The Albanese Government has welcomed findings of the independent Water for the Environment Special Account (WESA) report which confirms the Murray-Darling Basin Plan is back on track.
The Third Review of WESA:
- Assessed progress towards increasing the volume of water available for environmental use in the Murray Darling Basin by 450 gigalitres (GL) per year.
- Considered whether there was enough funding to achieve water recovery and deliver constraints relaxation, and
- Assessed the effectiveness of financial support available to communities affected by the recovery of the 450 GL.
The review found that despite being hampered by a decade of inaction under the former Coalition Government, current water recovery programs have the potential to recover all or most of the 450 GL target by the end of 2027, if given appropriate support. The review also found the Sustainable Communities Program has the potential to offset some impacts in those communities that receive adjustment assistance, but it was too early to assess the effectiveness of the program's outcomes.
Two previous independent reports, published in 2020 and 2021, found that progress towards the 450 GL target was slow and delivery was not achievable under the original timeframes and recovery options.
Minister for the Environment and Water, Murray Watt said while there was clearly more to do, the review signalled significant progress had been made in pursuing environmental gains for the Basin since the last review.
"The legislative and policy changes we have introduced since 2023 have given us the flexibility and tools to achieve real progress on the Basin Plan," Minister Watt said.
"The third review is clear on the challenges we face too.
"It noted that delivering all of the constraints relaxation measures by the timeline we have set for them would be difficult, and that those projects would benefit from different delivery approaches and more time to realise the benefits they promise.
"The independent panel that completed this review also produced the first two reports, so they offer valuable insights on the progress that has been made over half a decade to put environmental water to its best use in the Basin.
"Upcoming reviews of the Basin Plan and the Water Act next year will be important opportunities to take stock of what's working, and the latest WESA report will feed into that process.
"We will continue to work closely with Basin states and local communities to ensure our recovery programs deliver real benefits for the environment."
The Government will consider the panel's findings and table a formal response in due course.
