Murray-Darling Basin water ministers have met in Canberra to be briefed by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s (MDBA) Chair, Craig Knowles on the key aspect of the draft Basin Plan.

 

Those attending included the Chair, the Hon Tony Burke MP (Commonwealth); the Hon Katrina Hodgkinson (New South Wales); the Hon Peter Walsh (Victoria); the Hon Paul Caica (South Australia); the Hon Rachel Nolan (Queensland) and Mr Simon Corbell (Australian Capital Territory).

 

Mr Knowles briefed ministers on the Authority's deliberations on preparation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, including environmental water requirements, sustainable diversion limits, scientific and socioeconomic input and advice, and the role of localism and adaptive management.

 

Mr Knowles also announced that the development of the MDBA’s plan were on schedule.

 

“Following the outcomes from today’s Ministerial Forum the MDBA is now clear to commence the 20-week formal consultation period on the draft Basin Plan from the 28 November,” Mr Knowles said.

 

"This work will, of course, be undertaken with Basin states over the next week or so. Increasing the community involvement in the draft Plan just reinforces the central role that localism will play in the implementation of the Basin Plan and the importance of hardwiring it into the draft."