Ref: SMc/SF/GG25029
22 August 2025
Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers Regional Water Assessment Program
By Email: regionalwaterassessments@rdmw.qld.gov.au
Dear Sir/Madam
Re: Feedback to Draft Burdekin Regional Water Assessment Summary Report
AgForce Queensland Farmers Limited (AgForce) is a peak organisation representing Queensland’s cane, cattle, grain and sheep, wool & goat producers. The cane, beef, broadacre cropping and sheep, wool & goat industries in Queensland generated around $11.2 billion in on-farm value of production in 2022-23. AgForce’s purpose is to advance sustainable agribusiness and strives to ensure the long-term growth, viability, competitiveness and profitability of these industries. Over 6,000 farmers, individuals and businesses provide support to AgForce through membership. Our members own and manage around 55 million hectares, or a third of the state’s land area. Queensland producers provide high-quality food and fibre to Australian and overseas consumers, contribute significantly to the social fabric of regional, rural, and remote communities, as well as deliver stewardship of the state’s natural environment.
AgForce welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback to the Burdekin Regional Water Assessment (BRWA) Draft summary report 2025.
We wish to acknowledge the Department’s (and participants’) immense efforts in consolidating complex analytical, technical data and economic factors in developing a comprehensive draft BRWA report for consultation.
We submit our responses in order of survey questions, key points highlighted below:
KEY POINTS
- AgForce generally supports the Queensland Government’s water priorities, allocations and uses within the catchment and sub-catchments that drive economic growth for the region.
- AgForce seeks stronger recognition within the BRWA of the agriculture foundational role in supporting regional economies, sustaining communities and securing food and fibre production.
- AgForce seeks water security through water prioritisation that considers the exponential growth of broadacre agricultural, the sugarcane industry and its production systems for future generations.
- Recently announced and abandoned government projects warrant reconsiderations and reassessment of implications and contingencies included in the BRWA prior to finalisation.
- AgForce seeks to ensure we strike the right balance between the infrastructure investment and commitment of resources.
- BRWA draft is missing an opportunity to articulate short-term recommendations/actions to address the rising ground water for the sub-area.
- AgForce calls for dedicated funding for the implementation of (other) strategy solutions developed by the Lower Burdekin Rising Groundwater – Project Strategy Group.
- AgForce calls on the department to elevate within the BRWA report – a Lower Burdekin Rising Groundwater strategy policy/plan, with actions and with inter-governmental agencies commitments.
- AgForce calls for affirmative action to address the large bodies of surface water sitting in the Burdekin Basin eg, Gladys Lagoon, et al which is influencing pressure on groundwater hydrology and contributes to associated salinity in the region.
- AgForce calls on the Government to devise alternative water pricing solutions that incentivise water efficiencies and alleviates the cost to producers of unused water allocations.
- AgForce seeks to ensure departments strike the right balance between long-term water priority strategies and security of our broadacre agriculture.
- Burdekin Basin Water Plan is currently under review, for consistency and clarity, the outcomes of that review should be adopted within the finalised BRWA report.
- A future-focused Burdekin Regional Water Assessment that secures water for broadacre agriculture and sugarcane production, by prioritising projects that offer the greatest benefit to regional industries and communities.
- Attached for reference purposes, AgForce Cane’s policy statements – water management and Lower Burdekin Rising Ground Water, which reinforces our policy objectives for industry.
Question 1: How do you think uses for water in the Burdekin region should be prioritised (for example: agricultural, industrial/manufacturing, cultural, or environmental)?
Agriculture has historically been and continues to be a cornerstone for societal development, providing food security and driving economic growth, which in turn supports broader educational opportunities, advancements and allows countries to evolve into educated and specialised services economies. Australia is a perfect example of the agricultural
revolution and today is a world leader in agricultural farming practices, technology and innovation and as an advance economy on the world stage.
Education in agriculture equips future generations with the knowledge and skills to address food production challenges, manage resources sustainably and adapt to a changing world.
AgForce generally supports the Queensland Government’s water agenda which seeks to maximise the efficient and cost-effective water prioritisation, water allocations and water uses within the catchment and sub-catchments, as a way to drive economic growth for the region.
We accept there are competing water priorities within the Burdekin region’s land users and economy sectors, eg, 90% of region is pastoral grazing, 5% contains conservation areas, 1% broadacre agriculture and sugarcane production and 0.1%, mining, with the urban entitlement holders (i.e, councils) typically using 100% of allocated water volumes1.
AgForce supports the balanced approach to water planning, though we seek stronger recognition within the BRWA of agriculture’s foundational role in supporting regional economies and sustaining communities and acknowledgement of the central role water allocations play in securing food and fibre production.
AgForce supports proposals that provide sufficient water allocations reserves; AgForce seeks water security through water prioritisation that considers the exponential growth of broadacre agricultural, the sugarcane industry production systems for future generations, regional communities, ensuing our food production systems are secure, without compromising the environment.
