Water management rests with states and territories. The Australian Government plays a role by providing leadership on national water reform.
The Australian Government should set a national strategic direction in alignment with states and territories to ensure consistency and focus attention on water security.
The national water security framework provides a mechanism for coordinating the agreed outcomes for water security. To ensure its agreement and application in all states and territories, the framework should be included under a renewed National Water Initiative (NWI).
To ensure ongoing commitment to the national water security framework, the NWI should be assigned an owner. The Productivity Commission in its draft review of the NWI has recommended that ownership should sit with Water Ministers. Its draft recommendation includes that Water Ministers should meet periodically to oversee development of a renewed NWI and to receive, consider and act upon advice that comes out of any periodic review of the new agreement.15
It is imperative that the owner of a renewed NWI has a sufficiently robust governance model, independent of government, with clear terms of reference and a transparent work plan.