The Productivity Commission (PC) has been asked to launch an inquiry into Australia’ national water policy.
Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia, Keith Pitt said the National Water Initiative (NWI) was a shared commitment by Governments to increase the efficiency of Australia’s water use, provide investment confidence, supply security for rural and urban communities, and provide greater certainty for the environment.
He said the Commission would assess whether the water reforms agreed in the National Water Initiative, along with any other subsequent reforms adopted by COAG, were achieving their intended outcomes.
He said the inquiry would examine whether Governments had achieved the objectives, outcomes and timelines of reform ideas proposed under the NWI.
“Reform of the water sector had been ongoing over several decades, with the last Productivity Review into the NWI completed in December 2017,” Mr Pitt said.
“The Inquiry would also fulfil the statutory requirement for the second of the Productivity Commission’s triennial assessments of progress towards achieving the objectives and outcomes of the NWI required by the Water Act 2007,” he said.
Mr Pitt said the Commission had been asked to provide further practical advice on ways in which the NWI could be improved, including specific advice to assist Governments to progress their commitments to renew the NWI.
He said Drew Collins had been appointed as an Associate Commissioner to assist with the Inquiry, which would be completed early next year.
