MDBA role and functions

The Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is an Australian Government agency responsible for planning the integrated management of the water resources of the Murray–Darling Basin (see Figure 1). The agency is part of the portfolio of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, reporting to the Minister for Climate Change and Water.

The Murray–Darling Basin Authority is an integral element of the Australian Government program Water for the Future which has four priorities:

tackling climate change
supporting healthy rivers
using water wisely
securing our water supplies.

In December 2008, after the Basin states passed legislation to enable the Australian Government to amend the Water Act 2007 (Cwlth), MDBA assumed responsibility for all functions of the former Murray–Darling Basin Commission (MDBC). MDBC then ceased to exist.

Key MDBA functions include:

preparing the Basin Plan for adoption by the Minister for Climate Change and Water, including setting sustainable limits on water that can be taken from surface and groundwater systems across the Basin
advising the minister on the accreditation of state water resource plans
developing a water rights information service which facilitates water trading across the Murray–Darling Basin
managing water sharing between the states
constructing and operating River Murray assets, such as dams and weirs
managing all aspects of Basin water resources (which include water, organisms and other components and ecosystems that contribute to the physical state and environmental value of the water resource)
measuring and monitoring water resources in the Basin
gathering information and undertaking research
engaging the community in the management of the Basin’s resources.

Figure 1 The Murray–Darling Basin. The Basin is the catchment for the Murray and Darling rivers and their many tributaries. In total there are 23 river valleys in the Basin, covering over 1 million square kilometres, or 14% of Australia. The Basin is Australia’s most important agricultural area, producing over one-third of Australia’s food supply. It is also home to more than 2 million people.

MDBA implements some aspects of its programs itself, while others are implemented through agencies of the state governments who, with the Commonwealth Government, are partners in managing the Basin.

The agency consists of five divisions, headed by Executive Directors who report to the Chief Executive (see Figure 2). The divisions are: Basin Plan; River Murray; Natural Resource Management; Engagement, Secretariat and Communications; and Corporate Services.

As at 30 June 2009, the agency employed 235 people.

Figure 2 MDBA organisational structure [click image above for a larger version]

Governance structure

The governance structure and relationships of the Murray–Darling Basin Authority are outlined in Figure 3. The key elements are:

the Commonwealth Water Minister, currently the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator the Hon Penny Wong
the six-member Murray–Darling Basin Authority
the Murray–Darling Basin Ministerial Council
the Basin Officials Committee
the Basin Community Committee.

The authority members are listed on page xv. The members of the Ministerial Council and committees are listed in Appendix A

Figure 3 Murray–Darling Basin Authority: governance structure. The solid lines represent reporting and decision-making; the dotted lines represent a more advisory role.

The authority

The six-member Murray–Darling Basin Authority is similar to a board. Its functions and powers are specified in the Water Act 2007 (Cwlth).

The authority informs and advises the Commonwealth Water Minister, and is directed by the minister on some matters. It sets policy and strategic direction for activities of the agency known as the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), including preparation of the Basin Plan. The agency consists of the Chief Executive, and the MDBA staff.

The authority members are as follows:

Chair Michael Taylor, AO, has held senior positions in the Commonwealth and Victorian public service, most recently as Secretary for the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. He has extensive experience and expertise in water, the environment, natural resource management and agriculture.
Dianne Davidson has a strong management background in natural resources, particularly water and irrigated agriculture. She is currently a member of the South Australian Premier’s Climate Change Council and previously served on the South Australian Murray–Darling Basin Natural Resource Management Board.
Dr Diana Day, a former Associate Professor at the University of Sydney, has expertise in hydrology, environmental issues, water futures and Indigenous educational research. Her studies include research on catchment and stream hydrology, water quality and erosion.
Rob Freeman, MDBA Chief Executive, previously held senior positions in the Queensland and South Australia public service, most recently as Chief Executive of the South Australian Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation. He was also South Australian Commissioner and Deputy President of the Murray–Darling Basin Commission.
David Green has been involved in water policy and water reform in Queensland since the mid-1990s. He is currently a Queensland Water Commissioner and Board Member of the South East Queensland Water Grid Manager and has extensive experience in water resource management and planning, economics, governance and water trading matters.
Professor Barry Hart is an Emeritus Professor at Monash University and has over 30 years experience in freshwater ecology. He has previously held the positions of Director of the Water Studies Centre at Monash University and Director of Research at the Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology.

Murray–Darling Basin Ministerial Council

The Murray–Darling Basin Ministerial Council is established by the Murray–Darling Basin Agreement, Schedule 1 to the Water Act 2007 (Cwlth), as amended.

