Submissions and responses by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority

The National Landcare Program is a key part of the Australian Government’s long-standing commitment to support natural resource management, biodiversity protection and sustainable agricultural practices. The National Landcare Program, funded through the Natural Heritage Trust, is an ongoing program with designated reviews ahead of establishing a new phase.

In November 2021, the then Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment sought the views of stakeholders on the effectiveness and its delivery arrangements of the National Landcare Program.

The Select Committee on Floodplain Harvesting was established on 23 June 2021 to inquire and report on the New South Wales Government's management of floodplain harvesting. Submissions were open to the public until 13 August 2021.

The New South Wales Government has developed a 20-year New South Wales Water Strategy as part of a broader program to improve resilience of the state’s water resources. This strategy covers all of New South Wales to improve the security, reliability, quality and resilience of our water resources over the long term. It sets the priorities and outlines the implementation plan to delivering on these outcomes.

A draft of the New South Wales Water Strategy was on public exhibition from 15 February 2021 to 28 March 2021.

On 5 March 2020, the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) announced a review of the Goulburn to Murray inter-valley trade rules. The review is being undertaken to enable sustainable delivery of water under new operating rules for the lower Goulburn River, and to make sure trade and use from tagged accounts reflect environmental thresholds.

The MDBA submitted feedback in May 2020 on the proposed options for the Goulburn to Murray trade rule set out in the Initial consultation paper released by DELWP.

On 7 August 2019, the Australian Government announced that it would direct the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to conduct an inquiry into markets for tradeable water rights in the Murray–Darling Basin. The ACCC’s inquiry consulted with a wide range of water market participants and other persons involved in water markets in the Murray–Darling Basin. The ACCC released an issues paper on 17 October 2019 seeking views on the key issues affecting markets for tradeable water rights in the Murray–Darling Basin. The ACCC released an interim report on 30 July 2020 and released its final report on 26 March 2021.

Under the Water Act 2007 (Cth), the Commission is required to undertake 3-yearly inquiries into the progress of reform in Australia’s water resources sector. This is the second such inquiry. It looked at the progress of all Australian governments in achieving the objectives, outcomes and timelines of reform directions proposed in the 2004 Intergovernmental Agreement on a National Water Initiative (NWI). The final inquiry report was released on 2 September 2021.

The MDBA has responded to the Productivity Commission National Water Reform issues paper released in May 2020. The issues paper was released on 26 May 2020 to guide people in preparing a submission. It outlined a range of issues on which the Commission sought information and feedback. Participants were asked to provide evidence to support their views, including data and specific examples where possible.

On 23 July 2019, the Senate resolved to establish the Select Committee on the Multi-Jurisdictional Management and Execution of the Murray–Darling Basin Plan. The committee inquired into matters relating to the responsibilities for Commonwealth, state and territory governments arising out of the Murray–Darling Basin Plan. It examined the effects of the different approaches of the basin states to water resource management in the Murray–Darling Basin and considered the complications in respect of basin-wide or cross jurisdiction oversight. The final report was published on 30 September 2021.

The Drought Resilience Funding Plan informs the design of the Future Drought Fund foundational programs. These include best practice business planning, information for decision making, the adoption of research and technologies, and ways to improve the resilience of the soil and vegetation on which farmers depend. The Future Drought Fund Consultative Committee advises the Minister for Drought on whether proposed programs are consistent with the funding plan. Consultation on the draft Drought Resilience Funding Plan began on 29 October 2019 and closed on 13 December 2019.

A Select Committee of the South Australian Legislative Council was established to inquire into and report on the findings of the Murray–Darling Basin Royal Commission and Productivity Commission as they relate to decisions of the South Australian Government.

On 4 July 2019, the Australian Senate referred the Murray–Darling Basin Commission of Inquiry Bill 2019 to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 19 September 2019. The Bill would establish a commission of inquiry, with the same powers as a royal commission, to inquire into the management of the Murray–Darling Basin water resources and related matters.

The New South Wales Natural Resources Commission (the Commission) is an independent body with broad investigating and reporting functions for the purposes of establishing a sound evidence basis for the properly informed management of natural resources in the social, economic and environmental interests of the State. The Commission aims to be of service to the people of New South Wales through providing independent, evidence-based advice and thought leadership to Government to secure triple bottom line outcomes in natural resource management.

The purpose of the Export Control Amendment (Banning Cotton Exports to Ensure Water Security) Bill 2019 is to ensure water and food security in the Murray–Darling Basin through the imposition of a ban on the export of cotton from Australia. The Bill lapsed at the end of the 45th Parliament. The committee is therefore not tabling a report, but agreed to table all submissions and associated material, including correspondence received as part of the inquiry.

On 14 February 2019, the Senate, on the recommendation of the Selection of Bills Committee, referred the Water Amendment (Purchase Limit Repeal) Bill 2019 to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 26 March 2019. This Bill proposes to amend the Water Act 2007 to repeal the statutory limit of 1,500 gigalitres on Commonwealth purchases of surface water across the Murray–Darling Basin.

The South Australian Government established an independent Commission of Inquiry to inquire into matters including the alleged non-compliance with the Basin Plan, the current state of implementation of the Basin Plan, and whether the Basin Plan will achieve its objects and purposes and those of the Water Act 2007 (Cth).

The Productivity Commission conducts 5-yearly inquiries into the effectiveness of the implementation of the Basin Plan and water resource plans. The MDBA’s submission to the Productivity Commission for the 2018 review reports on the role of the MDBA, the implementation of the Basin Plan so far, and the next steps for the MDBA.