Examining uncertainty and trust among irrigators and regulatory bodies in the Murray-Darling Basin

Abstract

Due to changing climate and water legislation in South Australia, Australia's oldest water trust, the Renmark Irrigation Trust (RIT), and the community it serves have faced unprecedented changes in water allocations. Using participatory research methods, this article examines irrigators' perceptions of risk, uncertainty and trust in relation to changing water legislation and drought. The social, cultural and regulatory relationship between irrigators and the RIT and the conditions in which trust is given are also explored. Foucault's understanding of power provides the analytical context in which we examine how power and knowledge are constituted, negotiated and reconstructed at the local level to shape trust between individuals and the RIT.

Keywords:

• Murray-Darling Basin
• trust
• drought
• regulation
• rural community

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.