MEMBER for Mildura Ali Cupper has implored Victorian Minister for Water Lisa Neville to ensure changes to the Goulburn to Murray water trade rules do not negatively impact on Sunraysia irrigators.

Ms Cupper met with Ms Neville last week and again pushed the Minister to delay any changes to the trade rules for 12 months.

“There needs to be more consultation done with stakeholders throughout the system to ensure any changes do not have negative impacts, and that’s especially true for Sunraysia irrigators,” Ms Cupper said.

“I again called on Ms Neville not to make any changes to the current rules until next year to ensure all options are properly explored.

“Sunraysia irrigators told me there was not enough time to provide feedback on this issue and I urged the Minister to delay any changes until that consultation could be done.”

A consultation paper from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) outlines how demands since 2014 for water delivery from the lower Goulburn River have become too great and in the past two years requirements from the Goulburn inter-valley trade (IVT) to support Murray requirements had caused environmental damage to the Goulburn River.

It says record volumes of water were traded from the Goulburn region to Murray irrigators below the Barmah Choke and that the adverse environmental impacts are “unsustainable” and “undermining the long-term health of the lower Goulburn River”.

The paper called for feedback on a number of changes to trade rules including limits on the delivery of water in summer – which Ms Cupper said could lead to higher water prices for Sunraysia irrigators on the temporary market.

“It’s pleasing the Minister has taken on board the concerns of irrigators in Sunraysia and is willing to consider all options on the table before making any changes to the trade rules,” Ms Cupper said.