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Murray-Darling Basin Annual Report 2014-15

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Murray-Darling Basin Annual Report 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT 2016–17 MDBA annual report 2016–17 I ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE TRADITIONAL OWNERS OF THE MURRAY–DARLING BASIN The Murray−Darling Basin Authority pays respect to the Traditional Owners and their Nations of the Murray−Darling Basin. We acknowledge their deep cultural, social, environmental, spiritual and economic connection to their lands and waters. The guidance and support received from the Murray Lower Darling Rivers Indigenous Nations, the Northern Basin Aboriginal Nations and our many Traditional Owner friends and colleagues is very much valued and appreciated. ABORIGINAL NATIONS OF THE MURRAY–DARLING BASIN BARAPA BARAPA JAROWAIR NARI NARI WAKKA WAKKA BARKANDJI (PAAKANTYI) KAMBUWAL NGARRINDJERI WAMBA WAMBA BARUNGGAM KAMILAROI NGEMBA WAYWURRU BIDJARA KUNJA NGINTAIT WEGI WEGI BIGAMBUL KWIAMBUL NGIYAMPAA WERGAIA BUDJITI LATJI LATJI NGUNNAWAL WIRADJURI DHUDHUROA MALJANGAPA NYERI NYERI WOLGALU DJA DJA WURRUNG MANDANDANJI TATTI TATTI WOTJABALUK EUAHLAYI MARAURA TAUNGURUNG YAITMATHANG GITHABUL MARDIGAN WADI WADI YITA YITA GUNGGARI MURRAWARRI WAILWAN (WAYILWAN) YORTA YORTA GUWAMU (KOOMA) MUTTI MUTTI Aboriginal people should be aware that this publication may contain images, names or quotations of deceased persons. II MDBA annual report 2016–17 CONTENTS Management and Appendices and 01 About the MDBA 03 accountability 05 references 6 About us 75 Our structure 129 Appendix A The Regulator 8 Our history 75 Our governance Performance 10 Chief Executive’s review 83 Risk management Framework 11 Financial overview 86 Our people 130 Appendix B Governance bodies 86 Building organisational meetings and outcomes capability 135 Appendix C 87 Our workforce Communication products Performance 88 Developing our people 02 137 Appendix D 89 Making the most of our Agency resource 14 Annual performance diversity statement and statement resources for outcome 1 90 Supporting our people Performance reports against 139 Appendix E 92 Employment strategic goals Advertising and market arrangements 21 Goal 1: Lead the research 92 Staffing profile implementation of the 140 Appendix F Basin Plan to achieve a Ecologically sustainable healthy working Basin development and 29 Goal 2: Strengthen environmental performance engagement with the 04 Financials community 142 Abbreviations and 35 Goal 3: Evaluate 96 Chief Finance acronyms Officer’s report and report the 143 Glossary social, economic and 98 Financial management environmental outcomes 147 Content requirements 99 Financial performance of Basin water reforms 149 Index 46 Goal 4: Operate the 100 Financial position River Murray system 101 Financial statements efficiently for partner governments 66 Goal 5: Improve the knowledge base to support sustainable water resource management MDBA annual report 2016–17 1 QUEENSLAND Charleville Roma BRISBANE Toowoomba Cunnamulla St George Currawinya Lakes NORTHERN Goondiwindi BASIN Dirranbandi Narran Lake Moree Inverell Gwydir Wetlands Paroo River Bourke Narrabri Wetlands Tamworth SOUTH Macquarie Marshes AUSTRALIA Broken Hill NEW SOUTH WALES Dubbo Menindee Ivanhoe Banrock Station Forbes Orange Wetland Complex Riverland SOUTHERN Cowra SYDNEY Renmark Wentworth BASIN Griffith Fivebough-Tuckerbil Mildura Hattah-Kulkyne NSW Central ADELAIDE Lakes Murray State Forests Wagga Murray Leeton Wagga Bridge Pinnaroo Swan Hill CANBERRA Ginini Flats Goolwa Lake Albacutya Deniliquin wetland Barmah Forest ACT complex Coorong and Lakes Albury/ Alexandrina and Albert Cooma Echuca Wodonga Horsham Bendigo Shepparton Seymour VICTORIA Gunbower Forest MELBOURNE Kerang Wetlands 2 MDBA annual report 2016–17 QUEENSLAND Charleville Roma BRISBANE Toowoomba Cunnamulla St George Currawinya Lakes NORTHERN Goondiwindi BASIN Dirranbandi Narran Lake Moree Inverell Gwydir Wetlands Paroo River Bourke Narrabri Wetlands Tamworth SOUTH Macquarie Marshes AUSTRALIA Broken Hill NEW SOUTH WALES Dubbo Menindee Ivanhoe Banrock Station Forbes Orange Wetland Complex Riverland SOUTHERN Cowra SYDNEY Renmark Wentworth BASIN Griffith Fivebough-Tuckerbil Mildura Hattah-Kulkyne NSW Central ADELAIDE Lakes Murray State Forests Wagga Murray Leeton Wagga Bridge Pinnaroo Swan Hill CANBERRA Ginini Flats Goolwa Lake Albacutya Deniliquin wetland Barmah Forest ACT complex Coorong and Lakes Albury/ Alexandrina and Albert Cooma Echuca Wodonga Horsham Bendigo Shepparton Seymour VICTORIA Irrigation area (indicative) Gunbower MELBOURNE Forest Ramsar site Kerang Wetlands MDBA offices MDBA Regional Engagement Officers Murray–Darling Basin snapshot Within the Basin, there are over Around 64% of Australia’s irrigated 46 Aboriginal Nations land is in the Basin There are 16 wetlands listed Around 46% of the aggregate value of as internationally significant irrigated agricultural production (Ramsar sites) Around 40% of all farms in Australia Population more than 2 million are in the Basin — around 38% of people (around 10% of Australia’s Australia’s agriculture production population) MDBA annual report 2016–17 3 Left to right: George Warne, Phillip Glyde, Chair Neil Andrew AO, Professor Barry Hart AM, Di Davidson AM and Susan Madden. 