Greater Shepparton City Council has formally contributed to the review of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, advocating for a balanced approach that protects both environmental outcomes and the long-term sustainability of regional communities.
At its June Council Meeting on Tuesday, Council noted its submission to the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) in response to the 2026 Basin Plan Review Discussion Paper. The Basin Plan Review is a statutory process that will guide future water management settings across the Basin, with potential long-term implications for water availability, reliability and regional economies.
Mayor, Councillor Shane Sali, said Council's submission ensures the voice of Greater Shepparton is represented in national water policy discussions.
"Greater Shepparton sits at the heart of one of Australia's most important irrigated agricultural regions, and water security is critical to our economy, jobs and community wellbeing," he said.
"Our submission highlights the real impacts being experienced locally and calls for future decisions to be grounded in evidence, balance and a clear understanding of regional communities."
Council's submission draws on independent economic analysis prepared by Frontier Economics and regional data to outline the cumulative impacts of Basin Plan water recovery in irrigation-dependent areas, such as the Goulburn Valley.
The analysis found reductions in irrigation water availability, rising water prices and flow-on effects to agricultural production, food processing and employment have had a disproportionate impact on regions like Greater Shepparton compared to Basin-wide averages.
While Council supports the need for a healthy river system, Cr Sali said it is important future changes do not place further pressure on communities that have already undergone significant adjustment.
"We support strong environmental outcomes, but this must be achieved in a way that also protects regional economies and livelihoods," he said.
"The evidence tells us that in systems like the Goulburn, simply recovering more water is not necessarily going to deliver better environmental outcomes. We need to shift the focus from how much water has been recovered to how effectively existing environmental water is being used to achieve measurable outcomes for rivers, wetlands and communities."
Council's submission calls for a greater focus on consolidating existing reforms, improving the use and management of environmental water, and addressing system constraints such as water delivery limitations and flow management. It also advocates for stronger place-based decision making, improved modelling of policy options, and alignment between water policy and broader priorities such as food security, regional development and manufacturing resilience.
Deputy Mayor, Cr Geoff Akers, said the Basin Plan Review presents an important opportunity to reset the conversation and ensure future policy settings are informed by local knowledge and experience.
"Our irrigation network underpins a highly productive agricultural system, one that depends on reliable, affordable and well-managed water," he said.
"It's critical that policy settings support confidence for agricultural investment, so our farmers and processors can continue to plan for the future.
"This is about getting the balance right - protecting the health of our rivers while ensuring regional communities like ours can continue to grow, invest and thrive."
The Frontier Economics analysis was developed in collaboration with the Murray River Group of Councils and was lodged with the MDBA in May 2026 as part of Council's broader submission. You can read the submission online here.
