Inquiry into $180m northern basin program
The Inspector-General of Water Compliance (Inspector-General) Troy Grant has announced an inquiry into the Northern Basin Toolkit, a multi-million-dollar government program aimed at improving the health of the Murray-Darling Basin.
The Toolkit, a package of policy and infrastructure measures was recommended after a review of the northern basin by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority from 2012 to 2016.
The MDBA recommended that the water recovery target for the northern Basin be reduced by 70 gigalitres, provided the Australian, NSW and Queensland governments agreed to implement several measures designed to improve water management.
The Australian government allocated up to $180 million for these ‘Toolkit’ measures.
While the adjusted recovery target became law in 2018, the Inspector General Troy Grant alleges there has been little progress in the last six years on implementing some of the Toolkit measures, especially those involving critical infrastructure works.
“One of the recommendations from an independent review of the fish deaths in the Lower Darling in 2019 was that the relevant governments should set an aggressive timeline for the delivery of the Toolkit measures, Mr Grant said.
The original deadline for the completion of Toolkit implementation was June 2024. In August 2023, this deadline was extended to 31 December 2026.
Mr Grant said there are significant issues delaying or preventing the implementation of some Toolkit measures, in part driven by the lack of accountability for implementing this program.
“The integrity of the Basin’s water resources management is paramount, and this inquiry seeks to support parties to uphold their commitments and provide the community with accountability,” he said.
“Through this inquiry, I will provide a transparent and thorough examination of the status of the implementation of the Toolkit.”
In a statement issued to the media, Mr Grant said that he wanted to address the delays and lack of accountability that may jeopardise the future of the Basin.
“This inquiry is a call to action for all involved to fulfill their commitments,” he said. […]
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