MEDIA RELEASE
19th December 2024 

The Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales (NCC), the state’s leading environmental advocacy organisation, is calling on the NSW Government to urgently implement reforms that would return critical water flows to the ailing Darling/Baaka River.  

Indications are that the community could be in for another summer of mass fish kills in the Lower Darling/Baaka River. Oxygen levels in the water of parts of the Menindee Lakes system are nearing critically low, and in a few weeks water that is infected with blue-green algae will be arriving.  

Thanks to some heavy rain events in the north several weeks ago there are some fresh flows heading to the Darling/Baaka River, how much water gets through without being pumped remains to be seen.  

In July, the Independent Connectivity Expert Panel handed down its final report which recommended changes to water rules to restore connectivity and ecosystem health. The NSW Government is due to respond in 2025. 

Quotes attributable to Nature Conservation Council NSW Water Campaigner, Mel Gray: 

“The evidence is clear: reduced river connectivity is contributing to fish kills and having severe impacts on ecosystem health and downstream communities. 

“Unless we make changes, we will continue to witness these tragic fish kills along the river. 

“The Minns Government has the expert blueprint for reform on their desks. In 2025 Premier Minns and Minister Jackson must implement the Connectivity Panel's recommendations in full. 

“The Darling/Bakka River gets over 95% of its water from the tributary rivers to its north – the Border Rivers, Gwydir, Namoi and Macquarie/Wambuul. Unless the rules in these catchments are overhauled in 2025, we’ll keep seeing fish kills.” 

Statement ends  

Media contact: Anna Greer  
E: [email protected] M: 0493 733 529 PH: (02) 7208 9482   

Note: Spokesperson is available for comment on request. 

MEDIA RELEASE 
Wednesday December 18, 2024 

Murray-Darling Basin governments have been urged to deliver projects to reconnect rivers after a new roadmap was released today, laying out a pathway for natural flows to revive floodplains and wetlands in Australia’s largest river system. 

The Murray-Darling Conservation Alliance, representing conservation councils in NSW, Victoria, ACT, QLD and South Australia, welcomed the release of the MDBA’s Constraints Relaxation Implementation Roadmap (PDF), but echoed the sentiment of landholders quoted in the report who “just want the projects to be rolled out and the infrastructure delivered”.  

Murray-Darling Conservation Alliance National Director Craig Wilkins said: 

“We’ve all been waiting 10 years for these projects that will deliver more water to wetlands and floodplains so that fish and birds can breed, river red gums can get a regular drink, and the Murray Darling can start being restored to health. 

“We can feel the frustration of many people consulted for this report who have told governments to ‘just get on with it’. 

“With waterbird numbers plummeting 50% since last year in the most recent count, we’re concerned the Murray-Darling hasn’t bounced back despite decent rainfall during La Nina years.  

“One big reason we’re not seeing the recovery expected is that old rules and outdated infrastructure are keeping water within the river channel instead of the small, regular overbank flows that would revive the wider floodplain. 

“This roadmap shows the path forward but we need the Commonwealth and state governments to step up and drive it.”  

Mel Gray from Nature Conservation Council NSW said: 

“We have disrupted an important ecosystem process, and as a result the wetlands and floodplains of the Murrumbidgee and Murray are in decline. To reverse this ecological collapse, it is vital that environmental water be allowed to soak into the country, replenish wetlands and get creeks running again. 

“The land along the rivers is rich and valuable to people and wildlife because it has been regularly watered for thousands of years. 

“These projects have multiple benefits, for the community and for the rivers and wetlands of the Basin. It is an opportunity for landholders to flood proof their properties up to minor flood level, which could increase their property value and decrease insurance premiums. 

Greg Foyster, Rivers and Nature Campaign Manager at Environment Victoria said: 

“Last year federal Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek showed how she could bring along state governments and the crossbench to reach a new agreement, and we’d like to see the same ambition and leadership brought to bear on this important issue of reconnecting rivers with more natural flows. 

“We’re pleased to see the roadmap includes some important governance reforms like a Program Board with an independent chair, assurance measures, key results and an Independent Panel to coordinate efforts along the Murray. 

“However it’s concerning that the flow rates to be considered are dramatically lower than the original range, reducing the environmental benefits. 

“After ten years of stalled progress, the wetlands and wildlife of our greatest river system are crying out for more natural flows and we urge governments to finally get on with the job.” 

MEDIA CONTACT: 

James Norman, Media and Content Manager - 0451291775 
[email protected] 

MEDIA RELEASE 
2nd December 2024 

A year since the passing of the Restoring Our Rivers Act in the federal Parliament, leading Australian conservation groups said today the new legislation has revived hope that Australia's biggest river system can have a healthier future.  

