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Governance of Water in AustraliaGovernance of Water in Australia Regional Workshop on Water Accounting Regional Workshop on Water Accounting

Santo Domingo, Dominican RepublicSanto Domingo, Dominican Republic

16-18 July 200716-18 July 2007

Michael VardonMichael VardonUnited Nations Statistics DivisionUnited Nations Statistics Division

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Overview of PresentationOverview of Presentation• What are the main issues for water?What are the main issues for water?• Policy – The National Water InitiativePolicy – The National Water Initiative• Institutional set upInstitutional set up• Information sourcesInformation sources

• ABS Water accounts and statisticsABS Water accounts and statistics• Australian Water Resource AssessmentAustralian Water Resource Assessment

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Main QuestionsMain Questions

• How much water is there?• Now and what can we expect in the future

• How much water is used?• What is water use?• Is this use sustainable?

• What are the benefits and costs of water use?• Now/later• Here/there• Public/private

• What is the best way to allocate/manage water?

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Water Availability in AustraliaWater Availability in AustraliaMean annual runoff 387,000 GL

Drought in Australia

50 % of population

70 % Agricultural production

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INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT

ON A NATIONAL WATER INITIATIVE – NWION A NATIONAL WATER INITIATIVE – NWI

• June 2004• Agreement between the Commonwealth of

Australia and all of the state/territory governments – i.e. New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory

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Paragraph one of NWIParagraph one of NWI

1. Water may be viewed as part of Australia’s natural 1. Water may be viewed as part of Australia’s natural capital, serving a number of important productive, capital, serving a number of important productive, environmental and social objectives. Australia’s environmental and social objectives. Australia’s water resources are highly variable, reflecting the water resources are highly variable, reflecting the range of climatic conditions and terrain nationally. range of climatic conditions and terrain nationally. In addition, the level of development in Australia’s In addition, the level of development in Australia’s water resources ranges from heavily regulated water resources ranges from heavily regulated working rivers and groundwater resources, through working rivers and groundwater resources, through to rivers and aquifers in almost pristine condition. to rivers and aquifers in almost pristine condition.

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Paragraph two of NWIParagraph two of NWI

2. In Australia, water is vested in governments 2. In Australia, water is vested in governments that allow other parties to access and use that allow other parties to access and use water for a variety of purposes – whether water for a variety of purposes – whether irrigation, industrial use, mining, servicing irrigation, industrial use, mining, servicing rural and urban communities, or for amenity rural and urban communities, or for amenity values. Decisions about water management values. Decisions about water management involve balancing sets of economic, involve balancing sets of economic, environmental and other interests. . . . . . . . environmental and other interests. . . . . . . .

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NWI and water accountsNWI and water accounts• The NWI calls for the compilation of annual water

accounts.• The exact nature of the accounts is still being determined

(there is an Expert Advisory Group on Water Accounting – the EAP)

• The ABS water accounts appear consistent with those envisage by the NWI

• A seminar jointly held by the National Water Commission and ABS determined that water accounts should:

• Should support the NWI• Not unnecessarily depart from international standards

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Institutional involved in water Institutional involved in water management and informationmanagement and information

• Australian Australian Government Government agenciesagencies

• States and Territory States and Territory Governments Governments agenciesagencies

• Councils and Councils and committees committees

• Water IndustryWater Industry

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Australian government agenciesAustralian government agencies

• Department of Environment and Water ResourcesDepartment of Environment and Water Resources• National Water CommissionNational Water Commission• Bureau of MeteorologyBureau of Meteorology

• Department of Agriculture Forestry and FisheriesDepartment of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries• Bureau of Rural SciencesBureau of Rural Sciences

• Common Scientific Industrial Research Common Scientific Industrial Research OrganizationOrganization

• Australian Bureau of StatisticsAustralian Bureau of Statistics

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Minister for Environment and Minister for Environment and Water ResourcesWater Resources

The Australian Government Department of the Environment and Water Resources has responsibility for implementing the following key water initiatives:

• National Plan for Water Security ($10 billion, 10 point plan to improve water efficiency and address over-allocation of water in rural Australia)

• A National Plan for Water Security - questions and answers • National Water Initiative  (the blueprint for Australia's water reform) • The Department also develops and implements Australian Government policy, programmes and

legislation to assist in the sustainable management of the Murray-Darling Basin and our rivers, groundwater, wetlands and urban water. Other specific responsibilities include:

• National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality  • Natural Heritage Trust  • Community Water Grants  • Coastal Catchments Initiative • Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) Scheme  • National Climate Change Adaptation Programme  • Commonwealth Environment Research Facility • Alligator Rivers Region protection and monitoring • National Framework for Chemicals and Environmental Management

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National Water CommissionNational Water Commission

• The National Water Commission is an The National Water Commission is an independent statutory body in the Environment independent statutory body in the Environment and Water Resources portfolio. Its role is to drive and Water Resources portfolio. Its role is to drive the national water reform agenda. Established the national water reform agenda. Established under the under the National Water Commission Act 2004National Water Commission Act 2004, , the Commission provides advice to the Council of the Commission provides advice to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and the Australian Governments (COAG) and the Australian Government on national water issues. Australian Government on national water issues.

