Message from
the Director

The release last week of the Murray report, the final regional assessment for the Murray - Darling Basin Sustainable Yields (MDBSY) project, is significant for several reasons; it marks the culmination of what may be regarded by many of us involved in water research as one of the most significant projects ever undertaken for the purposes of informing water management in southern Australia. For the first time we have a complete assessment of all surface and groundwater in Australia’s most ‘stressed’ and economically significant regions.

The Murray-Darling Basin project is also significant as it demonstrates, more effectively than any research I have ever been involved in, the value placed on natural resources science by the highest levels of the Australian government. This is not only evidenced by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Minister for Climate Change and Water Penny Wong’s decision to jointly launch the report, but also by the recent Council of Australian Governments (COAG) decision to extend the approach used in the MDBSY project to several other major regions across Australia.

COAG is working to ensure sustainable water supply and has expanded the CSIRO assessment of Sustainable Yields so that for the first time Australia will have a comprehensive scientific assessment of sustainable water yield in all major river systems across the country. (COAG Communiqué: 26/0308)

The regions currently being scoped for assessment are south-west Western Australia, Tasmania and Northern Australia.

Whilst the pursuit of knowledge may well be what drives great science, the application of that knowledge to improving society and the environment is not only exceptionally rewarding on a personal level, but it is reassuring to know that the very significant decisions that must be made about how water will be shared equitably will be informed by the best science.

With all 18 regional assessments complete, the project team is now finalising the whole-of-Basin assessment. This is expected to be delivered to our client, the National Water Commission in late August.

I am indebted to all those involved in delivering the study, specifically Dr Bill Young, under whose leadership more than 170 people from a dozen different organisations and departments have provided data, technical input, scientific and technical review.

While the MDBSY project has consumed much of our energy over the past 12 months, other parts of the Flagship have also been working hard - from assessing the health of the Coorong and Lower Lakes to monitoring attitudes to drinking recycled water among the residents of south-east Queensland.

I hope you enjoy the read.

Tom Hatton
Director, Water for a Healthy Country National Research Flagship

Listen to the latest podcast on the Murray regional report and the MDBSY study.