The independent panel investigating constraints in the Goulburn and Murray rivers identified impediments to acceptance of higher flows that will connect the stream flows with floodplains, wetlands and anabranches.
The independent advisory panel into constraints relaxation found the basin management was beset with inertia on this issue.
“The main challenge is not the absence of evidence or advice,” the panel reported.
“Technical studies, reviews, roadmaps, project planning and consultation have already generated a substantial body of information.
“The issue is that this material has not yet been translated into a co-ordinated delivery program with clear outcomes, governance, accountability and community confidence.”
More concerning is the identification of a lack of trust.
“The program does not have the trust or social licence it needs,” the panel has reported.
“Communities do not yet have a clear picture of what is proposed, what impacts or benefits may occur, or how those changes will be managed.
“Continued uncertainty has affected the program, misinformation has filled these gaps, and government credibility has been damaged. Governance and delivery accountability are weak.
“No single part of government has clear authority, accountability for delivery or leverage over funding.
“This has caused delay and poor co-ordination while unresolved jurisdictional differences persist. Governments have not committed or agreed a shared outcome for the program. Target flow rates have become the focus, rather than being treated as one tool for achieving environmental, cultural, social and local outcomes.
“The current arrangements reward process over progress. Projects can remain in planning for years while commitments shift, costs rise and communities lose confidence. Significant effort has gone into strategies, reviews and business cases, but this has not translated into clear delivery on the ground.”
See the full report on constraints at www.mdba.gov.au
• Next week Country News will look at the recommendations that have emerged from this report.
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