• The Concerned Waterways Alliance (with support from AEGN members) has released a report outlining reform options to strengthen how Victoria’s waterways are managed, including recognising rivers as living entities with enforceable rights
• The Water Minister has conceded that she failed to properly accredit the NSW Fractured Rock Water Management Plan. The validity of the plan was challenged by the Murray Darling Lower Rivers Indigenous Nations on a range of grounds, including accreditation and inadequate consultation. The Court will determine the remaining grounds in coming weeks.
• The NT government has released final 10-year water allocation plans for the Mataranka and Western Davenport catchments, with significant increases in allocations to pastoral properties
• Daryl Quinlivan has been appointed as the new Murray–Darling Basin Authority Board Chair, following the retirement of Sir Angus Houston
• A Four Corners episode, The Great Water Grab, revealed serious water over-allocation issues in the Northern Territory, leading to calls for a national inquiry. A joint parliamentary inquiry into water, food and energy security in Northern Australia is expected to review some of the issues raised.
• The Victorian government joined Qld, ACT, NSW and SA as a signatory to the revised Murray Darling Basin Plan.
• The NSW government settled a challenge to water sharing arrangements in the Borders Rivers, reaching agreement with the Nature Conservation Council that it would consider the impacts of climate change on water flows, including extraction limits and allocations, in all future decisions
• Traditional owners of the site of the Adani / Bravus mine launched legal action claiming the company is breaching their human rights by failing to prevent contamination of wetlands
• The Victorian government is developing a new Victorian Water Management Strategy
• The Productivity Commission released final reports in its inquiries into:
  • progress under the National Water Initiative
  • progress towards implementing the Basin Plan
• DCCEEW released an updated framework for delivering 450 GL of additional environmental water under the Basin Plan
• Lake Pedder Restoration Inc launched a campaign for restoration of the inland lake, flooded as part of the Franklin Dam project, as part of the UN Decade of Ecological Restoration.

• 2025 – Ongoing campaigns to reform the Water Act 2009 to ensure First Nations water rights, climate change and guaranteed water delivery, and that all decisions are based on robust science and community consultation  
• 7 March 2025 – Concerned Waterways Alliance launch – “What is a Waterway?”
• 16 March 2025 – submissions due on draft planning amendments for Melbourne waterways (Vic)
• 19 March 2025 – Nature Impact Collective update on grant round 1 (inland waters)
• 8 – 10 September 2025 – International River Symposium (Meanjin / Brisbane)
• 2025 – Long Term Water Resource Assessment for northern Victoria will commence (aligned with the Murray-Darling Basin Plan review), looking at any changes in water availability or waterway health due to changes in flow.
  This work will inform the overdue review of the Northern Region Sustainable Water Strategy. 
• 2026 – Basin Plan review (and completion of all buyback and allocation projects by 31 December 2026)

• Promoting regeneration and water allocation initiatives through the Nature Funding Framework
• Hosting Rivers of the North working group events, including a briefing with Tim Nicol and Dr Clare Taylor on what is needed to secure the health of rivers and landscapes in northern Australia
• Keeping members updated on progress in managing the Murray Darling Basin
• Hosting information sessions to keep members informed on progress of the planned Basin reforms, water reforms, and advocacy opportunities

• Use the Nature Funding Framework to inform funding decisions.
• Attend, promote and support community events in Basin catchments, and help community members to be involved in advocacy (e.g. sharing community mapping resources, covering travel costs to meet with Ministers) – hear more at our webinar on Basin action on 4 March 2025
• Join the Nature Impact Collective for collaborative funding of inland water projects
• Write to relevant Ministers and local members to share your thoughts about priorities under the Basin Plan (contact the Advocacy Manager for support to do this)
• Host a local screening of “Pedder”
• Contact the Program Manager – Nature to discuss funding and collaboration options
  
  Current Clearinghouse projects:
  • Federal commitments for the Murray Darling (Murray Darling Conservation Alliance)
  • Rivers Campaigner for NT (Environment Centre NT)
  • Restore Lake Pedder (Lake Pedder Restoration Inc)

• Basin Plan – supporting documents (Murray Darling Basin Authority)
• Wentworth Group of Scientists’ submission on Restoring Our Rivers Bill
• Murray Darling Conservation Alliance campaign page
• Murray Darling Basin Plan – 6 monthly progress reports
• Senate inquiry report into the Restoring Our Rivers Bill
• Lake Pedder – ecological, economic and cultural heritage studies

Organisations working on this issue 

Useful government contacts