O’Keeffe continues to oppose water buybacks

By Georgia Tacey

Oct 11, 2023

Lobbying: Kim O’Keeffe says water buybacks drive up the price of food. Photo by Contributed

State Member for Shepparton Kim O’Keeffe and fellow members of the National Party have successfully lobbied the Victorian Government to continue to oppose water buybacks.

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They have been assured by Water Minister Harriet Shing that the government will continue its opposition to buybacks proposed by the Federal Government.

“The Victorian water minister acknowledges the destruction buybacks have on irrigation communities and has said she will continue to stand against buybacks in Victoria,” Ms O’Keeffe said.

“Our community have seen first-hand the devastation buybacks can have. We are the food bowl of Australia and one of Australia’s largest agriculture regions, and the impact is far-reaching for the entire country.”

Water buybacks are a process where the government buys water entitlements back from farmers to reduce the amount of water taken from the river system. This water can then be traded or used for the environment.

“Reducing the water available to farmers only drives the price of food up and takes away local jobs, hurting economic growth and passing costs on to consumers,” Ms O’Keeffe said.

“The devastation buybacks have is well-documented, and I would ask that the federal water minister listen to the Victorian water minister, as well as the local communities who will be so severely impacted, and consider the harm that buybacks will have and the contributions Victoria has made in returning water to the environment.”