Overview of the Restoring the Balance in the Murray-Darling Basin Program (water entitlement purchasing)
Program rounds
- Outcomes from 2007-08 purchase round
- Review of the 2007-08 water purchases
- 2008-09 northern Basin round - open until 5 pm (EST) 19 December 2008
- 2008-09 southern Basin round - open until 5 pm (EST) 30 June 2009
- Irrigator-led Group Proposals
Objective
The health of the Murray-Darling Basin is in decline. Available water is currently over-allocated, and this problem is likely to become worse as water availability declines due to climate change.
The Australian Government's Restoring the Balance in the Murray-Darling Basin Program is an important component of Water for the Future, the Australian Government's $12.9 billion national plan on water.
Under Water for the Future the Government has committed $3.1 billion to purchase water in the Murray-Darling Basin over 10 years. The program will complement a range of other measures to address sustainable water management in the Basin.
New South Wales purchase of Toorale station
Under a landmark agreement the Australian Government and the New South Wales Government announced on 10 September 2008 the purchase of Toorale Station. The property was purchased on 10 September 2008 by New South Wales for $23.75 million, with substantial funding from the Australian Government. Toorale Station currently holds entitlements to extract 14 billion litres of water from the Warrego and Darling Rivers each year, along with rights to harvest water from the floodplain. New South Wales will take responsibility for preserving the land, and there is an agreed process for transferring the water to the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder.
This agreement delivers a significant boost to environmental flows in the Darling River, whilst also providing a boost to the New South Wales reserve system. This is a great example of cooperative federalism working together to deliver important progress for Australia's long term future.
New exit grant package to assist small block irrigators
On 20 September 2008, the Prime Minister announced that the Australian Government is establishing a special exit grant package for small block irrigators in the Murray-Darling Basin. The Government will offer up to $150,000 as a special exit payment, along with other transitional assistance, to eligible irrigators on 15 hectares or less who agree to sell all their water entitlements to the Commonwealth.
Implementation of this initiative will be linked to water reforms agreed between the Commonwealth and the States.
Media releases
- Review of the Government's water purchase program released
- Irrigator groups invited to submit proposals for selling water entitlements
- Water purchase expands to southern Basin
- New exit grant package to assist small-scale irrigators
- Commonwealth and NSW purchase Toorale
- Next water buyback tender to open 15 September
- New measures to deal with the critical situation in the Murray-Darling Basin
- Queensland water buyback for Murray-Darling rivers to open next month
- New website details water purchases
- Government water purchase secures rights to purchase 35 million litres for the Murray Darling
- Australian Government water purchases map
- $50 Million Down Payment on the Murray
Further media releases are available at the Minister for Climate Change and Water web site.
More information
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