Under the plan another 450 gigalitres – known as upwater – could have been recovered on top of around 2750 gigalitres already extracted for the environment.

The criteria that NSW and Victoria have agreed to, requires that potential impacts of the upwater’s removal are identified and explained, that recovery of the water does not directly increase the price of water, that it contributes to the current and future viability of irrigation districts and supports regional economies into the future.

The criteria requires there are no negative third-party impacts on the irrigation system, water market or communities, improves social and environmental outcomes and protects and improves Aboriginal values.

Importantly, the criteria requires support from the community.

Griffith Business Chamber president Paul Pierotti said the agreement between the two states was “the best news I’ve heard in 10 years”.

“This 450 gigalires of water has been hanging over our heads for the last six to seven years,” Mr Pierotti said.

“Especially after 30 per cent of water was ripped from production, it would have been the end of Basin communities.”

Mr Pierotti said that volume of upwater could only have been taken from the southern part of the Basin.

“We always talk about tipping points, where growers or industry are not longer able to operate,” he said.

“This 450 gigalitres would have pushed entire communities and a variety of industries to a tipping point.”

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Member for Murray Austin Evans said it was “the right decision”.

“It’s something the irrigation industry have been chasing for years,” Mr Evans said.

“I’m glad that we have the two biggest states behind a socio-economic neutrality test which is firm.

“We’ve got to turn the agreement between NSW and Victoria into the COAG (Council of Australian Governments) economic neutrality test.”

Mr Evans said if COAG accepted the test it would ease the concerns the community has about the 450 gigalitres

The socio-economic criteria agreed to by NSW water minister Niall Blair and his Victorian counterpart Lisa Neville were aimed at protecting their irrigation communities in the Murray Darling Basin.

They want the criteria to help determine whether another 450 gigalitres of upwater is recovered.

“The last thing anyone should want to do is increase this hardship by unnecessarily recovering more water, which is why the NSW Government is taking a stand here today to protect our NSW communities,” Mr Blair said.

Mr Blair said 1031 gigalitres had been recovered from NSW, part of 2750 gigalitres required under the Basin plan.

“We want to ensure that any future water recovery projects contribute to the current and future financial viability of irrigation districts,” Mr Blair said. 

“All potential projects must be made public with all cumulative impacts at a district level identified, including ensuring that all irrigation and associated jobs are secured for now and into the future.”

Mr Pierotti said the criteria agreed to by both NSW and Victoria had been part of a campaign by southern Basin irrigators, which included Murrumbidgee Food and Fibre, the Speak Up Campaign and Goulburn Murray Irrigators.

“It’s good to see the southern communities united and speaking with one voice,” he said.

The job for them now would be to ensure the states and Commonwealth abide to it.

“It’s completely improper for any government of any colour or stripe to make decisions which have a negative impact on an entire community,” Mr Pierotti said.

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