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Water Commissioners - RoleWater Commissioners - Role

The role of the Commissioners is to:• provide guidance on the strategic policy framework for the

National Water Commission. • provide guidance on major reports or advice to Council Of

Australian Government or governments. • promote the National Water Commission and the National

Water Initiative externally, including speaking for the Commission as agreed within the Commission.

• champion certain aspects of National Water Initiative reforms as agreed with the Commission.

• monitor the quality of corporate governance within the Commission .

• review the performance of the Commission.

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Seven CommissionersSeven Commissioners

• Mr Ken Matthews, Professor Peter Cullen, Mr David Trebeck, Mr Peter Corish, Ms Chloe Munro, Dr John Radcliffe and Dr Wally Cox.

• Each Commissioner has been selected for the contribution they can make as individuals to the work of the National Water Commission. Commissioners do not represent any particular group or sector. All Commissioners are required to act in the best interests of the National Water Commission.

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State and Territory GovernmentState and Territory Government

6 States and 2 Territory 6 States and 2 Territory GovernmentsGovernments

• Each with water Each with water management, management, environmental and environmental and agricultural agenciesagricultural agencies

• Most with catchment Most with catchment management management authoritiesauthorities

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Committee and councils

Council of Australian Governments (CoAG)

• Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council

• National Land and Water Resources Audit Advisory Council (AAC)

• Executive Steering Committee on Australian Water Resource Information (ESCAWRI)

• Baseline Water Resource Assessment Steering Committee• Expert Advisory Panel on Water Accounting (EAP)

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Water Industry• 501 Water supply or

sewerage providers• Australian National

Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (ANCID)

• Australian Water Association (AWA)

• Water Supply Association of Australia (WSAA)

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Australian History of Water Resource Assessment

• 1963 Review of Australia’s Water Resources (AWRC 1965)• 1975 Review of Australia’s Water Resources (AWRC 1977)• 1977 The First National Survey of Water Use in Australia (DNDE 1981)• 1985 Review of Australia’s Water Resources and Water Use (AWRC 1987)• 1995-96 Water in the Australian Economy (AATSE 1999)• 1993-94 to 1996-97 Water Account, Australia (ABS 2000) • 2000 Australian Water Resource Assessment (NLWRA 2001)• 2000-01 Water Account, Australia (ABS 2004) • 2004-05 Water Account, Australia (ABS and NWC 2006)• 2005 Australian Water Resources (NWC 2007, to come)

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ABS Water Statistics ProgramABS Water Statistics Program

Guided by ABS Water Statistics User GroupGuided by ABS Water Statistics User GroupMain program outputs:Main program outputs:

• Water Account, Australia (4-yearly, may be biennial)Water Account, Australia (4-yearly, may be biennial)

• Water Use on Australian Farms (Annual)Water Use on Australian Farms (Annual)

• Water Supply, Australia (Proposed new annual publication)Water Supply, Australia (Proposed new annual publication)

• Water Storage, Australia (Proposed new annual publication)Water Storage, Australia (Proposed new annual publication)

• Survey design and collectionSurvey design and collection

All products freely available from the ABS website All products freely available from the ABS website www.abs.gov.auwww.abs.gov.au

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ABS Water Statistics Program ABS Water Statistics Program continuedcontinued

Other outputs

• Research papers - Experimental Estimates of Regional Agricultural Water Use - Experimental Monetary Water Accounts for Australia, 2003-04

• Regional water use accounts for 2004-05

• Investigating production of water emission and quality accounts

• Collaborative projects E.g. Productivity Commission - Characteristics of Australia’s Agricultural Water Users• National Water Commission

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Baseline Water Resource Baseline Water Resource AssessmentAssessment

• NWC baseline assessment of Australian Water Resources 2005

• Joint project involving the ABS, Bureau of Resource Science, CSIRO, National Land and Water Resources Audit, SKM (consulting company)

• ABS Water Accounts were integral to the assessment

• Final assessment due out soon . . . .Final assessment due out soon . . . .

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Water Account, AustraliaWater Account, Australia

• 3 editions• Latest release November 2006• Covers

•water supply and use •water storage •Allocations and trading

• Data for Australia and for each of the Australian states and territories• Previous editions released in 2000 and 2004

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Water accounting modelWater accounting model

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Water use in Australia, 2004-05Water use in Australia, 2004-05

Total water extracted – 79,784 GLWater returned (almost all for hydro-electricity) – 60,436 GLWater returned (almost all for hydro-electricity) – 60,436 GLWater consumption – 18,767 GLWater consumption – 18,767 GL• 65% by agriculture65% by agriculture• 11% by households11% by households• 11% by water supply industry (includes system losses)11% by water supply industry (includes system losses)• 3% by manufacturing3% by manufacturing• 2% by mining2% by mining• 1% by electricity and gas industry1% by electricity and gas industry• 7% by all others7% by all others

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Contact detailsContact details

Michael VardonAdviser on Environmental-Economic AccountingUnited Nations Statistics DivisionNew York 10017 USARoom DC2 1532

Phone: +1 917 367 5391Fax: +1 917 363 1374Email: vardon@un.org