The Australian Water Reform Story Professor Rob Vertessy Global - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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waterpartnership.org.au

[An idiosyncratic perspective on ….]

The Australian Water Reform Story

Professor Rob Vertessy Global Change Advisory and University of Melbourne

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waterpartnership.org.au

Australia has a highly variable climate and hydrology

The Australian Water Reform Story

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waterpartnership.org.au

Asian Water Development Outlook 2016

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Two key publications on water reform in Australia

The Australian Water Reform Story

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30 Years On – Progress (Urban)

• Drinking water consistently safe and of high quality
• Reduced per capita water consumption
• Sophisticated, high-performing water utilities
• Full cost recovery in most urban systems
• Independent economic regulation of water pricing
• Climate resilient water sources introduced

The Australian Water Reform Story

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30 Years On – Progress (Rural)

• Robust water entitlement and allocations regimes
• Mature water markets functioning
• Extraction limits set in the Murray Darling Basin
• Comprehensive water sharing plans in place
• Massive improvements in efficiency of irrigation
• Serious river salinity problems redressed
• Large environmental water reserves established

The Australian Water Reform Story

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Water reform is tough

The Australian Water Reform Story

WATER IS CONTESTED – CONCEDED – COMPLICATED

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Narratives underpinning waves of Australian water reform

• Public health
• Community safety
• Economic efficiency
• Financial viability
• Stakeholder participation
• Sustainable water use
• Environmental water

The Australian Water Reform Story

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waterpartnership.org.au

Australian water reform success factors: joining the dots

Commitment to research and information Stakeholder engagement *** A compelling narrative *** Aligned leadership and statesmanship Evidence based policy with measured implementation

The Australian Water Reform Story

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At a time of crisis, our leaders want clear answers to simple questions

• 1. How much water is available today, relative to the past?
• 2. Is this drought normal and could it get worse?
• 3. Who is entitled to use water and how much are they using?
• 4. How much water is being allocated to the environment?
• 5. How much water is being lost to evaporation and leakage?
• 6. How is climate change impacting on our water resources?

The Australian Water Reform Story

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New federal water law: Water Act 2007

The Australian Water Reform Story

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Five new functions for the Bureau of Meteorology

1. Set national standards for water data. 2. Authority to mandate the supply of water data from ~180 agencies. 3. Assist water data collecting agencies to improve their monitoring systems. 4. Invest in mission-oriented water information research and development. 5. Provide a range of value-added water information products and services for the nation.

This involved:

• Initial funding of $400 m over ten-years
• Including $80 m in new hydrologic monitoring with data collecting agencies
• Including $30 m for R&D with CSIRO (they co-invested an additional $20 m)
• Employing 140 new water and IT specialists in the Bureau of Meteorology
• On-going funding of $25 m per year after 10 years

The Australian Water Reform Story

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Moving data through systems into information services

Data >> Systems >> Services

The Australian Water Reform Story

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Over 25 freely accessible online information services

www.bom.gov.au/water

The Australian Water Reform Story

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Water Data Online

The Australian Water Reform Story

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Daily assessment of Australia’s hydrologic state Set in the context of 118 years of data

The Australian Water Reform Story

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• Reported annually since 2010
• Uses national accounting standards
• Covers ~80% of the population
• Accounts for ~75% of water used

The National Water Account Tracing the ownership, supply, trade, use and loss of water

The Australian Water Reform Story

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Seasonal Streamflow Forecasts (3 months)

• Flow forecasts available for over 200 sites
• Forecasts updated every month
• Presented on national television each month

The Australian Water Reform Story

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Economists assessed an excellent return on investment

The Australian Water Reform Story

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waterpartnership.org.au

The World Water Data Initiative

United Nations High Level Panel on Water World Bank Group

GOAL “Guidance for societies to have better and more equitable access to water data and tools, and capacity to use this information, to manage water better”

The Australian Water Reform Story

http://www.bom.gov.au/water/about/publications/document/Good- Practice-Guidelines-for-Water-Data-Management-Policy.pdf

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Australian water reform success factors

Commitment to research and information Stakeholder engagement A compelling narrative Aligned leadership and statesmanship Evidence based policy with measured implementation

The Australian Water Reform Story

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waterpartnership.org.au

• Concern about illegal water take in some areas
• Doubt about the benefits of environmental watering
• Skepticism about the net benefit of irrigation water efficiency improvements
• Confusion about how to respond to climate change
• Argument over best options and timing for supply augmentations

Water reform is never finished: Outstanding areas of vigorous debate

Reconciling such concerns requires good water information to support compelling narratives … and further reform

The Australian Water Reform Story

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The Australian Water Partnership is supported by the Australian Government

www.waterpartnership.org.au

For further information on this presentation, contact: Professor Rob Vertessy – robert.vertessy@mac.com