The Ministerial Council has an advisory role in the preparation of the Basin Plan by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority, and policy and decision-making roles for matters such as state water shares, and the funding and delivery of natural resource management programs, in accordance with the Murray–Darling Basin Agreement. The council also has a policy and decision-making role relating to water for critical human needs as provided for in the Water Act.

The council may give directions to the Basin Officials Committee concerning the committee’s functions and powers under the Murray–Darling Basin Agreement, and can also seek the advice of the Basin Community Committee.

Membership of the Ministerial Council comprises the Commonwealth Water Minister, who also chairs the council, and one minister from each of the Basin states and the ACT.

Basin Officials Committee

The Basin Officials Committee is established by the Murray–Darling Basin Agreement, Schedule 1 to the Water Act 2007 (Cwlth), as amended.

The committee facilitates cooperation and coordination between the Commonwealth, the Murray–Darling Basin Authority and the Basin states in funding works and managing the Basin water and other natural resources.

The committee is responsible for providing advice to the Ministerial Council, and for implementing policy and decisions of the council on matters such as state water shares and the funding and delivery of natural resource management programs.

The committee has high-level decision-making responsibilities for river operations, including setting objectives and outcomes to be achieved by the authority in River Murray operations.

The committee has an advisory role in relation to the Basin Plan, including advising the authority about engaging the Basin states in the preparation of the proposed plan.

Membership of the committee comprises officials from the six Basin governments, and the committee is chaired by the Commonwealth committee member. The authority’s Chair and Chief Executive are non-voting members of the committee.

Basin Community Committee

The 16-member Basin Community Committee advises the Murray–Darling Basin Authority about the performance of its functions, including in relation to:

engaging the community in the preparation of each draft Basin Plan
community matters relating to the Basin water resources
matters referred to the committee by the authority.

The committee must also establish irrigation and environmental water subcommittees, and an Indigenous water subcommittee to guide the consideration of Indigenous matters relevant to the Basin’s water resources.

The committee has a role in advising the Murray–Darling Basin Ministerial Council on its functions under the Murray–Darling Basin Agreement, which may include matters such as delivery of natural resource management programs.

In performing these functions, it is likely that the Basin Community Committee will liaise with the wider Basin community, including possibly convening regional meetings with relevant groups during the planning process for the Basin Plan, and undertaking appropriate liaison activities to help provide advice to the authority and the Ministerial Council.

Outcome and output structure

When the 2008–09 Portfolio Budget Statements were prepared, the Murray–Darling Basin Authority was yet to become operational. Therefore no agency statements for MDBA were included in the budget statements. The general outcome specified in the budget statements was ‘Managing water resources in the Murray–Darling’.

Under the provisions of the transition of MDBC into MDBA, MDBA continued to report against the objectives of the Strategic Plan 2005–2010 and the related Business Plan during the 2008–09 financial year.

As the Basin Plan Program is a new MDBA program, its outputs are reported against 10 objectives set out in MDBA’s new Corporate Plan, which did not officially come into effect until 1 July 2009.

The general outcome and output structure is summarised in Table 1 on page xviii.

Table 1 MDBA outcome and output structure

Outcomes	Outputs
To prepare, implement, monitor and enforce the Basin Plan, and undertake activities relevant to jurisdictional water resource plans, for the sustainable management of water resources in the Murray–Darling Basin.	Develop integrated surface water and groundwater planning requirements for the Basin Plan Develop an environmental watering plan for the Basin Develop a water quality and salinity management plan for the Basin Provide for critical human water needs in the Basin Plan Identify and manage the risks associated with the Basin Plan water resources Prepare a program to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of and compliance with the Basin Plan Assist the development of an effective and comprehensive water market Secure the best available knowledge and information to inform the Basin Plan preparation Provide models and data to support the preparation of a Basin Plan Effectively engage stakeholders
Protection and enhancement of the Basin’s shared environmental assets and water resources.	Coordinate the implementation of The Living Murray Improve management of, and compliance with, the Cap on water diversions Coordinate the implementation of the Basin Salinity Management Strategy Monitor and report on the health of the Basin’s water and natural resources to inform better decision making Develop policy options to respond to demonstrated risks of significance to shared water resources, including integrated use of surface and groundwater Coordinate the implementation of the Native Fish Strategy
Efficient and equitable delivery of water for productive and sustainable domestic consumption, environmental benefit and economic use.	Deliver agreed water shares in the River Murray Support the development of open, barrier-free markets for interstate water Sustain and improve the physical asset base to contemporary best practice Improve environmental and consumptive use outcomes through development of improved water management and delivery tools

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