South West Irrigation officially launched in Harvey

1/11/95

South-West farmers are set to reap the benefits of having greater control over the delivery of vital irrigation water supplies.

Water Resources Minister Peter Foss today said the move was part of a major restructure of Western Australia's water industry.

It formed part of the State Government's policy of increasing private participation in services traditionally provided by Government departments and agencies.

In Harvey today, Mr Foss officially launched South West Irrigation - a farmer-led organisation which has taken over management of irrigation services in the South-West from the Water Authority of WA.

Farmers will now have direct control over the delivery of water for irrigation needs, leading to improvements in management of the service, lower costs and eventually, elimination of the scheme subsidy.

The shift to private ownership of the irrigation system also should lead to farmers investing in high-value crops.

The move will affect hundreds of farmers at the edge of the Darling Scarp from Waroona to Dardanup.

Mr Foss said the new organisation would be able to offer water for irrigation without the built-in costs charged when the scheme was controlled by the Water Authority.

"This is a significant new deal for farmers in the South-West irrigation districts," he said.

"For the first time, they will have direct input into how their water is managed and how the assets of the irrigation system are maintained and upgraded.

"In effect, they hold their future in their own hands."

Mr Foss said farmers involved in the changes were an important part of the State's economy.

They supplied half of Perth's total milk supplies and produced world-class beef.

Many farmers in the region had also diversified into horticulture, while new opportunities such as aquaculture were also emerging.

A South-West irrigation committee would oversee the separation of irrigation services from the Water Authority.

Within 12 months, the farmer-led committee would determine whether to establish a corporation, co-operative or private company to future manage the irrigation system.

Mr Foss said a good example of how the changes would benefit South-West farmers could be seen in the State's far north on the Ord River irrigation system.

Under Water Authority management, the true cost of irrigation delivery under a direct user-pays system was about $20 per megalitre.

Farmers on the Ord River system expected to be able to manage the scheme for about $12 a megalitre.

Mr Foss said an important role of the new South West irrigation committee would be to closely monitor dam levels and subsequent delivery options.

The irrigation season for 1995-96 opened last week with most dams full or near to capacity. However, limits would still apply to irrigation areas serviced by the Stirling and Logue Brook Dams, which had relatively low levels for this time of year.

Media contact:  Peter Harris (09) 321 2222 or (09) 222 9595