More than $15 billion has been committed to major water reform projects nationally from 2007-08 to 2024-25. This includes $13 billion to implement the Murray–Darling Basin Plan and related activities.
Projects and outcomes have been delivered across multiple programs and by several agencies.
Current water reform funding
The tables below outline current funding for water reform in the 2023-24 Budget that is:
- appropriated to our department
- appropriated to the Department of the Treasury for payment to the states as National Partnership payments
| Program | 2022-23 Estimated actual ($ million) |
2023-24 Budget ($ million) |
2024-25 Forward estimate ($ million) |
2025-26 Forward estimate ($ million) |
2026-27 Forward estimate ($ million) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure Program1 2 | 568.253 | 1,041.641 | 153.800 | - | - |
| Water for the Environment Special Account1 | 719.580 | 845.138 | - | - | - |
| Commonwealth Contribution under the Murray–Darling Basin Agreement1 | 16.894 | 20.879 | 21.148 | 23.282 | 18.242 |
| Implementing Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin2 | 17.300 | 23.000 | - | - | - |
| Improving Compliance in the Murray-Darling Basin2 | - | 6.000 | 6.000 | 6.000 | 4.600 |
| Water Research Goyder Institute1 | 2.000 | 2.000 | 2.000 | 2.000 | - |
Notes:
- Budget 2023-24: Portfolio Budget Statements 2023-24, Budget Related Paper No. 1.3, Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water Portfolio
- Budget 2023-24: Federal Financial Relations, Budget Paper No. 3
- Capital budget excluded
| Program | 2022-23 Estimated actual ($ million) |
2023-24 Budget ($ million) |
2024-25 Forward estimate ($ million) |
2025-26 Forward estimate ($ million) |
2026-27 Forward estimate ($ million) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Water Reform – First Nations Peoples’ water ownership and role in decision making1 | 0.023 | 0.405 | 0.350 | 0.231 | - |
| Improving Great Artesian Basin Drought Resilience2 | 11.343 | 5.859 | - | - | - |
| On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate2 | 22.466 | 8.024 | - | - | - |
| Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Scheme1 | 4.020 | 2.289 | 2.381 | 2.477 | 2.575 |
| Water Resources Special Account1 | 2.554 | 1.649 | 1.430 | 1.305 | 1.305 |
Notes:
- Budget 2023-24: Portfolio Budget Statements 2023-24, Budget Related Paper No. 1.3, Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water Portfolio
- Budget 2023-24: Federal Financial Relations, Budget Paper No. 3
Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure Program (SRWUIP)
This program was established in 2007 and has funded a number of subprograms and projects. It currently funds over 60 projects including water efficiency, water reform, infrastructure and supply measures.
Find out more about the projects funded under this program.
Water for the Environment Special Account (WESA)
The WESA supports:
- Efficiency Measures – to increase the volume of the Basin water resources available for environmental use by 450 gigalitres (GL) ($1.575 billion)
- Constraints Measures – to ease constraints to deliver environmental water ($200 million).
- The current Efficiency Measures program is the Off-Farm Efficiency Program.
Implementing Water Reform in the Murray-Darling Basin
The Australian Government and Murray–Darling Basin state governments work together to improve the health of the Basin.
The program provides funding to Murray–Darling Basin state governments to support water reform in the Murray–Darling Basin through to 2024.
Find out more about implementation of water reform in the Murray–Darling Basin
Completed programs
| Program names | Total national expenditure ($ million) |
Total expenditure in the Murray–Darling Basin ($ million) |
|---|---|---|
| South Australian River Murray Sustainability Program | 265 | 265 |
| Water Smart Australia | 897 | 331 |
| SA Riverland Floodplains Integrated Infrastructure | 155 | 155 |
| Living Murray Initiative | 184 | 184 |
| Murray Environmental Flows (Water for Rivers) | 38 | 38 |
| Water for Fodder | 31 | 31 |
| Other completed programs | 2,426 | 759 |