MEMBER for Mildura Ali Cupper is pleased Victorian Minister for Water Lisa Neville has recognised the need for more consultation on proposed changes to the Goulburn to Murray inter-valley trade (IVT) rules.

“In the June sittings of Parliament, I directly asked the Minister to consider a 12-month delay on any changes and reiterated that message to her in a meeting last week,” Ms Cupper said.

“It’s pleasing to know Ms Neville and the Victorian Government are taking the concerns of Sunraysia irrigators seriously and have committed to undertaking extensive consultation with irrigators and stakeholders in our region before making any changes.

“The Minister’s announcement that no changes would be made before the 2021-22 irrigation season will definitely be welcomed by growers in our region.

“My concern all along – and the concern of Sunraysia irrigators – is that the proposed rule change had the potential to create a water shortfall of up to 160 gigalitres, or 26 per cent of current requirements.

“This has the potential to negatively impact yields and quality of produce as well as driving up water prices during peak times.”

Ms Cupper said she would continue to lobby the government to consider all options, including infrastructure projects, to ensure water deliverability to Sunraysia irrigators.

Proposed changes to the IVT rules were canvassed in a consultation paper earlier this year from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

The paper outlined how demand on the Goulburn since 2014 had become too great and in the past two years requirements from the Goulburn inter-valley trade to support Murray requirements had caused environmental damage.

Ms Cupper said it was also heartening to hear the Murray-Darling Basin Authority had agreed to aim for Goulburn to Murray inter-valley trade deliveries of a maximum of 40 gigalitres a month – which would ensure there was no water shortfall for the coming year.