AUSTRALIAN WATER REFORMS FRAMEWORK

Council of Australian Governments (CoAG) 1994

Australian National Water Initiative 2004

Neil Power Chairman

Australian National Groundwater Sub Group

Pre-conditions for Groundwater Governance

•  Robust legislation •  Statutory water management plans •  Transparent decision making processes •  Water Accounting - Monitoring &

Compliance •  Community consultation with groundwater

users and interested groups

Objective of COAG Reforms 1994

By 2001, achieve a water industry

that is economically efficient and ecologically sustainable, and

which delivers better environmental outcomes

The COAG Strategic Framework for Water Industry Reform

Cost Recovery & Pricing

Water Allocations &

Trading

Institutional Reform

Environment & Water Quality

Public Consultation

Five Elements:

Sustainable Management

CoAG Water Reforms–Key Elements COST RECOVERY AND PRICING u Full cost recovery for water planning and management

INSTITUTIONAL REFORM u Separate role/functions of regulators, groundwater managers from service providers

WATER ALLOCATION AND TRADING u Water entitlements (water licences and allocations) separated from land title u Trading of water entitlements

CoAG Water Reforms–Key Elements ENVIRONMENT AND WATER QUALITY u Environment a legitimate user of water u Integrated resource management-surface water and groundwater

PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND EDUCATION u Consult public when change is proposed to water management plans

IMPLEMENTATION u Payments to States if reforms implemented

NWI Inter-Governmental Agreement 2004

Objective To achieve a nationally-compatible,

market, regulatory and planning-based system

--- of managing surface and groundwater resources for rural and urban use ---

--- that optimises economic, social and environmental outcomes, and ---

--- is able to adapt to future changes in the supply and demand for water

NWI OUTCOMES §  Nationally compatible water access entitlements – water licences

and allocations

§  Transparent water planning

§  Water plans with provisions for environmental water needs

§  Over-allocated resources returned to sustainable extraction

§  Removal of barriers to trade in groundwater licences and allocations

§  Water accounting – metering, compliance

§  Recognise connectivity – surface and groundwater

§  National Water Commission overviews implementation of NWI actions by States over 10 years

NWI Water Reforms Australian Government Water Act (2007) u Australia Bureau of Meteorology to become national water data manager including groundwater – national databases, set standards

NWI National Water Planning Guidelines 2012 u Specific provisions relating to groundwater u Impacts of land use change u Mining and groundwater

Water Reforms Conclusions

•  Reforms have been very effective in Australia

•  Good commitment by all levels of Government

•  Major reforms have been completed within the agreed timetables

•  Groundwater has been recognised as a major water resource requiring specific management measures