Question 2: The draft Burdekin Regional Water Assessment Summary Report presents potential next steps as short, medium and long-term recommendations. What do you think about these recommendations?
AgForce generally supports the prioritised – short, medium and long-term (30-year) recommended actions, and projects next steps, identified in the draft BRWA report (which include: Lower Burdekin Water Modernisation, Burdekin Moranbah Pipeline Duplication, Bowen Broken Off-Stream Storage, Upper Burdekin Off-Stream Storage, Upper Burdekin Weir); particularly those which secure water allocations for agricultural growth and strengthen water security for regional communities.
We note, following recent government announcements, several projects canvassed during the BRWA process have since been abandoned, such as green hydrogen initiative, pumped hydro project and raising of Burdekin Falls Dam. Also, reports the Charters Towers Regional Council has walked away as the proponent to the ‘Big Bend Weir’ project. These announcements warrant reconsiderations, reassessment of implications and contingencies included in the BRWA prior to finalisation.
AgForce seeks to ensure we strike the right balance between the infrastructure investment, commitment of resources (especially noting those projects with low rated – benefit-cost ratios) and ensuring priority water proposals deliver environmental and social value and economic development.
Question 3: The draft Burdekin Regional Water Assessment Summary Report considers sub area specific outcomes, water sources and considerations. Do you have any specific comments to add based on your knowledge and experience.
Rising Groundwater
AgForce has concerns that not enough is being done to address the hydrological trends of the rising groundwater levels in the Burdekin basin. The persistent issue of rising groundwater in the Lower Burdekin has previously been identified and raised as a trend that poses a significant long-term risk to land productivity; while project funding has been
provided for dewatering and infrastructure modernisation activities in the Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme (BHWSS), more could be done; we believe the BRWA draft is missing an opportunity to articulate short-term recommendations/actions to address to the rising groundwater for this sub area.
AgForce calls on the government departments to: a), dedicate funding to implement the (other) strategy solutions developed by the Lower Burdekin Rising Groundwater – Project Strategy Group; b), elevate within the BRWA report – a Lower Burdekin Rising Groundwater strategy policy/plan, with actions and inter- government agencies commitments that enable measured, concurrent and sustainable solutions to reduce the groundwater table in the region.
Unused Surface Water
We note, the average usage, over the past 10 years of existing allocations within the Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme, the Bowen Broken Water Supply Scheme and the Lower Burdekin Water area has been 55%, 42% and 76% respectively – an average of approximately 60%2 (Source: Sunwater – Service and Performance Plans 2024 and Lower Burdekin Water Annual Reports). Therefore, each year approximately 600,000 ML of existing water allocations are not used to generate economic growth.
AgForce calls on the Government to take affirmative action (through the BRWA) to address the large bodies of surface water sitting in the Burdekin Basin eg, Gladys Lagoon et al, which directly influence the groundwater hydrology and contribute to associated salinity in the region.
The above water use patterns highlight that in some seasons, producers are paying for unused water allocations, which do not promote productive economies of scale.
AgForce implores government to deliver structural changes to existing water pricing – regulatory and policy that incentivises producers to maximise water efficiency, change operating practices and encourage greater ground water/bore-water use, over surface water use, which will assist the rising ground water issue.
AgForce calls on the Government to devise alternative pricing solutions that incentivise water efficiencies and alleviate the cost to producers of unused water allocations.
Conversely, we have concerns that future water demands of the Burdekin Water Basin will divert water from the sub area basin, creating water scarcity and water insecurity for broadacre producers. AgForce seeks to ensure departments strike the right balance between long-term water priority strategies and security of our broadacre agriculture.
Question 4: Is there anything you would like us to know about the potential water sources discussed in the draft Burdekin Regional Water Assessment Summary Report?
The Burdekin Basin Water Plan is currently under review, for consistency and clarity, the outcomes of that review should be adopted within the finalised BRWA report; carefully align water demands, water supply, groundwater and surface water management and water priorities driving deliverables of BRWA. This will help ensure regulatory coherence and strengthen confidence in the implementation pathway.
Question 5: Is there anything else you would like to add?
AgForce envisions a balanced, future-focused Burdekin Regional Water Assessment that secures water for broadacre agriculture and sugarcane production, prioritises projects that offer the greatest benefit to regional industries and communities, actively mitigates the realities of rising water table in the lower Burdekin and ensures affordability and sustainability in water management.
Please find attached AgForce Cane’s policy statements – Water Management and Lower Burdekin Rising Ground Water, which reinforces our policy objectives for industry.
Conclusion
AgForce thanks the department for the opportunity to provide feedback to the 2025 Burdekin Regional Water Assessment, draft report. We commend the department on both the ambitious and pragmatic approach undertaken.
We look forward to continued collaboration with the Department and stakeholders as the Burdekin Regional Water Assessment enters final stages of development.
If you have any questions or require further information, please contact Sam Forzisi, AgForce Policy Director, by Email: ForzisiS@agforceqld.org.au or mobile: 0499 960 006.
Yours faithfully
Shane McCarthy General President