The Murray-Darling Basin remains one of Australia’s most heavily scrutinised and politically charged landscapes.
At the centre of this work is the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) and its Chief Executive, Andrew McConville, who has spent the past three and a half years guiding the MDBA through its next major phase, in which long-term policy must align with practical delivery in an increasingly variable climate.
McConville’s approach rests on a simple principle – everything the MDBA undertakes must be shaped by the idea of creating rivers for generations.
The phrase flows throughout his reasoning and has become central to how he frames the future of Murray–Darling Basin management. It also informs how he describes the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
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How is the MDBA approaching the next phase of Basin governance
McConville said the MDBA’s work sits across two major responsibilities. One is the implementation of the Basin Plan. The other is operating the river system, which becomes especially demanding during the irrigation season.
“We are making sure that we get water in the right places at the right time,” he said.
This is occurring while the MDBA prepares the foundations for the Basin Plan Review due in 2026. The organisation is finalising inputs, including the Sustainable Rivers Audit, Basin Plan Evaluation findings and the updated Sustainable Yields study and Basin Outlook. These key lines of evidence will help shape the discussion paper that opens the consultation period.
How is the MDBA confronting environmental and agricultural tensions
The Basin faces competing needs, as environmental flows, irrigation, communities, and industry all depend on the same limited resource. McConville said acknowledging this reality is the first step.
“You have competing needs for what is a scarce resource. Water is a scarce resource, particularly in Australia.”
He believes environmental and agricultural needs are not incompatible, and they must be managed together to support river health and a productive economy.
“If we do not have a healthy river system, we cannot have a productive agricultural economy.”
Through the MDBA, working with the Commonwealth and state governments, more than 2,100 gigalitres of water have been recovered from consumptive use for the environment, and McConville said communities want to know this water is being used effectively.
He said the future must focus on extracting maximum value from environmental water rather than assuming recovery alone will deliver outcomes.
The upcoming discussion paper will outline opportunities to refine how the Basin uses existing water, how ecological needs are assessed and how operational rules can adapt as knowledge improves.
How is the MDBA working with communities across such a large geography
With more than 150 councils and vast catchments, the MDBA relies on strong partnerships with organisations across the Basin. McConville points to groups including the Murray Darling Association, RAMJO, irrigator bodies such as the National Irrigators Council, and key environmental organisations.
“We cannot get everywhere to talk to everyone, so we need to make sure we use those groups well,” he said.
The Basin Plan and Water Act already contain extensive reporting and accountability frameworks. McConville said the challenge is not the absence of transparency tools, but their complexity.
He believes the system must simplify reporting, particularly where reporting obligations have grown into more than one hundred separate requirements. He argues that clarity builds more trust than volume. Beyond formal structures, he has adopted a hands-on, or rather, feet-on approach to engagement.
“I am a big fan of what I call ‘shoe leather engagement’. Get out, burn the shoe leather and be out there,” he said.
He said repeated visits build credibility. People become more open when they see consistency over time.
The MDBA has expanded mechanisms, including leadership summits, youth forums, and regional officers, to improve how communities provide input and how the organisation responds.
It has also adapted to recent reforms that have increased the obligations to include First Nations cultural values and knowledge in water policy.
“We have invested heavily in engagement. We are shifting to a more inclusive approach,” he said.
Nation gatherings have brought together more than 50 nations over the past year. The MDBA has also created a First Nations leadership group and a First Nations science team within its broader science program. These steps aim to integrate cultural science with Western hydrology at the Basin scale, a challenge McConville acknowledged as essential.
How is climate variability changing the MDBA’s long-term planning
Climate change is intensifying variability in rainfall, temperature and inflows, and McConville said the MDBA is now far better equipped to deal with it than when the Basin Plan was first established.
Part of that is being able to draw on 12 years of data reflecting Basin Plan implementation to provide a more accurate view of how environmental water behaves and how systems respond.
He highlighted the MDBA’s investment in improved modelling, including a $66 million integrated river modelling uplift program that allows river models across the Basin to interact.
“We use about three million observations a day to make planning and operational decisions,” he said.
McConville said modelling will always involve uncertainty, but transparency in decision-making builds trust.
What leadership approach guides the MDBA through this complexity
McConville describes his leadership approach as grounded in honesty, consistency, and a strong, purpose-driven culture. He said the MDBA must be a values-led organisation that remains focused on rivers for generations.
“Just keep turning up and being prepared to engage. There are no right answers in this space,” he said.
He encourages staff to take thoughtful risks, learn from mistakes and innovate. With more than 100 PhDs in the organisation, he sees his role as setting direction rather than directing technical work. He said creativity and adaptability are essential for navigating climate uncertainty and policy reform.
What does success look like for the Basin in the next decade
McConville hopes to see a Basin where river health and agricultural productivity reinforce one another. He wants communities to feel they have had a genuine say, even if they do not agree with every decision. He hopes for a Basin Plan that contains more adaptable tools and fewer political pressures.
He would like to see a time when policy settings are stable enough that water no longer dominates public debate.
“I would love it if people almost said there is nothing to see here,” he said.
For him, this stability would allow innovation, investment, and long-term environmental recovery. The Basin must support rivers for generations, and the decisions made today must create the conditions for a healthier, more resilient Basin.
For more information, visit mdba.gov.au