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NOVEMBER 2011
28th November release of the proposed Basin Plan - Click Here
21st November Briefing in Canberra - Draft Basin Plan
Tim attended a briefing yesterday (21st) in Canberra, on the Draft Basin Plan, which will be released in its entirety next Monday the 28th November. This was a briefing organised by the MDBA for the QLD Stakeholder Consultative Committee (SCC), which we are part of. There are no surprises left in the Draft Plan, as far as he can tell. We already have the numbers and the detail in the (incomplete) Draft Documents that were handed out in the briefing yesterday reveal nothing we didn’t already expect, though the details are new. Some notes below:
- The process is still unsatisfactory in terms of how are local communities are impacted.
- ‘Localism’ is a very important avenue for us to exercise influence on Basin Plan outcomes.
- The hydrological modelling has ‘an implicit socio-economic filter applied to it all the way through – i.e. Not detailed yet.
- There is no detail in the Environmental Objectives being sought.
- The Environmental Watering Plans will be developed by ‘localism’ groups and States over next few years. Currently the EWP is a ‘framework’ around which the detail can be built.
- Many elements in the Basin Plan are specific to Southern Connected System, but northern basin is far better recognised than in previous documents.
- There are many assumptions and judgement-calls on the Environmental Watering Requirements that must be challenged.
- Where the water comes from is far more relevant in the North than in the south, in terms of environmental outcomes.
- A Northern Basin group will be formed to have input into developing the detail of local models, environmental objectives and to inform the 2015 Review.
- MDBA will resource the ‘localism’ and Northern Basin groups and these will be enshrined in an IGA which will be developed to sit alongside the Final Basin Plan.
- There will be a 2-day round of meetings in the Border Rivers in late January, including several ‘round-table’ style meetings and ending with a public meeting. The Lower Balonne are having their meeting on December 12th and 13th.
Water Under the bridge
Article written by Kate Jennings - we urge everyone to read this
OCTOBER 2011
Below are three of the latest documents from the MDBA
Commonwealth Environmental Water planning and management
Current thinking on the draft Basin Plan
Environmental water requirements - Surface water
SEPTEMBER 2011
New DRAFT Sustainable Diversion Limit (SDL's) numbers have been made public to gauge public reaction.
These are NOT FINAL NUMBERS.
October 2010
The GUIDE to the proposed BASIN PLAN
The Sustainable Diversion Limits for the Border Rivers
Under Scenario 1 - 3000 to 4000GL returned to the environment
| Water Mgt Area | Reduction ML | Reduction % |
| NSW Surface | 43000-55000 | 19-25% |
| QLD Surface | 43000-56000 | 21-27% |
The minimum 86,000 ML cut in the Border Rivers would directly cause 800 jobs to be lost & $130 million worth of 'farm-gate' production to be lost from our local economy each year.
Media Links:
21 Sept 2011 - BRFF Response to announcement of new Border River Buyback Round - ABC Radio
BRFF Response to Windsor Report June 3rd 2011
Four Corners program 7th March 2011 "Backlash in the Bush'
Topher's un-popular view on the MBDA Guide to Basin Plan - this is a must watch
MDBA Chairman Resigns 7 December 2010
ABC QLD Article on Burke visit 2 December 2010
Feedback from Goondiwindi Community Info Session
Sydney Morning Herald article 26 Oct 2010
ABC Southern QLD Rural Report interview with BRFF 11 Oct 2010
BRFF Interview with ABC New England North West Radio 11 Oct 2010
Click on images for websites
ABC Basin Plan Coverage
