When MDBA visited Albury (30 November to 1 December 2009) we met a wide range of stakeholders to discuss the Basin Plan. We held an engagement session over lunch, which about 100 people attended. We also staffed a public information stand on a main street in the town where we spoke with approximately 45 people.
The MDBA members and the Basin Community Committee attended the engagement session to meet and talk with attendees.
The events gave our stakeholders an opportunity to speak with MDBA and ask questions about Basin Plan issues. It also enabled us to hear first-hand what issues are important to people in the area, and to answer some of those questions.
We found the events very useful and would like to thank participants for their input.
Below is a summary of the main points we heard from both events.
What we heard regarding...
...sustainable diversion limits
The comments and queries we heard from participants included:
- We would like to have more information on how water buybacks and water sharing plans link with the sustainable diversion limits (SDLs).
- Please explain how water efficiencies and land use changes can, or will, be factored into SDLs.
- The socio-economic analysis needs to be completed and analysed in the first instance to ensure they are incorporated into the SDLs.
- Can you clarify how interstate boundaries and trades would be dealt with under the SDLs?
The answers to some of these issues can be found on our sustainable diversion limits and the impacts of environmental watering fact sheet.
Further reading on sustainable diversion limits can be found in the issues paper we released in 2009. Please note that although the submission period for this paper has closed, feedback can be given during the 16 week consultation period which will start when the proposed Basin Plan is released in June 2010.
...social and economic impacts
The comments and queries we heard from participants included:
- There is already a lot of socio-economic information available within other organisations. MDBA should use this information and where information is not already available then there should be research carried out to fill these gaps.
- The authority should base its socio-economic analysis on facts and not just modelling.
- MDBA need to share information with communities as soon as possible to help get understanding within these communities of the plan and its impacts.
- Employment, land values, the cost of production rises, community sustainability and a high level of support for Australian agriculture are very important when considering the social and economic impacts of the Basin Plan.
- Infrastructure modernisation will not necessarily equate to social and economic modernisation.
- Environmental and socio-economic targets need to be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely and you need to monitor, evaluate, report and improve your socio-economic targets.
- How is acceptable change going to be defined for the environment and the community?
- How will you manage the trade-off between environmental assets and the social and economic impacts?
- MDBA need to take care that those who implement improved land management practises for the environment are not penalised.
- Can you please explain which government body or department is responsible for what work?
For further information you can read our Socio-economic context for the Murray–Darling Basin report. This report describes how Basin water resources are currently being used socially and economically. The report, and its data, establishes a baseline of information to monitor the social and economic uses of the Basin.
...environmental water and environmental assets
The comments and queries we heard from participants included:
- We need to know how environmental assets will be identified, how MDBA will define ‘key’ and how these assets will be prioritised.
- MDBA must use local, including Aboriginal, knowledge to identify key assets.
- When will I get to see the list of identified assets? This must be sooner rather than later.
- How much environmental water is lost through evaporation and seepage? And how will you ensure water efficiencies for environmental water?
- Will MDBA be considering engineering works to make environmental water go further? MDBA needs to maximise environmental water efficiency.
- How will environmental flows be delivered to prevent flooding?
- Do you want to save the environment or eat Australian food?
- Will double accounting of environmental water occur and will stock and domestic water be measured along the rivers?
- The Darling River should flow and not be held up by irrigation - this is important to the environment.
...engagement
The comments and queries we heard from participants included:
- MDBA documents need to be written in plain English and they should be easily accessible.
- Don’t rely on people having access to the internet to get updates about what is happening.
- There needs to be thorough community engagement and consultation to develop the Basin Plan.
- MDBA needs to work in partnership with organisations and communities to build decisions.
- Share the science that you are using throughout this process.
- How will you encourage or create ownership in the plan and its outcomes?
For information on our engagement strategy please visit our engagement page.
In addition
Other comments and queries that we heard in Albury included:
- How will water efficiencies be promoted and encouraged under the plan?
- The Norske Skog Paper Mill is discharging tonnes of salt into the river system each day – how will you stop this?
- The timeframe for the Basin Plan is unrealistic.
- Two-thirds of water buybacks are still to occur and the current water sharing plans are not complete – how will these interact with the timings of the Basin Plan?
- There are inconsistencies between the states and the overall diversity throughout the whole Basin: how will this be taken into account in a fair and equal manner?
- To ensure the science you are using is robust it must be properly peer reviewed.
- How will climate change be incorporated into the plan?
- Can you use water transfers to mitigate flood and drought on the Murray?
- We need a lower standard of living and a smaller population to keep the Murray living.
What’s next?
The answers to some of these issues can be found within our current factsheets and other publications. We plan to release more publications this year.
At this stage we do not have the answers to some of the questions you asked, but we are considering the issues raised and will provide answers when they are available.
In December 2009 we held a number of fora where we heard what concerns our stakeholders have about the Basin Plan and our engagement. In response to these forums and the comments and questions you raised, we will be identifying the best way to share information with you.
To keep up to date with information from us please visit our subscriptions page to register for:
- our stakeholder engagement announcements
- our e-Letter for monthly news from the MDBA
- our media releases.
