NSW Irrigators’ Council CEO, Dr Madeleine Hartley, is urging irrigators – particularly those in the Murrumbidgee region – to make a submission, as any potential changes to the Deed must fully consider the impacts on irrigators who rely on stable and transparent allocation rules.
“For many years, regional communities have drawn the short straw and paid the price for Basin Plan reforms. We cannot allow this to continue,” Dr Hartley said.
“Changes to the Deed must not come at the expense of downstream water users in NSW.
“Releases down the Upper Murrumbidgee suffer higher transmission losses than through the Tumut system, which risks reducing allocations for general security irrigation licence holders.”
The council is calling for a balanced, evidence-based approach that considers the economic, social and regional impacts to NSW growers of any proposed changes.
“Protecting water entitlement reliability is critical to sustaining the irrigation industry and the communities that rely on it,” Dr Hartley said.
Irrigators provide over 90 per cent of Australia’s fruit and nuts and 76 per cent of vegetables.
“These communities are vital to the food and fibre supply chain, and they need secure water allocations to keep producing,” Dr Hartley said.
The review will reopen the original 2002 Snowy Water Deed and could result in additional environmental water being redirected from the Snowy Scheme into the Upper Murrumbidgee through the ACT.
While the 2002 agreement increased flows to the Snowy River, most natural flows in the Upper Murrumbidgee are still captured at Tantangara Dam and diverted west to support inland food production and regional communities.
The council is encouraging Murrumbidgee communities and irrigators to make a submission to the review before February 13, 2026.
To make a submission visit: Review of the Snowy Water Inquiry Outcomes Implementation Deed - DCCEEW
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