Big agriculture groups are benefiting more from the $13 billion federal Murray-Darling Basin Plan than community-based ones, new research suggests.
The Australia Institute report analysed how funding is being spent and found small irrigators and graziers have missed out on compensation for relinquishing water access.
"Special deals that benefit big agribusiness are made behind closed doors while consultation with those most affected is scant and tokenistic," senior water researcher Maryanne Slattery said.
Agribusiness company Webster in 2017 reached a $40 million compensation deal with the federal government for water buy-backs.
In contrast, communities across the entire New South Wales basin secured only $36 million.
"Why do the Basin's decision makers have one way of dealing with powerful agribusiness and a different way of dealing with everyone else," Ms Slattery said.
"Basin governments and their agencies favour big agribusiness over the community, with community stakeholders turned away from meetings or forced into confidentiality agreements."
Ms Slattery said the Webster deal set a precedent and has called for compensation to be paid to all stakeholders in the Lower Darling, including native-title holders, businesses and small irrigators.
The Murray-Darling is one of the most important agricultural areas and river systems in Australia and traverses parts of South Australia, Victoria, ACT, NSW and Queensland.
The basin plan is based on managing river water extraction to ensure it's shared between users in a sustainable manner.
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