Other water initiatives
Important Australian Government water policy initiatives are building on the foundation for reform laid down in the National Water Initiative.
Intergovernmental Agreement on Murray-Darling Basin Reform
At the 3 July 2008 meeting of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), the Prime Minister, Premiers of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland and the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory signed an Intergovernmental Agreement on Murray-Darling Basin Reform, which amended the Water Act 2007.
This agreement:
- establishes an independent Murray-Darling Basin Authority, which will prepare a Basin Plan
- strengthens the role of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in regulating the water market and water charging
The Water Act 2007 established a Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder and gave the Bureau of Meteorology new water information functions.
The National Water Commission has been assigned the task of auditing the effectiveness of the implementation of Murray-Darling Basin Plan and the water resource plans within the basin.
COAG 2008 forward work program on water
In December 2007, COAG established working groups to implement its work agenda on a range of priority issues. One of these is the Working Group on Climate Change and Water, which has recommended a 2008 work program on water focused on four priority areas:
- addressing overallocation and improving environmental outcomes
- enhancing water markets
- urban water reforms
- human resources, skills and information.
Water for the Future
On 29 April, Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Climate Change and Water, outlined the Government's new national plan on water - Water for the Future. Under the plan, the Australian Government is investing $12.9 billion over ten years to address four priorities:
- taking action on climate change
- using water wisely
- securing water supplies
- supporting healthy rivers and waterways.