Mayors from across the Riverina and Murray regions met at Tocumwal NSW earlier this month, to demonstrate their united stance in calling for greater awareness of the impacts of ongoing environmental water recovery on regional communities.

The Riverina and Murray Joint Organisation (RAMJO) has endorsed the development of a community-led advocacy campaign to raise public and political awareness of the impacts of water recovery and water reform on Basin communities.

The decision was made at the RAMJO Board Meeting held on 7 August.

The campaign, developed in partnership with the Murray Darling Association, will focus on sharing the stories of regional communities through a series of short videos highlighting the social, economic and environmental consequences of ongoing water recovery.

The campaign aims to ensure the voices of Basin communities are heard and understood beyond regional Australia.

The RAMJO Board recognised that, earlier this year, significant formal submissions including technical and economic analysis had been provided to the Murray Darling Basin Authority as part of the Basin Plan Review but considered that there remained a need to better communicate the human impacts of water policy decisions on regional towns, families, businesses and industries.

A consistent message from councils across the region is that future generations deserve both healthy rivers and healthy communities includes the following key priorities:

• Ending further recovery of productive water from Basin communities and providing certainty on future water recovery measures.

• Completing existing Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism (SDLAM) projects and transparently accounting for their outcomes before considering additional recovery initiatives.

• Reviewing environmental watering practices to ensure they are delivering measurable environmental benefits and are supported by sound evidence.

• Accelerating measures to address invasive carp and other biosecurity threats impacting river health.

• Prioritising investment in secure town water supplies and critical water infrastructure across regional communities.

• Strengthening governance and oversight of water trading to protect local economies and prevent adverse impacts on Basin communities.

• Undertaking an independent review of the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder to ensure transparency, accountability and alignment with environmental, agricultural and community outcomes.

This campaign is about more than water. It is about protecting regional jobs, sustaining local communities, and preserving Australia's food and fibre security and sovereignty by ensuring future generations retain the capacity to grow, process and manufacture the food and fibre on which the nation depends.

Leeton Shire Council

Mayor George Weston emphasised the continuing national importance of irrigation communities and Australia’s food security.

“Irrigation communities helped drought-proof Australia more than a century ago. They remain essential to our nation's food security, export strength and future prosperity.”

The mayor also called for greater recognition of the partnership between agricultural production and environmental stewardship.

“Stop pitting farmers against the environment. Strong communities and healthy rivers depend on each other.”

Federation Council

Federation Council mayor, Cr Cheryl Cook said Federation Council is proud to stand with its many fellow RAMJO councils in this joint effort.

“The 2026 Murray-Darling Basin Plan Review is a turning point for our region. By working through RAMJO, Federation Council is advocating for a far revised plan that delivers genuine environmental health without compromising the long-term viability of the communities that rely on the Riverina and Murray systems.”

Narrandera Shire Council

Mayor, Cr Neville Kshenka OAM stated the following:

“We are concerned that although the great state of NSW has almost nine million people, less than three million people provide 70 per cent of the wealth.

“We do that by caring for the land where produce is grown and feeds the nation.

“We understand how to care for the land, and the environment, and how our rivers should be managed. But without water, Australia will become a net importer of food and fibre.

“We have to cease the water buy-backs before it is too late.”

Murrumbidgee Council

Chair of RAMJO and mayor of Murrumbidgee Council, Cr Ruth McRae OAM, said the 2026 Basin Plan Review presents an important opportunity to reset water policy settings and focus on practical outcomes for both communities and the environment.

“Any future Basin policy must balance environmental objectives with the long-term sustainability of regional communities, industries and food production.

“Basin communities deserve certainty, transparency and a genuine voice in decisions that shape their future.”

A Shared Vision for the Future

The campaign will focus on real community stories, local industries, family businesses and the people who live and work throughout Basin communities. It will seek to demonstrate that healthy rivers, strong regional economies, food security and vibrant communities are complementary outcomes that should be pursued together.

The united message from the Riverina and Murray region is clear. As stated by Cr Ruth McRae OAM:

“This is about more than water. It is about our communities’ survival.”