It must be recognised however, that no reforms, whether NWI or Basin Plan, can in fact drought proof a system.
The National Irrigators Council (NIC) has welcomed the release of the Productivity Commission’s final report on the National Water Initiative (NWI), recognising that it will form the basis for an examination of Australia’s future water security challenges now and into the future.
NIC CEO, Isaac Jeffrey said: “The Commission’s report sets out a process for a renewed NWI against the backdrop of Australia’s highly variable rainfall patterns and forecasts of reduced inflows into river systems over coming decades.
“As part of the process to progress national water reform, NIC will work to ensure that a renewed NWI is fit for purpose to enable the irrigated agriculture sector to play an important role in continuing to produce food and fibre against the pressures of climate change and the opportunities presented with projected world population growth. Under the NWI, productive water is already the lowest priority, coming in behind the environment.
“With the global demand for food and fibre increasing and recognising that the world population forecast will exceed 9 billion by 2050, Australia is well positioned to be at the forefront of this global demand, including taking up the opportunities this presents.
“The future prospects for irrigated agriculture in Australia are strong. This is not without challenges for the sector as part of its responsibility in meeting the climate change task and meeting community expectation to reduce emissions, while participating in the broader effort to contribute to global action.
“The increasing demand for food and fibre and the challenge of declining water availability is driving increases in the efficiency of irrigated agriculture, enabling more water-efficient crop varieties, more precise application of water, technology enabling improved farm management practices, infrastructure and river management.
“NIC has engaged constructively with the Commission during the inquiry’s consultation to ensure the issues and challenges faced by the productive agriculture sector are heard and understood.
“The sector remains committed to a genuine triple bottom line outcome from water reform. It must be recognised however, that no reforms, whether NWI or Basin Plan, can in fact drought proof a system.
“Pleasingly, the Commission recommends embedding key principles in a renewed NWI including: committing to adaptive management; establishing a clear process for reviewing progress on environmental outcomes; independently auditing the adequacy and use of environmental water entitlements every three years; and, integrating management of environmental water and complementary natural resource management.
“NIC has long advocated a genuine focus on complementary natural resource management, or non-flow measures. The Commission’s own Five Yearly review of the Basin Plan endorsed the importance of complementary natural resource planning and management frameworks, and we continue to emphasise the importance of integration of measures that deliver improved environmental outcomes.
“This approach reflects the principle that simply meeting flow targets cannot alone deliver environmental outcomes; embedding complementary measures as part of water reform represents greater innovation through these types of interventions to improve riparian management and to support our river systems and fish habitat.”
-National Irrigators Council