The December report to the Murray-Darling Basin Authority shows the 13 water resource plans in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT catchments are now accredited and operational, and assessment of the 20 NSW plans are still progressing.
MDBA basin plan implementation executive director Tim Goodes said the MDBA was pulling out all stops to assess NSW plans and this would occur as efficiently as possible, but the process was challenging due to the volume of reports and scrutiny required.
“We must assess each plan against the 55 requirements in the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, which ensure water across the basin and within each catchment is shared fairly and in the national interest,” Mr Goodes said.
“We are assessing these plans methodically and working closely with NSW to achieve plans that are fit for purpose for the long-term health of communities and industries.
“This includes making sure planned environmental water is protected and water take is accounted for.
“We have provided open feedback every step of the way to ensure an efficient and transparent process.
It has resulted in the withdrawal of the proposed Lachlan River plan by NSW to bring the plan into line with basin plan requirements.
“This is not unusual — all water resource plans have required changes before they could be recommended to the Minister for Water for accreditation.”
Mr Goodes said the MDBA would continue to seek advice from Northern Basin Aboriginal Nations and Murray Lower Darling Rivers Indigenous Nations in relation to the ‘indigenous values and uses’ component of each plan, as it had done with all other plans.
The water resource plans for Wimmera–Mallee , Goulburn-Murray, Northern Victoria and Victorian Murray are 100 per cent completed.
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