LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendation 1 

5.9         The committee recommends that the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) publicly release a succinct, non‑technical explanation of the assumptions used to develop the 2750 gigalitres per year (GL/y) figure.

Recommendation 2 

5.10      The committee recommends that the MDBA consider modelling several alternative scenarios other than the 2750 GL/y. All relevant results (including the allocation of different water types) from any modelling must be publically released. The CSIRO must be commissioned to review the effectiveness of any scenario to reach the Water Act's required ecological outcomes. Finally, the socio-economic impacts of any scenario must be independently modelled and the results publicly released.

Recommendation 3 

5.11      The committee recommends that the MDBA publicly release a succinct, non-technical explanation of its climate change projections and the resulting effects to each Basin catchment's water harvesting potential.  This should also include considerations of forest interception of water in the modelling for the return of water to the Murray-Darling Basin system.

Recommendation 4 

5.14      The committee recommends that the Government commit immediate resources to addressing the information gaps in scientific knowledge in surface and ground water connectivity particularly in the Murray-Darling Basin.

Recommendation 5 

5.15      The committee recommends that the MDBA further articulate the reasoning for the changes in ground water SDLs that have occurred over the various iterations of the Basin Plan. This should include details of all individual resource units and the aggregate for the Basin.

Recommendation 6 

5.19      The committee recommends that the MDBA clearly and publicly explain whether the 2750 GL/y target, and any subsequently modelled targets, meet the water requirements of key environmental assets and key ecosystem functions which are set out in the Basin Plan and required by the Water Act 2007 and to what extent they are met.

Recommendation 7 

5.24      The committee recommends that the MDBA clearly and publicly explain the socio-economic impacts of the 2750 GL/y target and any subsequently modelled targets.

Recommendation 8 

5.25      The committee recommends that when the final Basin Plan is being implemented that the Government introduce support programs for Basin communities that are disproportionately affect by reduced water entitlements.

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