The Balonne Shire Council has vowed to ramp up pressure on the federal government on the issue of water buybacks, saying any further water recovery would do unmanageable damage to its communities.
The council is set to formalise a policy position urging the end to water buybacks in the region under the Murray Darling Basin plan. Under the plan, a total of 390 gigalitres is set to be purchased out of the Northern Basin. That includes 143GL out of the Lower Balonne, of which 66GL has already been sold.
Balonne Shire deputy mayor, Fiona Gaske said it’s simply not an option for the federal government remove another 77GL out of the area.
“Our communities have done their fair share of the heavy lifting in terms of the sacrifices they’ve made.
“We are fed up with being targeted and our region, particularly the Dirranbandi community, had been devastated by the effects of water buybacks.
“Having an official position sends a very clear message as to where we stand when lobbying to state and federal members.”
Last week the closure of the RSL in St George sent shockwaves through the community with 13 jobs lost as a result.
Cr Gaske said at current recovery levels, employment had been reduced by 12-15 per cent in Dirranbandi and seven per cent in St George as a direct impact of water buybacks.
“If the target remains at 390GL, these employment impacts jump to 25pc for Dirranbandi and 10pc in St George,” Cr Gaske said.
“This is on top of the 15pc employment reductions associated with technological improvements in the cotton industry.
“The Murray Darling Basin Authority will soon make a recommendation to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Water Resources Barnaby Joyce regarding the Northern Basin Review.
“It is imperative that the potential decimation of our communities be given serious consideration.”
Balonne Shire mayor, Richard Marsh, said the council recognised the achievements of programs such as Healthy Headwaters and the Murray Darling Economic Diversification Scheme in creating water efficiencies and developing other high value agricultural industries.
“We urge the Minister to consider compensation in the form of continued funding for these programs – this is where the focus should be, not on buybacks,” he said.
Dirranbandi irrigator and chairman of Smart Rivers, Frank Deshon has backed the council’s call.
He said any further buybacks must be done through water use efficiency measures to avoid eroding productive capacity.
“Everyone who wanted to sell water has done so – we are now at the point where there is no more water for sale,” he said. “Businesses have really suffered. We had an aerial operator who lost 25pc of his business overnight when one of the properties sold their water.”