Implementing water reform
The Australian Government and Murray–Darling Basin state governments work together to improve the health of the Basin.
This work is supported by the Intergovernmental Agreement on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray-Darling Basin (IGA).
Providing financial support
The Australian Government has committed funds to support water reform in the Murray–Darling Basin through to 2024. This is on top of the $174 million that was committed through the National Partnership Agreement (NPA) from February 2014 to June 2020. The NPA expired then.
The Federation Funding Agreement (FFA)- Environment Schedule on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin (2021–22 to 2023–24) provides up to $60 million to the Basin states over 3 years.
Confirming achievements
The FFA sets milestones about how each Basin state should implement the water reforms. Progress in achieving milestones is assessed annually through performance reports provided by the Basin states. The department does the assessment.
The Australian Government’s most recent assessments evaluate water reform progress by states from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2023. The assessment report is available for download below. Details of the payments made under the NPA to Basin states are also available for download.
Download
Basin state performance assessment: Implementing water reform in the Murray–Darling Basin (PDF 665 KB)
Basin state performance assessment: Implementing water reform in the Murray–Darling Basin (DOCX 748 KB)
Basin state performance assessment: Federation Funding Agreement – Environment Schedule on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin September 2021 (PDF 1.67 MB)
Basin state performance assessment: Federation Funding Agreement – Environment Schedule on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin September 2021 (DOCX 1.06 MB)
National Partnership Agreement on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin: milestone assessments for the year ending 30 June 2019 (PDF 1.3 MB)
National Partnership Agreement on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin: milestone assessments for the year ending 30 June 2019 (DOCX 778 KB)
Payments to Basin States under the National Partnership Agreement on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray Darling Basin (PDF 985 KB)
Payments to Basin States under the National Partnership Agreement on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray Darling Basin (DOCX 690 KB)
Further assessments, evaluating milestone progress made by Basin states under the NPA during 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017, and 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018, are available for download below.
Download
National Partnership Agreement on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin: milestone assessments for the year ending 30 June 2018 (PDF 1.2 MB)
National Partnership Agreement on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin: milestone assessments for the year ending 30 June 2018 (DOCX 784 KB)
National Partnership Agreement on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin: milestone assessments for the year ending 30 June 2017 (PDF 1.3 MB)
National Partnership Agreement on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin: milestone assessments for the year ending 30 June 2017 (DOCX 682 KB)
National Partnership Agreement on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin: milestone assessments for the year ending 30 June 2016 (PDF 1.2 MB)
National Partnership Agreement on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin: milestone assessments for the year ending 30 June 2016 (DOCX 688 KB)
If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.
The first departmental assessment, evaluating milestone progress made by Basin states under the NPA during 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015, is available for download: