nwc presentation to acedp river health and e flows 23 nov 2009
TRANSCRIPT
Water Reform in Australia
23 November 2009
Outline1. The NWC
2. The NWI
NORTHERN TERRITORY
QUEENSLAND
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
NEW SOUTH WALES
VICTORIA A.C.T AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
TASMANIA MURRAY-DARLING BASIN
Water is mainly a State responsibility
Transboundary issues–especially in the Murray-Darling Basin
Federal Government involved in coordination, funding, and MDB planning
A Federal System
Source: WA Water Corporation.
Annual inflows to Perth Dams
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
19
11
19
13
19
15
19
17
19
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25
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01
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07
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09
To
tal A
nn
ua
l* In
flo
w t
o P
ert
h D
am
s**
(G
L)
Annual Total
1911-1974 av (338 GL)
1975 - 1996 av (177 GL)
2001-08 av (81.8 GL)
Notes: - A year is taken as May to April
- 2009/10 inflow to 21st October 2009
2009
(124.1 GL)
The National Water Commission –
Roles1. Advance the COAG National Water
Initiative
2. Advise on, and administer, the
Australian Government Water Fund
Drive National Water Reform
Australia‟s Reform Process
Commenced in 1994
- COAG Water Reform Framework
Renewed in 2004 with new 10 year COAG commitment
- National Water Initiative (NWI)
Objective:
“A nationally-compatible market, regulatory and planning
based system of managing surface and groundwater
resources for rural and urban use that optimises
economic, social and environmental outcomes”
The National Water Initiative Define tradeable water entitlements
Require compatible registers of water entitlements and
standards for water accounting
Reduce barriers to interstate water trade
Assign risks of changes in water availability
Prepare water plans with provision for the environment
Improve pricing for water storage and delivery
Deal with over-allocated or stressed water systems
Deal with interceptions of water flows
Meet / manage urban water demand
The National Water Initiative (NWI)
Water Planning
Water RegulationWater Markets
Some Key Elements of Reform
Institutional
• separation of policy, service provider and regulator
• corporatising the provision of water services
― high level of transparency, accountability, benchmarking
performance
• devolution of responsibility to lowest possible level
Pricing
• volumetric, full cost recovery
Some key elements of reform (cont)
Entitlements and planning
- clear entitlements including statutory provision for
environment
- transparent statutory based planning
Markets
- separation of water access entitlements from land
- opening up water trading
Progress... Most states now have NWI consistent legislation and
planning processes
New Commonwealth Water Act and new governance
arrangements for the Murray-Darling Basin
Federal government investment – e.g. AU$12.9 billion
„Water for the Future‟ program
Water trading playing a key role in risk management, response to
drought and autonomous adjustment
Water is being recovered for the environment, including through
purchase on the market
Progress...
Urban water supply augmentation recognising the need for a
less climate dependent portfolio (e.g. desalination, recycling)
Consumption-based pricing achieved in both rural and urban
systems
Independent economic regulation promoting transparency &
rigour in price setting in most jurisdictions
Water availability assessments under different climate change
scenarios
Environmental flow Science + monitoring, reporting of
outcomes = adaptive management
Identify environmental assets
Ensure water sharing plans meet
environmental asset watering needs
Ensure security of environmental
water entitlements
Climate change – Resilience theory
Environmental water managers –
funding, skills, best practice, access
to data and science
River and Wetland Health FARWH: Framework for the Assessment of
River and Wetland Health
Overarching framework allowing existing
jurisdictional programs to report nationally
Can be applied within and across jurisdictions
Six elements to assess River & Wetland
Health1. Hydrologic disturbance
2. Water quality and soils
3. Aquatic biota
4. Fringing zone
5. Physical form
6. Catchment disturbance
Biota
Habitat
Catchment
New institutional roles
Bureau of Meteorology (water data and accounting)
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (water
market and charging rules)
New Murray-Darling Basin Authority (stronger role in Basin
planning)
Urban water reform (eg Queensland Water Commission, water
grid)
More information
ww.nwc.gov.au
www.water.gov.au