The New South Wales government has withdrawn seven water resource plans – including for three of the state’s biggest catchments of the Barwon-Darling, the Gwydir and the Namoi rivers – after it was told by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority that they were inadequate and would be rejected.
The plans set rules on how much water can be taken from the basin system and on how water is shared between towns, agriculture and the environment.
The withdrawal of the seven plans occurred last week and was not publicised.
NSW is now more than four years late in lodging the plans, raising serious questions about the implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin plan, which is about to undergo a major review.
Rose Jackson, Labor’s water minister who took over the portfolio after the NSW election in March, said she wanted to submit revised plans and have them in place as soon as possible.
NSW withdraws seven ‘flawed’ water resource plans, throwing doubt on Murray-Darling Basin plan
The plans set rules on how much water can be taken from the basin system and on how water is shared between towns, agriculture and the environment.
The withdrawal of the seven plans occurred last week and was not publicised.
NSW is now more than four years late in lodging the plans, raising serious questions about the implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin plan, which is about to undergo a major review.
Rose Jackson, Labor’s water minister who took over the portfolio after the NSW election in March, said she wanted to submit revised plans and have them in place as soon as possible.
NSW withdraws seven ‘flawed’ water resource plans, throwing doubt on Murray-Darling Basin plan