TARNAGULLA Ward councillor Linda Jungwirth wants a “solid expert briefing” before agreeing to back a campaign against the latest Federal Government water buybacks. 
Cr Jungwirth was one of two councillors to abstain from a vote at last week’s Loddon Shire meeting to endorse Murray River Group of Council’s stance for the Federal Government to abandon the latest water buyback push.
“Basically I need a solid expert briefing including historic issues before I can responsibly make a decision on the best way forward,” Cr Jungwirth said.
“As a councillor, I depend on information regarding all relevant impacts before I can make a considered decision.”
Cr Jungwirth last week said more information was needed on buybacks.
She later told the Loddon Herald that wanted detail included:
The benefits to the environment of extra water in the system;
The detriment to farmers if the current proposal for water buy backs achieve recovery of the 450GL;
The efficiency measures that had previously been proposed to recover the extra water;
The stance of other organisations eg Victorian Farmers’ Federation, Farmers for Climate and other stakeholders; and 
The state and federal stances.
Cr Wendy Muphy also abstained from the Loddon Shire vote citing the need for more information.
However, when asked what information she required, Cr Murphy replied with a copy of the motion that was carried when Mayor Gavan Holt voted with Cr Neil Beattie and Cr Dan Straub.
The motion saw a majority of councillors endorse the Murray River Group of Councils in maintaining strong opposition to open tender voluntary water buybacks in the southern connected basin due to the long-term social and economic damage the programs do to local communities;.
The council group believes the Federal Government has “grossly underestimated the detrimental socio-economic realities of open market water buybacks”.
Loddon councillors also noted the Victorian Government’s draft response to the Federal Government’s ‘Restoring Our Rivers’ Act, titled “Planning Our Basin Future Together: A prospectus to safeguard Victoria’s environments and communities in the Murray-Darling Basin”.
A majority of Loddon councillors endorsed the principles for water recovery contained within the prospectus as a better option for delivering the amended Basin Plan targets as opposed to open market water buybacks:
Demonstrated environmental benefits in and for Victoria; 
Minimised impact on water availability for towns, industries and agricultural production;
Proactive structural change to support a sustainable future for irrigators and communities; and
Support progress towards traditional owner self-determination in water access and management; 
Murray River Group also supports completion of the Victorian Murray Floodplain Restoration Projects to deliver environmental outcomes to critical wetlands in the region.
Councils see the need to mitigate the socio-economic impacts on communities as a result of further water recovery through identification of strategic local economic investments in areas from where water is recovered.