The man responsible for Australia’s water-related issues is heading to meetings in one of the most contentious areas this week.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment, Simon Birmingham, has begun three days of meetings in the northern Murray-Darling Basin in a program of community engagement and consultation.

It has the potential to be a fiery encounter at some sites, with various groups opposed to the soon-to-be-enforced Murray Darling Basin Plan – intended to protect and improve the ecological functioning and health of the vital supplies.

Senator Birmingham will meet with community representatives in Moree, St George, Goondiwindi and Narromine on his first visit to the northern Basin since taking on his aquatic appointment.

“I want to be open and accessible to people in the Basin and local knowledge is vital to ensure Commonwealth programs meet their objectives whilst addressing the interests of landholders and the community,” Birmingham said.

“After four years in the shadow portfolio I'm no stranger to a lot of the issues but I'm really eager to get out and discuss issues on the ground.”

While some believe the Murray Darling Basin has been thrashed to a severely weakened state by over-drawing for agricultural purposes, the area is still one of the primary production regions for a vast amount of the nation’s food and textiles. Senator Birmingham says he wants to balance the opposing interests.

“There are a number of issues concerning the Basin Plan and its implementation that are yet to be settled, particularly in the north, and I am encouraging community representatives to share their views on these matters,”

“I'm also keen to reinforce that the Government will implement the Basin Plan in full and on time but in a way that preserves the food and fibre productive capacity of the Murray-Darling Basin including as Australia's primary food bowl,” he said.

Plans for the future include an adjustment to the buyback scheme phasing and learning lessons from other states, the Senator said.

“We will be re-phasing four years of water buyback spending over six years, as well as capping buybacks overall and we are working with the states to deliver offset targets via agreed environmental works and measures.”

“In Queensland, for example, at least half of the water being returned under the $154.7 million Healthy HeadWaters Water Use Efficiency Project will go to the northern Basin's many large and important wetlands and environmental sites including in the Condamine-Balonne and Border Rivers.”