Australia is preparing to rewrite one of its most important water policy documents. The National Water Initiative has shaped water management across the country for two decades, and its replacement will influence how we protect rivers, groundwater and wetlands in an increasingly hotter and drier climate.
The Concerned Waterways Alliance has lodged a detailed submission to the Australian Government's discussion paper, arguing that the next National Water Agreement must be more than an update but must respond to the realities of climate change, declining river health and the need for stronger national leadership.
Too often, national water conversations have centred on the Murray-Darling Basin. While its importance is undeniable, Australia's water future depends on recognising the diversity of rivers, aquifers and catchments across the nation. Our submission argues for a genuinely national approach that better reflects the interconnected nature of surface water and groundwater and the challenges facing waterways in every state.
A recurring theme throughout the submission is that climate change has fundamentally altered the assumptions underpinning the original National Water Initiative. Environmental flow targets and sustainable diversion limits developed decades ago must now be reassessed against declining inflows and increasing pressure on already overallocated systems. Healthy waterways cannot simply be expected to absorb the impacts while other sectors maintain historical levels of water security.
The submission also highlights several issues that deserve much greater national attention, including:
- recognising the cumulative impacts of farm dams and plantation forestry on river flows;
- strengthening national oversight of emerging contaminants such as PFAS and wastewater discharges;
- improving water accounting so all significant water take is measured and reported;
- prioritising climate-independent water sources such as recycled water and desalination to reduce pressure on rivers;
- recognising rivers and wetlands as interconnected living systems that require sufficient water before consumptive allocations are determined; and
- rebuilding public trust through stronger governance, greater transparency and the reinstatement of an independent National Water Commission.
The submission also makes a strong case for improving the role of community in national water policy. Environmental organisations, citizen scientists and local water advocates possess decades of place-based knowledge and should be recognised as ongoing partners in water planning alongside governments and Traditional Owners. Better outcomes will come from bringing these voices together from the beginning of policy development, rather than consulting them separately or after key decisions have already been made.
Ultimately, the new National Water Agreement presents an opportunity to reset Australia's relationship with water. If it is to succeed, it must acknowledge that healthy rivers, wetlands and aquifers are not simply another competing interest—they are the natural systems upon which every community, economy and culture depends.
You can read and download the Concerned Waterways Alliance's full submission below.