Community leaders have expressed concern over the possible removal of socio-economic testing before water buybacks

Federal Minister for Water Tanya Plibersek announced the plan would be extended in order to give water-saving projects more time to hit the targets needed instead of the major overhauls and buybacks required to hit the goals by the original mid-2024 deadline.

The extension is also predicted to be paired with changes to the Water Act, potentially removing the requirement for socio-economic testing before any water is bought back.

Ms Plibersek has previously referred to the socio-economic testing requirement as "brown tape, because it's keeping the country dry."

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While the extension has been largely recognised as a positive change, Griffith mayor Doug Curran and Member for Murray Helen Dalton both expressed concern over the removal of the testing.

"I think the extension is good, but I am worried about the comment about the brown tape. There's got to be social and economic factors taken into account," councillor Curran said.

"We've got to see how the communities up and downstream will be affected by this ... often within good news, there's a sting in the tail. That's how it reads to me."

He emphasised the consequences of getting the plan wrong, with any loss of industry unlikely to come back.

"We just want to be consulted, we want to be collaborated with, we want a seat at the table because this is our future," Cr Curran said.

"With the removal of water that I don't believe will benefit the community, we'll lose a lot of industry and once it's gone, it won't come back."

Mrs Dalton agreed that removing the testing was a potentially damaging move, and added that she felt the plan was impossible no matter the extra time.

"That socio-economic test was really put in place to protect communities without throwing us under a bus," she said.

"She's never going to deliver the plan in its current form, I don't know why she continues talking about delivering the 450 gigalitres. They're spending billions on it but no, it's too hard."

Mrs Dalton echoed Cr Curran's call and urged Ms Plibersek to come out to the Riverina and meet with her.

"I think it'd be great if Tanya Plibersek bothered to come to the area and meet with us," she said.

"She's locked her door to rural communities and is not looking out to the west."

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