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Green Lake in Victoria. Blue clouds with the sun rising on the horizon, trees in the background and wter in the foreground

Changes made to the Basin Plan in 2023

Changes were made to the Basin Plan in 2023 without the support of the Victorian Government. These changes mean that the Commonwealth Government has more powers to purchase water.

Before these changes, the 450 gigalitres of additional water for the environment could not be recovered in ways that had negative social and economic impacts on communities. All states and the Commonwealth Government agreed to this condition in 2018. The changes also removed these protections.

This means that the Commonwealth Government could recover up to 750 gigalitres of extra water across the Basin. It is uncertain how negative impacts on communities and environments will be minimised.

Victoria's prospectus

The Victorian Government developed the Planning our Basin future together prospectus in response to these changes to the Basin Plan.

The prospectus sets out our principles to guide further water recovery in Victoria. Key to this approach is making sure that any water recovery benefits Victorian waterways and landscapes.

We will also work with communities to minimise the social and economic impacts of open tender water purchases. Open tender water purchases cause harm to our towns, industries, and agriculture.

We know there are alternatives to open tender water purchases. These may include building new water infrastructure or making irrigation districts smaller. They could also involve changing how we operate our rivers and water supply systems. These options are better for our communities and deliver environmental outcomes that cannot be achieved with water purchases alone.

Our consultation on the prospectus showed that there is support for Victoria’s approach. You can read more about community feedback on the prospectus in the Closing the Loop report.

What’s next

The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) will work alongside water corporations and catchment management authorities to talk to communities about Victoria’s approach. We will work with communities to identify alternatives to open tender water purchases.

Government agencies have been working together to find better ways to recover water. We know from over thirty years of experience that we can recover water in several ways:

  • Infrastructure efficiency
  • Water system reconfiguration
  • Environmental works and operating rules

Several water recovery projects in Northern Victoria have been identified. The first step is to complete feasibility studies and business cases for these projects. The Victorian Government has applied for funding from the Commonwealth to do this.

If successful, government agencies will set up regional committees. These committees will help guide the development of these projects. We will also work with Traditional Owners on how they want to partner with us for projects on their country.

DEECA is continuing to work with the Commonwealth to develop a strategic approach to future water purchase tenders. This approach will deliver more environmental benefits. It will also limit negative social and economic impacts on our communities.

You can read more about these approaches to water recovery in our Next Steps report.

Page last updated: 16/10/24