Water Buy Backs

The rivers and water ways are the arteries of our landscape and the mighty Murray River is the lifeblood for our region's nourishing ecosystem that provides for our industries, economies and communities. 

After the Millennium Drought, many organisations came together to protect our most precious resource, water. 

The Murray Darling Basin Plan was a step in the right direction. 

Moira Shire Council supports the balanced implementation of the Murray Darling Basin Plan, to sustain the long-term viability of our regional economy and the well-being of our communities to deliver the environmental outcomes that will protect and preserve our region's ecosystems. 

We also support the many industries, farms, factories and families that rely on water to provide the services our communities and the nation require.  

The Issue

The Australian Government announced in 2023 it wants to buy back water from our farmers to meet environmental goals.
It's important to support a healthy water ecosystem and who better to support that than the people who live, work and play by the water. However, there are better alternatives to water buybacks. 

We know from the previous buybacks in 2016, this lead to the closure of farms, loss of jobs and many other negative impacts and we don't want to see a repeat of those times.

With every water buyback, the amount available for growing produce dwindles. 
If there's less water and less farmers, who will grow our fresh food? 

As water is removed from our region, fresh produce becomes scarcer, driving up prices and increasing the already dire cost of living. 

The high-quality, locally grown goods we're privileged to have are now at risk of being lost. 

What is Council doing? 

Moira Shire Council stands by our farming and manufacturing industries that rely on the availability of water to stay in business. 

Council is lobbying for the Australian Government to withdraw the Water Amendment Bill 2023 to ensure that water buybacks are not reinstated. 

We continue to: 

  • Share the stories of our local industries and businesses that are impacted by water allocation. 
  • Work collaboratively with regional Local Government groups to campaign towards the Australian Government. 

As a member of the Murray River Group of Councils, Moira Shire Council is driving the Push Back Buybacks campaign demonstrating the effects from the previous buybacks, sharing the stories of our local farmers and asking the Prime Minister of Australia to stand-up for our industries. 

Moira Shire Council provided a submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications on the Water Amendment Bill 2023.
You can read the submission below. 

 Moira-Shire-Council-submission-to-the-Senate-Standing-Committee.pdf(PDF, 191KB)

How you can help

You can help us send a message to the government and support our local growers, producers and makers who feed a nation. 

Sign the Petition 
Follow the link and be part of our petition to stop water buybacks. mrgc.com.au/pushbackbuybacks

Letter of Support 
Write a letter to your local member, you can find letter templates on our campaign page  mrgc.com.au/pushbackbuybacks 

Social Media 
Show your support by sharing on your social media one of our campaign images, be sure to tag Moira Shire Council in anything you post. 
Facebook @MoiraShireCouncil 
Instagram @moirashirecouncil
Linked In Moira Shire Council 

Download Social Media Tiles 2023-MRGC-Push-Back-Buybacks-Social-Media-Images.zip(ZIP, 12MB)

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