CANBERRA, ACT, July 21 -- Murray-Darling Basin Authority issued the following news release:
The meeting covered an extensive agenda heading into a busy period of publishing, end of year reporting and the release of the Basin Plan Evaluation and Sustainable Rivers Audit.
Members were updated on the Joint Programs 2025-26 work plan and budget, currently with Ministerial Council for approval. The work plan and budget provide funding for the MDBA to manage the River Murray's water management infrastructure, operate the river and deliver a range of long-term natural resource programs required under the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement.
Members were also informed on the work being undertaken to minimise risks of a potential piping failure and repair the structural integrity of the Koondrook-Perricoota inlet regulator, located on the Murray River south-west of Deniliquin. Works include the installation of a temporary coffer dam upstream of the regulator which will preserve the function of the Torrumbarry Weir pool until the inlet regulator can be fixed permanently. The coffer dam is expected to be in place within the next six to seven months.
A regular update on the progress of the 2026 Basin Plan Review was provided and members agreed on key directions for developing the Basin Plan Review Discussion Paper which includes consultation with the Basin states, Basin Officials Committee and the Basin Community Committee. Several key policy positions were discussed.
The Authority also discussed the 2025 Review of the Environmental Watering Plan and agreed for it to be released in early 2026 alongside the Basin Plan Review Discussion Paper.
The Chair of the Advisory Committee on Social, Economic and Environmental Sciences (ACSEES) provided an update from their June meeting in which three new ACSEES members were present: Regional Economist Dr Robert Gillespie, and First Nations members Prof Troy Meston and Dr Lynette Liddle. The Authority welcomed ACSEES's interest to engage with the Sustainable Yields Report, a line of evidence that will inform the Murray Darling Basin Outlook planned for release at the end of the year.
It was agreed to publish the Sustainable Diversion Limits (SDLs) and Baseline Diversion Limits (BDLs) for the 2024-25 water year. Basin states apply these to their compliance self-assessments and submit them to the MDBA to develop the registers of take which are provided to the Inspector General of Water Compliance.
Members also agreed to publish the updated Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism register of measures on the MDBA website.
Members noted that the MDBA will continue to work with New South Wales on the accounting arrangements where a Water Resource Plan (WRP) for the past water year was not accredited.
The Authority agreed on an extended timeframe for Victoria to update their Long Term Watering Plans (LTWP) by June 2026 which is within the five year requirement and will allow time for the state to align their plans with the 2025 Basin Watering Strategy published in June 2025.
The Authority received an update from Dr Kirsten Shelly, Deputy Secretary Water and Catchments in the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action and discussed progress on the Basin Plan Review and the importance of ongoing engagement with the states, the current state of joint program budgets and progress being made on constraints management and Victoria's SDLAM projects implementation.
Members were provided with several updates from the Executive including arrangements for the MDBA's fifth annual water conference River Reflections which will be held in Murray Bridge on 29 and 30 July and progress on finalising the 2025-26 MDBA Corporate Plan which will be published before the end of August 2025.
Mr Daryl Quinlivan (Chair)
Mr Andrew McConville (Chief Executive)
Ms Allison Mudford
Ms Belinda Duarte AM
Dr Jane Doolan
Mr Rene Woods
Ms Roseanne Healy
Professor Stuart Bunn
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
