NATIONAL IRRIGATORS’ COUNCIL
Advocating for the Australian irrigated agriculture industry
A new report released today highlights the fact that all Australians could suffer under proposals contained in the forthcoming Murray Darling Basin Plan. The Judith Stubbs and Associates report clearly demonstrates that the Murray Darling Basin Authority must strike the right balance between the needs of the environment and productive use of water when formulating […]
The National Irrigators’ Council has called on the major political parties to outline their policies for irrigators and rural communities as the election campaign reaches its half way point. NIC CEO Danny O’Brien said neither side of politics had yet given any indication that they have a clear plan to allow irrigators to continue producing […]
The Murray Darling Basin Authority’s decision to defer the release of a guide to the Basin Plan until after the Federal Election is a political decision that subverts the natural democratic process. The National Irrigators’ Council said it was angry the MDBA was further delaying the release of the guide to suit political sensitivities, a […]
The national peak body for the citrus industry, Citrus Australia, is the latest group to join the National Irrigators’ Council. Based in Mildura in Victoria, Citrus Australia represents the interests of some 2,000 citrus growers across the country and the largest fruit export industry with annual exports valued at $190 million. Three quarters of citrus […]
The National Irrigators’ Council has called on the Murray Darling Basin Authority to release the guide to the proposed Basin Plan as soon as possible to relieve the uncertainty that is building in basin communities. Meeting in Renmark today, the NIC passed a resolution calling on the Authority and the Government to ensure the guide […]
Irrigators from across the country will converge on the Riverland in South Australia next week as the National Irrigators’ Council holds its July meeting in Renmark. The NIC is visiting the Riverland on Monday and Tuesday at the invitation of South Australian Murray Irrigators, an NIC member. NIC CEO, Danny O’Brien, said the visit will […]
A Productivity Commission review of the impacts of the draft Murray Darling Basin Plan heads the list of policies sought by irrigators from political parties contesting the upcoming Federal Election. The National Irrigators’ Council today released its 2010 Federal Election Policy Platform which has been provided to all major political parties. NIC CEO, Danny O’Brien, […]
The National Irrigators’ Council has called on the Murray Darling Basin Authority to ensure it balances the needs of the environment with those of food and fibre producers and regional communities as it finalises a new Basin Plan. NIC CEO Danny O’Brien said balance was the key to a successful outcome and was unlikely to […]
The Australian Conservation Foundation is misleading Australians with its current “Just Add Water” campaign on the Murray Darling Basin with the use of incorrect and unsourced “facts”. The National Irrigators’ Council said the ACF’s website and an advertisement placed in The Age last week claimed that “more than 75 per cent of the Murray’s water […]
Murray Valley Winegrowers’ Incorporated is the latest group to join the National Irrigators’ Council. Based in Sunraysia in Victoria and covering the area from Mildura to Swan Hill in Victoria and the Wentworth, Balranald and Wakool shires in NSW, Murray Valley Winegrowers’ represents the interests of about 700 winegrowers. National Irrigators’ Council CEO, Danny O’Brien, […]
The National Irrigators’ Council has welcomed the announcement of infrastructure funding for irrigation upgrades in Queensland and NSW which will help irrigators become more efficient in the face of anticipated water reductions in future. Minister for Water, Penny Wong,today announced $36 million for the first phase of the on-farm program in Queensland and $162 million […]
The Productivity Commission has highlighted the costs of returning water to the environment without balancing the economic and social needs of rural communities and the national economy in a report released today. The National Irrigators’ Council welcomed the Commission’s final report Market Mechanisms for Recovering Water in the Murray Darling Basin, saying it was an […]
The National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) welcomed two new members to the fold at its meeting this week, including its first direct representative group from Victoria. Northern Victorian Irrigators’ Inc and Macquarie River Food and Fibre from NSW are the latest organisations to join the NIC, Australia’s peak national body for irrigators. The NIC was formed […]
The National Irrigators’ Council has welcomed the long – awaited announcement of the first round of funding for the Commonwealth Government’s $300 million On – Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program. Minister for Water, Penny Wong, today announced the first $100 million worth of projects, comprising six delivery partners and 556 projects on farm in the southern […]
The major parties have turned their backs on South Australian irrigators in the lead – up to the election this weekend according to the National Irrigators’ Council (NIC). With just five days to go before polling day, neither the Liberal nor Labor parties have provided any commitment that they will recognise irrigator rights and legislate […]
A statement by a group of scientists outlining what they want from a new Murray Darling Basin Plan completely ignores the social and economic impact of taking water from irrigation communities. The National Irrigators’ Council said while the statement made some useful points, it was disappointing that the scientists made no reference to people, food […]
The National Irrigators’ Council (NIC) said today that ongoing reform in water management made the success of the newly formed South Australian Irrigators’ Council critical. NIC CEO Danny O’Brien said the new council would provide a voice for irrigators in state water management and urged all South Australian irrigators to throw their support behind it […]
Irrigators in South Australia are seeking a better deal from political parties ahead of the state election, calling for changes to legislation to allow for compensation in the event they lose access to water. Unlike some other states, South Australia’s risk assignment framework provides no compensation for irrigators in the event that government decisions permanently […]
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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