Numbers

2020–21 priorities, 77

A

abbreviations, 142–143

Aboriginal people, see Indigenous people.

advertising and market research, 93

Advisory Committee on Social, Economic and Environmental Sciences (ACSEES), 83

agriculture industry in the Basin, 8, 9

annual report requirements, 144–146

asset management activities coordinated and overseen by MDBA, 46, 49

• Hume Dam and Reservoir, 47
• major unscheduled outages, 50
• Senator JS Collings trophy, 50
• significant incidents, 50

Audit Committee, 90–91 auditing (MDBA internal), 89

Auditor-General reports, 92

Australian Capital Territory

• and MDBA governance, 80–81
• water resource plans, 6, 26

Australian Government Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia, 12, 80, 81

B

Barmah–Millewa forests, 54, 70

Basin Community Committee (BCC)

• members, 84
• role, 65, 80, 81

Basin Officials Committee (BOC), 48, 80

Basin Salinity Management 2030 (BSM2030) Strategy, 42, 55–56, 57

Basin Science Platform, 73, 74

Basin states, 81, see also under each state.

• collaborations and interdependencies, 14
• compliance activities and reporting, 27, 37, 38
• and MDBA governance, 81–82
• ministers responsible for water, 81
• River Murray system management, 45
• roles and responsibilities, 13, 26
• water metering, 39, 40

Binning, Carl, 91, 102

Blyton, Annette, 87, 102

Bunn, Stuart, 82, 102, 103

bushfires

• challenges, 10
• impact on water quality, 44, 57, 58

business continuity (MDBA), 89

C

Cap on Diversions, 27, see also sustainable diversion limit (SDL).

case studies

• Audit reviews to check water metering in the Basin, 39
• Inspecting the assets—Senator JS Collings trophy, 50
• Living Murray Initiative case studies, 51
• Lower Lakes review shows how science informs water management, 71
• MDBA regionalisation program, 66
• Northern Basin Environmental Watering Group improves coordination of environmental water, 31, 32
• Salinity registers, 56
• Working with WaterNSW on Hume Dam, 47

Chief Executive review, 4–7

Chowilla Floodplain, 54

collaborations and interdependencies (MDBA), 14, 74, see also under Basin states.

Comcare claims (MDBA staff), 98–99

Comcover, 89

Commonwealth Environmental Water Office (CEWO), 14, 27, 32, 74, 77

Commonwealth Ombudsman, 92

Compliance and Enforcement Policy 2018–2021, 35

Compliance Independent Assurance Committee, 84

compliance with the Basin Plan, see Murray–Darling Basin Plan compliance (strategic goal 2).

Coorong, 54, 71

Corporate Strategy and Services Division, 85

COVID-19 challenges, 10, 28, 63, 96, 98

CREATE strategy, 15, 97

D

data collection and management, 73–76

Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, 13, 20, 26, 32, 33, 74

Derham, Peta, 91, 102

diversity (MDBA staff), 97

drought challenges, 10

E

ecological sustainability (MDBA), 93–94

Edward–Wakool river system, 70

employees, see staff (MDBA).

energy efficiency (MDBA), 95

environmental performance (MDBA), 95

environmental water, 13, 22, 33, 37

• compliance activities, 37
• Environmental Watering Group case study, 31, 32
• icon sites monitoring, 51–52
• northern Basin toolkit measures, 28, 29, 30–31, 33
• use in planning, 53–54, 58

executive remuneration (MDBA), 101–105

external scrutiny (MDBA), 92

F

Fair Work Act 2009 (Cwlth), 99

financial statements, 105–135

• asset management, 107–108
• auditor’s report, 109–110
• budget variances, 135
• financial management, 108
• financial position, 124–128
• managing uncertainties, 131–134
• people and relationships, 129–130
• performance, 106–107, 120–123

First Nations people, see Indigenous people.

First Nations people participation in environmental watering 2018–19 report, 72

fish populations, 8, 9

• Native Fish Recovery Strategy, 42, 59, 73–74

floodplain harvesting and compliance, 36, see also water metering and compliance.

fraud control (MDBA), 89

Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cwlth), 92

freedom of information requests, 92

G

glossary, 138–141

Glyde, Phillip (Chief Executive), 82, 85, 102

• Chief Executive review, 4–7

goals, see strategic goals.

Goodes, Tim, 86, 102

governance (MDBA), 80–87, see also management and accountability.

