proposed Basin Plan according to the NationalIrrigators’ Council. ABARE has today released the report – An economic survey of irrigation farms in the Murray – Darling […]
Irrigators have warned the Murray Darling Basin Authority not to disregard the social and economic impacts of less water for irrigation as it develops a Basin Plan which will set new limits on water diversions. The National Irrigators’ Council has today lodged a submission to the MDBA issues paper on Sustainable Diversion Limits (SDLs) which […]
The National Irrigators’ Council has welcomed the announcement of $110 million in funding for irrigation infrastructure in South Australia, but says it only highlights how slow the roll-out of infrastructure funding has been across the country. NIC Chief Executive Officer, Danny O’Brien, said irrigators were frustrated that projects to make water efficiency gains across the […]
The new CEO of the National Irrigators’ Council, Danny O’Brien, will visit Sunraysia next week. Mr O’Brien was recently appointed to the NIC, which is the peak national body for irrigators, and is travelling to Dareton for Western Murray Irrigation’s annual general meeting on Tuesday night. Prior to the meeting, he will meet with local […]
Wakool (NSW) district irrigator Stewart Ellis has been elected the new chairman of the National Irrigators’ Council. Mr Ellis was elected at today’s NIC annual general meeting, with South Australian irrigator Ian Zadow re-elected as Deputy Chair. Mr Ellis grows cereal crops and beef cattle in the Murray region of NSW and was recently re-elected […]
The National Irrigators’ Council has urged all Australian governments to recommit to the water reform process to ensure a sustainable future for irrigation and food and fibre production across the country. NIC CEO, Danny O’Brien, was commenting after the release of the National Water Commission’s biennial assessment of progress in implementing the National Water Initiative. […]
The National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) has welcomed the release of guidelines for the Commonwealth’s $300 million On – farm Irrigation Efficiency program saying it was time the Commonwealth started to focus more on infrastructure upgrades. NIC CEO Danny O’Brien said the On – farm Irrigation Efficiency Program would help irrigators improve their farms while providing […]
The National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) has welcomed the announcement of a deal that will see the lifting of the embargo on sales of water from NSW to the Commonwealth. NIC Chief Executive Officer, Danny O’Brien, said while the deal was a “second – best” option, it would be a relief to the many irrigators in […]
The board of the peak national body for irrigators will visit South Australia this week for a tour of the Lower Lakes and meetings with local irrigators and politicians. The National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) was formed last year to represent the interests of irrigators across the nation and recently appointed its first CEO, Danny O’Brien. […]
The new CEO of the National Irrigators’ Council, Danny O’Brien, will tour the Murrumbidgee irrigation area this week. Mr O’Brien was recently appointed to the NIC, which is the peak national body for irrigators. The NIC’s objective is to develop projects and policies to ensure the efficiency, viability and sustainability of Australian irrigated agriculture and […]
The new CEO of the National Irrigators’ Council, Danny O’Brien, will tour northern NSW and southern Queensland irrigation regions next week. Mr O’Brien was recently appointed to the NIC, which is the peak national body for irrigators. The NIC’s objective is to develop projects and policies to ensure the efficiency, viability and sustainability of Australian […]
The National Irrigators’ Council has called on Commonwealth Water Minister Senator Penny Wong and her State colleagues to announce the appointment of the members of the Murray Darling Basin Authority without further delay. The Authority was established under the Water Act 2007 to prepare and administer the Basin Plan for water resources in the Murray […]
The National Irrigators’ Council has welcomed the passage of the Water Amendment Bill 2008 through the Commonwealth Parliament subsequent to all Basin States passing referral legislation. Council Acting CEO Andrew Gregson says that whilst the Bill is imperfect, irrigators wanted it passed so that focus could be directed to the Basin Plan. “The Basin Plan […]
The National Irrigators Council has asked the Federal Government and Opposition to clearly and unequivocally reject a Bill proposed by South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon today. The Bill would provide the Commonwealth Minister the power to demand preparation of a Basin Plan in a period of 30 days – a task that will be difficult […]
The National Irrigators Council, at its Annual General Meeting, unanimously opposed compulsory acquisition as a means of the Federal Government obtaining water entitlement. In attendance at the meeting were irrigator representative groups from Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales –from both within and outside the Murray Darling Basin. “The message from irrigators and […]
The National Irrigators Council at its Annual General Meeting today expressed concern about Prime Minister Rudd’s announcement that he will accelerate the Government’s water buyback plan. “The buyback was a 10 year plan designed to address a long term issue,” Acting CEO Andrew Gregson said “Buying water entitlements that have no water attached to them […]
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