Assessing progress on water reform
The National Water Commission is required to advise the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) on progress towards national water reform issues and implementation of the National Water Initiative (NWI).
Australian Water Resources 2005
To provide a baseline for evaluation, the Commission produced Australian Water Resources 2005. This provides a snapshot of Australia's water resources at the start of the NWI reform journey.
- Find out more about Australian Water Resources 2005
Biennial assessments - reporting to COAG
The Commission undertakes biennial assessments that report to COAG on progress in implementing the NWI. The first biennial assessment was released in 2007. In February 2008, the Commission updated its assessment of water reform progress in a report to the COAG working group considering future water reform priorities.
- Find out more about Biennial Assessments
- Find out more about the 2008 COAG update of progress in water reform
National performance reports
The National Performance Reports are an important commitment under the National Water Initiative, to annually benchmark pricing and service quality and to do so independently and publicly. The National Performance Reports cover urban water utilities and rural water service providers.
- Further information on National Performance Reports
Murray-Darling Basin audit function
Under the Water Act 2007, the Commission is responsible for auditing the effectiveness of the implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and water resource plans.
- More information about the Murray-Darling Basin audit function.
National Partnership Payments assessments
Under the intergovernmental Agreement on Murray-Darling Basin Reform, 'the National Water Commission will be responsible for assessing Basin State Government performance on achieving reform outcomes'. This entails assessing Basin State Government performance on achieving reform outcomes in Water Management Partnership Agreements.
National Competition Policy assessments
The Commission was charged with undertaking National Competition Policy (NCP) assessments of governments' progress with implementing COAG's water reforms. Following the release of the Commission's 2005 NCP assessment on 20 April 2006, follow-up NCP assessments were released on 13 September 2007.
- Find out more about National Competition Policy assessments