Murray-Darling Basin Plan: Five-year assessment

I, Scott Morrison, Treasurer, pursuant to Parts 2 and 3 of the Productivity Commission Act 1998, hereby request that the Productivity Commission (the Commission) undertake an Inquiry into the effectiveness of the implementation of the Basin Plan and water resource plans.

Background

The Basin Plan provides for the integrated management of water resources of the Murray‑Darling Basin in ways that promote the objects of the Water Act 2007 (Cth) (Water Act), including the objective of optimising social, economic and environmental outcomes.

Under section 87 of the Water Act the Commission is required to undertake five‑yearly assessments of the effectiveness of the implementation of the Basin Plan and water resource plans. This inquiry is the first such assessment.

Scope of the inquiry

In accordance with the provisions of Part 3 of the Water Act, the Commission is to report on the matter of the effectiveness of the implementation of the Basin Plan and the water resource plans for the five year period ending 31 December 2018.

In undertaking the Inquiry, the Commission should assess:

• progress towards implementing the actions required under the Plan within legislated timeframes, including:
  • the extent to which stated water recovery and other targets are on track to be delivered within statutory timeframes; and
  • the likelihood that activities and arrangements now in place will ensure that these targets and timeframes will be met.
• the extent to which the current framework for implementing the Basin Plan, including the framework for monitoring, compliance, reporting and evaluation, is likely to be sufficient:
  • to support delivery of the objectives and outcomes identified in Chapter 5 of the Basin Plan, acknowledging that the Basin Plan is not yet fully implemented and that many of the outcomes will only be observable over a longer timeframe;
  • to enable assessment of risks and risk mitigation requirements and provisions associated with Basin Plan implementation; and
  • to enable an assessment of progress in meeting the Plan's objectives and outcomes under the next scheduled review of the Basin Plan in 2026.

In assessing progress towards Basin Plan implementation, the Commission should report on progress towards milestones agreed in the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council’s report to the Council of Australian Governments, Implementing the Basin Plan. Specifically, the Commission should focus on progress towards a pathway for three key priorities including:

• supply measures to offset the Basin Plan water recovery target of 2,750 GL by 2019, using the Sustainable Diversion Limit (SDL) adjustment mechanism;
• constraints measures to address impediments to delivering environmental water; and
• efficiency measures to recover an additional 450 GL by 2024, consistent with the Basin Plan legal requirement to achieve neutral or improved socio-economic outcomes.

In undertaking this assessment, the Commission should have regard to the Intergovernmental Agreement on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray Darling Basin (2013), and the Basin Plan Implementation Agreement between the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), Basin states and the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH).

In undertaking this assessment, the Commission should also have regard to reviews and audits that have recently been completed or are ongoing, including those relating to compliance and Basin Plan implementation.

The Commission should also have regard to the differing responsibilities of the Basin states and the Australian Capital Territory, the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR), the CEWH and the MDBA.

The Commission should assess progress towards full implementation in the context of the differing timeframes applicable to each key component of the Basin Plan. This includes an assessment of the extent to which Commonwealth and state-led water recovery efforts and state water resource plans are on track for when SDLs take effect from 1 July 2019.

The Commission should make findings on progress to date and recommendations on any actions required by the Commonwealth or Basin state or territory to ensure the timely implementation of Basin Plan requirements and the effective achievement of Basin Plan outcomes.

Process

In undertaking the inquiry, the Commission should consult widely including establishing a stakeholder working group in accordance with section 89 of the Water Act, inviting public submissions, holding public hearings, and releasing a draft report to the public. The Commission should consult with relevant Australian Government, Basin state and territory government agencies, key interest groups and affected parties. These consultations should include, but not be limited to, parties with interests in agriculture, industry and the environment, and Aboriginal groups. The Government has asked Basin jurisdictions to co‑operate with this Inquiry, including by providing the Commission with the information it considers necessary in undertaking its Inquiry.

The final report is to be provided to the Government by 31 December 2018.

Scott Morrison
Treasurer

[Received 7 March 2018]

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