When and how the Basin Plan will be developed

The Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is working to a timetable that will produce a proposed Basin Plan by mid-2010, and the first Basin Plan in 2011.

During the plan’s development, MDBA will engage with non-government stakeholders, including the people, communities and industries of the Basin, mainly through a Basin Community Committee and its specialist subcommittees, such as an irrigation subcommittee, environment subcommittee and Indigenous subcommittee. MDBA will also work closely with all Basin states and their agencies, the Basin Officials Committee, and key conservation, Indigenous and industry bodies. As a high priority, MDBA will work in consultation with the Basin Community Committee to work out the best ways of engaging with stakeholders. The timeline and phases for plan development are outlined in Figure 2 (below).

Figure 2:Phases and timeline for development of the Basin Plan

During the first phase (‘Getting started’), MDBA will be working with key agencies to start drawing together the environmental, social, cultural and economic information required to describe the Basin’s water resources and how they are used (including how they are used by all communities). This description is a mandatory part of the plan. It is also important in shaping the monitoring and evaluation strategy.

The ‘Getting started’ phase also includes the preparation of this concept statement to provide information on the key elements, timetable and overall approach to development of the Basin Plan. A fact sheet will be produced detailing the opportunities for stakeholders to find out about the Basin Plan and to provide input or comment.

The second phase of development (‘Understanding and Preparation’) will begin in mid-2009. During this phase, MDBA will draw together all the information on water resources and the environment that is required to make the key decisions mandated under the Water Act 2007 about the environmentally sustainable level of water take. Extensive scientific and evidence-based input will be sought and scenario modelling will be undertaken.

MDBA is committed to producing a range of informative materials to promote understanding of, and input to, the Basin Plan. A series of fact sheets, position papers and issues papers will be released for government, for environmental, industry and Indigenous groups, and for other interested people.

The third phase of the Basin Plan’s development (‘Consultation and Refinement’) will include the release of the proposed Basin Plan in mid-2010 for formal consultation as required by the Water Act. The proposed Basin Plan will be published on the MDBA website, together with a ‘plain English’ summary. The consultation processes will provide stakeholders and Basin residents with a genuine and substantial opportunity to provide input to the plan. MDBA will publish a summary of submissions received and explain any alterations to the plan made as a result of those submissions.

At the end of this third phase, the plan will be sent to the Commonwealth Minister for consideration and adoption.