Held in Tamworth on 10 to 11 July, the conference included keynote speakers and panel sessions including industry heads, state and federal government Ministers and representatives, as well as scientists and educators.
Discussions focused on water security, natural disaster recovery, drought preparation, water scarcity, and the effects of climate change on water resources.
Andrew McConville, Chief Executive of the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), gave his third address, sharing preliminary insights on the Basin Plan Review.
“The MDBA approach is to play a facilitating role bringing the voices of the Basin into the room as we progress our work towards the Basin Plan Review in 2026,” Mr McConville said.
“Through the Review, we have the opportunity to ensure that the Basin Plan continues to adapt and keep pace with change and the challenges ahead.”
Mr McConville explained that the Authority has identified 5 areas of challenge:
assessing environmental outcomes
climate change and preparing for our future
better integrating land and water management in a holistic manner
managing the northern Basin
building and simplfying the Basin Plan.
“They cut across 4 focus areas of the Review, Climate Change, First Nations, Sustainable Water Limits and Regulatory Design.
We know that managing water requires hard decisions and challenging trade offs. And we know that not everyone will agree with our approach.
But our commitment to you is that we will ensure that the process is fair and the evidence base is clear.
– Andrew McConville, Chief Executive Officer Murray–Darling Basin Authority
Several other speakers took to the floor over the 2 days, including:
- Dr Simon Banks, Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder
- Michael Murray, General Manager Cotton Australia
- the Hon Troy Grant, Inspector-General of Water Compliance
The MDB Association says outcomes from conference discussions will help shape the future of water security in the Basin, supporting sustainable and equitable water management practices.
The Murray Darling Association is the peak body organisation representing and advocating for the needs and interests of over 164 Local Government Areas across the Basin.
You can catch up on the conference highlights and recordings at the 80th National Conference – Murray Darling Association website.