Members welcomed new Authority member Ms Belinda Duarte AM, who is based in Victoria and brings deep experience in corporate governance, social justice and First Nations-led programs that will be invaluable in guiding the MDBA’s approach to water policy and management.
Appointed on 6 March 2025, Ms Duarte, a proud Wotjobaluk and Dja Dja Wurrung woman and Chief Executive Officer of Culture is Life, completes the eight-person Board at an important time when the Authority continues to work on one of Australia’s significant natural and economic assets, and prepare for the 2026 Basin Plan Review.
To read: The Authority agreed the 2023–24 Sustainable Diversion Limit (SDL) Accounts – Registers of take and interim registers of take to be accurate and complete and, following some final quality checks, these will be provided to the Inspector General of Water Compliance (IGWC) in May. The Authority is required to establish, maintain and publish the registers of take for surface water and groundwater to determine compliance with the SDLs. Publication of the 2023–24 Registers will occur once the IGWC has had opportunity to review the registers.
The Authority discussed progress on the Basin Plan Review including recent consultation with state senior officials on preparation of the 2026 Basin Plan Review Discussion Paper. The Discussion Paper will be released in early 2026 for a minimum of 12 weeks public consultation ahead of a Final Report being released in late 2026. Members also considered a first tranche of policy pillars that will contribute to the outcomes of the Review.
A draft of the 2025 Basin Plan Evaluation overview report – due for release in the middle of this year – was reviewed and members agreed to move forward on statutory consultation with Basin governments.
The Authority received updates from the Chairs of the MDBA Audit and Risk Committee and the Advisory Committee on Social, Economic and Environmental Sciences (ACEES). Briefings were also received from the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and the Queensland Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers. The Chief Executive and Executive Directors provided updates on agency operations and planning.
Members were briefed on progress to secure the FY2025–26 funding for the Joint Programs which includes the management and renewal of the water regulating assets of the River Murray System and their operations.
Members were informed of current water resource availability across the Basin and key MDBA water management activities, noting that total storages in the River Murray System are in line with historical averages for this time of year. The Authority noted that recent flooding in Queensland will see inflows into the northern Basin over the next few months.
Mr Daryl Quinlivan (Chair)
Mr Andrew McConville (Chief Executive)
Ms Allison Mudford
Ms Belinda Duarte
Dr Jane Doolan
Mr Rene Woods
Ms Roseanne Healy
Professor Stuart Bunn
Note: amended for clarity on 20 May.