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Despite the buyback caps set in 2015, New South Wales and Victoria have not made significant progress on water conservation projects, meaning the program is about 750 gigalitres short of its target.
Plibersek said the government was committed to carrying out more water conservation projects, but water buybacks were needed to meet the goals of the basin plan.
The first round of voluntary buybacks will launch on Monday, July 15, and will aim to secure 70 gigalitres of water rights, which farmers can sell to the Commonwealth.
Plibersek’s move was met with strong opposition from rural advocacy groups.
The current round of controversy echoes the original protest movement, which saw rallies across the Murray-Darling Basin in the years before the plan was implemented in 2012, including a notorious meeting in Griffith where irrigators burned copies of the plan.
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Farmers argue that reducing irrigation water will lead to a shrinking of local economies along the rivers, higher water prices and ultimately higher food prices.
Malcolm Holme, chair of the National Farmers’ Union’s water committee, said: “This is yet another example of the government’s nonchalant attitude towards the buyback and its complete lack of understanding of the detrimental impact it will have on the cost of living and communities.”
“Taxpayers will suffer a double whammy – first by funding the government’s spending spree, then by paying the price of inflation at supermarket checkouts.”
Pribesek has pledged $300 million to fund community projects to help towns adapt to reduced irrigation rights, but has not detailed how the funds will be used.
Zara Lowein, chief executive of the National Irrigation Board, said Pribesek’s plan was “a high-level wish list without any substance”.
“The framework relies entirely on a vague requirement to use a variety of tools and then buy off communities with $300 million in sugar dollars from the Basin Community Fund,” Loewen said.
Pribesek believes water resources need to be restored to put irrigation levels on a sustainable path. River flows are already declining. CSIRO forecast Due to global warming, carbon dioxide emissions could fall by 40% in the next 50 years.
Pribesek said the voluntary water buyback would not significantly increase water prices.
“The planned 70 gigalitres purchase is not expected to have a significant social and economic impact across the catchment,” her spokesman said.
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