Media centre
Keep up to date with the latest:
- Commission media releases
- Ministerial media releases
- Speeches and presentations
- Water events calendar
- Commission-sponsored science seminars
Contact our media team for further information on media releases or for other resources, feature articles, images and contacts.
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Report exposes scale of intercepted water use
17-June-2010
The National Water Commission has released Australia's first ever nation-wide baseline assessment of water interception activities, calling for all Australian governments to take action on this critical issue.
Water trading benefits irrigators and rural communities
15-June-2010
National Water Commissioner, Mr Laurie Arthur, today released a report on the Impacts of water trading in the southern Murray-Darling Basin, saying that it demonstrates that water trading is providing significant economic, social and environmental benefits across the southern Basin.
New tools to encourage the uptake of water recycling
18-May-2010
The CEO of the National Water Commission, Mr Ken Matthews, and the Executive Director of the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA), Mr Ross Young, today released three new software tools to assist Australia's water managers to safely implement water recycling schemes.
Murray-Darling water to flow where it is needed most
14-May-2010
Funded by the National Water Commission, the report Ecological Outcomes of Flow Regimes in the Murray-Darling Basin provides information that will assist water managers to improve and justify delivery of environmental water to icon sites.
Incorporating climate change in water allocation planning
12-May-2010
Examines the potential impacts of climate change on water allocation planning under Australia's blueprint for water reform, the National Water Initiative (NWI).
Measuring the performance of Australia's water utilities 28 April
4-May-2010
The Parliamentary Secretary for Water, Dr Mike Kelly, today launched two national 'report cards' that tell Australians how well their urban water utilities and rural water providers are performing.
Advancing the uptake of water re-use in Australia - 9 Mar
5-March-2010
Two new fellowship reports to assist the Australian water sector to safely and efficiently implement water recycling schemes were launched today by the National Water Commission at the OzWater Conference in Brisbane
$2.4m to assist water management in Northern Australia - 8 Feb
9-February-2010
Two new National Water Commission projects announced by the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, will contribute to the Northern Australia Water Futures Assessment program by improving our management of rivers and water resources in northern Australia.
$1.8m for stormwater harvesting and water-sensitive cities - 1 Feb
2-February-2010
The Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, announced funding of $1.8 million to support a national research program to boost stormwater harvesting in Australia's cities.
Australian Water Markets Report - 10 Dec
10-December-2009
The National Water Commission has released the Australian Water Markets Report 2008-2009, which charts remarkable growth of Australia's water markets.
Groundwater experts meet - 24 Nov
24-November-2009
The Parliamentary Secretary for Water, Dr Mike Kelly, opened the National Water Commission's inaugural national Groundwater Forum.
National river restoration database - 17 Nov
17-November-2009
A new report recommends a national database to share river restoration project information and experiences, to allow people to learn from the success or failure of projects.
Annual Report released - 22 Oct
22-October-2009
The National Water Commission Annual Report is available now. The report is in several formats - PDF (full report and by sections), accessible HTML and in Flash.
Securing a better water future for remote Indigenous communities - 19 Oct
19-October-2009
The CEO of the National Water Commission, Mr Ken Matthews, today launched a practical field guide to help remote Indigenous communities improve the way they manage their drinking water supplies
Helping to secure Australia's groundwater future - 19 Oct
19-October-2009
The Parliamentary Secretary for Water, the Hon. Dr Mike Kelly AM MP, today announced, while launching National Water Week 2009 at Parliament House in Canberra, $2.1 million in funding for three new projects to better manage Australia's groundwater.
Troubled waters: Australian water reform 2009 - 9 Oct
8-October-2009
The National Water Commission has released Australian water reform 2009 - a comprehensive report that assesses how all Australian governments are tracking on the reform commitments they have made under the National Water Initiative.
National approach to environmental sustainability in water planning - 17 Sep
17-September-2009
A Commission report, just published, explores the reasons why a consistent national approach to achieving environmental sustainability in water planning has been difficult and suggests how key National Water Initiative concepts could be interpreted and implemented.
Learning how to manage low river flows - 2 Sep
2-September-2009
Senator Wong also announced a project to improve our knowledge and management of low river flows, explaining how critical this would be given the impacts of climate change in southern Australia.
Understanding impacts of climate change on groundwater - 2 Sep
2-September-2009
A $1.5 million project that will investigate the impacts of climate change on groundwater was announced today by the Minster for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong.
National Water Commission sponsors Eureka water prize - 18 Aug
18-August-2009
The National Water Commission has announced that it is delighted to sponsor the Professor Peter Cullen Eureka Prize for Water Research and Innovation for the next two years.
Call for Fellowship applications - 7 Aug
7-August-2009
The Commission has opened a second call for proposals under its Fellowship Program. This program supports the National Water Initiative by developing future leaders for Australia's water sector who can advance water-related knowledge and build industry capacity.
