Last week in Griffith irrigators tried to replicate their stunt of burning copies of the Murray Darling Basin plan. But, the MDBA waxed the report to a high sheen — neatly rendering the pages flame retardant. It’s a good metaphor for the response of irrigators, says Simon O’Connor.
Murray Darling Basin Authority
Invented numbers please no one in basin plan
Has Labor given up on meeting the requirements of the 2007 Water Act to ensure the environmental sustainability and long-term health of the Murray-Darling Basin? Professor Chris Miller questions the basin plan guide.
Will MDBA leadership or vested interests prevail?
The narrative is that the draft Murray-Darling Basin Plan is the best that our scientists, policy makers and water managers can design with what we know now. , says Brian Ramsay, in the first of the returned Murray Murmurings series.
New Murray-Darling Plan leaves everyone unhappy
The Murray-Darling Basin Authority today released the draft of the $10 billion Murray-Darling Basin Plan. And it seems neither irrigators nor scientists are happy with the latest inclination of the Plan, writes Amber Jamieson.
What’s non-strategic about saving a river?
Federal government water buyback is paying dividends for our river systems — since 2009 the government has delivered almost 600 GL of water back to the Murray-Darling Basin. So why are they now being called into question? asks Juliet Le Feuvre.
Scientists question “great new science” in Murray debate
The Wentworth Group of scientists declared the Murray-Darling Basin Plan a “fundamentally flawed process” after new modelling dramatically decreased the minimum water to be returned to the river, reports Amber Jamieson.
Murray Murmurings Death of the guide
New Murray-Darling Basin Authority chairman Craig Knowles has acknowledged the long-held belief that his appointment symbolised the end of the guide to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in its current form, reports Amber Jamieson.
Murray Murmurings What’s happening to the Plan?
After floods, resignations and community consultations, the Murray-Darling Basin Plan is slowly getting back on track thanks to the appointment of former NSW Labor minister Craig Knowles as the new head of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, reports Amber Jamieson.
Murray Murmurings What’s happening to the Plan?
After floods, resignations and community consultations, the Murray-Darling Basin Plan is slowly getting back on track thanks to the appointment of former NSW Labor minister Craig Knowles as the new head of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, reports Amber Jamieson.
Murray-Darling: where to now for water reform?
After a dramatic year of plans, resignations and community consultations over the guide to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, Chris Miller reflects on the future of water reform in the Basin.
Time for talk on water reform is over — as the MDBA boss walks out the door
The Murray-Darling Basin reforms are in turmoil, with the shock resignation this morning of Mike Taylor, chair of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority.
Murray Murmurings Should we think of farmers as we do teachers?
In the latest of the Murray Murmurings series, Professor Chris Miller talks about the need for a Basin Investment Fund, created by the government, to held fund and engage local rural communities, mixing local knowledge with scientific knowledge.
Rethinking the Basin Plan
Imagine how the draft Murray Darling Basin Plan would be if we’d had a major rejuvenation and expansion of Landcare around climate change, carbon literacy, renewable energy, water management, drought resilience and sustainable food systems, suggests Andrew Campbell.
murray darling Come in Spinner: What the Basin Authority should have done
The frightening thing about the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s current efforts is that they apparently spent about $60 million getting to where they are while ignoring almost every lesson about how to undertake consultation.
Murray-Darling authority losing the spin war with councils’ PR flacks
As the beleaguered Murray Darling Basin Authority sinks further into the public relations mire following its disastrous run of community consultations last month, the other side of the debate had a powerful ally in prominent spin doctors Socom.
Back to basics for Murray Darling Basin
Water Minister Tony Burke has distanced himself from Murray Darling Basin Authority chairman Mike Taylor and undermined the authority’s guidelines document, which suggests he may be endorsing a back to the drawing board approach, writes Mark Kenny.
Murray Murmurings: What happens when two extremist ideologies meet
Irrigated agriculture systems, like electric grids and city road transport networks, are human engineering constructs, not gifts of nature. Therefore irrigation systems trigger by their existence a government’s duty of care to the human communities that they sustain, says Tony Kevin.
Bloody farmers: topics for the Murray Darling Technical Background report
Following community pressure it was announced at Senate Estimates this morning that the MDBA technical background report will be available online from Friday, says Crikey naturalist Lionel Elmore.
The independent water report by the board member’s colleague
A report that sparked deep anxiety in regional communities about the impacts of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan was less independent than it seems.
Murray Murmurings: It’s no wonder rural people are angry
It’s not surprising that farmers, business people and community members are scared and angry about the Murray Darling Basin Authority’s plan. Water is everything in these communities, writes Shepparton farmer David Furphy.
Murray Darling debate is not holding water
The mammoth draft proposal released by the Murray Darling Basin Authority last week has been attacked from virtually every angle. With so much rancor and emotion, logic and reason appear to be drowning in the debate, writes David Penberthy.
The raging war between farmers and Gillard
It’s no surprise the Murray Darling Basin Plan consultations are fiery affairs, full of angry rural people. PM Gillard is going to lose control of this water debate before it’s even started, warns Lenore Taylor.
Murray Darling murmurings
The Murray Darling Basin Plan continues to loom as a massive political and environment issue. The guide to the draft plan was released last Friday and Amber Jamieson put together a reading list for those who want to get up to speed.
