Good news: Victorian Minister for Water Harriet Shing confirmed the Federal Government will fund Victorian water projects to aid communities.
Photo by
JAMES ROSS
The Federal Government has agreed to continue funding key Victorian environmental water projects, according to Victorian Minister for Water Harriet Shing.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
The announcement, which was made on April 11, will secure water for the Victorian floodplains, even in dry conditions.
Ms Shing said the Victorian Government will continue to oppose water buybacks and has not signed any agreement with the Commonwealth in exchange for this funding.
This comes after tensions were on the rise at the possibility of further buybacks being necessary to help thousands of hectares of Victorian floodplains.
“This is what the Murray-Darling Basin Plan was always intended to achieve, and the Commonwealth Government has finally confirmed it agrees with us,” said Ms Shing.
“Victoria has done more than any other state to return water to the environment and we will continue to negotiate with the Commonwealth to protect communities, farmers and the environment.”
Making a point: Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell points out the benefits of SDLAM projects.
Up until now, Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek has refused to fund Victoria’s Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism (SDLAM) projects, which aimed to increase the efficiency of watering Murray River floodplains and wetlands.
Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell weighed in on the developments, saying he was happy that Ms Plibersek and Ms Shing have agreed but was quick to point out how the SDLAM projects were always the solution.
“Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek has finally caved in, accepting what was patently obvious to anyone with experience in water; that SDLAM projects are fundamental to achieving good environmental outcomes in a sustainable way,” he said.
“From the outset, Minister Plibersek has sought to recast the completion of the Basin Plan as a climate-induced environmental emergency requiring water to be quickly recovered through massive water purchases.
“Victoria knows from bitter experience that water buybacks are destructive and should be a last resort, they take water from the consumptive pool, reduce productivity and jobs, and hollow out small communities.
“SDLAM projects support the long-term viability of basin communities and agricultural production while also delivering water for the environment, something Minister Plibersek should have understood from the start.”
17°C