National Water Initiative Implementation
The National Water Commission is the body responsible for driving water reform at the national level through the promotion of the National Water Initiative (NWI).
The Commission has a key role in reporting progress on implementation of the NWI to the Australian Government and the Council of Australian Governments (COAG).
Preparation of an implementation plan by each state and territory government is a requirement of the NWI. These plans include steps and timelines for implementation of key actions under the NWI. The NWI also requires the Commission to accredit these plans.
Implementation of the NWI has not in any way been waiting for the completion of these plans. As the Commission identified in its report to the July 2006 COAG meeting, there is already substantial effort being invested to implement the NWI.
To date the Commission has accredited nine NWI Implementation Plans:
- Australian Government Implementation Plan (PDF 537KB) | (RTF 2.78MB)
- New South Wales Implementation Plan (PDF 657KB) | (RTF 2.5MB)
- Victoria Implementation Plan (PDF 395KB) | (RTF 5.18MB)
- Queensland Implementation Plan (PDF 853KB) | (RTF 1.58MB)
- South Australia Implementation Plan (PDF 714KB) | (RTF 1.76MB)
- Australian Capital Territory Implementation Plan (PDF 560KB) | (RTF 1.25MB)
- Tasmanian Implementation Plan (PDF 900KB) | (RTF 1.5MB)
- Northern Territory Implementation Plan Part A (PDF 445KB) | Part B (PDF 681KB) | Part A (RTF 625KB) | Part B (RTF 9.7MB)
- Western Australia Implementation Plan Part A (PDF 897KB) | Part B (PDF 775 KB) | Part C (PDF 1.2MB)
In accrediting plans, the Commission is not saying that the plans – or the process of their development – are perfect. In fact, the plans have highlighted a number of areas where jurisdictions will need to further develop their water management arrangements to meet the requirements of the NWI.
Accreditation of a plan does mean, however, that the Commission considers that the plan provides a good basis for implementing the NWI, informing stakeholders, and assessing the progress of implementation – including through the Commission’s biennial assessments.
The Commission had previously provided guidance to state and territory governments on the preparation of their implementation plans:
- Guidance on the Preparation of Implementation Plans for the National Water Initiative (PDF 74KB) | (RTF 1.6MB)
Reporting to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG)
One of the key roles of the Commission is to provide advice to the Australian and State and Territory Governments through COAG on national water reform issues and implementation of the National Water Initiative (NWI).
In particular , the NWC will provide advice to COAG on the following matters:
- a baseline assessment of both water resources and water resource governance arrangements nationally, to inform future assessments of governments' progress with implementing COAG water reforms
- accreditation of implementation plans developed, in accordance with paragraph 9 of the Agreement, by the State and Territory governments outlining how they intend to implement the NWI Agreement
- commencing in 2006–07, biennial assessments of progress with implementation of the NWI Agreement and State and Territory implementation plans, and advice on actions required to better realise the objectives and outcomes of the Agreement. The third biennial assessment in 2010-11 will take the form of a comprehensive review of the Agreement
- the performance of the water industry against national benchmarks, in areas such as irrigation efficiency, water management costs and water pricing