• Basin Officials Committee, 81
• committees, see governance committees core functions, 80
• Executive team, 86–87
• members of the Authority, 82–83
• ministers responsible for water, 81
• Murray–Darling Basin Ministerial Council, 81
• organisational structure and divisions, 84–85

governance committees Advisory Committee on Social, Economic and Environmental Sciences (ACSEES), 83

• Basin Community Committee, 65, 80, 81, 84
• Compliance Independent Assurance Committee, 84

government policy orders, 93

Graduate Development Program (MDBA staff), 96

Gunbower Forest, 54

Gwydir constraints project, 28, 29, 31

H

Hattah Lakes, 54

health and safety (MDBA staff), 98–99

Health and Safety Committee, 98–99

Hewitt, Joanna, 83, 102, 103

Hogan, Karen, 90 Hume Dam and Reservoir, 47

hydrodynamic models, 70–71

I

icon sites (Living Murray Initiative)

• conditions over time from 2007, 54
• defined, 51
• map, 52
• report cards and grades, 51–52
• use in planning, 53

ICT systems disaster recovery planning, 89

Information Management and Technology Committee (IMTC), 76

Independent Assurance Committee (IAC), 40

Independent River Operations Review Group (IRORG), 45–46, 48–49

Indigenous people

• First Nations people participation in environmental watering 2018–19 report, 72
• MDBA employee initiatives for, 97
• membership of MDBA, 70, 82
• partnerships with, 75
• Traditional Owners, I, 8
• water resource plans consultation, 25

Information Management and Technology Committee (IMTC), 76

Inspector-General for the Murray–Darling Basin Water Resources, see Interim-Inspector General for the Murray–Darling Basin Water Resources.

Inspector-General of Water Compliance (IGWC), 77, see also Interim-Inspector General for the Murray–Darling Basin Water Resources.

Intergovernmental Agreement on Implementing Water Reform (IGA), 28, 29

Interim-Inspector General for the Murray–Darling Basin, 4, 33

• Impact of lower inflows on state shares under the Murray–Darling Basin Agreement, 45, 64
• inquiry into Murray–Darling Basin water markets, 70
• Inspector-General of Water Compliance (IGWC), 77
• review of water sharing arrangements, 5

J

judicial decisions, 92

K

key performance indicator measures and results, 20–23, see also under each strategic goal.

L

Lindsay-Mulcra-Wallpolla Islands, 54

Living Murray Initiative, see icon sites (Living Murray Initiative).

Lower Lakes, 54, 71

M

Madden, Susan, 83, 102

Mamalai, Oscar, 7

management and accountability (MDBA), 79

• advertising and market research, 93
• environmental performance, 93–95
• external scrutiny, 92
• freedom of information, 92
• governance, 80–87, see also under governance (MDBA)
• ministerial directions and government policy, 93
• people and culture, 96–105, see also under staff (MDBA)
• risk management, 88–91, see also under risk management (MDBA)

maps

• icon site report card grades, 52
• Murray–Darling Basin snapshot, 8
• water storage levels as at June 2020, 11

McLeod, Tony, 91

measures, see key performance indicator measures and results.

Menindee Lakes, 4, 11, 31, 43–44, 74

Ministerial Council, 80, 81

• and asset activities, 46
• and the Native Fish Recovery Strategy, 59
• and River Murray issues, 49

ministerial directions, 93

ministers and portfolio, 12, 81, see also Ministerial Council.

modelling tools

• hydrodynamic models, 70–71
• Source Murray Model, 70

Modern Regulator Improvement Tool, 41

Morison, Jenny, 90

Murray–Darling Basin, 8–11

• maps, 8, 11, 52
• reports, 72
• significant sites, 9

Murray–Darling Basin Agreement, 4, 12

Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), 12–15

• 2020–21 priorities, 77
• accountability, see under management and accountability (MDBA) collaborations and interdependencies, 14
• divisions, 84–85
• Executive team, 86–87
• management, see under management and accountability (MDBA) members, 82–83
• organisational structure, 84–85
• portfolio and ministers, 12
• purpose, 12
• regionalisation, 5
• roles and responsibilities, 4, 12, 13, 80
• staff, 15, 96–105, see also under staff

Murray–Darling Basin Ministerial Council, 81

Murray–Darling Basin Plan

• aim, 9–10
• operating context, 10

Murray–Darling Basin Plan compliance (strategic goal 2), 4–7, 5, 6, 19

• 2019–20 key activities, 34
• 2020–21 priorities, 77
• agency maturity assessment, 41
• compliance audits and reviews, 38–39
• compliance priority activities, 35–37
• key performance indicator measures and results, 21
• outcomes desired, 34
• publishing regulatory activities, 39–40
• role (MDBA), 34
• water take metering and monitoring, 36, 39–40
• water trading rules implementation, 40–41

