Murray Darling Association Region 2 members met at Murray River Council on Thursday afternoon to discuss basin issues.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
The Region 2 Murray Darling Association’s members gathered at Murray River Council on Thursday afternoon to discuss basin issues.
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Region 2 is made up of Murray River Council, Greater Shepparton City Council, Moira Shire Council, Federation Council and Murrumbidgee Council.
Councillors and representatives, including Campaspe Shire Mayor Daniel Mackrell, attended the meeting in person and online to discuss community issues and to hear from NSW State Member for Murray Helen Dalton.
MDA chief executive Mark Lamb led the meeting with an update from the MDA for the past 12 months, including board member changes following the local government elections last year.
MDA chief executive Mark Lamb and Region 2 chair Geoff Dobson led the meeting.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Mr Lamb also said he was happy to note that the MDA was becoming more cohesive.
“One of the things I found when I came on about three-and-a-half years ago was that we had a fairly disparate board, and I don't mean that as a criticism,” he said.
“I'm really pleased to say that we now have a high degree of consensus. I'm not saying everyone agrees on every issue, but I think that when it comes to some of the key issues... we've got a high degree of consensus.
“I think it's really great to see this level of consensus, and I think we've now got a far more coherent board.”
Mr Lamb also encouraged councillors to prepare motions about local issues they wanted the MDA to advocate for at a higher level.
All motions will be presented at the National Conference being held in Griffith later this year.
NSW State Member for Murray Helen Dalton took part in the meeting via video call.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Mrs Dalton then made an appearance via video call to talk about her seven-point approach to fixing the Murray-Darling river system without the need for water buybacks.
“We’ve done a fair bit of work on the Murray-Darling Basin... I think the election is going to be interesting because regardless of who wins, we will have a new federal water minister,” she said.
“Water buybacks are something that we all agree should not happen, we know what it does to our communities.
“The Murray-Darling Basin Plan has been quite contentious, we’ve all got a different view, but this (is) one thing we are standing together on.”
Greater Shepparton City Councillor Geoff Akers and Murray River Council Mayor John Harvie and councillor Bianca Hurn attended the meeting.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Mrs Dalton’s seven-point plan details measures that can be taken to achieve environmental outcomes without affecting farming communities that rely on the basin.
Her plan includes:
No more water buybacks.
Returning South Australia’s Lower Lakes to their natural state.
Increasing desalination to provide water to South Australia.
Proper water metering in the basin.
Focusing on water quality.
Banning the government flooding of private wetlands.
Increasing downstream water storage.
The next MDA meeting will be held on Monday, May 12 in Cobram with the MDA’s national president to attend as the guest speaker.
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