Project Aims
NVIRP is aimed at more than just reducing water losses or enhancing the environment. The project represents a significant investment in local communities across Northern Victoria, which are underpinned by the region's agricultural, horticultural and value adding industries. The project will:
- secure a sustainable long-term future for the regional irrigation community of the GMID in the context of reduced water availability and climate variability
- support sustainable growth in the regional irrigation economy through enhanced reliability of water supply and delivery and stimulating on-farm productivity
- provide certainty to irrigation communities through promoting a strategic approach to modernisation and coordinated planning between the State and Commonwealth Governments including a strategic approach to Commonwealth buyback and
- inject economic support into the region for the life of the project, through employment, contract employment and supplier opportunities and an emphasis on local procurement.
Regional Significance
NVIRP is being undertaken throughout the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District or GMID, which covers 68 000 square kilometres and is Australia's most extensive irrigation network. The district stretches from Cobram in the east to past Swan Hill in the west and encompasses an agricultural hub known as Victoria's Food Bowl. Click here to read more about the region.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported the gross value of agricultural and horticultural production in the GMID as being just over $2.2 billion in 2005-2006, or just under 25 per cent of Victoria's total agricultural production value, as part of a survey conducted every five years. Click here to read more.
Regional Benefits
NVIRP is creating jobs for local residents and businesses, injecting much-needed economic support into struggling communities and helping to create long-term business growth. A 2008 report, undertaken by Deloitte, found that Stage 1 of project alone will inject about $381 million into the regional economy and create more than 680 new jobs.
An independent study conducted by the Centre of International Economics (CIE) found that as a result of the NVIRP project the real value added in irrigation production in the GMID will increase by $308 million after full adoption of the project, relative to the without-NVIRP project baseline.
Following the completion of NVIRP in 2018, total GMID income (the regional equivalent of the Gross Domestic Product) is estimated to increase by $475 million per year. This is estimated to increase the Victorian Gross State Product by $465 million per year and the Australian Gross Domestic Product by $403 million per year, with the greatest impact being created in the local GMID economy.
Click here to read about more benefits of the NVIRP project.
