Development of advice on water charge rules—water planning & management

On 10 July 2009, the ACCC provided its final advice on the water planning and management charge rules to the Minister for Climate Change and Water (the minister). Water planning and management charge rules relate to charges levied by government departments and other agencies to recover the costs of water planning and water management activities.

Water planning and management charge rules are to contribute to achieving the Basin water charging objectives and principles in the Water Act. In developing its advice, the ACCC has considered these objectives and principles, the scope of the minister’s power to make rules and the anticipated benefits and costs of different types of water charge rules for water planning and management.

The minister has released copies of the final advice and draft rules on the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts website while she considers the advice.

Development of advice

In December 2007, the minister wrote to the ACCC requesting advice on the water charge rules relating to water planning and management as required under s.93(1) of the Water Act 2007.

The ACCC engaged in extensive stakeholder consultation in formulating its advice. It released a series of consultation documents including an issues paper, a position paper and the draft advice, including draft rules. Copies of the issues papers, the position paper and draft advice are available below.

In total the ACCC received 34 submissions in the course of its consultation process. The ACCC also met with several stakeholders, including all jurisdictional governments in the Murray Darling Basin. In preparing its advice on the water planning and management charge rules the ACCC considered and assessed matters raised by stakeholders through consultation.

When the minister releases the ACCC’s final advice or finalises the water planning and management charge rules, the ACCC's final advice and the draft water planning and management charge rules will also be available here.

Public submissions

To date the ACCC has received 34 submissions on the water charge (water planning and management) rules:

Additional help

If you need copies of ACCC publications or require further help please contact the ACCC: Infocentre 1300 302 502 or email: water@accc.gov.au