NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell and Deputy NSW Premier Andrew Stoner have welcomed the signing of the historic Murray Darling Basin agreements which will secure funding for pushing forward a string of water infrastructure projects along the Murray-Darling Basin.
“This is an historic reform that delivers a positive outcome for NSW, as well as the broader national interest,” Mr O’Farrell said after signing the agreements with the Prime Minister in Canberra on Thursday.
“NSW has always supported funding infrastructure projects for the Basin and I am pleased to sign these agreements with Prime Minister Tony Abbott. This shows what can happen when sensible discussions take place with a Federal Government prepared to listen in a constructive fashion,” he said.
Mr Stoner said the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government fought long and hard to protect the interests of the state’s farmers and irrigators.
“The offer put forward by the former Labour Government was unacceptable to the NSW Liberals & Nationals and I’m pleased we’ve been able to secure agreement with the Federal Coalition Government so swiftly,” Mr Stoner said.
“The NSW Government has always maintained that in managing and securing water for the Basin infrastructure projects should be prioritised over water buybacks. I’m especially pleased at the funding that has been provided to boost water infrastructure in NSW, which includes significant projects at the Menindee Lakes and in the Nimmie Caira area of the lower Murrumbidgee Valley.”
According to the media release by the Honourable Barry O’Farrell, the NSW Government will provide the Basin communities across NSW with an additional $80 million funding over the next eight years, which will be used for developing further infrastructure and water management projects, water resource plans, and other activities across the State.
Mister Stoner said the funding will not only benefit NSW, but the entire Murray-Darling system, including farmers, irrigators, and the country as a whole.
“It’s important as we face drought conditions across many parts of the State. One of the challenges I’m very keen to address, in addition to getting rural and regional communities through this drought, is to prepare them for the next one as well,” said Mr Stoner.
“Only this week, I announced $40 million in funding for regional infrastructure projects to improve water security, on top of a package to provide additional assistance to farmers in drought-affected parts of the State like transport assistance and emergency water infrastructure grants.”
According to him, the signing of the agreements will finally allow farmers and regional communities plan for the future with certainty and confidence.
“This agreement, approved by Cabinet, has been secured because of the hard work of the Minister for Primary Industries Katrina Hodgkinson who has consulted extensively with stakeholders to achieve an outcome that benefits all Basin communities,” Mr Stoner concluded.
