Irrigators given subsidies under $4bn Murray-Darling scheme drew more water, study finds

Study argued such schemes are like robbing Peter to pay Paul, while half of irrigators said program was wasteful'

A new study has found that the government's $4bn Murray-Darling irrigation efficiency program, designed to make farms more efficient while returning some of the saved water to the environment has actually led to irrigators who received subsidies extracting more water than those who did not.

The study by academics from University of Adelaide, University of NSW, the Australian National University and the Environmental Defenders office found up to 28% more water was extracted by those who received subsidies.