The latest Murray-Darling Basin inquiry by a former top cop has been labelled a "disappointment" and a "waste".
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Interim Inspector General of Murray-Darling Basin Water Resources Mick Keelty's report was published last Friday.
His report examines the impact of lower inflows into the Basin during the current drought and criticises the level of transparency around state water allocations.
"The top cop avoided the tough questions. His report provides no answers and no solutions," Member for Murray Helen Dalton said.
"He highlights climate change has a major factor, but there is far more to the story.
"The astonishing 80 per cent reduction of inflows into the Menindee Lakes is not solely due to climate change - there were some very wet years preceding the drought."
Mrs Dalton said there had been 106 reports into the Murray-Darling Basin since 2013 but questioned whether they had made any difference.
Ricegrower John Bonetti described the report as a "waste of time".
"We honestly thought we were going to get something out of this," Mr Bonetti said.
"We thought South Australia might have to carry some of their losses along the way, because a megalitre at Burrinjuck isn't a megalitre down in SA."
Mr Bonetti said Mr Keelty's report laid blame on the states but the ultimate responsibility for the plan was the Commonwealth Government.
"It's another report just to say they're doing something."
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While many industries were receiving government stimulus to survive the COVID-19 pandemic, he said irrigators just needed some extra water, not a cash hand out.
Griffith mayor John Dal Broi said there would be residents and irrigators disappointed about the report's findings.
"I think there were expectations that stronger recommendations would have come from the report in terms of water management in the southern basin," Councillor Dal Broi said.
"I'm pleased the minister will adopt the five recommendations from the report.
"They're good recommendations, but aren't as forceful as some of the community were expecting."
While describing the report's recommendations as a "start", Cr Dal Broi said the report identified other issues raised by irrigators and community members which needed to be addressed.
Those points (on page 38) included the feasibility of recovering a further 450 gigalitres of 'up-water', the feasibility of SDL adjustment mechanism projects, the completion of water resource plans in NSW and the science and economics of water requirements in SA.
"They could have been addressed by way of a recommendation to either the MDBA or the minister," Cr Dal Broi said.