GWYDIR VALLEY IRRIGATORS ASSOCIATION
NSWIC July Newsletter includes information on the following:
1. Review of Murray Darling Basin Plan begins
2. Stronger Enforcement and Penalties Bill 2025
3. NRAR enforcement action again BLR user
4. Water for the Environmental Special Account
The NSW Government has declared the Landholder Negotiation Scheme (LNS) as an amendment to the Water Management (General)
Regulation 2018 under
the Water Management Act 2000, accompanied by statutory negotiation guidelines.
The LNS provides the approach the NSW Government will take when negotiating voluntary agreements with landholders affected by future
environmental water deliveries at higher flow levels, or under different regimes, than current operating practice.
An outline of changes made, is provided in the What we heard report released May 2025. View
the What we heard report, new regulation and negotiation guidelines.
Please find included the DCCEEW webinar held on 16 July 2025. Dr Shahadat Chowdhury, manager of Water Allocations, discussed the opening water allocations for the 2025/26 year.
This month we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the creation of the GVIA following a motion from July 1995 proposing to bring
the irrigation associations of Biniguy / Moree Water Users' Association, Carole/Gill Gill Water Users' Association, Copeton / Biniguy Spray
Irrigators' Association, Gwydir Co-operative Ltd and the Mehi / Moomin Water Users' Association together to form the Gwydir Valley
Irrigators Association. The intention was to "employ and take any necessary action to promote the interests of the irrigators in the
Gwydir Valley."
Last week the MDBA released the 2025
Basin Plan Evaluation and the 2025 Sustainable
Rivers Audit.
These are encouraging as it shows progress has been made, but there are still concerns which we are reviewing in partnership with National
Irrigators Council.
The findings and key insights from this Evaluation will be considered alongside other key lines of evidence as part of the 2026 Basin Plan
Review. The Review is an opportunity for the MDBA to consider the evidence, listen to Basin communities and recommend changes to the Basin
Plan.
NSWIC latest media release states that "IPART has added to the cost squeeze on NSW farmers with its final determination today to
increase rural water bills by up to 8.3% in most valleys for 2025-26."
"NSW Irrigators’ Council CEO Claire Miller said it was disappointing that IPART had shifted from the affordable 1.9% plus CPI price rise proposed in its information paper last month."
“The determination underlines the need for the NSW Government to urgently reform the flawed pricing model and corporate structure driving unaffordable hikes in rural water bills over the last 10 years.”
For the full story follow the link.
IPART has decided to issue a 1-year determination commencing on 1 July 2025 and ending 30 June 2026, or when replaced
From 1 July, prices will increase by 5.8% plus inflation of 2.4% for bulk water customers. MDBA charges will increase by 0.6% plus
inflation of 2.4% and BRC charges will increase by 1.1% plus inflation of 2.4%. All other prices will increase by inflation only.
At this stage, the Tribunal is not convinced that all the increased costs proposed by WaterNSW are sufficiently justified as necessary or
efficient, or that they should all be passed on the customers. The short determination will allow more work to be done on the broader
challenges identified through this price review.
The GVIA requested a full performance review and analysis of the business structure.
The AgriEmpower Scholarship Program is an investment in the future of our next generation of changemarkers,
dedicated to helping young people enhance their capabilities and unlock new opportunities for growth.
The program offers financial support, resources, and access to National Farmers’ Federation and Woolworths networks, and a community of
like-minded individuals, all with the goal of driving long-term success in the agriculture sector.
As part of the $400,000 program, 20 scholarships of $20,000 each will be awarded.
The AgriEmpower Scholarship Program runs for 18 months allowing individuals an opportunity to deep dive into developing themselves and with
the support of NFF & Woolworths.
Save the Date
Thursday 24th July 2025, we will be celebrating 30 years of the GVIA.
More details to follow shortly.
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This month's NSW-DQ webinar focused on "Are You Measurement Ready". A recording is available
here
and responses to questions taken on notice will be available
here in the next fortnight. Some key take aways:
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As we will now have a federal election on the 3rd of May 2025, I encourage you to have conversations with people from all different parts of the community to ensure they understand what is important to safegard the Australian irrigation industry. The following links will show you
what the peak industry organisations have as their election policy positions. There are also a number of useful facts about irrigation which
you may be able to utilise in your discussions.
National
Irrigators Council
NSW
Irrigation Council
National
Farmers Federation
The department sought public feedback in late 2023 on proposed changes to distance restrictions for new or amended bores from other bores or
property boundaries in the Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Great Artesian Basin Groundwater Sources 2020 (the plan).
At this time, feedback from stakeholders indicated that the community needed further information on the proposed changes. To address the
community's questions, we released a Status
Update Document
on 17 February 2025, outlining what’s changing and why. Public feedback on this document and the proposed changes is welcome until 6 April 2025.