Basin Plan amendments

Please be aware the proposed northern Basin amendments, including the groundwater and minor practical changes, have been disallowed. For more information read the media release.

In 2017 we proposed changes to the Basin Plan. The proposed amendments focused on three areas of the Basin Plan:

• Northern Basin - proposing a reduction in water recovery - read more
• Groundwater - revising extraction limits - read more
• Minor practical changes - to enable effective and consistent implementation of the Basin Plan - read more

We recommended these amendments to the Commonwealth Water Minister on 9 November 2017. The Minister adopted these amendments and tabled them in Parliament on 14 November 2017. The amendments were disallowed by Federal Parliament on 14 February 2018. This means the original water recovery target for the northern Basin remains. We are considering options for next steps.

More information about the proposed Basin Plan amendments can be read at mdba.gov.au/basin-plan-roll-out/basin-plan-amendments

A meeting communique outlining the Authority's decision to put forward the amendment is available at mdba.gov.au/publications/governance/authority-communiques

During the submission period we held about 50 information sessions around the Basin. Our staff and experts from other government agencies were available to discuss the proposed amendments.