The Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) has marked its second anniversary by tripling the number of prosecutions for water theft and lack of compliance.
Chief Regulatory Officer at NRAR, Grant Barnes (pictured) said water compliance had increased in NSW since the Regulator’s formation.
“Since its formation, NRAR has commenced 20 prosecutions in court, undertaken 1,119 regulatory actions and cleared a backlog of 483 cases it inherited from previous water management agencies,” Mr Barnes said.
“NSW communities needed to know they could rely on a strong water compliance authority to make sure water was shared fairly and protected,” he said.
“NRAR has become a world-class regulator and will continue to ensure lawful water use into the future.”
Mr Barnes said NRAR played a vital role in helping NSW communities deal with the worst drought on record.
“We are building a compliance regime that protects the value of water from those who seek to obtain it unlawfully,” he said.
“Each action we take goes towards building and maintaining public trust and confidence in water regulation.”
He said NRAR was adopting new technologies to ensure water compliance and now used satellite imagery analysis and drones.
“We require the highest ethical standards of our people, with accountability, integrity, service and trust, as we resolutely commit to act transparently in the public interest at all times, and protect our independence,” Mr Barnes said.