Murray–Darling Basin Plan implementation (strategic goal 1), 6, 10, 19

• 2019–20 key activities, 24
• 2020–21 priorities, 77
• Intergovernmental Agreement on Murray–Darling Basin Reform, 28, 29
• key performance indicator measures and results, 20
• Northern Basin Environmental Watering Group (NBEWG), 31, 32
• northern Basin toolkit measures, 28–33
• outcomes desired, 24
• role (MDBA), 24
• sustainable diversion limit (SDL) accounting, 25–27
• water resource plan (WRP) accreditation, 4, 6, 25–26

Murray–Darling Basin Plan transparency and confidence (strategic goal 4), 5, 19

• 2019–20 key activities, 60
• 2020–21 priorities, 77
• Basin Community Committee meetings, 65
• key performance indicator measures and results, 23
• outcomes desired, 60
• Regional Engagement Officer program, 63, 67
• regional presence and engagement, 65, 66
• role (MDBA), 60 stakeholder awareness and understanding, 61–62
• stakeholder engagement, 63–67
• website traffic, 64

Murray–Darling Basin science and knowledge (strategic goal 5), 6, 19

• 2019–20 key activities, 68 2020–21
• priorities, 77
• Basin Science Platform, 74
• collaborations, 74
• data collection and management, 73–75
• data management framework, 75–76
• hydrodynamic models, 70–71
• impacts factored into Authority decisions, 69–71
• key performance indicator measures and results, 23
• knowledge gathering, 75
• Lower Lakes review, 71
• Murray–Darling Water and Environment Research Program, 73, 74
• outcomes desired, 68
• reporting on Murray–Darling Basin, 72
• role (MDBA), 68
• Source Murray Model, 70

Murray–Darling Water and Environment Research Program, 73, 74

Murray Mouth, 50, 54, 71

N

Native Fish Recovery Strategy (NFRS), 42, 59, 73–74

New South Wales (NSW)

• compliance audits, 38
• and MDBA governance, 80–81
• Northern Basin Environmental Watering Group case study, 31, 32
• northern Basin toolkit measures, 28, 29, 30–31, 33
• water resource plans (WRPs), 6, 26

Northern Basin Environmental Watering Group (NBEWG), 31, 32

Northern Basin Project Group (NBPG), 33

Northern Basin Review recommendations delivery, 33

northern Basin toolkit measures, 6

• defined, 28
• Environmental Watering Group case study, 31, 32
• progress, 29, 33
• summary, 30–31

O

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, 92

Outcome 1, 19

P

parliamentary committees, 92

people, see staff (MDBA).

performance, 17–77, see also under each strategic goal; financial statements.

Program 1.1 strategic goals, see strategic goals.

publications accessible on website

• Advisory Committee on Social, Economic and Environmental Sciences (ACSEES), 83
• Audit Committee, 90
• Basin Community Committee, 65, 84
• Basin Plan annual reporting, 72
• Basin Plan compliance, 35, 36, 38
• Compliance Independent Assurance Committee, 84
• data collection and management, 73
• environmental water, 71
• fish populations, 59
• Hume Dam and Reservoir, 47
• icon sites, 52, 54
• Independent Assurance Committee reports, 40
• Indigenous engagement, 72
• Interim-Inspector General’s review, 70
• Living Murray Initiative case studies, 51
• Lower Lakes, 50, 71
• MDBA, 39, 60, 77, 82, 84, 92, 97
• Ministerial Council, 81
• northern Basin toolkit measures, 29, 30, 33
• regional presence and engagement, 67, 71
• response to the Water Trade Price Audit, 41
• River Murray system management, 45, 48, 71
• salinity, 56, 75
• sustainable diversion limit (SDL), 27, 36
• water metering reviews, 39
• water quality, 57, 58, 72
• water trade and markets, 39, 41, 70

Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (Cwlth) (PGPA Act), 1, 19, 89

Public Service Act 1999 (Cwlth), 101

Q

Queensland compliance audits, 38

• and MDBA governance, 80–81
• Northern Basin Environmental Watering Group case study, 31, 32
• northern Basin toolkit measures, 28, 29, 30–31, 33
• water resource plans (WRPs), 6, 26

R

Ramsar Convention, 51

regionalisation, 5, 65

Regional Engagement Officer program, 63, 67

Regionalisation Program, 66

Register of Take, 27

research projects, 73–75

reviews and evaluations, 7

Reynolds, Andrew, 86, 91, 102

risk management (MDBA) Audit Committee, 90–91

• auditing (internal), 89
• business continuity, 89
• Comcover, 89
• compliance with finance law reporting, 89–90
• framework, 88–91
• fraud control, 89

