Water trading rules and the Murray-Darling Basin Plan

The Water Act 2007 requires the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) to prepare a strategic plan for the integrated and sustainable management of water resources in the Murray-Darling Basin, called the Basin Plan.

The Basin Plan must include rules for the trading or transfer of tradeable water rights relating to Murray-Darling Basin water resources, called the water trading rules.

Under the Water Act the MDBA is to obtain and have regard to advice by the ACCC on the water trading rules.

The MDBA will be responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with the water trading rules.

ACCC final advice on water trading rules

On 8 October 2010, to coincide with the release by the MDBA of the Guide to the Basin Plan, the ACCC publicly released its final advice on the development of water trading rules to the MDBA.

The ACCC presented its advice to the MDBA on the development of water trading rules on 25 March 2010. For more information on the development of the Basin Plan, please visit the MDBA’s website at http://www.mdba.gov.au/basin_plan.