Briefing paper
177The mismanagement of the Murray-Darling Basin has become a national issue in 2019. While the Basin’s problems are widely discussed, solutions are not. This paper outlines some practical steps to turn around the fortunes of the Basin and its people.
Discussion paper
158The Australia Institute has released this additional analysis of the controversial $80 million water deal between the Department of Agriculture and Water and a company domiciled in the Cayman Islands. The analysis shows the close collaboration between the department and the company selling the water,...
Briefing paper
67Outlines the main features of Australia’s water markets and details key factors influencing water prices in the Murray-Darling Basin.
Statistics
5The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of Australians in 2018 and in 2019 about their views towards issues surrounding the health and management of the Murray Darling Basin.
Report
139An Independent Panel was appointed by the Australian Government to determine the cause of the fish deaths in the lower Darling River and what actions can be taken to manage future events. The final report documents the panel’s findings and 27 recommendations.
Discussion paper
190Drought, the Menindee fish kills and the South Australian Royal Commission have put the Murray Darling firmly in the public spotlight. The management of the northern Basin and the role of the cotton industry are central to ongoing policy debate.
Journal article
47This research used published water balance data from irrigated cropping to show that water entitlements acquired for environmental purposes through water infrastructure subsidies in the Murray–Darling Basin have resulted in smaller increases in net stream and river flows than is estimated by the Australian government,...
Report
248This report investigates the causes of three major fish kills in the Darling River near Menindee in December 2018 and January 2019. It was produced at the request of the Hon. Bill Shorten MP, Leader of the Federal Opposition and was made public by the...
Report
122The Wentworth Group conducted a study to evaluate whether environmental water recovery has led to observable increases in river flows at two key sites along the Murray-Darling Basin. This summary report outlines the findings.
Report
430South Australia's Royal Commission into the Murray Darling Basin Plan has handed down its final report. The year-long investigation was prompted by allegations of water theft by cotton farmers in New South Wales.
Report
120This report makes findings on progress to date in implementing the Basin Plan and recommendations on actions required to ensure effective achievement of the plan's outcomes. Most of the recommendations involve incremental improvements to the current arrangements.
Discussion paper
35An audit written by Ernst and Young (EY) found the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, and the near $3.2 billion worth of water it controls, was at risk of being defrauded by state agencies, individual officers within those agencies and private landholders. The Australia Institute has...
Report
51Stakeholders in the Lower Darling are strongly opposed to proposed changes to the Menindee Lakes. Local member, Kevin Humphries, has proposed a new ‘Option 7’ for the Lakes, aiming to deliver more water and local jobs.
Report
39This report recommends that the Australian government support the recommendation of the Productivity Commission to separate the Murray Darling Basin Authority into two entities: the Murray-Darling Basin Corporation, and the Basin Plan Regulator, with the regulator established as a new statutory independent authority.
Report
126This report is the first in a series that highlights how the Murray–Darling Basin Plan has increased the flow of money and water to big agribusinesses and has increased the vulnerability of everyone else in the Basin– Aboriginal people, floodplain graziers, downstream communities and small...
Report
44This report draws on over ten years of ecological monitoring undertaken, as part of the Living Murray initiative, at six priority environmental assets, on the River Murray in the southern Murray–Darling Basin.
Discussion paper
9This paper raises the issue of the construction of the Water Act from a legal perspective, specifically in the context of its use of the term environmentally sustainable level of take. That task necessarily requires consideration of how ESLT is defined, including by reference to...
Discussion paper
16The purpose of this issues paper is to briefly set out matters from the Terms of Reference that are the subject of focus by the Commission, so as to assist any person or organisation wishing to submit a submission, or in the process of preparing...
Discussion paper
106This issues paper has been released to assist participants in preparing a submission to the inquiry to assess the effectiveness of the implementation of the Basin Plan and water resource plans.
Report
179This research shows that estimates of impacts on South Australia from proposed changes to the Murray Darling Basin Plan have been changed multiple times by the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA).
Overview