I have written to Kevin Anderson MP for Tamworth about the real impact on the Namoi irrigators of temporary trading of entitlement from the Peel to the lower Namoi.
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My interest in this issue is:
1 – I am a Peel Valley irrigator;
2 – I was a member of the Namoi Regulated Management Committee which held 43 meetings over several years with intensive public consultation which in 2003 resulted in the gazettal of a fair and reasonable water sharing plan for the Namoi Regulated Water Source; and
3 – While I want price justice for the Peel Valley, temporary trading with its unfair and largely unknown cross-subsidy by the Namoi community to the Peel is not the way to go.
So, this is a copy of what I wrote in my letter:
“Careful examination of the Regulated Upper and Lower Namoi Water Sharing Plan will NOT reveal to anyone but the most astute reader that temporary trade of entitlement can take place from the Peel to the lower Namoi water source.
Even the most astute reader of the Regulated Upper and Lower Namoi Water Sharing Plan will NOT discover: Whenever an available water determination is made for regulated river (general security) access licences in the Lower Namoi Regulated River Water Source a volume of water will be set aside and stored in Keepit Dam that is equal to the available water determination multiplied by 3000. The maximum amount of water that is able to be set aside at any point in time is 6000ML. The amount of water set aside will be debited by the amount released from Keepit Dam by State Water from time to time. Any water remaining at the end of the water year will be carried over to the next water year.”(Ref Peel WSP clause 86)
“Even the most astute reader of the Regulated Upper and Lower Namoi Water Sharing Plan will not discover that all proceeds ($32.95/ ML surcharge equivalent to
$47/ML plus the Namoi’s entitlement charge when the water is used) of the temporary trade from the Peel to the Namoi will be returned to the Peel’s State Water account – i.e., the water to be temporary traded (up to 3000ML) will be sourced from Keepit, the Lower Namoi Water users will pay a surcharge of $47/ML for this water delivered from Keepit Dam, the Lower Namoi water users will gift the entitlement charge (about $20/ML) to the Peel.
“State Water’s Namoi personnel will: 1 – source the water; 2 – deliver the water; 3 – collect the proceeds; and 4 – gift the proceeds to the Peel – Father Christmas has arrived at last!
“When the ordinary “Joe” irrigator in the Lower Namoi becomes aware that they are being “had” by this temporary trading scheme they will be a shade upset with their peak body Namoi Water. (Rumour has it that the Namoi Water Users in the past have lynched for lesser offences.)
“Given that the temporary trade trial in its current form is unsustainable, what actions are you going to take to get reasonable prices for the Peel Valley?”
Laurie Pengelly
Tamworth
