Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Hansard source

The Water for Fodder program guidelines were released yesterday, which will enable our farmers to access 50 megs of water at the heavily discounted price of $100 a meg. Of the 100 gigalitres now available in the Murray-Darling Basin, there will be 40 gigalitres of water available under the program in round 1 for use in this water year, 2019-20. Applications for this real water open on 9 December this year.

Farmers will be able to apply for 50 megalitres of water in each allocation account they hold. When you hold more than two allocation accounts, you can submit a maximum of two applications. We'll then make 60 gigalitres available in round 2 for use in the next water year, which is 2020-21. Farmers will be able to apply for the second instalment of the program in April next year. This is a new and innovative approach to making new and additional water available in the basin during times of drought. It has never been done before. It highlights what's possible when basin states work together. It's part of us ensuring that our breeding herd is sustained.