Destination NSW
The NSW Sustainable Communities Program will provide $160 million to projects and initiatives that support and create jobs, establish industry, and support existing industry to innovate and stimulate economic development.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (the department) is delivering the Sustainable Communities Program in NSW.
The department is taking a three-stage approach to delivery of this program:
- Early investment: targeted support for communities exposed and highly vulnerable to the effects of early rounds of water purchasing by the Australian Government
- Consultation: place-based consultation with exposed Basin communities to understand their priorities and the necessary investments needed to support these communities
- Substantive investment: delivery of multiple streams of support for Basin communities to mitigate adverse socio-economic impacts from water recovery measures. This support will be informed by place-based consultation, available evidence, and aligned with the community adjustment assistance principles set out in the Australian Government’s Restoring Our Rivers Framework.
Next steps
The Federation Funding Agreement (FFA) to deliver the Sustainable Communities Program in NSW has been signed by the Australian and NSW governments and the department is now undertaking initial steps to implement the first delivery stage of the NSW Sustainable Communities Program.
Initial implementation activities will focus on:
- commencing support for communities exposed and highly vulnerable to the first round of water purchasing activity by the Australian Government
- planning for place-based consultation with Basin communities.
Further updates on the NSW Sustainable Communities Program will be provided as delivery of the program progresses.
Background
In August 2023, Basin governments agreed to implement the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. As part of that Basin Plan, the Australian Government reaffirmed its commitment to recover the 450 GL of additional environmental water for the Basin.
The Restoring Our Rivers Framework sets out the Australian Government's approach for achieving the 450 GL water recovery target, which includes water purchasing (buybacks) as one of the measures to achieve the target.
The NSW Government has advocated for and secured more time and flexibility for projects that deliver on Basin Plan commitments without buybacks (see the NSW Alternatives to Buybacks Plan), along with advocating for funding from the Australian Government to support affected communities and industries.
The Australian Government has announced the $300 million Sustainable Communities Program which provides Basin states with community adjustment assistance to mitigate the socio-economic impacts from water recovery measures, including buybacks. The program will be delivered over four years by Basin states.