30th January 2007An “early lack of detail” surrounding the Federal Government’s grand $10 billion plan for the mighty Murray Darling river system has Queensland irrigation communities cautious about the impact of the plan.
Chair of Queensland Irrigators Council, Ced Loch, maintains that Queensland’s 14,000 irrigators will be “very concerned” as to the future security of their water entitlements should the Federal Government intervene.
“Under the statutory water planning process that has been underway in Queensland for the past 10 years, our biggest worry is still the security and reliability of our water,” he said.
“If we have water taken back off us, then we must be compensated for our loss of water, income and redundant infrastructure” Mr Loch said.
And he remains troubled about the time being taken to achieve State-Federal Governments’ agreement over funding for the ambitious plan, to pipe recycled water from Brisbane to parched Darling Downs districts after years of lobbying on behalf of its proponents.
“I don’t know whether it’s the usual Federal-State stoush over funding.
“But the big question for the future, is whether Canberra intends to extend its early control of those cross-border rivers that affect neighbouring states and take a bigger role in the day-to-day issues in other areas like central and north Queensland,” Mr Loch said.
On the $3 billion apportioned for purchasing entitlements in over-allocated catchments, Mr Loch said that action to ‘retire non-viable areas’ must be a last resort.
With many rural communities dependent on irrigation, the suggestion is that efforts must be directed at improving viability of irrigation areas through efficiency measures and infrastructure investment.
His comment about the “early lack of detail” referred to the $6 billion set aside for infrastructure works, such as piping open channels – a move that could save 3000 gigalitres lost to seepage and evaporation.
“Will that funding just be for channel-lining or outlets along the Murray Darling?” Mr Loch queried.
“While a programme of this nature must be implemented widely, it seems that the Murray Darling will be the prime focus.”
The QIC chair said, “ .. it would be an awful shame” if much of the money were squandered once again on administration, with “ … nothing on-the-ground” at the end of the day.
SOURCE: Queensland Country Life
