The 80th national Murray-Darling Basin Association conference will be held in Tamworth at the end of July next year, signalling a much-needed shift in focus to the north of the major arterial river.
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Tamworth Regional mayor Russell Webb said the conference will give the region an opportunity to showcase the challenges in the north, such as the impact water buybacks will have here.
"That is something we need to talk about. And we need to talk about it long and hard," Cr Webb said.
"Most of those benefits [from buybacks] look like they'll be achieved in the south.
"So we need to talk to the government and everybody else in the Murray Darling Basin Association and let them know what our challenges are."
Cr Webb was among the local, state and federal government representatives who attended the annual Murray-Darling Basin Association conference and Annual General Meeting in South Australia from September 25 - 28.
![Tamworth will host the annual Murray Darling Basin conference at the end of July 2024. Picture supplied Tamworth will host the annual Murray Darling Basin conference at the end of July 2024. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/184392265/b3535f42-8884-4b96-8215-73b82f3eb184.jpg/r0_373_4000_2622_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
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The Country Mayors Association of NSW chair Jamie Chaffey met with federal Minister for Water Tanya Plibersek, and Shadow Minister for Water Perin Davey during the conference, to discuss the government's revised Murray Darling Basin plan, which could see further controversial water buy backs and an extension to infrastructure deadlines.
"It's my understanding that the legislation that will be put before the Senate will take out the neutrality test," the Gunnedah mayor said.
"So that means the government can make the decision on where they take the water or what they pay for the water without any consideration for what that might do for the social and economic future of the communities in which that water comes."
Cr Chaffey said, as chair of the CMA, he could not support the water buybacks but said he would welcome an extension to the deadline.
"The minister did give the commitment that the deadline for the 450 gigalitres to be recovered would push out until 2027, so that's a positive, but there's so much more work to do to make sure that water remains in our communities," he said.
Cr Chaffey said he was looking forward to the next Murray-Darling Basin Association conference and Annual General Meeting being held in Tamworth.
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