Ricegrowers predict dire outcomes if water cuts proceed

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Riverina ricegrowers say propopsed water cuts in the Murrumbidgee system could spell the end of the rice industry as it is known.

Consultants in Griffith are doing research on the socio-economic impact of the Murray Darling Basin Authority guide which recommends cuts of up to 45 per cent in local water availability.

Ricegrowers gave evidence yesterday on what they said will be the dire impact locally should the cuts proceed.

Other industry groups are being consulted this week.

The chairman of the parliamentary inquiry into the Murray Darling Basin Guide said yesterday the Basin Authority has done a poor job selling its draft recommendations.

A public hearing at Murray Bridge in South Australia was the first in a nine day national tour to hear community submissions on the draft plan.

The chairman Tony Windsor said the Authority neglected to explain alternatives to cutting water allocations, causing angst for irrigators in the river system.

"It was sold as cutbacks," said Mr Windsor.

"And that to the communities and to the political process meant decimation of towns, individuals, livelihoods on the back of the worst drought we've had in ten years. So, poorly marketed." he said.

Water economist Mike Young said the Queensland floods show figures given by the Murray Darling Basin Authority in its guide for the Basin's future are inaccurate.

Professor Young also appeared before the parliamentary inquiry.

Professor Young who is the Executive Director of the Environment Institute at Adelaide University and a member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists said many of the proposed water cuts are based on averages, rather than seasonal variations.

"You can't plan on averages," said Professor Young.

"Everyone can now see that we have droughts and we have flooding rains, and so we need an approach that doesn't just talk about average numbers, but actually talks about what will happen when it's dry."

The Murray Darling Association says State Government powers to restrict water used by irrigators should be over-ruled by the Basin Authority.

The Association's General Secretary - Ray Najar - address the inquiry.

"There shouldn't be any restrictions on water use for food production," he said.

"there's just no, absolutely no need for it, the small amount of water that we require for growers in South Australia to have full allocations, for example, is about two days flow out of the Murray Mouth."

"So it's ridiculous for the government to maintain a policy that was written for drought and use it in a flood situation," said Mr Najar.

Topics: irrigation, regional, rivers, water, water-management, rural, griffith-2680, deniliquin-2710, hay-2711, leeton-2705