The Basin Plan and Australia's National Water Reform Journey

When it comes to Australian water reform few issues loom larger than the management of the Murray-Darling Basin. It has taken more than a century of protracted negotiation and compromise to finally emerge with the Murray-Darling Basin Plan which was formalised in November 2012. Now, the National Water Commission – the body responsible for auditing the Plan’s implementation – will start providing independent oversight of progress.

The National Water Commission sees the Basin Plan as a step-change in the governance and management of water resources in Australia’s largest and most important river system. The Basin Plan aims to deliver on the vision articulated in the National Water Initiative (NWI) by restoring the Basin’s rivers and groundwater resources to health and supporting strong communities and resilient industries.