River Management Division, 85

River Murray, 45

River Murray system, operation of (strategic goal 3), 13

• 2019–20 key activities, 42
• 2020–21 priorities, 77
• asset activities, 46, 47
• audit findings progress, 57
• dam safety performance, 49
• emerging issues, 49
• environmental health report cards, 51–54
• fish management, 59
• health of river system, 51–59
• Hume Dam and Reservoir, case study, 47
• Independent River Operations Review Group report, 45
• key performance indicator measures and results, 22
• major unscheduled outages, 50
• management of River Murray system, 44
• obligations assessment (IRORG) for 2018–19, 48–49
• outcomes desired, 42
• role (MDBA), 42, 45, 47
• salinity management, 55–56
• Senator JS Collings trophy, 50
• significant incidents, 50
• water inflows, 43–44
• water quality reporting, 57–58

River Murray Water Quality Monitoring Program, 58

river red gum forests, 8, 9

S

salinity, see also water quality. achievement of salinity targets, 55

• Basin Salinity Management 2030
• Strategy, 42, 55, 56, 57
• knowledge priorities, 75
• registers, 56

SA Water, 50

Science and Knowledge and Engagement Division, 85

science and knowledge on Murray–Darling Basin, see Murray–Darling Basin science and knowledge (strategic goal 5).

SDL Accounting Data Management Project, 27

SDL Reporting and Compliance Framework, 27

Senator JS Collings trophy, 50

Source Murray Model, 70

South Australia

• compliance audits, 38
• and MDBA governance, 80–81
• northern Basin toolkit measures, 29
• water resource plans (WRPs), 6, 26

Southern Connected Basin Environmental Watering Committee (SCBEWC), 53–54

staff (MDBA)

• diversity, 97
• Employee Consultative Committee, 101
• ethical standards, 97
• executive remuneration, 101–105
• Graduate Development Program, 96
• health and safety, 98–99
• learning and development, 97–98
• ongoing vs non-ongoing, 15, 99–100
• priorities, 96
• regional presence and engagement, 5, 63, 65, 66, 67
• workforce planning and recruitment, 96–97

stakeholder engagement, 60

• Basin Community Committee, 65
• Regional Engagement Officer program, 63
• regional presence and engagement, 65–66, 67
• reviews, 64
• stakeholder awareness and understanding, 61–62
• stakeholder engagement and information, 63–64
• surveys, 61, 62 website traffic, 63, 64

strategic goals

• goal 1, 20, 24–33, see also under Murray–Darling Basin Plan implementation
• goal 2, 21, 34–41, see also under Murray–Darling Basin Plan compliance (strategic goal 2)
• goal 3, 22, 42–59, see also under River Murray system, operation of (strategic goal 3)
• goal 4, 23, 60–67, see also under Murray–Darling Basin Plan transparency and confidence (strategic goal 4)
• goal 5, 23, 68–76, see also under Murray–Darling Basin Plan science and knowledge (strategic goal 5)

sustainable diversion limit (SDL), 6, 13

• accounting framework, 25–27
• compliance activities, 36
• reporting and compliance framework, 27
• SDL transition report, 27

sustainable diversion limit adjustment mechanism (SDLAM), 6, 24, 77

• compliance activities, 36

T

toolkit measures, see northern Basin toolkit measures. tourism industry in the Basin, 8, 9

Traditional Owners, I, see also Indigenous people.

travel (MDBA staff), 95

V

Victoria

• compliance audits, 38
• and MDBA governance, 80–81
• northern Basin toolkit measures, 29
• water resource plans (WRPs), 6, 26

W

waste management (MDBA), 95

Water Act 2007 (Cwlth), 12, 27, 80

waterbirds, 8, 9

water for the environment, see environmental water.

WaterNSW, 47

water quality, 42, see also salinity.

• icon sites monitoring, 51–54
• projects, 58, 74, 75
• reporting and publishing, 57–58, 72

water recovery, 13, 29, 30

Water Resource Planning and Accounting Division, 85

water resource plans (WRPs)

• defined, 26
• progress on accreditation, 4, 6, 25–26
• roles and responsibilities of MDBA and Basin states, 13, 26

water resources

• inflows to River Murray system, 43–44
• storage as at 24 June 2020, 10–11

water-saving initiatives (MDBA), 95

water trade, 13, 37

• compliance activities, 37
• implementing rules, 40–41

website publications, see publications accessible on website.

website traffic, 63, 64

wetlands, 8–9, 71

Williams, Brent, 85, 102

Woodburn, Vicki, 85, 86, 102