A BILL to create a new water compliance office passed Federal Parliament on Thursday with bipartisan support.
The federal legislation will split the Murray-Darling Basin Authority by turning its compliance office into a separate agency, as recommended in a 2019 Productivity Commission report.
The new regulator will monitor and oversee water compliance across the Murray-Darling Basin.
Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt said the legislation would increase compliance with water rules.
“This new legislation delivers on the Coalition Government’s commitment to strengthen compliance and enforcement powers in the Murray-Darling Basin by creating new water theft and illegal water trading offences and penalties,” Mr Pitt said.
“Compliance is at the heart of a fair water-sharing system. This Bill significantly strengthens the compliance system in the Murray-Darling Basin.
“The stiff penalties and criminal and civil offences regulated under the Bill will create real deterrents around water theft and illegal water trading offences, providing communities the assurances they need on water management in the basin.
“One of the inspector-general’s key priorities will be encouraging greater consistency in water management by establishing guidelines and standards for Commonwealth and state agencies to monitor water users across the basin.
“The Bill recognises that the states are the primary regulators of water in the Murray-Darling Basin, but where matters are not resolved, the Commonwealth now has the appropriate powers to step in.”
Amendments to the legislation proposed by Victorian National Party members, which would have seen major changes to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, were rejected on Thursday.
Former NSW National Party leader Troy Grant was picked to lead the agency last year as interim inspector-general of water compliance.
The first statutory inspector-general is due to be appointed shortly.
