Graeme Scheu takes lead as chair of the One Basin CRC Regional Advisory Committee

• Former Goondiwindi Regional Mayor Graeme Scheu appointed Once Basin CRC Chair for the Northern Basin region
• One Basin CRC aims to secure productive and sustainable irrigation regions
• Mayor of the Goondiwindi Region Cr Lawrence Springborg is delighted to have such a capable and experienced chair in our region

One Basin Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) announced the appointment of the inaugural chairs for the Regional Advisory Committees (RAC) in four regional hubs within the Murray-Darling Basin. These hubs are Goondiwindi, Loxton, Mildura, and Griffith.

Graeme Scheu, former Mayor of Goondiwindi Regional Council, and a respected member of the community since 1976, has been appointed as the chair for the Northern Basin hub in Goondiwindi.

Graeme Scheu joins Jim Godden (Lower Basin Hub, Loxton SA), Leonie Burrows OAM (Mallee Hub, Mildura VIC) and Liz Stott (Mid Basin Hub, Griffith NSW) as fellow chairs.

Mayor of the Goondiwindi Region, the Honourable Cr Lawrence Springborg AM said he was delighted that such a capable and experienced chair like Graeme Scheu was appointed in the region.

“Graeme’s strong connection with the community and his ability to stay informed about local affairs puts him in great stead for this position.”

Northern Basin Chair Graeme Scheu expressed his appreciation at obtaining the role and said each hub will have a Regional Advisory Committee, responsible for advising on regional priorities and ensuring inclusivity in the project scope.

"Although it's still early stages, our immediate focus will be to assemble a committee.

"In August, I will be attending a One Basin CRC conference, where we will finalise the procedures for our roles as chair and organise the responsibilities of each committee member,” Graeme said.

Councillor Springborg said Council advocated for a local with a commonsense approach to solving regional agriculture issues.

“One Basin CRC will be a research centre with a range of university academics on hand, and with Graeme as the chair, we are confident that the projects and outcomes will be practical and aligned to the needs of our regional agriculturists,” Cr Springborg said.

The aim of One Basin CRC is to promote productive and sustainable irrigation regions within the Murray-Darling Basin, ultimately increasing agricultural production while ensuring environmental sustainability. The appointed chairs will collaborate with industry, businesses, community members, and government entities to develop opportunities in irrigated agriculture and rural water industries for their respective regions.

Cr Springborg highlighted that Council's support for Graeme and the regional hub in Goondiwindi aligns with the Economic Development Strategy's priorities. One Basin CRC estimates that, by 2037, their initiatives in water, agriculture, and energy technology innovation, enhanced forecasting, and decision-making capacity will generate approximately $4.3 billion in economic impact nationally, with a strong focus on sustainability.