We have lodged our submission to the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, which is seeking input on its "major discussion paper on the issues involved in setting new Basin-wide limits to the amount of water that can be taken from the Basin’s rivers, waterways and groundwater".

In essence, FWU's position is that discussions on extraction limits cannot be held until the aims and objectives of the MDBA are revised, enabling it to prioritise necessary environmental flows and security of public water supplies ahead of water diverted for private use.

In line with our agenda, the submission indicates the order of priority which should be attached to provision of water for private use.

Many thanks must go to all FWU supporters who contributed to the final content of the submission.

The news that Cubbie Station is in voluntary lquidation comes as no surprise; nor does the the usual scapegoating from Cubbie Group Chairman and one-time Queensland Treasurer, Keith De Lacy, who continues to blame weather conditions, politicians and activists, including Fair Water Use, for the demise of his white elephant, rather than accept that cotton is a totally inappropriate crop to be growing in a semi-arid environment.

Latest data from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and the Bureau of Meteorology continue to refute the statement by Queensland Cotton CEO, Richard Haire, that "if you look at the problem in the Murray-Darling Basin, the problem systems aren't the Darling-based systems; the problem systems are the Murray-based systems”.

Menindee (image courtesy ABC)

For the last few months, Gavin Hanlon, managing director of Coliban Water, one of the struggling authorities, has been extolling the virtues of unrestricted water use  – as long as the consumer is able to foot the bill.