4 MDBA annual report 2016–17 01 ABOUT THE MDBA About us 6 Our history 8 Chief Executive’s review 10 Financial overview 11 The MDBA met in Melbourne in February 2017, 100 years after their predecessors, the River Murray Commission met for the first time. MDBA annual report 2016–17 5 ABOUT US The Murray–Darling Basin Authority Our mission establishes and monitors the sustainable and We lead the planning and management of Basin integrated management of water resources water resources in collaboration with partner of the Murray–Darling Basin. We do this in governments and the community. a way that best meets the social, economic and environmental needs of the Basin and its communities. Our guiding principles We work in collaboration with other Australian We adhere to the Australian Public Service Government agencies, Basin state governments, Values and Code of Conduct, meaning we are local governments, regional bodies, industry apolitical, impartial, professional, accountable, groups, landholders, environmental respectful, careful and diligent. organisations, scientists, research organisations We value and support collaboration and have and Murray–Darling Basin communities, shown this by working closely with communities, including Aboriginal communities, and the governments and industries. We have continued broader Australian community. to work with Basin state governments (which includes the Australian Capital Territory), the Our vision Commonwealth Environmental Water Office, To achieve a healthy working Basin through other Australian Government agencies and Basin the integrated management of water communities to implement the Basin Plan. We resources for the long-term benefit of the continue to make changes to our strategies and Australian community. frameworks based on feedback we receive. 6 MDBA annual report 2016–17 2016 graduates and mentors at Dartmouth Dam. Our role Our legislation Key functions of the MDBA include: The Water Act 2007 (Cth) establishes the MDBA as a statutory authority. The Act also sets out » preparing, implementing and reviewing an the role of the MDBA in developing a Basin Plan integrated plan for the sustainable use of the and performing functions under the Murray– Basin’s water resources Darling Basin Agreement 2008 (the Agreement), » operating the River Murray system and in particular the management of River Murray efficiently delivering water to users on operations. behalf of partner governments » measuring, monitoring and recording the The functions under the Agreement, which quality and quantity of the Basin’s water forms Schedule 1 to the Act, include giving resources and the condition of associated effect to decisions of the Murray–Darling Basin rivers, wetlands and floodplains Ministerial Council and the Basin Officials Committee in relation to the Basin governments’ » supporting, encouraging and conducting joint programs. research and investigations about the Basin’s water resources and dependent ecosystems The MDBA delivers its functions under the » disseminating information about the Basin’s Agreement in conjunction with, and on behalf water resources and dependent ecosystems of, the contracting governments — the Australian » engaging and educating the Australian Government and the governments of Victoria, community about the Basin’s water South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland resources. and the Australian Capital Territory. MDBA annual report 2016–17 7 2004 the National Water Initiative is signed by all governments and aims to achieve a more cohesive national approach to the way Australia manages, measures, plans for, OUR prices and trades water HISTORY 2003 The Living Murray program is announced, which aims to use 500 gigalitres (GL) of water, and 1917 the associated engineering projects, to River Murray improve the health of six icon sites Commission along the River Murray is established 1944 1931 1952 1921 1956 1968 1914 1993 1981 the Murray 1974 Mouth closes for the first time in 1997 the longest recorded history drought in Australia’s recorded history begins (1997–2010) 1987 the Murray–Darling Basin Agreement is signed establishing the Murray–Darling Basin Commission, replacing the River Murray Commission. The resource-sharing arrangements between the states are expanded to cover the whole Murray– Darling Basin 8 MDBA annual report 2016–17 — About the MDBA 2007 (early) the Australian 2017 marked 100 Government announces a 2012 the Basin years of collaborative
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