Questions without notice and ministers statements
Water policy
Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (Northern Victoria) (12:00): (829) My question today is for the Minister for Water. Last week federal minister Tanya Plibersek announced buybacks of at least 100 gigalitres from the Murray–Darling Basin. This announcement has raised alarm bells within the farming community in my own electorate of Northern Victoria. Can the minister confirm that Victoria does not support the removal of water from farmers through federal buybacks?
Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Water) (12:00): I thank Mrs Tyrrell for her important question. I can confirm also that there is disquiet in her electorate. I was in Shepparton only last Thursday and Friday and spoke with many people who are connected with water and those that are reliant on water in her region. Can I say that I stated it in my first ministers statement as Minister for Water in this place a couple of sessions ago, and again if you see my social media, I have been quite forthright in terms of the Victorian government’s position in terms of the Commonwealth government’s buyback scheme. As I have said, whilst there might have been a change in minister, there certainly has not been a change in the Victorian government’s position, and we do oppose the Commonwealth’s open-tendered buybacks.
Large-scale untargeted water purchases do have significant consequences for our regional communities. Victoria has delivered more than any other state towards the 450 gigalitres of additional water. We understand how important it is to achieve environmental outcomes for our rivers, but Victoria is working to meet our Murray–Darling Basin plan obligations without harming our regional communities. We have also set up an interdepartmental committee that will work across portfolios and maximise environmental outcomes while supporting ongoing economic security for Northern Victoria, and we can also create new opportunities for Northern Victorian communities to thrive into the future. This IDC includes the Department of Premier and Cabinet, the Department of Treasury and Finance, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action and the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions. The Premier and former Treasurer, the ministers for agriculture, environment, regional development and water, along with nine basin councils also wrote to the Prime Minister to make Victoria’s position clear and call for further support for our basin communities.
I know that the IDC will be in Shepparton and the surrounding regions in early April, and I know from those conversations that I had around Shepparton late last week that there is a full agenda for the IDC, and people are really looking forward to having those face-to-face direct conversations with people on the ground. I look forward to hearing what those conversations are, over and above the ones that I have had. In terms – (Time expired)
Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (Northern Victoria) (12:03): I thank the minister for her answer. Water is the lifeblood of the farming communities in Northern Victoria. What is the minister doing to secure Victoria’s water supply for the irrigation community?
Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Water) (12:04): I thank the member for her supplementary. Again, this is a very important issue because it impacts all of us. Open tendering leads to pushing up the price of meat, fruit, dairy and vegetables, many of which are obviously produced in the basin communities. Previous water recovery has led to irrigation industry job losses and family exits, which we are well acquainted with, all of which have had significant enduring flow-on effects in our regional economies. Seventy-five per cent of Australia’s grapes and wine, 50 per cent of fruit and 30 per cent of dairy is produced in the basin. The open-tender buybacks directly increase the water market prices. They leave irrigators exposed to volatile processes for water allocation, and of course the consumer also pays the price. I will continue to advocate – (Time expired)