View the report as separate downloadable parts:
Members
Abbreviations
List of Recommendations
Executive Summary
Chapter 1—Introduction
Referral and conduct of the inquiry
Structure and scope of report
Acknowledgements
Note on references
Terminology
Background information on the Basin Plan
Chapter 2—Governance and the complexities of federalism and water management
Division of powers between the Commonwealth and the states
The impact of current arrangements on clarity and accountability
Communities feel over-consulted, under-heard, and disappointed with government responses
Class action in the NSW Supreme Court
Calls for a national integrity commission and a Commonwealth royal commission
Constitution Alteration (Water Resources) 2019
Opposition to constitutional changes
Alternative proposals for reform
Committee view and recommendations
Chapter 3—Scrutiny in a multijurisdictional setting
South Australia's Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission water markets inquiry
Limitations of parliamentary committees
Initial state opposition to water-sharing review
Experience of the Productivity Commission
Calls to reinstate the National Water Commission
Committee view and recommendations
Chapter 4—Transparency
Complexity of the legislative, policy and institutional landscape
Community comprehension
Information dispersal
Technological and other constraints
Water accounts and registers
Calls for a water audit
Water models
Water years
Transparency of water deliberations and decisions
Initiatives to improve information and transparency in the basin
Committee view and recommendations
Chapter 5—Compliance and enforcement
Metering and compliance across basin jurisdictions
Standard of metering required
Reporting water use
Burden of metering costs
Number of agencies involved and differences in compliance activities undertaken
Differences in water accounting and related inconsistencies in 'compliant' use
Understanding compliance obligations
Proving illegal water take
Penalising illegal water take
Support for increasing uniformity
Financial incentivisation to ensure states meet their obligations
Compliance roles and responsibilities
Role of the Inspector-General
Legislation for the Inspector-General role
What powers should the Inspector-General have?
Initiatives to improve compliance
Committee view and recommendations
Chapter 6—Environmental watering
Current environmental watering arrangements
Complexity of watering arrangements
Communicating clear objectives and outcomes
Adequacy of environmental watering
Monitoring and evaluating outcomes of environmental watering decisions
Complementary measures
Watering in a drying climate
Committee view and recommendations
Chapter 7—Indigenous Basin Communities
Significance of water to Indigenous Australians
Right to sustain culture
Adequacy of consultation during plan implementation
Inconsistent approaches to WRPs
Cultural flows
Environmental watering issues relating to Indigenous communities
Opportunities to strengthen involvement in water management
Investment in Indigenous communities
Committee view and recommendations
Chapter 8—SDLAM
Background information on the SDLAM
Delays to projects
Net impact of SDLAM projects
Ability to deliver environmentally equivalent outcomes
Buybacks
Committee view and recommendations
Chapter 9—Strategic planning and variations in climate
National strategy for water use and food security
Unsustainable permanent plantings
Floodplain harvesting
Suggestions to enhance climate resilience
Work underway to address the challenges arising from variations in climate
Committee view and recommendations
Australian Labor Party Senators' Additional Comments
Introduction
Concerns regarding transparency and accountability in water markets
Concerns regarding engagement with First Nations communities
Concerns regarding delivery of the Basin Plan
Conclusion
Dissenting Report by Senator Rex Patrick
BOLD CHANGE REQUIRED TO AVOID AUSTRALIA’S OWN ARAL SEA
The Nationals Senators' Additional Comments
Part 1: Introduction
List of recommendations
Part 2: Close the feedback loop
Part 3: Focus on outcomes
Part 4: Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism
Part 5: SDL Compliance
Part 6: Conclusion
Australian Greens Senators' Dissenting Report
Recommendations
Appendix 1—Submissions
Appendix 2—Public hearings and witnesses
Appendix 3—Additional Documents
Appendix 4—Submissions to the Constitution Alteration (Water Resources) 2019 Inquiry