On
the morning of Friday 12 July 2019 NSW
Water's real-time
records showed
that much of the Murray-Darling Basin river systems where they pass
through New South Wales are still recording less than 20 per cent
water flows, with some sections of the Darling River still regularly
recording zero flows and water levels as low as 0.16 of a metre.
Water
sustainability and environmental water flows have been in crisis for
decades within the Basin and no solution is in sight.
Here is a snapshot of the latest information........
Australian
taxpayers have given a huge corporation more than $40 million,
enabling it to expand irrigation in the Murray-Darling Basin under an
environmental scheme that has been labelled a national disgrace.
Four
Corners can reveal that more than $4 billion in Commonwealth funds
has been handed over to irrigators, which has allowed them to expand
their operations and use more water under the $5.6 billion water
infrastructure scheme — the centrepiece of Australia's $13 billion
Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
The
scheme is intended to recover water for the rivers by giving farmers
money to build water-saving infrastructure, in return for some of
their water rights.
Some
of the beneficiaries of the scheme are partly foreign-owned
corporations that have used the money to transform vast tracts of
land along the threatened river system, planting thirsty cotton and
nut fields.
One
of the biggest operators is Webster Limited, a publicly traded
company that produces 90 per cent of Australia's walnuts and is 19.5
per cent owned by Canadian pension fund PSP.
Webster
has received $41 million from the water infrastructure scheme to grow
its empire in the Murrumbidgee Valley, in south-west New South Wales,
where it has bought hundreds of square kilometres of land.
The
funding covers more than half of an ambitious $78 million capital
works program by Webster Limited to build dams to store more than 30
billion extra litres of water and irrigate an extra 81 square
kilometres of land, developing much of it into prime, irrigated
cotton country.
Maryanne
Slattery, a former director at the Murray-Darling Basin Authority,
says it is horrifying that a scheme designed to help the environment
is allowing irrigators to use more water.
"That
program was supposed to reduce the amount of water that was going to
irrigation, when it's actually increased the opportunities for
irrigation … all subsidised by taxpayers," she said…...
Taxpayer
dollars, secretive deals and the lucrative business of water.
"It's
a national scandal." Water economist
Two
years on from the Four Corners investigation into water theft in the
Murray-Darling Basin that sparked a royal commission, the program
returns to the river system to investigate new concerns about how the
plan to rescue it is being carried out.
"How
extravagant is this scheme?... I'd just call it a rort." Lawyer
On
Monday Four Corners investigates whether the contentious plan has
become a colossal waste of taxpayers' money.
"The
Murray-Darling Basin Plan is a triple bottom line fail. It's a fail
for communities, it's a fail for the economy and it's absolutely a
fail for the environment." Business owner
The
river system is the lifeblood of Australian agriculture but right now
it's in crisis. It's experiencing one of the worst droughts on
record, and with mass fish deaths capturing the headlines and farmers
struggling to survive, many are saying the scheme is failing to
deliver.
"I
would characterise it as pink batts for farmers, or pink batts for
earth movers. It all had to happen in a short space of time."
Contractor
Billions
of taxpayers' dollars are being poured into grants handed to
irrigators in an attempt to save more water. Four Corners
investigates exactly how the money is being spent.
"I'm
a taxpayer. I don't agree with the scheme. I think it's actually too
expensive." Farmer
Some
irrigators say this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to transform
their businesses.
"With
a bold initiative, having the basin plan and the government investing
in irrigated agriculture, you get an opportunity to basically
reset... for the next 50 years." Irrigation CEO
Others
question who is actually gaining the most from the generous scheme.
"We're
degrading the rivers at the same time as we're handing out money to a
few individuals to realise huge economic gains at public cost."
Ecologist
For
those with access to water, there are lucrative sales to be made.
Water prices have hit record highs turning it into liquid gold.
"Anyone
can come in and buy water. You don't even have to be a
farmer...You're going to make money out of it, and that's what a lot
of people are doing, unfortunately." Farmer
Others
worry that the scheme is encouraging the planting of crops even
thirstier than cotton, creating a potential time bomb.
"There's
been an explosion in the production of nuts in the Murrumbidgee, and
more broadly in the Murray-Darling Basin...This may well be a time
bomb." Former water official
Four
Corners investigates how the scheme is being regulated and whether
water users and the authorities responsible are being properly held
to account.
"We're
talking about billions of dollars in taxpayers' money on a scheme
that many, many capable and reliable scientists have said, this isn't
going to work." Lawyer
Transcript
of Four
Corners 8
July 2019 episode Cash
Splash is here.
Two
years on from Pumped,
the Four Corners investigation into water theft in the Murray-Darling
Basin that sparked
a royal commission, Monday night’s report Cash
Splash investigated new concerns about how the plan to
rescue the fragile and vitally important river system is being
carried out, probing the infrastructure grants scheme which is now
the centrepiece of the $13 billion Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
The
investigation revealed tens of millions of dollars intended to
restore the Murray-Darling Basin is helping big businesses expand
irrigation and access huge volumes of water that would have flowed
into communities and habitats downstream.
The
aim of the story was to speak with people who have first-hand
evidence of how the grants scheme is operating. It drew on a wide
cross-section of the community affected by the scheme, including
farmers and irrigators who have received the funding or been involved
in its expenditure, scientists and economists who have gathered and
analysed data on its effects, community leaders, former government
officials and current and former Murrumbidgee Irrigation staff.
The
interviewees on the program were:
Julie
and Glen Andreazza, NSW Farmers of the Year
Brett
Jones, CEO, Murrumbidgee Irrigation
Anthony
Kidman, former Murrumbidgee Irrigation Project Manager
David
Papps, former Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder
Professor
Richard Kingsford, Ecologist, UNSW
Richard
Beasley SC, Former Senior Counsel Assisting the SA Royal Commission
into the MDBP
Prof
Sarah Wheeler, Water Economist, University of Adelaide
John
Kerrigan, Earthmover and now irrigator and recipient of
infrastructure grants
Maryanne
Slattery, former Director of Environmental Water at the MDBA and now
senior Water Researcher, Australia Institute
Kelvin
and Glen Baxter, farmers
Prof
Quentin Grafton, UNESCO Chair in Water Economics, ANU
Paul
Pierotti, Vice President of the Griffith Business Chamber
Tony
Onley, Business Development Coordinator, Murrumbidgee Irrigation
Emma
Carmody, Senior Solicitor, Environmental Defender’s Office
Matthew
Ireson, Grazier
Four
Corners requested an interview with Environment Minister Sussan Ley,
who is responsible for the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office
and is the Member for Farrer, which includes the Murrumbidgee Valley
where the story was filmed.
Minister
Ley declined to be interviewed and her spokesperson told Four Corners
no-one from the government would comment for the story.
