The NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water developed draft LNS is a first for NSW.
The department says it will deliver a “clearer, more consistent and transparent approach to negotiating agreements for those affected by any proposed changes to future environmental water release arrangements”.
It is expected to be used by the Murray-Darling Basin Plan environmental water initiatives including the Gwydir Reconnecting Watercourse Country Program and the Reconnecting River Country Program in the Murrumbidgee.
It will establish a negotiation framework that can be applied to any future programs across the state that propose making enduring changes to environmental flows that could improve the health of wetlands and floodplains.
But causing some concern for landholders and irrigation stakeholders is that the regulation will give NSW Government the power to come in and compulsory acquire land and flood affected farmers under the Reconnecting River Country Program.
Southern Riverina Irrigators chair Peter McDonald has described it as “extremely poor policy” which is likely to affect 2700 landholdings in the Murray region.
“The RRCP will supposedly establish a flow corridor which will be regularly inundated with environmental flows, although the government is not saying how often these environmental floods will occur, nor do they have any information on duration and timing, in fact they haven’t yet even modelled flow volumes downstream of Yarrawonga,” Mr McDonald said.
“To sweeten the deal, government is offering a one-off compensation payment, despite the fact they will be inundating land every couple of years or so.”
Mr McDonald said concerned landholders can write a submission stating their opposition to this regulation, and send it through to water.dpie.nsw.giv.au/landholder-negotiation-scheme.
Reconnecting River Country Program director Michelle Cavallaro said feedback will be accepted until November 24, which is a three week extension on the original timeline proposed.
Community meetings are also being held to explain the policy further, including in Wagga today and Darlington Point tomorrow.
“We are looking forward to meeting with the Murrumbidgee community at Wagga Wagga and Darlington Point to discuss the draft Landholder Negotiation Scheme Regulation and to clarify the scope of the Reconnecting River Country Program,” she said.
“Having a consistent and fair process in place that provides a step-by-step guide on how the New South Wales Government will conduct negotiations with landholders is a win for everyone.
“We recognise the Murrumbidgee community is interested in updates on the Reconnecting River County Program, which is why we’ve dedicated a morning session to this program. It will be a great opportunity to come along and learn more about the two projects.”
The Darlington Point meetings will be held Thursday, October 31, at the Darlington Point Sports Club.
The first is from 9.30am to 11.30am, and 12.15pm to 2.15pm.
Prior registration is required to attend these sessions. The community can either register to attend one, or both, of the sessions on either day.
To register, or for more information about the draft LNS, go to water.dpie.nsw.gov.au/about-us/legislation-and-policies/acts-and-regulations/landholder-negotiation-scheme-regulation.
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