The Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) provided an update on the steps being undertaken to implement the Australian Government’s commitment to increase First Nation Peoples’ ownership and access to water throughout the Murray–Darling Basin.
The BOC agreed a set of strategic priorities for the 2024–25 period and the approach to reporting. The strategic priorities will guide the workplan of the BOC and its tier 1 committees.
The DCCEEW provided the BOC with an update on the steps being undertaken to achieve the Australian Government’s commitment to implement the Basin Plan.
The BOC received an update on the key findings from consultation on the draft Restoring Our Rivers Framework for delivering the 450 gigalitres of additional environmental water, including the community adjustment assistance principles and discussed the scope of the proposed Sustainable Communities Program.
The DCCEEW provided the BOC with an update on the development of new Federation Funding Agreements on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin.
The BOC discussed the final Community Adjustment Assistance Principles to be reflected in the Federation Funding Agreements.
The Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) provided the BOC with an overview on the Joint Programs governance, outlining the legislative obligations and responsibilities of the BOC for the Joint Programs. The BOC discussed the proposal for moving to a multi-year work program and budget framework in preparation for agreement by Ministerial Council.
The BOC noted the key operational activities in the northern and southern Basins and the current state of water resource availability and climate outlook for the River Murray system.
The BOC noted the status update on the Integrated River Modelling Uplift Program and approach to the data sharing agreement and acknowledged the commitment required by jurisdictions to enable delivery of the whole-of-Basin integrated river model.
The BOC noted the outcomes of the first meeting of an interjurisdictional group recently established to provide advice on the development of a Constraints Relaxation Implementation Roadmap.
The BOC received an update on Water Market Reform, including the work currently being undertaken to implement the Water Market Reform Roadmap’s recommendations and the legislative reforms under the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023.
The BOC noted the progress to-date in preparing the 2024 Basin-wide Environmental Watering Strategy.
BOC will meet next on 19 June 2024.