Sarah Courtney, Minister for Primary Industries and Water

Tasmania on right track to deliver better irrigation

On behalf of the Hodgman Liberal Government, I welcome the Legislative Council’s Inquiry report on Tasmanian Irrigation.

The report endorses the Tasmanian Irrigation public-private partnership model to provide high reliability irrigation water to Tasmanian farmers.

Water security gives farmers the confidence to further invest in their farms, growing our agricultural sector and creating jobs in regional Tasmania.

The report recognises the success of Tasmanian Irrigation in rolling out irrigation schemes, as well as the boost the irrigation schemes have provided for agricultural productivity and on-farm investment.

Accounting for all five recommendations, the report also credits the path we are already on with the Tasmanian Irrigation Board and Management in terms of managing costs, improving transparency and accountability, and improving communication and engagement with irrigators.

Expanding the state-wide irrigation network is a key part of the Hodgman Liberal Government’s AgriFood Plan 2018-2023, which supports our vision to grow the value of agriculture to $10 billion by 2050.

Just last week the Government announced that the $496 million Pipeline to Prosperity, or third tranche of irrigation schemes, would lead Tasmania’s latest submission to Infrastructure Australia for consideration for the National Infrastructure Priority List.

Pipeline to Prosperity is another element of our plan to improve the lives of Tasmanians and has the potential to deliver an additional $114 million per annum to the agriculture sector, and our economy more broadly.

Contact: James Billing

Phone: 0438 399 989