$180 million Northern Basin program has inquiry launched

The Inspector-General of Water Compliance (Inspector-General), the Hon. Troy Grant, has announced the launch of an inquiry, the first to be undertaken by the Inspector-General, into the Northern Basin Toolkit (the Toolkit), a significant government program aimed at improving the health of the Murray-Darling Basin.

The Inspector-General of Water Compliance (Inspector-General), the Hon. Troy Grant, has announced the launch of an inquiry, the first to be undertaken by the Inspector-General, into the Northern Basin Toolkit (the Toolkit), a significant government program aimed at improving the health of the Murray-Darling Basin.

The Toolkit, a package of policy and infrastructure measures, resulted from a review of the northern Basin undertaken by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) from 2012 to 2016. Following this review, the MDBA recommended to the Government that the water recovery target for the northern Basin could be reduced by 70 gigalitres (GL), provided the Australian, New South Wales, and Queensland governments agree to implement several toolkit measures designed to improve water management.

The Australian Government allocated up to $180 million to implement the Toolkit measures.

While the adjustment to the recovery target was passed into law in 2018, little substantive progress has been made in the last six years in implementing several of the Toolkit measures, particularly those involving critical infrastructure works.

“Everyone will remember the 2019 fish death events in the lower Darling. One of the recommendations from an independent review of these events was that the respective governments should set an aggressive timeline for delivering the Toolkit measures. That recommendation was put to the Government in early 2019,” said Grant.

The original deadline for completing the Toolkit implementation was June 2024. In August 2023, this deadline was extended to 31 December 2026.

“It appears significant issues are delaying or preventing the implementation of some Toolkit measures, partly driven by the lack of accountability for implementing this program,” said Grant. “The integrity of the Basin’s water resources management is paramount. This inquiry will seek to support parties in upholding their commitments and providing the community with accountability.

“Through this inquiry, I will provide a transparent and thorough examination of the current status of the implementation of the Toolkit. We must address the delays and lack of accountability that may jeopardise the future of the Basin. This inquiry is a call to action for all involved to fulfil their commitments. Without pre-empting what this inquiry might find, lessons will likely be learned that all governments in the Basin can apply,” Grant said.

The Inspector-General is seeking input from stakeholders, particularly those directly involved in the Toolkit. This is an opportunity for interested parties to have their say.

Submissions are now open until 29 November 2024 and can be made via the Inspector-General’s dedicated inquiry website: inquiry.igwc.gov.au.

The IGWC anticipates having its report ready for the Australian Government in mid-2025.

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