Submissions and responses by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority

Under the Water Act 2007 (Cth), the Commission is required to undertake 3-yearly inquiries into the progress of all Australian governments to achieve the objectives, outcomes and timelines of reform directions proposed in the 2004 Intergovernmental Agreement on a National Water Initiative (NWI). The inquiry report is provided to the Australian Government.

The Productivity Commission conducts 5-yearly inquiries into the effectiveness of the implementation of the Basin Plan. The final report of the 2023 review was published on 26 February 2024.

The Office of the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer conducted an independent review into the February–March 2023 fish deaths in the Darling (Baaka) river near Menindee. The MDBA submission details the  MDBA’s role in water management and native fish recovery at Menindee.

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.

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.

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.