The Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s 2026 Basin Plan Review Discussion Paper has reinforced long-held concerns of the National Farmers’ Federation that environmental outcomes will not improve through water recovery alone.
Instead, the NFF says the Review confirms the need for smarter Murray-Darling Basin management, focused on optimising the large volumes of water already held for the environment and addressing system constraints that limit ecological outcomes.
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What the Review confirms
NFF Water Committee Chair Malcolm Holm said the Discussion Paper reflects a more nuanced understanding of how environmental outcomes are delivered across the Basin.
“The Discussion Paper reinforces what farmers have been saying for many years, that environmental outcomes are nuanced and depend on more than just the volume of water,” Holm said.
According to the Review, environmental challenges persist in parts of the Basin despite significant water recovery, pointing to factors such as invasive species, physical constraints and connectivity issues.
SDLs met, but outcomes uneven
Sustainable Diversion Limits remain a core element of the Basin Plan, and the Review notes that virtually all SDLs are now being met.
Holm said this raises serious questions about the effectiveness of pursuing further water recovery as a primary policy lever.
“The science is telling us that where environmental problems persist, they are typically driven by invasive species such as carp, physical or rules-based constraints, and connectivity issues, not a lack of water,” he said.
The Review identifies four priority challenges: river connectivity in the Northern Basin, barriers to native fish recovery, protection of end-of-system outcomes, and habitat restoration.
A Basin system that has changed
More than a decade on from the Basin Plan’s commencement in 2012, the Basin environment and management context have shifted substantially.
More than 3,000 gigalitres of water have been recovered for the environment, alongside more than $13 billion in public investment. The NFF argues the next phase of reform must focus on how this water is used, rather than increasing volumes.
“After $13 billion and more than a decade of implementation, the focus must now be on optimisation and applying the lessons learned to improve outcomes,” Holm said.
Value for money and future reform
The Review also arrives as governments pursue globally agreed targets to protect 30 per cent of land, sea and inland waters. According to the NFF, the Murray-Darling Basin already exceeds this threshold in terms of water retained in rivers for environmental purposes.
Against that backdrop, Holm questioned the justification for further buybacks.
“Given the Report, what further evidence do we need to provide to cease more buybacks?” he said.
Looking ahead, the NFF says farmers are prepared to engage constructively as discussions begin around the next phase of Basin reform.
“Farmers are ready to engage constructively on integrated catchment solutions as we edge toward a Basin Plan 2.0 that delivers for both the environment and Basin communities,” Holm said.
As consultation on the Review continues, the debate is increasingly shifting from how much water is recovered to how effectively the management of the Murray-Darling Basin has been, and whether future reforms can deliver measurable environmental improvements without further undermining regional communities.