The Coalition has introduced legislation to ban further Commonwealth water buybacks in the Murray-Darling Basin, with Federal Member for Parkes Jamie Chaffey arguing the policy is needed to protect regional communities, farmers and food security. The Nationals and Liberals have introduced the Water Amendment (Ending Further Murray-Darling Basin Water Buybacks) Bill 2026, which would prevent the Commonwealth from purchasing additional permanent Basin water entitlements that increase its share of the resource. Mr Chaffey said communities had suffered from the impacts of water buybacks and water recovery, with about one-third of the Murray-Darling Basin located within the Parkes electorate. “For too […]