With changes made to the Basin Plan in 2023, without the support of the Victoria Government, the Commonwealth Government has more powers to purchase water, and amended the socio-economic protections for communities that were previously agreed to by all states and the Commonwealth Government.

This means up to an additional 750 gigalitres could be recovered across the Basin by the Commonwealth Government. There is limited detail on how this will occur, and how this will be managed in a way that minimises negative impacts on communities and environments.

The Victoria Government will continue to protect water-dependent ecosystems and deliver positive outcomes for communities, farmers, and the environment through consistent investments, building integrity and trust in the Basin Plan.

The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) offers recommendations to the Victorian Government for the sustainable management of the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB). Key points include prioritising holistic governance, ensuring property rights governance is consistent and climate-proofed while addressing cultural rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and using transparent, data-driven models to assess environmental, economic, social, and cultural impacts. Additional recommendations falling under Federal jurisdiction were presented as suggestions for the Victorian Government to support in their implementation. These include, establishing a central body for water monitoring data and modelling, creating a central platform for knowledge sharing and project listings, setting up an agency for standardized water trading and monitoring, and evolving the Basin Plan to include climate change impact monitoring and apply an ESG framework.

Recommendations from ATSE’s submission:

Prioritise key elements of holistic, connected and interdependent governance for the MDB.

Review institutional arrangements that govern property rights at a Territory, State and Commonwealth level for consistency as well as climate-proofing. Seek to mitigate inequitable benefits from institutional governance, including addressing the cultural rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Ensure transparent, evidence-based and data-driven decision-making that includes short, medium and long-term modelling of environmental, economic, social and cultural impacts.

In addition to the above recommendations, the Victorian Government can support the implementation of the recommendations below that primarily fall within the Federal jurisdiction:

Establish, maintain and resource a central data custodian for all water quantity and water quality monitoring data, all modelling and all other relevant data inputs for driving decision-making, publicly available and shared by all stakeholders.

Establish, maintain and resource a single central public domain for all consultation, knowledge sharing, information and listing of all funded projects and programs, no matter the jurisdiction.

Establish an independent central Water Markets Agency that operates across the Basin, providing standardised definitions, terms and contracts for water trading as well as monitoring and possibly enforcement.

Evolve the Basin Plan including by requiring climate change and long-term impact monitoring, enhancing governance and stakeholder representation, and applying an Environmental / Social / Governance (ESG) framework.

Apr 2024

A thriving Murray-Darling Basin in 50 years: Actions in the face of climate change

ATSE has urged a suite of actions and investments to protect the future of the Murray-Darling Basin in the face of climate change, which is threatening the river’s health and sustainability.

ESSAYS

Water

Environment