Maranoa MP David Littleproud - Media Statement 19/06/17

David Littleproud MP
Federal Member for Maranoa

Media Statement

June 19, 2017

Border Rivers irrigators won’t face further buybacks under proposed Northern Basin Review

LAST week, the water ministers from Queensland, NSW, the ACT, Victoria and SA all met and unanimously supported the Murray Darling Basin Authority’s proposed 70GL reduction recommendations to the Northern Basin recovery targets.

Maranoa MP David Littleproud said this was an important step in the right direction. “I'd like to thank the state ministers for their careful consideration in accepting the reduction target of 320GL.  Now it’s vital the Federal Parliament supports this recommendation,” he said.

“The Federal Government has also made a strategic purchase in the Warrego system, which goes towards the Queensland shared recovery target. This means that if the Northern Basin Review 320GL scenario gets the approval of the Federal Parliament, there will be no further recovery required across the Queensland Border Rivers or the Warrego- Paroo-Nebine areas."

The strategic Warrego purchase was assessed as having minimal socioeconomic impact. Mr Littleproud said the Border Rivers community will finally have certainty if the Basin Plan amendments pass through the Federal Parliament in the next few months.

“I’ve already had the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Barnaby Joyce in Goondiwindi so I’m doing all I can to ensure my Murray- Darling Basin communities get the best deal possible,” he said.

For more information, check out:  http://www.mdba.gov.au/basin-plan-roll-out/basin-plan-amendments/basin-plan-amendments-northern-basin

FACT BOX:

• The MDB plan previously required the recovery target of 142 gigalitres in the Condamine/Balonne catchments, from which 65 gigalitres was recovered
• The new target for the Condamine/Balonne is now 100 gigalitres, meaning that another 35 gigalitres would still need to be recovered - instead of 77 gigalitres under the original target.

–ENDS–

Media Contact:

Eloise Handley
M: 0411 095 860
E: eloise.handley@aph.gov.au