“THE NSW GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN STEALING WATER FROM FARMERS SINCE 2002. THE GOVERNMENT MUST STOP STEALING AND GIVE THE STOLEN WATER BACK.”

Independent Member for Murray, Helen Dalton, has accused the NSW Government of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars of water from farming families every year since 2022, and is demanding that the stealing stops and the stolen water is given back. 

“Imagine if I asked to borrow your car for a year and then never gave it back,” Helen said. “Or imagine if you let me move into your house for a while and then I just refused to leave and acted like your house was mine. Well that’s what’s happened to farmers, and it’s not OK.” 

In 2002, the NSW Government asked farmers to donate water back to the Murray Darling Basin system through what the government called “voluntary contributions”.  

They weren't really voluntary, because farming families felt they had no choice but to comply to the request. 

This water was then given to the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. 

The deal was meant to be reviewed in 12 months and again in five years if the “voluntary” contributions scheme was still operating.  

But the reviews never happened and 23 years later the NSW government is still taking this water from farming families and rural communities.  

“If you take something which doesn't belong to you, it’s theft, pure and simple,” Helen said.  “It’s just water theft, with a nicer name.” 

“If these “voluntary contributions” are truly voluntary, then farmers should be able to choose not to make these contributions,” Helen said. “But we are all being forced to and it’s theft.” 

“I am calling on Premier Chris Minns to accept this theft can no longer be allowed and to declare that the voluntary contributions shakedown is over,” Helen said. 

“Rural communities are calling BS on the last two decades of water theft and we will not back down until we end this shakedown,” Helen added.