The National Water Initiative (NWI) is Australia’s blueprint for national water reform.
The NWI builds on the previous Council of Australian Governments (COAG) framework for water reform. The overall objective of the NWI is to achieve a nationally compatible market, regulatory and planning based system of managing surface and groundwater resources for rural and urban use that optimises economic, social and environmental outcomes.
The Intergovernmental Agreement on a National Water Initiative includes objectives, outcomes and agreed actions to be undertaken by governments across eight inter-related elements of water management including:
- water markets and trading
- water access entitlements and planning framework
- best practice water pricing
- integrated management of water for environmental and other public benefit outcomes
- water resource accounting
- urban water reform
- community partnerships and adjustment
- knowledge and capacity building.
Western Australia is participating in a number of national working groups that are progressing NWI outcomes. This reflects the emphasis on greater national compatibility in the way Australia measures, plans for, prices, and trades water. It also represents a greater level of cooperation between governments to achieve this end. The Department of Environment, Water and Heritage (federal) and the National Water Commission are responsible for driving national water reforms and managing the implementation of the NWI across Australia.