Leading environmental and water lawyer Dr Emma Carmody has been appointed the new Commissioner for the River Murray in South Australia – bringing her wealth of knowledge to the role and becoming a strong advocate for SA on the national stage.
Dr Carmody is highly regarded as an expert on the environmental challenges facing the Murray-Darling Basin and the legal frameworks governing water use within it.
Her appointment will be crucial for the upcoming reviews of the Basin Plan and Commonwealth Water Act 2007 – helping to engage with key stakeholders across the basin and providing independent advice to the State Government.
The Malinauskas Government established the role of Commissioner to deliver a key election commitment and as a vital step toward restoring the health of the River Murray, Lower Lakes and Coorong.
Dr Carmody replaces inaugural Commissioner Richard Beasley SC, who stood up for South Australia's interests for full Basin Plan delivery at the national level.
Mr Beasley's tireless advocacy helped secure the passage of the Water Amendment (Restoring our River) Bill 2023 – which delivered more time and more options to recover the final 450 gigalitres of water negotiated by South Australia under the Plan.
Dr Carmody also played an important role in shaping these legislative amendments and, as the new Commissioner, will continue to push for full implementation of the Plan.
The Commonwealth is aiming to recover over 400 of the 450GL target by the end of 2026, following a recent expansion of the voluntary water purchase program.
A former resident of Adelaide who worked as a consultant in two State Government agencies, Dr Carmody is currently based in Sydney – enabling her to be an effective advocate for SA in the 'Basin battleground' of New South Wales.
She has a long history of advising international organisations, First Nations, farmers, conservation groups and community groups in Australia and globally.
Dr Carmody spent more than a decade working for the Environmental Defenders Office, is currently a fellow of the Peter Cullen Water and Environment Trust and is a former member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists.
Between 2017-2022, Dr Carmody served as the sole Legal Advisor to the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention Wetlands, a position which required her to advise on complex multilateral negotiations between nation states.
Her work will build on the significant progress made by Mr Beasley, who was appointed to the NSW Land and Environment Court earlier this year.
Under the previous Liberal National Government, only 2GL of the 450GL water target was delivered in a decade.
As put by Lucy Hood
Dr Carmody's work is renowned on the national stage and she will be a powerful advocate in our ongoing efforts to restore the health of the Basin.
Her extensive background in water law and governance, environmental expertise and location will help ensure upstream states take notice that we are serious about securing the full delivery of the Basin Plan.
I acknowledge and thank Mr Beasley for his tireless efforts as inaugural Commissioner and what he has achieved for our state.
A healthy, flowing Murray is critical to our environment, economy, culture and community.
As put by new SA Commissioner for the River Murray, Dr Emma Carmody
Having grown up in the southern Murray-Darling Basin, lived in Adelaide during the Millenium Drought, and spent much of my career advocating for the sustainable management of our largest river system, I am particularly honoured to have been appointed to the role of Commissioner of the River Murray.
I look forward to working with the many people and communities who care deeply about the river's health, particularly in the lead up to the statutory review of the Basin Plan.
As put by former SA Commissioner for the River Murray, Richard Beasley SC
As the former managing lawyer of the Environmental Defenders Office Freshwater program, the legal advisor to the secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, and a long-time advisor on water issues to farmers, First Nations Peoples and conservation groups, Dr Carmody has no peer in Australia as a water law and Basin Plan expert.
