River Murray Commission
| MDBA | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | December 2008 |
| Preceding agency |
|
| Headquarters | Canberra |
| Employees | 321 (2016) |
| Annual budget | A$280 m (2009–2010) |
| Agency executive |
|
| Parent agency | Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources |
| Website | www |
The Murray-Darling Basin Authority is the principal government agency in charge of managing the Murray-Darling Basin in an integrated and sustainable manner. The Authority (MDBA) is the statutory agency that manages, in conjunction with the Basin states, the Murray–Darling Basin's water resources in the national interest. The Authority reports to the Australian Government Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources.
The Authority was established under the federal Water Act (2007), which was introduced under the Howard Government as part of the National Water Plan for Water Security. The Water Act (2007) was a response to the drought and the potential effects of climate change in Australia. The law aimed to fulfill Australia's obligations under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. The 2007 Act was substantially amended in 2008.
The Chief Executive of the Authority is Phillip Glyde who replaced Dr Rhondda Dickson. The Chair of the Authority is Neil Andrew who replaced Craig Knowles after his term as Chair expired in 2015. Andrew is a former Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives from March 1983 to October 2004.
Whilst the Authority is a Commonwealth Government agency, an inter-governmental Murray‑Darling Basin Ministerial Council (Ministerial Council) acts in an advisory role in the preparation and implementation of the Basin Plan by the Authority. This Council comprises the Commonwealth Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources (who also chairs the council) and one minister from each of the basin states (Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia) and the Australian Capital Territory. The Ministerial Council introduced the Murray-Darling Cap in response to the 1995 report titled "An Audit of Water Use in the Murray-Darling Basin".
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