Melbourne Reading Group – Basin Plan amendments

The RBMS invites you to the first Victorian reading group of 2018; on the recent Senate vote to disallow a proposed Murray-Darling Basin Plan amendment in the Northern Basin.

The disallowance of this amendment, which proposed to increase the allowable water diversions for agriculture in the northern basin, has surprised many and led to negative responses from both the NSW and Victorian Water Ministers. At the time of writing this, there is significant uncertainty around the future shape of the Basin Plan, as State and Commonwealth governments decide what the next steps should be.

This reading group will involve an informal conversation around the proposed amendment and its potential environmental impacts, how decisions on economic vs. environmental benefits are made, and what may be likely to happen next.

We will gather around one of the large tables in the foyer of the building, which you can access through the main front building entrance from 7:30 am. Café Ecco on the ground floor has a range of breakfast and coffee options, should you wish to arrive early and grab sustenance before we start.

Suggested reading material

Below is a list of suggested reading (and viewing) material for discussion. As this issue is actively changing, it is advised that you also follow the news headlines to keep abreast of any major happenings before the event.

• Background to the proposed Basin Plan amendments and Northern Basin Review report which outlines the proposed changes that were disallowed
  
• An article in the Conversation providing one perspective
  
• ABC 7.30 report – Murray Darling Basin concerns resurface. Short video contrasting views of South Australian and northern basin farmers
• (optional): The Hansard transcript of the Senate debate (the Basin Plan amendments are on pages 88-99)