Appendix B: Stakeholder consultation summary Table B1 Stakeholders consulted by the Northern Basin Programs Taskforce from December 2016 to April 2017 Irrigators and agricultural groups Community groups, small business owners and individual community members Environmental/natural resource management groups and Indigenous representatives Local councils and government agencies Trafalgar Cotton Carrington Cotton Corporation Auscott Cubbie Ag (Cubbie Station) Sunwater Agricultural Company Rivers Macquarie Cotton Growers Association Border Rivers Food and Fibre Namoi Water Darling River Food and Fibre Bourke Cotton Growers Association St George and District Chamber of Commerce AgForce National Farmers Federation National Irrigators Council Individual irrigators Australian Floodplain Association Dirranbandi Progress Association Queensland Country Women’s Association Murray–Darling Basin Authority Northern Basin Advisory Committee members Wee Waa Chamber of Commerce Glenlyon Dam Fish Stocking Group Community members and small business owners from the towns visited. Local mental health professionals and organisations. Condamine Alliance/South West NRM Western Downs Alliance Queensland Murray–Darling Committee Western Local Land Services (Bourke office) Border Rivers Environmental Water Network Macquarie Cudgegong Environmental Reference Group Australian Conservation Foundation Wildlife Fund The Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists Aboriginal representatives: Northern Basin Aboriginal Nations members Toomelah Land Council Aboriginal elders in northern Balonne Shire Council Western Downs Regional Council Brewarrina Council Bourke Shire Council Warren Shire Council Goondiwindi Regional Council New South Wales: Department of Primary Industry – Water Office of Environment and Heritage Department of Primary and, Fisheries New South Wales Water Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines Australian Government Departments: Prime Minister and Cabinet Environment and Energy Infrastructure and Regional Development Industry, Innovation and Science. B2 Stakeholder feedback on water recovery programs and proposed water recovery targets Feedback Stakeholders
Appendix C: Comparison of water infrastructure programs in the northern Basin Program Sustaining the Basin: Irrigated Farm Modernisation (IFM) Healthy HeadWaters Use Efficiency project (HHWUE) Proposed Northern Basin Water Program Purpose To help irrigators improve on-farm water efficiency by providing funding for planning, infrastructure and training. To help irrigators, communities and the environment in the Queensland Basin by funding on-farm irrigation infrastructure improvements and supporting projects. To provide water holders northern Basin focused opportunities to support agricultural production and rural innovation benefiting social, economic and environmental outcomes the northern Murray–Darling Basin. Catchments New South Wales Border Rivers, Gwydir, Namoi, Macquarie and Queensland Border Rivers, Warrego, and Moonie All northern Murray–Darling Basin catchments Open to applicants Closed Future rounds under consideration Open late 2017/early 2018
Modernisation (IFM) infrastructure efficiency program. Suggested modifications to IFM program, included streamlining administration processes and broadening selection criteria (including considering unregulated water licences) to increase participation. Decreased uptake for IFM program in the States unlikely to continue delivery of programs after 30 June 2017. water licences that improve efficiencies in water conveyance. Target water recover through strategic water purchase from willing sellers that helps minimise social and economic impacts. Unregulated licences in the Namoi could be considered if further protection is provided by the New South Wales government to any unregulated entitlements recovered. New South Wales Border Rivers Community and industry preferred further water recovery through the Irrigated Farm Modernisation (IFM) infrastructure efficiency program. Some landholders did not support further water recovery as there was no evidence for the environmental benefit from the water that has been recovered to date. Others wanted further recovery through direct purchase as this was the most efficient (financially and time) way of providing water to the environment. Further recovery required Decreased uptake for IFM program in the New South Wales Border Rivers Further work, through delivery partners, on adapting the Northern Basin Water Program in the New South Wales Border Rivers to consider catchment specific needs. Consider recover through water purchase from willing sellers that helps minimise social and economic impacts, including unregulated entitlements if they are able to be protected and provide environmental benefits.