The demand is among seven key policy areas SRI believes would demonstrate support for food and fibre producers, by relieving irrigators of the cost burden of such infrastructure.
The election policy priority list has been developed to coincide with the Farrer by-election.
“The act defines nationally significant infrastructure as including ‘transport, energy, communications, water and social infrastructure in which investment or further investment will materially improve national productivity’,” the SRI priority list document states.
“This would mean upgrades to water infrastructure used for the benefit of the nation would be funded federally rather than passed on to irrigators.”
Other election priority list items are:
- A legislated end to government buybacks;
- Support a Federal Royal Commission into water;
- Acknowledge the Basin Plan is based on inaccurate assumptions, modelling and data;
- Acknowledge some of the legislated environmental outcomes under the Basin Plan are unachievable and call for an immediate end to all current reform including the Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism shortfall, relaxing of constraints and compulsory acquisition;
- Recognise and prioritise productivity and irrigated agriculture for rural communities across the Riverina;
- Advocate to ensure there are no negative impacts or reduction in allocation to NSW Murray general security water resulting from the review into the operation of Menindee Lakes.
SRI CEO Sophie Baldwin said the 1800 generational farming families represented by SRI have the ability to produce $6 billion in staple food products through dual purpose irrigation water, while also supporting the environment and communities.
But this commitment can only be delivered if the Federal Government adopts policies that support and not hinder producers.
SRI argues the most significant hurdle is water policy, and the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in particular.
Ms Baldwin said it was pleasing to note that half of the candidates in contention for Farrer supported an end to buybacks at a candidate’s forum in Deniliquin last week.
Seven of the 12 candidates were in attendance, with six resolutely expressing they did not support water buybacks.
The only hold out was Lucas Ellis from the Sustainable Australia Party, who believes the option should be available in a voluntary capacity but that water policy should place equal importance on water for environmental and productive use.
Forum candidates also supported an inquiry on water policy, although not all favoured the Royal Commission option.
The Coalition candidates in particular - Liberal Raissa Butkowski and Brad Robertson for The Nationals - feel it would be better to push for a commission of inquiry rather than a Royal Commission which can be costly, time consuming and potentially ‘stacked’ by the government of the day.
SRI’s priority list is being disseminated to all Farrer by-election candidates and other key decision makers ahead of the May 9 vote.
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