Murrumbidgee defers funds request
Murrumbidgee Council has deferred a decision on providing funds to the Murray Group until it can investigate the request further.
Murray Group — comprising representatives of Southern Riverina Irrigators, Murray Valley Private Diverters and Murray Irrigation Ltd. — is aiming to develop a independent study into the social and economic impacts of the MurrayDarling Basin Plan on the NSW Murray Valley region.
It has appointed RM Consulting Group, who prepared a report for the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District, to undertake the study.
Murray Group has requested a $15,000 contribution from Murrumbidgee Council to help fund the report.
General manager Craig Moffitt said the amount requested exceeds council’s remaining community contributions allocation.
In a report to council he said $14,043.60 of its $28,850 community grants/donations budget has already been expended by February.
Mr Moffitt said he also did not want to commit funding to a study which may only repeat another.
‘‘We have written to government officials and local members asking if this is parallel to studies already being conducted,’’ Mr Moffitt said.
‘‘We don’t want to end up paying for something twice.’’
Based on the valuable information to come out of the Goulburn Murray report, the Murray report will provide similar supporting evidence to lobby for assistance and political support to affect change in the Basin Plan.