Review into NSW Water Reform Action Plan gives positive report

The NSW Government has welcomed the findings of an independent review into the government’s Water Reform Action Plan.

The Water Reform Action Plan was the government’s response to the Matthews’ Review and Murray-Darling Basin Compliance Review. It commits the government to 40 actions to improve water management to be completed by the end of 2019.

A cornerstone achievement of the Action Plan is the commencement of a robust new metering framework that applies across the State, to implement the “no meter no pump” policy.

Liz Livingstone, Deputy Secretary, Department of Industry Lands and Water, said it’s pleasing to see that an independent review has given its tick of approval to the implementation of the Water Reform Action Plan.

“We embarked on the water reform agenda outlined in the Action Plan to deliver a comprehensive and equitable water compliance and regulatory system, and this independent report confirms we are on the right track.

“We remain committed to the full implementation of the Action Plan, helping ensure equitable access to water for all users, community, industry and the environment, despite the difficulties that the ongoing drought continues to pose.

“Progress reports are available on the department’s website. To ensure transparency we committed to commissioning and publishing an annual, independent review to show NSW our performance,” Ms Livingstone said.

Risk-e Business Consultants, an independent organisation that specialises in reviews of Commonwealth and federal agencies, undertook the independent review to determine whether the NSW Government has delivered on the commitments outlined in the Plan.

Thirty-four of the thirty-five actions that were due to be finished by the end of 2018 have been completed.

“Releasing this independent report to the public confirms that the NSW Government has acted decisively to improve the management of our water resources,” Ms Livingstone said.

Copies of the Water Reform Action Plan can be downloaded from the NSW Government’s Department of Industry website.