The Victorian government will not support a federal bid to give additional investigatory powers to the Interim Inspector General Mick Keelty.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Following a meeting with Southern Riverina Irrigators delegates during the Convoy to Canberra this week, federal Water Minister David Littleproud announced he would ask water ministers from each state to give the interim basin Inspector General Mick Keelty extra power.
The proposal would give Mr Keelty the authority to investigate the impact of the Basin Plan, state allocations and how the two interact.
Mr Littleproud's decision to put the proposal to the Ministerial Council on December 17 was touted as a victory for the convoy and the Southern Riverina Irrigators who helped organise it.
But Victorian water minister Lisa Neville has already declared she would not support any changes to the water sharing arrangements between states that "negatively impact Victoria".
In a statement the Victorian government said its conservative allocation policy allowed some allocation to be made to entitlement holders, despite the dry conditions, and their communities should not be penalised for that.
Ms Neville said she would not support Mr Keelty having powers to change water sharing rules that pre-date the plan.
"I won't stand by and let water sharing rules be changed to the detriment of Victorian communities," she said.
"While we agree the Basin Plan needs to be adaptive, these water sharing rules pre-date the plan and are the basis for states making the best decisions possible for allocations to their farmers."
IN OTHER NEWS:
Ms Neville also said any water savings found in Victoria by looking at transmission or other losses should be given back to Victorian communities.
The Victorian Farmers Federation also voiced its opposition to the proposed expansion of the interim Inspector General's powers.
Water chair Richard Anderson said it would put Victoria's water security at risk.
"There is a finite amount of water available," he said.
"This means increasing one state's share is only possible by reducing the amount of water available to another."
"Re-carving the way water is shared between the states will only lead to greater uncertainty and puts Victoria's conservative policy towards allocating water in jeopardy.
"Rather than wasting time on yet another review, Minister Littleproud needs to provide leadership that will restore balance and fairness to the Basin Plan debate."
The Victorian government's stance is at odds with NSW after the NSW government threatening to walk away from the Basin Plan if change is not made.
The NSW government issued an ultimatum demanding, at minimum, that the federal government agree NSW won't contribute to the 450GL of additional water recovery efforts; the barrages on the Lower Lakes lifted to allow seawater back into Lake Alexandrina; transmission losses in the system being taken into account as water returned to the environment; and that the federal government agrees that the NSW Water resource plans will not be progressed until the drought has broken.
Southern Riverina Irrigators welcomed Mr Littleproud's announcement.
Southern Riverina Irrigators' Darcy Hare said the Minister assured the delegation the interim Inspector General would look at various aspects of state and federal water sharing.
"This is a huge win for us," he said.
"If the states are serious about developing a fair and equitable plan that protects our food producers, communities and the environment, they will give him the powers he needs."
In the wake of the Convoy to Canberra, Speak Up 4 Water's Shelley Scoullar said the battle was not yet won and they were not getting ahead of themselves - "[but] for the first time since the Basin Plan was first mooted more than a decade ago we have some hope," she said.