National Water Reform 2020

This draft report assesses the progress of the Australian, State and Territory governments towards achieving the objectives and outcomes of the National Water Initiative (NWI), and provides practical advice on future directions for national water reform. Submissions were due by 24 March 2021.

A draft report was released on 11 February 2021 for further information and feedback.

The Commission released an issues paper to guide people in preparing a submission. It set out some of the issues and questions the Commission has identified as relevant at the early stage of the inquiry. 

Participants should provide evidence to support their views, including data and specific examples where possible. 

Initial submissions were due 21 August 2020.

Under the Water Act 2007 (Cth), the Commission was required to undertake three-yearly inquiries into the progress of reform in Australia’s water resources sector.

This is the second such inquiry. It looked at the progress of all Australian governments in achieving the objectives, outcomes and timelines of reform directions proposed in the 2004 Intergovernmental Agreement on a National Water Initiative (NWI). 

Practical advice was also provided on ways in which the NWI might be improved.