The Nationals and the Coalition have their sights set on ending the Labor Government’s raid on regional water throughout the Murray-Darling Basin, one-third of which is in the electorate of Parkes.
Federal Member for Parkes Jamie Chaffey MP said the Nationals and Liberals had introduced the Water Amendment (Ending Further Murray-Darling Basin Water Buybacks) Bill 2026 to ban Commonwealth water buybacks.
“For too long, regional communities in the Murray-Darling Basin such as Warren and Bourke have suffered from the impacts of water buybacks and recovery,” Mr Chaffey said.
“When you take water from a community, it withers and it dies. It struggles to maintain its population. What this looks like on the ground is families losing generational farms, schools closing, support industry shutting down, employment ending and people being forced to move out of our regional communities right across Australia.
“This is another way of saying having less water brings more heartbreak to regional communities, and it absolutely shatters dreams. Our regions are the heart of this country, and we should be pumping lifeblood into that heart, not draining it.”
Under the legislation being introduced, Labor would be barred from buying any more permanent Basin water entitlements that would grow the Commonwealth’s share of the Murray-Darling.
Leader of The Nationals Matt Canavan said the Bill will not only halt further water buybacks, but also protect the water that is available for farming, towns, jobs and productive use.
“We need to end water buybacks for the sake of saving our regional communities, after Labor started the buybacks and then committed to reclaiming an additional 450 GL,” Senator Canavan said.
“This issue needs to be fixed immediately, which is why we are introducing the legislation.
“We are deeply concerned about Labor’s additional 450 GL and the impact it will have on regional communities. The Bill will leave temporary water allocation trading unaffected, but importantly, ensure farmers and irrigators aren’t penalised.”
Mr Chaffey said Australian farming was critical to all Australians, and needed to be supported by ending the water buybacks to deliver more water to the farmers who need it, by building dams, and investing in water infrastructure.
The Coalition has also launched a Water Taskforce to get more water flowing to the bush.
Shadow Minister for Water Michael McCormack, will lead the new Coalition Water Taskforce as Chair, with Member for Barker Tony Pasin as Deputy Chair. Member for O’Connor Rick Wilson, Senator for Tasmania Richard Colbeck, Shadow Assistant Minister for Agriculture Sam Birrell and Member for Flynn Colin Boyce will also be on the taskforce.
Mr Chaffey said the Coalition Water Taskforce would travel across Australia to investigate projects and measures that will restore water and food security.
“We will face a food security crisis unless we grow more food, and that’s only possible with water security,” Mr Chaffey said. “Labor has cut more than $7 billion in dams and water supply funding, and has no plans to increase water or food security.
“It’s not good enough for the primary producers of the Parkes electorate, and it’s not good enough for the food security of our nation.”
The Coalition Water Taskforce will:
- Travel through Basin and regional communities across Australia to hear first-hand from irrigators, growers and local councils.
- Develop a suite of new water infrastructure, dam, and water storage proposals to boost supply for agriculture, towns and industry.
- Scrutinise Labor’s water recovery program and expose the cost of buybacks to regional economies.
- Report to the Coalition to shape its water agenda ahead of the next federal election.
ENDS
Media contact: Marie Low | 0491 940 108 | marie.low@aph.gov.au