FAOLEX Database

Australia - Aqualex Profiles

Framework Law

The main law applicable to water resources management, which covers all of the following areas: administration; management, conservation and use of freshwater resources; water rights; waterworks; water supply
Water Act 1992.
Date of original text: 30 April 1992 (2019)
Water Act 2000.
Date of original text: 01 July 2000 (2019)
Water Management Act 2000.
Date of original text: 12 August 2000 (2018)

Constitutional provisions

Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act.
Date of text: 09 April 1900

Right to water: No provisions regarding the right to water.

Natural resources: The Commonwealth shall not, by any law or regulation of trade or commerce, abridge the right of a State or of the residents therein to the reasonable use of the waters of rivers for conservation or irrigation (Art. 100)

Agriculture

Water used for irrigation, forestry and aquaculture
Water Act 1912.
Date of original text: 26 November 1912 (2018)
Irrigation Act 2009.
Date of original text: 16 April 2009 (2016)
Irrigation Company Act 2011.
Date of original text: 16 June 2011 (2018)

Water Supply and Sanitation

Provision of water services by public utilities or commercial organizations; water supply for domestic, industrial or other purposes; right to safe and clean drinking water and basic sanitation; quality of piped water; sewerage
Water Act 2007.
Date of original text: 03 September 2007 (2018)
Canberra Water Supply (Googong Dam) Act 1974.
Date of original text: 03 November 1992 (2016)
Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (Registration Fees) Act, 2013 (Act No. 63 of 2013).
Date of text: 26 June 2013

Governance

The political, social, economic and administrative systems that govern water management and conservation; good practices; good governance; decentralization; water user’s associations
Water Act 2007.
Date of original text: 03 September 2007 (2018)
Infrastructure Australia Act 2008 (No. 17 of 2008).
Date of original text: 08 April 2008 (2016)
Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005.
Date of original text: 18 February 2005 (2016)

Infrastructure

Waterworks; water supply systems; dams; hydropower systems; irrigation systems
Water Act 2007.
Date of original text: 03 September 2007 (2018)
Canberra Water Supply (Googong Dam) Act 1974.
Date of original text: 03 November 1992 (2016)
Infrastructure Australia Act 2008 (No. 17 of 2008).
Date of original text: 08 April 2008 (2016)

Water Resources Management and Water Rights

Ownership and control of water resources; abstraction and diversion of water; allocation and quotas; riparian rights; priority of rights; free water use
Water Act 2007.
Date of original text: 03 September 2007 (2018)
Register of Foreign Ownership of Water or Agricultural Land Act 2015.
Date of original text: 25 November 2015 (2016)
Murray-Darling Basin Amendment Act 2003 (Act No. 49 of 2003).
Date of text: 26 June 2003

Water and Environment

Water in environmentally-sensitive areas; ‘water demand’ by ecosystems; protection forests; water conservation zones; environmental impact assessment
Water Act 2007.
Date of original text: 03 September 2007 (2018)
Lake Eyre Basin Intergovernmental Agreement Act 2001 (No. 36 of 2001).
Date of text: 01 May 2001
Water Act 1912.
Date of original text: 26 November 1912 (2018)

Water Quality and Pollution Control

Control of pollution and quality of freshwater bodies and groundwater; agricultural point and non-point sources of pollution; water quality standards
Country Areas Water Supply Act 1947.
Date of original text: 10 January 1948 (2012)
Metropolitan Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Act 1909 (Act No. 43).
Date of original text: 21 December 1909 (2012)
Sydney Water Act 1994.
Date of original text: 12 December 1994 (2018)

Groundwater

Freshwater resources located below the surface of the earth; aquifers; groundwater abstraction; well-sinking; boreholes; hydrogeology
Water Act 2007.
Date of original text: 03 September 2007 (2018)
Water Act 1912.
Date of original text: 26 November 1912 (2018)
Country Areas Water Supply Act 1947.
Date of original text: 10 January 1948 (2012)

Disaster Resilience

Water-related hazards; flood; drought; water shortage; adaptation to climate change; early warning system/emergency intervention system
Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005.
Date of original text: 18 February 2005 (2016)
Taxation Laws Amendment (Drought Relief Measures) Act 1995 (No. 31 of 1995).
Date of text: 07 April 1995
Drought Relief Repayment Act 1994 (Act No. 125 of 1994).
Date of text: 18 October 1994

Transboundary Waters

Transboundary effects; international basin institutions; international agreements; transboundary coordination; transboundary aquifers
Lake Eyre Basin Agreement Act 2001.
Date of original text: 16 August 2001 (2007)
Paroo River Intergovernmental Agreement.
Date of text: 18 July 2003
Lake Eyre Basin Intergovernmental Agreement.
Date of text: 21 October 2000

Policies

Environmental Protection (Water and Wetland Biodiversity) Policy 2019.
Date of text: 16 August 2019
National Water Quality Management Strategy 2018.
Date of text: 18 February 2020
New South Wales Government Water Reform Action Plan.
Date of text: 01 December 2017
State Planning Policy 2.3 - Jandakot Groundwater Protection.
Date of text: 01 January 2017
Basin Plan 2012.
Date of original text: 23 November 2012 (2018)
Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 2009.
Date of original text: 18 August 2009 (2014)
NSW Diffuse Source Water Pollution Strategy 2009.
Date of text: 01 June 2009
State Planning Policy 2.9 - Water Resources.
Date of text: 19 December 2006
Statement of Planning Policy No 2.2 - Gnangara Groundwater Protection.
Date of text: 05 August 2005
Statement of Planning Policy No. 2 - Environment and Natural Resources Policy.
Date of text: 10 June 2003
Statement of Planning Policy No. 2.7 - Public Drinking Water Source Policy.
Date of text: 01 June 2003
Wet Tropics Management Plan 1998.
Date of original text: 18 May 1998 (2017)
National Forest Policy Statement – A New Focus for Australia’s Forests.
Date of text: 18 February 1992

Main basins

Paroo
Burnett
Boyne
Murray-Darling Basin
Lake Eyre
Baffle Creek
Burdekin
Calliope
Fitzroy
Mary