6 July 2016
Ian Johnson has retired after more than 15 years as Queensland Farmers’ Federation’s (QFF) advisor on water reform issues. During this period Ian has been involved in the implementation of national water reforms in all the major irrigation areas across Queensland. He initially worked with both QFF and the Queensland Irrigators Council but continued his work with QFF when the Council was wound up in 2008.
It is often hard to quantify and explain the work QFF and its policy team achieve as it is regularly on a level removed from everyday farming. Ian has been a constant source of advice and clarity to industry and government. This stability has meant results for the irrigator community by helping secure the future of responsible and sustainable use of water throughout the intensive agricultural sector.
One significant achievement has been the implementation of water plans in all major catchments to provide water for environmental needs and to secure long term water entitlements for irrigators. Trading of entitlements on both a temporary and permanent basis has also been introduced. The plans have dealt with surface water in all catchments and some major ground water areas including the Atherton Tableland, parts of the Fitzroy and Burnett river basins, South East Queensland and the Great Artesian Basin.
Water planning in the Queensland Murray-Darling catchments has been complex and contentious. In 2007, the Federal Government intervened with legislation providing a plan for the entire Murray-Darling Basin. QFF awaits the release of the northern basin scientific review in New South Wales and Queensland. This review will determine whether the Basin Plan needs adjusting to achieve better outcomes for the environment and local economies. Irrigation communities in St George and Dirranbandi are hoping for reduced water recovery targets to mitigate the Plan’s expected impacts on their economies.
Water reforms have also involved the review of water prices in all irrigation schemes at five yearly intervals to recover the costs of maintaining existing assets and the costs of operating each scheme. The last Queensland Competition Authority review in 2012 cut the subsidy paid by the Queensland Government to maintain the schemes by over $24 million. The State Government has postponed the implementation for the next price review until 2019. This will allow the eight SunWater irrigation distribution schemes, all strongly supported by QFF, time to investigate the viability of local management.
Ian expects that water planning work will continue to be a priority into the future. There are still significant groundwater areas where plans have not been implemented such as in the Lower Burdekin area. There are also large areas in the upper parts of major catchments that could benefit from improved definition of water entitlements and better management of environmental flows.
The irrigation sector and QFF continue to benefit from the valuable assistance the Department of Natural Resources and Mines has provided during the implementation of water reforms. The assistance has been pivotal in helping QFF and its member industries to develop the skills required to adequately engage in the reform process.
QFF and its membership collectively thank Ian Johnson for his tireless dedication and commitment to the organisation and to getting a better deal for irrigators’ across Queensland – he will be sorely missed. QFF is fortunate that Ian’s successor Dr Georgina Davis, is well placed to continue QFF’s proud tradition as Queensland’s peak irrigator advocate.
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