The Murray–Darling Basin Plan
The Australian Government wants to consider all innovative ideas to deliver the Murray–Darling Basin Plan in full.
The Basin Plan sets the amount of water that can be taken from rivers for industry, agriculture, and community use, while leaving enough to restore and maintain a healthy environment and river system. In the face of an increasingly harsh climate, full delivery of the Basin Plan is more important than ever.
The Basin Plan includes two different water recovery targets; one that bridges the gap between historic overuse and a sustainable level of use, and one that enhances environmental outcomes. Efforts to return water for the environment are behind schedule and may result in shortfalls.
Seeking your ideas
The Australian Government has heard that you have ideas to help deliver the Basin Plan. This consultation provides the opportunity to formally contribute ideas to delivering the Basin Plan’s 450GL water recovery target and to supplement estimated shortfalls in gap bridging water efficiency projects.
With key deadlines for the implementation of the Basin Plan rapidly approaching, it is important that ideas are captured in time to support future decisions by Basin Governments.
What will happen next
At the conclusion of the consultation, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) will publish public submissions on our website, subject to your agreed privacy and data requirements, and produce a summary report of consultation outcomes to share what we heard.
The Australian Government will then review ideas submitted in this consultation on their ability to:
contribute towards the water recovery targets or achieve Basin Plan flow targets more efficiently
secure value for money
provide enduring environmental outcomes
minimise socio-economic impacts
provide other co-benefits (economic, social, environmental, cultural)
be supported and implemented effectively by Basin state and territory governments.
Viable submissions will be further considered by the Minister and for future program and policy development.
How to have your say
You can share your idea/s for how we could better use and manage our water, as well as any barriers or challenges to delivering your ideas, by completing the survey questions or uploading a written submission.
A public webinar was held on 20 June to provide an interactive opportunity for community members to ask questions prior to providing a submission.
By participating in this consultation, you acknowledge that:
this submission process is not seeking commercial proposals or seeking offers for water purchasing
no funding will be awarded on the basis of involvement in this consultation
DCCEEW may contact you for further information about your idea or other activities related to delivering the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, but reserves the right not to progress any ideas submitted through this consultation
DCCEEW reserves the right to share your idea with consultants or other government bodies
DCCEEW will share a summary of what was heard during the consultation back with you.
