In parliamentary question time last week, Ms Dalton again asked Premier Chris Minns to clarify the party’s stance.
She said while Mr Minns has said he does support the buybacks, it was not the same as actively opposing them.
But she said that now changes.
Ms Dalton’s question to Mr Minns last week demanded clarity on a policy that she says “will destroy rural New South Wales”.
“Will the Premier declare once and for all that his government will oppose water buybacks? Will the Premier fight to protect rural New South Wales?,” she asked.
In his response, Mr Minns recognised the importance of agriculture to communities and the country, and as a “massive part of our export economy”.
“We have said many times in the past that we do not support water buybacks, particularly in regional communities that rely on primary industries and wonderful export-led industries,” he said.
“Let me say it in an unambiguous way: We oppose Federal Government water buybacks in New South Wales.
“We accept the economic theory that taking that kind of money out of regional communities is devastating to all of the ancillary services that small towns in regional New South Wales rely on.
“It might be the accounting practice; it might be the law firm. It may be the schoolteachers or those who work in the local hospital.
“All of them rely on the economic churn and prosperity that comes alongside agriculture.”
Mr Minns also praised the dogged approach to the matter Ms Dalton has demonstrated.
“I acknowledge the advocacy of the member for Murray on that issue.
“She has pursued the issue with a single-mindedness that has seen the New South Wales Government release an Alternatives to Buybacks Plan.
“Under that plan we will, in all ways, aid river management and environmental practices, and avoid the hit to the regional economy that comes from buybacks.
“This is the fourteenth question from the member for Murray about water.
“That is more than from all of the members of The Nationals combined. In the two years since Labor came to government, the ‘party of the bush’ has asked one question about water.”
Ms Dalton said it was positive to see that Mr Minns understands how the “so-called environmental buybacks” would “rip the guts out of rural communities”.
“When you take valuable irrigation water away from communities, you destroy those communities,” she said.
“Chris knows how hard it is for people in rural New South Wales to survive attacks like this, and he knows how important it is to protect the people.
“I know a lot of people in my electorate of Murray will take comfort in the knowledge that the Premier is now stepping up for this fight against the Commonwealth.”
The NSW Government also launched an inquiry into buybacks last week.
The inquiry is being pursued by the Committee on Investment, Industry and Regional Development, which is chaired by independent Member for Barwon Roy Butler.
Community input to inform the committee is open until April 14.
More information, including the inquiry's full terms of reference and how to make a submission, is available at www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/listofcommittees/Pages/committee-details.aspx?pk=172.
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