The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) is backing the Victorian Government’s call to halt water buybacks, warning they pose a serious threat to rural communities and the future of Australian food production.
VFF Water Council Chair Andrew Leahy said the practice of buying back water from farmers, especially during times of drought was harmful and opportunistic.
“Buying water from farmers during a drought is like preying on them at their most vulnerable.”
“It’s not just flawed policy, it’s deeply damaging to our communities and to national food security,” Mr Leahy said.
Mr Leahy highlighted the long-term consequences of previous buyback schemes during the Millennium Drought, where many farmers under severe financial pressure sold their water entitlements to make short-term ends meet.
“Many farmers now say they regret those decisions. What seemed like a financial lifeline at the time ultimately left them in a weaker position to deal with future dry periods,” Mr Leahy added.
The VFF has consistently argued that water buybacks reduce agricultural output, drive up the cost of water for remaining farmers, and do little to achieve environmental gains.
A recent report from the dairy industry revealed that future water buybacks could cut milk production by 270 million litres, reduce dairy processor revenues by $500 million, and increase water costs for farmers who remain in the system.
Mr Leahy called on the Commonwealth Government to stop focusing on arbitrary water recovery targets and instead shift its attention to meaningful environmental outcomes.
“We need to stop chasing headline water volumes and start asking: what outcomes are we actually delivering for the environment?”, Mr Leahy said.
He cited the recent purchase of 13,000 megalitres of Goulburn water by the Commonwealth in June- water that, due to inter-valley trade constraints, cannot even be delivered to the Murray.
“These trade rules were designed to protect local ecosystems, yet we’re seeing policies that ignore those rules, putting our local environments and communities at risk.”
“Water buybacks spell disaster for rural communities—they must stop before more damage is done,” Mr Leahy said.