Water Resources

Many primary producers from QFF’s member organisations belong to intensive agriculture industries. In order to implement efficient resource management strategies; achieve desirable environmental outcomes and maintain the viability of their operations, irrigators must be able to operate in a climate where they have security and certainty regarding their rights and responsibilities with respect to access to water.

QFF and its member organisations are committed to promoting the use of water and other natural resources in an efficient and sustainable manner that will benefit the economy while respecting the needs of the environment. They acknowledge the importance of individual property management in achieving sustainable outcomes at the broader landscape level.

The QFF Water Taskforce is developing a detailed Water Policy document which will be used as a reference for its member organisations; as a lobbying tool in discussions with all levels of government; and in providing feedback to regional, state and national planning and reform processes.

This is an outline of the principles and issues which are covered by QFF’s water policy. For more information, contact Ian Johnson.

General Policy Principles

Irrigators should not be solely responsible for bearing the costs of water allocation and management planning and the development and implementation of water reforms, given that these processes will benefit the community as a whole at the national, state, regional and local level.

Governments must employ principles of transparency and stakeholder consultation in the development of water policy and pricing mechanisms. Irrigators should be given adequate time and resources to be able to identify and respond to the implications of new policies and pricing mechanisms.

Governments must consider the capacity of industry to cope with changes in water pricing and policy, particularly in those industries which will face difficulties in implementing the reforms and in recovering increased production costs in their markets.

Water pricing and policy reforms need to be considered in the context of broader economic, social and environmental planning mechanisms. A coordinated and consultative approach is essential to effective planning, policy development and regulation.

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