Victorian Farmers Federation Water Council chair Andrew Leahy said positive environmental outcomes were already being achieved without the need for a recovery of a further 450 gigalitres.
“Over 2100GL of water has already been recovered for the environment and has delivered great benefit to our ecosystems. But we must acknowledge the huge toll on rural communities and agricultural jobs as a consequence,” Mr Leahy said.
“Further recovery can’t be achieved, will hurt farming communities and jobs, and won’t provide any real environmental benefit.”
Mr Leahy said the Commonwealth’s State of the Environment report failed to mention the need for additional water recovery; instead, saying the environment had benefited substantially from existing recovery.
The report said progress had been made and measurable outcomes had been observed, including flows now being provided by releasing water for the environment.
It said the environmental watering was restoring the health of rivers and wetlands and helping to mitigate issues such as fish deaths and algal blooms.
“Unfortunately, commentators forgot to focus on what was actually stated in the report and rather emphasised the Federal Government’s election agenda on the 450GL, despite no mention of it in the report,” Mr Leahy said.
Mr Leahy said the VFF had long argued the 450GL target was not achievable because it was not guaranteed in legislation and was subject to a test that any recovery of the water must not have negative socio-economic impacts.
“The Federal Government yesterday wanted to point out that only 2GL of the 450GL has been recovered, yet we must remember there is a good reason why this is so,” he said.
“The 450GL was an add-on to the Basin Plan back in 2012 to secure South Australia’s support, but it was never guaranteed in legislation and was always subject to no negative socio-economic impacts.”
In 2018 state water ministers agreed to strengthen the socio-economic test to ensure there were no third-party impacts on regional and rural communities.
“The hard truth is that water recovery for the 450GL will devastate rural communities and destroy jobs, and that is why it cannot pass the socio-economic test,” Mr Leahy said.
