COAG review
The National Water Commission welcomes the announcement by Senator Don Farrell that he has appointed Dr David Rosalky to conduct an independent external review of the Commission.
With the timelines committed to in the National Water Initiative (NWI) for delivering reform actions now largely complete, it is appropriate that the arrangements for the future be reviewed, as was foreseen in the National Water Commission Act 2004.
The review, to be submitted to COAG by the end of the year, will assess the effectiveness and continuing appropriateness of the Commission's roles in promoting water reform objectives and outcomes. It will also provide advice on appropriate options and institutional arrangements for implementing functions which the review considers should continue or commence.
While there have been a number of governance changes in water since the National Water Commission was established, the Commission retains its unique position as an independent, expert body with a national -- rather than state or Commonwealth -- perspective on water reform.
This is precisely what was envisaged when the Commission was created:
'The cause of water reform needs to rise above [representing and advocating different sectoral or government interests]... In the same way that our rivers do not respect state boundaries or even regional boundaries, the Commission must ensure that it does not pay undue heed to sectoral, state based or regional differences. It must act in the interest of coherent national approaches to water management on this continent.'
-Extract from House of Representatives: National Water Commission Bill 2004, Second Reading Speech, 18 November 2004.
The Commission's core role, as specified in the NWI and expanded on in the Act, is to advise on national water issues, undertake assessments on reform progress, and facilitate the implementation of the NWI. Each of these three distinct roles -- advice, assessment and facilitation -- has been crucial to the way the Commission has approached its remit.
Through its strategies, the Commission has worked to advance water reform at multiple levels -- through formal advice to COAG and contribution to its work program, by promoting public discussion and debate about water reform issues, through multilateral and bilateral collaboration with NWI parties on key reform projects, and by working with the wider stakeholder community in water reform.
The Commission has also done its part to drive water reform by producing flagship reports that provide water users and managers with greater transparency about important aspects of water management, including the performance of water service providers, Australia's water markets and environmental water management.
Through its Raising National Water Standards Program, the Commission has catalysed reform effort in areas such as water data and accounting, water trading, groundwater, urban water and Indigenous water issues. It has also developed many innovative tools that offer practical solutions to better manage our water resources.
Since the signing of the NWI, water reform has become even more urgent in light of population growth, climate change and continuing environmental decline. These are issues with national dimensions that require national coordination and enduring resolve.
The review of the National Water Commission presents an opportunity to consider water reforms achieved to date, the need for continued national leadership and the roles and functions of the Commission in the reform process.
The Commission welcomes Senator Farrell's announcement and looks forward to working with Dr Rosalky into the future.
Further information on the review can be found on the COAG website. Dr Rosalky is being supported by a secretariat in the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.
Chloe Munro
Chair, National Water Commission