The Murray-Darling Conservation Alliance, which represents close to half a million supporters across all Basin states, said restoring a healthy Murray-Darling Basin is an enormous task that requires persistent effort over time. 

“After a decade of delays and missed opportunities, the recovery of rivers and wetlands that should have occurred by now has not happened,” said Craig Wilkins, National Director of the Murray-Darling Conservation Alliance.

This tragic failure has been laid bare by a new research paper by 12 of the country’s top environment and water policy experts, “Murky waters running clearer? Monitoring, reporting and evaluation of the state of the Murray–Darling Basin after more than three decades of policy reform,” that on Monday will be published online in the journal Marine and Freshwater Research. 

“Thankfully, on coming to office, Water Minister Tanya Plibersek acknowledged this failure and began a repair job of mammoth proportions. As a result, we are once again seeing signs of progress,” said Mr Wilkins. 

“But we have a long way to go, and having lost a decade, we have no time to lose and cannot afford any further setbacks. “The Restoring Our Rivers Act, passed one year ago, was a significant down payment on Australia’s biggest ever nature restoration effort. 

“The government Australians elect next year will have critical decisions to make as we approach the 2027 deadline for recovering water and completing the first ever rewrite of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. 

“This will be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure the health of our nation’s greatest river system, but missing that chance would almost certainly lock in terminal decline. “Ahead of the federal election we call on both sides of politics to commit to delivering a nature positive Basin Plan in the next term of parliament." 

ENDS 

MEDIA CONTACT: James Norman, Media and Content Manager - 0451291775 [email protected] 

MEDIA RELEASE
Wednesday 13th November, 2024

The Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales (NCC), the state’s leading environmental advocacy organisation, has today joined in calls from the NSW Government for an end to the spread of misinformation regarding the Reconnecting River Country Program in the Murrumbidgee and the NSW Murray.    

The program is a critical policy to allow environmental water to seep into the floodplains and replenish wetlands, returning ecosystem function to entire stretches of these iconic rivers.  

The NSW DCCEEW confirms the current flows being considered are very modest, typically occurring from August to October for a few days between three to five times in a decade. The heights being proposed would only cause a minor rise in the river. 

NCC Water Campaigner Mel Gray said: 

“It’s heartening to hear confirmed what we know – that a lot of farmers and river land holders support the program and are appreciative of environmental flows.  

“The land along the rivers is rich and valuable to people and wildlife because it has been regularly watered for thousands of years.  

“We have disrupted that important ecosystem process, and as a result the wetlands and floodplains of the Murrumbidgee and Murray are spiraling into collapse.   

“To reverse this ecological collapse, it is vital that environmental water be allowed to soak into the country.”  

For this ecological repair to occur, the NSW Government is negotiating easement arrangements and other projects like fencing and raising bridges with landholders.  

“This project has multiple benefits, for the community and for the rivers and wetlands of the Basin. It is important that exaggerated claims of impending destruction are dispelled, and the whole community has a well-informed, rational discussion.” 

Statement ends 

Media contact: Anna Greer 

E: [email protected] M: 0493 733 529 PH: (02) 7208 9482  

Note: Spokespeople are available for comment on request 

Comments for consideration - Constraints Relaxation Implementation Roadmap

Submitted by Murray Darling Conservation Alliance 

Submission: Assessment and draft Conservation Advice for the Wetlands and inner floodplains of the Macquarie Marshes

MEDIA RELEASE
21 August 2024  

The Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales (NCC), the state’s leading environmental advocacy organisation, has today thanked the Federal Minister for Water and the Environment Tanya Plibersek for applying section 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act to protect culturally significant springs that feed the Belubula River in Central-West NSW from being destroyed for a tailings dam.  

Regis Resources have approval to develop a mine with a tailings dam on top of the springs which feed the Belubula River. This ruling means the tailings dam will not be able to destroy the springs, which are a culturally significant site for the Wiradyuri People. 

Since the federal environment department’s announcement last week, the lobbyists and opposition have come out in force to criticise a decision that should be applauded.  

“For too long Indigenous Sacred Sites have been desecrated and destroyed by the mining industry in this country,” said NCC Chief Executive Officer Jacqui Mumford. 

“The most high-profile incident of late saw Juukan Gorge destroyed in the Pilbara – that had an ongoing connection and cultural history spanning back 46,000 years.  

“This disregard for Sacred Sites can’t keep happening and so we are happy to see this sensible decision from the minister.” 

NCC Chief Executive Officer Jacqui Mumford said: 

“The Belubula is a beautiful little river that is fed by bubbling springs high in the hills before cascading through rocky gullies and water holes to meet the Lachlan River on the fertile flats below. The planned tailings dam would have destroyed this special river.  

