NSW Minister for Primary Industries Niall Blair has given a blunt view of his thoughts on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan at a national conference in Leeton this week saying “not completing the plan is a huge risk”. 

In his presentation at the Murray-Darling Association event, he lamented the politics which has been playing out surrounding the plan in recent times, pointing at the near collapse of the plan earlier this year.

“To sit a ministerial council meeting and have every single state at every single point sign off on the SDL package (sustainable diversion limits), sign off on the methodology, sign off the spend and then sign off on the final results of the Northern Basin Review ... to see that then thrown out and put at risk because of a state election and whatever rubbish is happening in Canberra … was to me the most disappointing part,” Mr Blair said. 

“Because it took the science and the hurt and impact it’s (the Basin Plan) had on our communities and it was thrown out the window for the sake of some votes in some parts of South Australia, but also for some ‘get squares’ in Canberra. 

“What that provided was uncertainty. More uncertainty than we had seen before because we had all been working towards those outcomes.”

Mr Blair was one of many speakers at the conference who addressed the Basin Plan and said his government was continuing to work on the regulatory issues and concerns the community had following the Four Corners report into water theft last year. 

Other industry stakeholders such as the Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia, Cotton Australia and the Wine Grapes Marketing Board also presented throughout the two days in Leeton. 

“The message I want to give you all is we’re committed to the plan, but the plan needs to be flexible,” he said. 

“We need to provide certainty for all of your communities.”

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