Coalition moves to ban Murray-Darling water buybacks

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 long, regional communities in the Murray-Darling Basin such as Warren and Bourke have suffered from the impacts of water buybacks and recovery,” Mr Chaffey said.

“When you take water from a community, it withers and it dies. It struggles to maintain its population. What this looks like on the ground is families losing generational farms, schools closing, support industry shutting down, employment ending and people being forced to move out of our regional communities right across Australia.

“This is another way of saying having less water brings more heartbreak to regional communities, and it absolutely shatters dreams. Our regions are the heart of this country, and we should be pumping lifeblood into that heart, not draining it.”

Nationals leader Matt Canavan said the proposed legislation would stop further buybacks and protect water for farming, towns, jobs and productive use.

“We need to end water buybacks for the sake of saving our regional communities, after Labor started the buybacks and then committed to reclaiming an additional 450 GL,” Senator Canavan said.

“This issue needs to be fixed immediately, which is why we are introducing the legislation.

“We are deeply concerned about Labor’s additional 450 GL and the impact it will have on regional communities. The Bill will leave temporary water allocation trading unaffected, but importantly, ensure farmers and irrigators aren’t penalised.”

Mr Chaffey said Australian agriculture was critical to the nation and called for an end to water buybacks, alongside investment in dams and water infrastructure, to improve water availability for farmers.

The Coalition has also established a Water Taskforce to investigate ways to increase water supplies in regional Australia.

Shadow Minister for Water Michael McCormack will chair the taskforce, with Member for Barker Tony Pasin appointed deputy chair.

Member for O’Connor Rick Wilson, Senator for Tasmania Richard Colbeck, Shadow Assistant Minister for Agriculture Sam Birrell and Member for Flynn Colin Boyce will also serve on the taskforce.

Mr Chaffey said the taskforce would travel across Australia to investigate projects and measures aimed at restoring water and food security.

“We will face a food security crisis unless we grow more food, and that’s only possible with water security,” Mr Chaffey said. “Labor has cut more than $7 billion in dams and water supply funding, and has no plans to increase water or food security.

“It’s not good enough for the primary producers of the Parkes electorate, and it’s not good enough for the food security of our nation.”

The taskforce will consult irrigators, growers and local councils across Basin and regional communities, develop proposals for new water infrastructure and storage, and scrutinise the government’s water recovery program and its economic impact on regional areas.

It will also report to the Coalition to help shape its water policy ahead of the next federal election.