“The community of Central West NSW owes an enormous debt of gratitude to the Elders who dedicated their lives to protecting the springs that feed the Belubula River, which will always be there now for everyone to enjoy.  

“It was very fitting that the announcement coincided with the Dhuluny Corroboree put on by the Wiradyuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation to mark the 200th anniversary of the Proclamation of Martial Law, resistance and survival. 

“NCC congratulates Minister Plibersek for not allowing a repeat of the horrific destruction of Juukan Gorge to occur in Central West NSW.” 

Statement ends 

Media contact: Anna Greer 
E: [email protected] M: 0493 733 529 PH: (02) 7208 9482  

Note: NCC CEO Jacqui Mumford is available for comment on request 

My name is Polly Cutmore, I am a Traditional Owner from the Gwydir and MacIntyre Rivers in northern NSW. I am currently involved with the Commonwealth Aboriginal water buy-back program, the Boobera Lagoon Crown Land Committee and the NSW Gwydir First Nations Environmental Water Group.

Yesterday I travelled to NSW Parliament to give the government a message: There aren’t enough water flows during dry times to keep the rivers of the Northern Basin alive.  

I need your help – please sign our petition calling on the government to let the rivers flow. 

I was raised on the Mehi River at Moree, that is part of my Country. When I was young, it was never like this. Even in dry times, it was a wide river and there was always flow. We had to cross the river a lot to get to the shops and to town and I remember crossing the river with my shoes off. It was only up my ankles at times, but it always flowed. 

When I was a girl I used to go fishing with Nan Wright. I loved lying on the bank and looking into the water to watch the life in the river. I could see all the way on the bottom and see every fish swim past, the large ones and the small ones, what we called the little sunfish who were beautiful in their many colours.

In my lifetime, the river turned from being an overflowing system, giving life to the surrounding country to now where it is just a dirty trickle down the middle of the riverbed.  

The recently released Connectivity Report, outlining the bare minimum needed to keep the Darling/Baaka alive, is a big step in the right direction but we need the NSW Government to listen, respond and act on the recommendations. 

Sign the petition to ask the government to adopt the recommendations in full.

The report advocates for an increase in baseflow to the system, this is the bare minimum that the river needs to stay alive during drought. I call this the ‘basic’ flow, because it is necessary for all life to survive.

If this doesn’t happen, the river will continue to die at current rates of irrigation and what I regard as outright theft.  

A healthy river is important for our cultural identity and our wellbeing. 

The death of the river means the death of our cultural identity. Before contact, all the clans had river frontage. We all relied on the rivers, the springs and waterholes. Everything we did involved water, just like today. The flowing rivers and springs fed the joining creeks and waterholes and formed large wetlands not seen for a long time. This is our cultural heritage and needs to be restored.

Water quality is another key issue for First Nation people. We always drank out of the river, there was no herbicides then, or dangerous bacteria. We recognised the importance of the streams for health and well-being.

The water itself used to have different local qualities such that we knew what part of the river the water came from. Dhagaay (Yellowbelly fish) from the upper Gwydir tasted different to ones found at Menindee (we could taste the different soils).

But since irrigation came, the rivers are not like that now. The water now is all the same, dominated by sediment and nutrients and toxins washed in from agriculture and infested with carp which tolerate these conditions much better than our native fish.

They have turned our inland rivers into big irrigation channels.

We need to rescue the Darling/Baaka and the whole Northern Basin from collapse. Please sign our petition to add your voice to the call. 

Making sure that flows keep the rivers healthy also means that other communities downstream receive that water. Even though we are different mobs, we stay in touch telling each other when the flows are coming and where the fishing is good. This still goes on today. Our Law has always told us that taking care of the river, the springs and the floodplains means others will also benefit. These obligations are bound by kinship laws and family connections. 

‘Connectivity’ to us also means the connection between the water, land and people. It means our Dreaming Path. An important aspect of our Law regarding was the care for not just the river itself but the springs and waterholes, the nurseries and the refuge sites.

Join us in fulfilling our responsibility to care for the rivers. Together we can put the pressure on the government to put water for the environment first and let the rivers flow. Sign the petition

In solidarity,

Polly Cutmore

MEDIA RELEASE
15^th August 2024 

The Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales (NCC), the state’s leading environmental advocacy organisation, is today bringing a delegation of people from the Northern Murray-Darling Basin to NSW Parliament to advocate for the collapsing ecosystem of the Darling/Baaka. 

The group is calling on the government to implement the recommendations of the recent Connectivity Report in full.

