The purpose of this Act is to approve and provide for carrying out an agreement entered into between the Commonwealth, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia with regard to the water, land and other environmental resources of the Murray Darling Basin. The objective of the Agreement stated in the Preamble and clause 1 is to "promote and coordinate effective planning and management for the equitable efficient and sustainable use of water, land and environment resources of the Murray-Darling Basin". The Ministerial Council and the Murray-Darling Basin Commission constituted under the former Agreement are continued in existence. Provisions of Part V specify powers of the Commission with respect to investigation, measurement and monitoring regarding the desirability and practicability of works or measures for the equitable, efficient, and sustainable use of water, land and other natural resources of the Basin. Clause 49 of Part VI provides that works and measures from time to time included in a Schedule to this Agreement or authorized pursuant to clause 50 must be constructed, operated, maintained or implemented in accordance with provisions of this Agreement and any Acts implementing the Agreement. Part X, divided into 4 divisions, makes provision for the distribution of waters: State entitlements (1); Control by Commission (2); Water accounting (3); Periods of special accounting (4). Parts XI and XII deal with maintenance of the Menindee Lakes Storage and reconciliation of this Agreement with the Snowy Mountains Agreement. Part XIII (miscellaneous) provides also for the resolution of disputes. (3 Schedules: Works (A); Murray Darling Basin (B); Salinity and Drainage Strategy (C))
Australie · 1992-11-03