Australia’s largest river system is in an unacceptably distressed state, with water being extracted for irrigation at unsustainable rates at the expense of river communities, wetlands, and ecosystems, according to a major new submission to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan Review.
The Murray Darling Conservation Alliance submission (available here) shows how despite more than a decade of intervention and billions of dollars spent, the Basin Plan is failing to meet its core objectives and is not compatible with achieving the objectives of the Water Act.
The submission also highlights systemic governance failures, including reliance on opaque “black box” modelling and inconsistent state reporting, which undermine confidence in how water is managed.
Key findings from the submission
– Over-extraction is still occurring, with current water use exceeding sustainable limits
– Only 4% of wetlands are receiving the water they need to stay healthy
– Climate change has not been properly factored into water rules, despite projections of a hotter, drier future
– There is no reliable Basin-wide data on water extraction, raising serious transparency concerns
– Floodplain harvesting remains poorly measured, leaving major gaps in understanding water use
Craig Wilkins, Co-National Director, Murray Darling Conservation Alliance said: “Despite billions of dollars and a decade of intervention, the Murray Darling Basin Plan is not delivering what was promised.”
“The warning signs couldn’t be clearer – the recent listing of the Lower Murray as Critically Endangered, toxic algal blooms, mass fish kills and declining native species all indicate a system under severe stress.”
“With climate change starting to bite, doing all we can to protect the health of the Basin is more important than ever. It is essential we seize this generational opportunity to turn the Basin Plan around and make sure it delivers for communities and for the river”.
“More than three million Australians rely on the Basin for drinking water, and regional economies, tourism and agriculture depend on a healthy river system.”
“First Nations communities continue to be excluded from water ownership and decision-making, with less than 0.2% of water entitlements across the Basin currently held by Traditional Owners.”
“The Basin Plan Review is a critical opportunity to reset how water is managed in Australia,” says Wilkins .
Key recommendations from the submission
– Return more water to the environment
– Embed climate change into all water planning
– Improve transparency and water accounting
– Deliver water justice for First Nations
– Invest in regional communities to adapt to a drier future
The Murray-Darling Conservation Alliance is a national voice for the rivers, wetlands and wildlife of the Murray-Darling Basin. Members of the Alliance, which was formed in 2022, include peak bodies in every Basin state, representing half a million people in rural communities and east-coast cities.
The submission is available here