“The NSW Connectivity Expert Panel final report is impressive work, it untangles layers of complexity and gives us a blueprint for getting enough water in the Darling/Baaka so it can survive,” said NCC Water Campaigner Mel Gray.

“We are coming to NSW Parliament today to tell the government that too much water is being taken from the tributary rivers that feed the Darling/Baaka. 

“The Baaka is dying – it has lost its heartbeat. We have seen fish die in the millions, waterbird numbers have plummeted, communities have run out of water and freshwater mussels have disappeared from the Baaka.

“It’s quite simple: the rivers need more water. And this Connectivity Report gives us a roadmap for securing it.

“The time for excuses is over – the Baaka needs government action to bring it back from the brink.” 

Gamilaraay Traditional Owner, Polly Cutmore said: 

“I believe the Connectivity Report is a big step in the right direction. At the moment, there isn’t enough flow coming down the river during dry times to keep the river alive. 

“When I was young, it was never like this. Even in dry times, it was a wide river and there was always flow. 

“As a child, I remember we had to cross the river a lot to get to the shops and to town - I remember crossing the river with my shoes off. It was only up my ankles at times, but it always flowed. 

“The report advocates for an increase in base flow to the system – this is the bare minimum that the river needs to stay alive during drought. If this doesn’t happen, the river will continue to die.” 

Fifth Generation farmer and rural advocate from Menindee, Kate McBride said: 

“My partner and I are the last station on the Darling/Baaka before the Menindee Lakes and as a result we’ve seen the devastating impact over-extraction has had on the Northern Basin.

“The dry rivers, algal blooms and fish kills during both droughts and floods are our river telling us it is sick and we must listen before we do even more irreversible damage. 

“Report after report have told us the same information and now is the time for Government action.

“All this report is really asking for is to allow communities downstream to have the first drink before we allow mass irrigation at the top of the catchment. It's common sense and I think most Australians would be alarmed it's not currently the case.

“For too long, over extraction has been allowed to occur at the top of the catchment – it's time we start looking after communities downstream.

“We will never be able to restore our rivers to their original state, but restoring connectivity is a big step towards healthy rivers.”

Macquarie Marshes grazier Garry Hall said: 

“After decades of water management taking our rivers and wetlands backwards, we’ve got a lot of ground to make up if we’re going to be ready for the impacts of climate change - which are already here. This report is a good start, but even more needs to be done.   

“Marsh landholders overwhelmingly support the full recommendations of the connectivity report, and it must be acknowledged that it is the bare minimum of what inland rivers need.” 

Statement ends 

NOTE

The event held at NSW Parliament today, Thursday 15^th August, will include a press conference at 11:15am at the ‘tree of truth’ and a public event, Reconnecting Our Rivers: Voices from the Basin, at 1-2:30pm at NSW Parliament House Theatrette, 6 Macquarie St, Sydney.

This will be an opportunity to hear the stories of those who live and depend on this important river system that has thus far been sadly neglected to the point of collapse.

Speakers include:

• Mel Gray, water campaigner and community organiser with Nature Conservation Council of NSW – Dubbo    
• Garry Hall, President of the Macquarie Marshes Environmental Landholders Association 
• Aunty Polly Cutmore, Gamilaraay Traditional Owner   
• Kate McBride, 5th generation farmer, rural advocate – Menindee    

Media contact: Anna Greer
E: [email protected] M: 0493 733 529 PH: (02) 7208 9482  

Note: Spokespeople are available for comment on request  

The mighty Darling/Baaka River has lost its heartbeat. The small, regular pulses of water the river needs in between floods have been taken away.  

Too much water is allowed to be taken from the tributary rivers that feed the Darling/Baaka. That is why fish die in the millions, waterbird numbers are plummeting, and freshwater mussels have disappeared from the Baaka.  

Traditional Owners tell us of the pain they experience when the river is too low for far too long.  

Diverse local economies that have always supported river towns - floodplain grazing, tourism, recreational fishing and horticulture - are being sacrificed just to keep the massive profits of upstream cotton enterprises unsustainably inflated.  

The good news is that the NSW Government has released a report that contains the blueprint for saving the Darling/Baaka River. Now all we need is for those recommendations to be adopted.

The report outlines the bare minimum required to keep the Darling/Baaka alive – a reduction in irrigation by between four and six percent. 

Once this work is done, it is critical that the work to reconnect our rivers with their floodplains and groundwater aquifers continue, to ensure an end to unnaturally large-scale fish kills once and for all. 

Powerful lobbyists will be pressuring the government right now so they can keep their massive over inflated profits. These huge profits, often exported without paying Australian tax, are coming at the expense of the iconic Darling/Baaka River and all the amazing life, culture and diverse downstream economies it supports. 

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