Potential changes to the State Government’s private carryover policy will be finalised before April, but ONLY with the support of Riverland irrigators. The proposed policy out for consultation is an improvement on the current policy and is strongly supported by the Trust who will make a comprehensive submission accordingly. If the proposed changes are implemented, it opens the possibility that irrigators may gain access to their private carryover water put aside in 2018-19 and then lost due to the current policy when allocations reached 100% in 2019-20.
BUT, YOUR input is also needed. Click the following email address and voice your support for the proposed private carryover policy changes: rmwap.feedback@sa.gov.au. You have until 5pm Tuesday 10 March to email this address if making a submission in this way.
Please feel free to copy and paste the following below response paragraphs in your email if you do not wish to draft your own response, but are in support of the potential changes (if wanting to sign a physical register/petition of support rather than submitting a submission electronically, please drop into the Trust Main Office BY 5PM FRIDAY 6 MARCH where one will be available at the front desk):
RE: Support for proposed changes to South Australia’s private carryover policy
The Governments proposed change to the private carryover policy will provide better water security for a series of dry years. It also opens up the possibility of rolling forward the 20GL of water carried over from 2018-19 which was totally lost when 2019-20 allocations reached 100%. Current MDB storage levels indicate that it is becoming unlikely that 2020-21 allocations will reach 100%. Reduced allocations impact the economic and social wellbeing of the whole Riverland community.
The Government’s proposed improvement will assist growers who hold SA Class 3 entitlement to manage reduced allocations by conserving water in one year for the next. It will also assist those who need to lease in water as the private carryover water, including the possible 20GL from 2018-19, will take pressure off of the water market in low allocation years.
I/we strongly support the proposed changes.