Opposition Leader Sussan Ley Condemns Murray-Darling Water Buybacks as ‘Devastating’ for Regional Communities

Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has strongly criticised the Albanese Government’s latest round of water buybacks from the Murray-Darling Basin, warning the move will damage regional economies while failing to deliver the environmental benefits.

Speaking with FlowFM's Wayne Phillips on the station's Country Viewpoint program, Ms Ley said Labor’s plan to acquire an additional 170 gigalitres of water to meet Basin Plan targets would undermine agricultural production across irrigation communities in southern New South Wales.

“This water is not deliverable and it does not repair the environment in the way people are led to believe,” Ms Ley said. “What it does do is remove productive capacity from some of the most efficient food and fibre producers in the world.”

Ms Ley argued the policy was driven by political considerations rather than environmental outcomes, describing it as “a deal for green votes elsewhere in the country”. She said the Coalition would not support further buybacks, maintaining that environmental objectives should be achieved through infrastructure and efficiency projects rather than removing water from production.

The Opposition Leader also criticised federal Environment Minister Murray Watt, saying she did not believe he had consulted irrigation farmers in her electorate of Farrer, or visited communities affected the most by the buybacks.

During the interview, Mr Phillips asked Ms Ley about New South Wales Premier Chris Minns’ stance on the buybacks, following his recent public comments opposing the practice.

Ms Ley said that in this instance, Premier Minns had failed to stand up to the Commonwealth, contrasting his approach with that of Victoria, which up to this point has resisted federal buyback activity.

“New South Wales signed away its leverage,” she said. “The consequences are now being felt on the ground by farming families and regional towns.”

Ms Ley said the Coalition would continue opposing buybacks, arguing that strong regional economies and environmental stewardship should go hand in hand.