Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 4. Entities under the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement
SIX GOVERNMENTS
C'wealth NSW Vic SA Qld ACT
MURRAY-DARLING BASIN
MINISTERIAL COUNCIL
Up to 3 Ministers from each Government
representing land, water and environment
Community
Advisory
Committee
MURRAY-DARLING BASIN
COMMISSION
1 Independent President
2 Commissioners from each Government
Commission Office
Technical and administrative secretariat
History of Basin initiatives
As development of infrastructure and diversions led to increasing river regulators an
increase in salinity and an observed decline in general river health. This resulted in
governments and communities developing and implementing a number of strategies: the
Salinity and Drainage Strategy, the cap and the Living Murray. The strategies challenge
jurisdictions to meet the objectives and participate in the whole of catchment
management. Progress by jurisdictions in implementing these strategies is independently
audited.
Salinity and drainage strategy
The Murray-Darling Basin Agreement of 1992 recognised the importance of
managing the basin as a whole. The 1988 Basin Salinity and Drainage Strategy, which
was agreed when discussions towards the new Murray-Darling Basin Agreement were
progressing, was implemented to minimise land degradation arising from irrigation-
induced salinity and waterlogging and maximise net benefits to the basin subject to the
overall objectives of the council. It provided a framework for joint action by New South
Wales, Victoria, South Australia and the Commonwealth, which required a coordinated
effort of monitoring government and community cooperation. It was a very significant
breakthrough in the management of natural resources in Australia that brought the states
together in to jointly tackle a major environmental problem. This paved the way for
future strategies requiring inter-jurisdictional cooperation and in 2001 this strategy was
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