Water Law Review

This initiative was intended to review Victoria's water legislation and develop a streamlined Water Act that would provide for integrated and sustainable water resource management and use in Victoria; give effect to the Government's water policies; and provide for the implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan while maintaining the integrity of Victoria's entitlement regime.

Total EC3 investment: $3.1 m
2012-13 expenditure: $1.1000 m
2013-14 expenditure: $1.3512 m
2014-15 expenditure: $0.4342 m
2015-16 expenditure: $0.2133 m 

Progress 

This initiative funded policy development and coordination, communication, consultation and engagement activities to prepare the former government's proposed Water Bill 2014. The former government introduced the Water Bill 2014 into the previous Parliament in June 2014, proposing to replace the Water Act 1989 and the Water Industry Act 1994. 

The Bill proposed to streamline and update the legislation that regulates the management and use of water and water catchments in Victoria and its water industry. It also proposed to provide for more integrated water resource management and give effect to the former government's water policies. The Bill also sought to make administrative improvements to facilitate Victoria demonstrating how it will comply with certain parts of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan but the Bill was not essential for this purpose.

The former government decided to not debate or progress the Bill and, as a result, the Water Bill lapsed in late 2014. Since then, expenditure has been used in closing the initiative, implementing a process evaluation, and funding related legislative and regulatory activities. Remaining funding has been redirected to new EC projects in line with government priorities. 

The Water Act 1989 and the Water Industry Act 1994, amongst a number of other Victorian acts, regulations and the Commonwealth Water Act 2007, continue to set out the laws relating to Victoria's water resources and water industry.