MDBA Chief Executive, Phillip Glyde, thanked all those who had attended the drop-in sessions in Griffith and Leeton in New South Wales, Loxton in South Australia and Echuca (Moama) in Victoria for their interest, questions and engagement.
"This latest round of face-to-face consultation in the Southern Basin was an opportunity to encourage more two-way conversations between people who live in the Basin and senior MDBA staff, including myself," Mr Glyde said.
"Many of the proposed amendments to the Basin Plan have a more direct effect on people in the north of the Basin so we wanted to make sure that people in the Southern Basin who made the time to come and talk to us had an opportunity to ask questions relevant to them.
"There was a lot of interest in the social and economic work we had undertaken at the community level in the north that detailed, for the first time, the effect on water recovery on some towns. There was a strong desire to have similar work done in the south.
"At the meetings we assured stakeholders that we will be undertaking similar socio-economic work this year as part of our interim evaluation of Basin Plan implementation. This means the evaluation will consider the economic and social outcomes from the Basin Plan, as well as the progress with delivering the intended environmental outcomes.
"The evaluation is designed to guide future implementation of the Basin Plan so that we get the best possible outcomes.
"We also heard from people keen to understand the progress in developing projects that will be considered as part of the Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism. Of particular interest for regional stakeholders was those projects which have the potential to change the water recovery target in the south by delivering equivalent environmental outcomes with less water.
"People also expressed a range of views about river operation rules, the effects of water purchase on industries and progress in evaluating environmental outcomes attributable to the Basin Plan.
"The sessions, along with those sessions run by Northern Basin Aboriginal Nations and Murray Lower Darling Rivers Indigenous Nations, are one important way we can hear from Basin communities.
"However, those who weren't able to make an information session can still have questions about the proposed Basin Plan amendment answered by emailing engagement@mdba.gov.au or calling 1800 230 067," Mr Glyde said.
Submissions about the proposed Basin Plan amendments have been extended until 24 February 2017, and can be made online, by email or via the post.
Following the submissions period the MDBA will consider whether the Basin Plan amendments should be adjusted before consulting with Basin state ministers and providing to the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources for introduction to parliament.
Mr Glyde emphasised the MDBA's ongoing commitment to meeting and hearing from people over the full of range of MDBA activities.
"We will continue to use a variety of methods to reach people and enable feedback—such as roundtable meetings, drop-ins, industry focussed meetings and one-on-one farm visits, social media and our website—as we understand that one method alone doesn't suit all players."
For more information about the Basin Plan amendment process or to make a submission go to www.mdba.gov.au/BPamendments
ENDS
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