Background The Intergovernmental Agreement on Implementing Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin (IGA) is an undertaking by the Australian Government and the Murray–Darling Basin state governments to build on existing achievements by implementing water reforms that further improve the Basin’s health and secure a future for its communities. Part 7 of the IGA commits the Australian Government to providing financial support to the states via the National Partnership Agreement on Implementing Water Reform in the Basin (NPA). Each Basin state has committed to implementing the NPA in accordance with milestones set out in Schedule A to the NPA, and reporting on milestone progress through an annual Statement of Assurance. Assessor’s role Using the Statements of Assurance and any supporting documentation provided by each participating Basin state, the Assessor is required to evaluate jurisdictional performance against milestones in Schedule A to the NPA (see Appendix 1), as described in Part 4 of the NPA. This Assessor’s report provides advice to the Australian Government minister with portfolio responsibility for water in relation to Basin state performance against milestones set out in Schedule A, the extent to which the milestones have been met and, where the state has not met or partially met a performance milestone, any steps and activities that it took to meet the milestone. The minister will decide whether payment should be made to a Basin state under the NPA. The National Commission was initially tasked with the Assessor’s role and completed the required assessments in 2013 and 2014. The National Water Commission (Abolition) Act 2015 abolished the National Water Commission in June 2015. The Assessor’s role has transferred to the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources. This is the second report by the department. Assessment scope This assessment is limited to the actions listed in Schedule A of the NPA. It addresses milestone progress made by the Basin states during the assessment period from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016. Assessment approach Each state was required to provide a Statement of Assurance to the department. The information provided in the Statements of Assurance and publicly available material was compared with milestones in Schedule A. In conducting this assessment, the department consulted with Australian Government agencies, including the Commonwealth Environmental Office (CEWO) and the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA). Basin states were given an opportunity to comment and provide feedback before the assessment was finalised.
Background The Intergovernmental Agreement on Implementing Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin (IGA) is an undertaking by the Australian Government and the Murray–Darling Basin state governments to build on existing achievements by implementing water reforms that further improve the Basin’s health and secure a future for its communities. Part 7 of the IGA commits the Australian Government to providing financial support to the states via the National Partnership Agreement on Implementing Water Reform in the Basin (NPA). Each Basin state has committed to implementing the NPA in accordance with milestones set out in Schedule A to the NPA, and reporting on milestone progress through an annual Statement of Assurance. Assessor’s role Using the Statements of Assurance and any supporting documentation provided by each participating Basin state, the Assessor is required to evaluate jurisdictional performance against milestones in Schedule A to the NPA (see Appendix 1), as described in Part 4 of the NPA. This Assessor’s report provides advice to the Australian Government minister with portfolio responsibility for water in relation to Basin state performance against milestones set out in Schedule A, the extent to which the milestones have been met and, where the state has not met or partially met a performance milestone, any steps and activities that it took to meet the milestone. The minister will decide whether payment should be made to a Basin state under the NPA. The National Commission was initially tasked with the Assessor’s role and completed the required assessments in 2013 and 2014. The National Water Commission (Abolition) Act 2015 abolished the National Water Commission in June 2015. The Assessor’s role has transferred to the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources. This is the second report by the department. Assessment scope This assessment is limited to the actions listed in Schedule A of the NPA. It addresses milestone progress made by the Basin states during the assessment period from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016. Assessment approach Each state was required to provide a Statement of Assurance to the department. The information provided in the Statements of Assurance and publicly available material was compared with milestones in Schedule A. In conducting this assessment, the department consulted with Australian Government agencies, including the Commonwealth Environmental Office (CEWO) and the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA). Basin states were given an opportunity to comment and provide feedback before the assessment was finalised.
npa-murray-darling-basin-2015-16-report.docx