National water accounting is generally providing practical, credible and reliable information. In 2015 the Centre for International Economics assessed the annual benefits from the BOM’s existing water information products as being worth between $67 million and $287 million (BOM, sub. 5) (the report is not publicly available). The Improving Water BOM’s noted benefits identified by users included Information Programme Progress Report ‘key better investment decisions, risk management and operational decisionmaking, and consistency across p. 26). regions’ (2016a, The performance audit of the effectiveness of implementation of the IWIP ANAO’s BOM’s concluded that not complete, the current suite of water information ‘although Bureau’s products and services provide governments with important data to inform better policy decisions in relation to water services and infrastructure (2014, p. 24). Based on investment’ 56 stakeholder responses, the report also noted that general, stakeholders have indicated ‘in a positive view of the Improving Water Information but that have Program’ ‘Stakeholders also suggested a need to increase the coverage and quality of products and services available’ (2014, p. 24). The full effects of recent reforms to streamline information collection are yet to play out. For example, the National Council (sub. 13, p. 11) noted it continue to Irrigators’ ‘will monitor progress on actions and recommendations from the interagency report’. Environmental water accounting Under the NWI, parties agreed to develop and implement a register of new and existing environmental water, along with annual reporting. Progress to date Environmental water managers in the MurrayDarling Basin and southern Victoria that is, — the Commonwealth Environment Water Holder, the VEWH, the MDBA (on behalf of The Living Murray program) and New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage all — maintain publicly available records of their environmental water holdings. They also report annually on the total volume of water delivered under these entitlements. States and Territories generally report on environmental water provided through planned (rulesbased) arrangements as part of periodic reporting on water plans and / or state water accounts — however, the degree of detail varies across jurisdictions (NWC 2014c). Developments since 2014 There have been no major changes to environmental water accounting arrangements since the 2014 assessment.
National water accounting is generally providing practical, credible and reliable information. In 2015 the Centre for International Economics assessed the annual benefits from the BOM’s existing water information products as being worth between $67 million and $287 million (BOM, sub. 5) (the report is not publicly available). The BOM’s Improving Water Information Programme Progress Report noted ‘key benefits identified by users included better investment decisions, risk management and operational decisionmaking, and consistency across regions’ (2016a, p. 26). The ANAO’s performance audit of the effectiveness of BOM’s implementation of the IWIP concluded that ‘although not complete, the Bureau’s current suite of water information products and services provide governments with important data to inform better policy decisions in relation to water services and infrastructure investment’ (2014, p. 24). Based on 56 stakeholder responses, the report also noted that ‘in general, stakeholders have indicated a positive view of the Improving Water Information Program’ but that ‘Stakeholders have also suggested a need to increase the coverage and quality of products and services available’ (2014, p. 24). The full effects of recent reforms to streamline information collection are yet to play out. For example, the National Irrigators’ Council (sub. 13, p. 11) noted it ‘will continue to monitor progress on actions and recommendations from the interagency report’. Environmental water accounting Under the NWI, parties agreed to develop and implement a register of new and existing environmental water, along with annual reporting. Progress to date Environmental water managers in the MurrayDarling Basin and southern Victoria — that is, the Commonwealth Environment Water Holder, the VEWH, the MDBA (on behalf of The Living Murray program) and New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage — all maintain publicly available records of their environmental water holdings. They also report annually on the total volume of water delivered under these entitlements. States and Territories generally report on environmental water provided through planned (rulesbased) arrangements as part of periodic reporting on water plans and / or state water accounts — however, the degree of detail varies across jurisdictions (NWC 2014c). Developments since 2014 There have been no major changes to environmental water accounting arrangements since the 2014 assessment.