Public consultation
The department sought community feedback on the first draft Murrumbidgee Regional Water Strategy, which considers current and future water needs and water security risks from 11 April 2022 until 12 May 2022.
This version of the draft strategy was a set of 3 documents:
A comprehensive engagement and consultation program accompanied the release of the draft strategy. This included:
- face-to-face meetings
- online webinars
- formal submissions.
What we heard
Given the inter-connectedness of the Murrumbidgee and NSW Murray regions and the significant overlap in communities and stakeholder groups, engagement outcomes have been consolidated. Across the two regions, over 100 stakeholders participated in the engagement program, and 41 formal submissions were received. Key themes that emerged during this consultation include;
- Climate data sets and modelling
- Water security, availability and use
- Environmental health, ecosystems and water quality
- Improving water-related opportunities for Aboriginal people
- Land and water management and planning
- Strategy development and implementation.
Submissions
The department has collected community and stakeholder submissions for the region along with cultural and general submissions.
- Submission 1 (PDF 165.1 KB)
- Submission 2 (PDF 115.0 KB)
- Submission 3 (PDF 395.9 KB)
- Submission 4 Ricegrowers Association of Australia (PDF 534.6 KB)
- Submission 5 Riverina Water (PDF 7.3 MB)
- Submission 6 Griffith Business Chamber (PDF 120.4 KB)
- Submission 7 (PDF 3.7 MB)
- Submission 8 National Parks Association of Australia (PDF 462.3 KB)
- Submission 9 (PDF 3.1 MB)
- Submission 10 Inland Rivers Network (PDF 170.1 KB)
- Submission 11 (PDF 402.2 KB)
- Submission 12 Sandra Williams (PDF 361.2 KB)
- Submission 13 Yass Valley Council (PDF 234.3 KB)
- Submission 14 (PDF 71.2 KB)
- Submission 15 NSW Irrigators Council (PDF 1.5 MB)
- Submission 16 Leeton Shire Council (PDF 189.2 KB)
- Submission 17 Murray Darling Association Region 9 (PDF 228.1 KB)
- Submission 18 Murrumbidgee Valley Food and Fibre Association (PDF 391.1 KB)
- Submission 19 Geoffrey Veneris (PDF 1.5 MB)
- Submission 20 Narrandera Shire Council (PDF 268.9 KB)
- Submission 21 Murrumbidgee Irrigation (PDF 349.7 KB)
- Submission 22 Snowy Hydro (PDF 230.2 KB)
- Submission 23 Upper Murrumbidgee Catchment Network (PDF 894.3 KB)
- Submission 24 Upper Murrumbidgee Demonstration Reach (PDF 164.6 KB)
- Submission 25 Australian River Restoration Centre (PDF 261.7 KB)
Submissions have been used to help refine key water challenges for each region and will also be used to progress the development of the draft Murrumbidgee Regional Water Strategy. The department intends to seek further community feedback, including on a proposed shortlist of actions to address regional water challenges, in mid-2023.