Managing water supply risk in the electricity industry - 5 Aug
5-August-2009
Report investigates impact of chnaing water availability on electricity sector
New approach to environmental flows in estuaries
31-July-2009
A new Waterlines report provides policy makers with a clear picture of the existing practice, legislation, regulation protocols, institutional and governance models and management regimes regarding estuary environmental flow management.
Latest Distilled e-newsletter
2-June-2009
Stakeholders have urge more action on water reform is the lead article. Also in this issue:Do pulsed river flows achieve their aims? Web guide to water governance. And more.
Environmental costs and benefits of pulsed flows
2-June-2009
A new report examines whether pulsed flows achieve ecological benefits, and if so, how they might be implemented in river management.
Stakeholder Forum communique
12-May-2009
Peak industry groups provide input to national water reform findings
Jobs at the Commission
1-May-2009
The Commission is seeking applications for positions in the Murray-Darling Basin Audit Team that will develop the framework and standards for auditing the effectiveness of the implementation of the Basin Plan and other plans, and then audit and evaluate the program in 2011.
$8.4m for six groundwater projects around Australia
21-April-2009
The Rudd Government will provide $8.4 million for six new projects to improve groundwater management across Australia.
Reports: performance of Australia's water providers
3-April-2009
The Parliamentary Secretary for Water, the Hon. Dr Mike Kelly AM MP, today released two national reports on the performance of Australia's urban water utilities and rural water service providers during 2007-2008.
Corporate profile 2009
13-March-2009
Peter Cullen Trust announced
13-March-2009
The Peter Cullen Water and Environment Trust has been established to create an enduring legacy commensurate with Peter Cullen's contribution to freshwater ecology, to science communication and to water research, policy and management in Australia.
Waterlines report on managed aquifer recharge
4-March-2009
A report that summarises information needed to consider managed aquifer recharge, alongside other alternatives, as a prospective new water supply for drinking or non-potable uses is available.
Atlas of groundwater-dependent ecosystems
3-March-2009
A $5.4 million project to develop a comprehensive national 'atlas' of groundwater-dependent ecosystems across Australia.
2009 Biennial Assessment - public submissions
27-February-2009
The Commission received 40 submissions for the Biennial Assessment of implementation of the National Water Initiative.
Tapping into underground water solutions
6-February-2009
National Water Commissioner Mr Chris Davis today released a Waterlines report on managed aquifer recharge to advance the uptake of this innovative water supply and treatment process.
National Groundwater Centre launched
22-January-2009
A national consortium led by Flinders University will administer a new $60 million National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training.
Australia's first national water markets report
17-December-2008
The CEO of the National Water Commission Ken Matthews today released the inaugural National Water Commission Australian Water Markets Report 2007-2008 and called for the removal of remaining barriers to trade in water.
Survey: Groundwater knowledge and capacity building
4-December-2008
Groundwater in Australia is generally poorly understood compared with surface water. However, this "hidden" resource makes up a significant proportion of our sustainable water resources and is the dominant or sole source of water in many arid parts of the country.
'Hardening' water supplies - purified recycled water
3-December-2008
The National Water Commission sees water recycling, including for drinking purposes, as a viable option to "supply harden" water supplies to Australian cities and towns.
Helping Sydney gardeners get it right
1-December-2008
The CEO of the National Water Commission, Ken Matthews, today launched a new website that will help Sydney gardeners use water more wisely and save money at the same time.
Ground-breaking report on Murray-Darling Basin
24-November-2008
CSIRO researchers have delivered the final report from a massive project that provides an overview of current and future water availability in the Murray-Darling system.
Stakeholder Reference Group Communique 2008
12-November-2008
Peak industry groups call for reinvigoration of national water reforms
Making the most of our rainwater and greywater
10-November-2008
The CEO of the National Water Commission, Mr Ken Matthews, today released three 'how to guides' that will help Australian households boost their reuse of stormwater and greywater.
Desalination and Australia’s long-term water security
30-October-2008
The CEO of the National Water Commission, Ken Matthews, today released a report showing that desalination technologies will play an increasingly important role in securing Australia's water supplies.
Further action required on water for the environment
1-September-2008
The National Water Commission said today that the protection of threatened water-dependent ecosystems, including the recovery of overallocated systems, continues to be a major challenge in implementing the National Water Initiative.
Appointment of new Commissioners
29-August-2008
Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, today announced the appointments of new Commissioners to the National Water Commission.
Looking to the future of urban water pricing
24-July-2008
A new report on urban water pricing, suggests there is scope to improve current arrangements. The report and accompanying Position Statement, shows that new approaches to water pricing have the potential to deliver better outcomes for water users, reducing the reliance on costly water restrictions.