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Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce

Background

Northern Australia is rich in Indigenous, ecological, community and natural resource assets. It stretches more than 3,000 km from east to west, and includes a large proportion of Australia's pristine rivers and wetlands, rainforests, eucalypt savannas and native grasslands.

Two-thirds of Australia's runoff occurs in the three drainage divisions in northern Australia; the Timor Sea, the Gulf of Carpentaria and the North-East Coast Drainage Divisions.

Compared with southern Australia, northern Australia is relatively undeveloped. We still have the opportunity to ensure that development of land and water resources takes place in a strategic framework that is ecologically, socially and economically sustainable. We can plan for a healthy, resilient and prosperous future by drawing on good science and the knowledge and experience of local communities and stakeholders.

The National Water Initiative, agreed in 2004 by the Council of Australian Governments, provides a national blueprint for water reform. The ongoing drought in 2006 and 2007 underscored the importance of accelerating implementation of the National Water Initiative. In January 2007, the then Australian Government announced a $10 billion reform program designed to place rural water use on a sustainable footing. The plan recognised that, as the reality of changing water resource security in the south is better understood, there would be a need to consider the potential for other parts of Australia, such as the north, to support future land and water development.

One element of the plan was to establish the Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce.  The original Terms of Reference asked the Taskforce to examine the longer term, strategic potential for further land and water development in northern Australia, with particular emphasis on the identification of the capacity of the north to play a role in future agricultural development.
The Taskforce was convened in 2007 and Chaired by Senator Bill Heffernan until the Federal election was called in November 2007, at which time it was temporarily suspended. 

On 26 September 2008 the Prime Minister, the Hon Kevin Rudd MP announced revised Taskforce Terms of Reference and membership, broadening the scope of inquiries and strengthening the independence of the Taskforce.

In re-establishing the Taskforce, party political members were removed.  Six of the existing members remained and eight new members joined the Taskforce.   The revised Terms of Reference direct the new Taskforce to consider the broad range of sustainable development opportunities for northern Australia that are based on water resource availability.  The Terms of Reference also directed the Taskforce to consider the potential impact of such development on the underlying water balance and water quality, and on the natural environment, existing water users and the broader community.

The Taskforce addressed its enquiries to the key surface and groundwater systems within the Timor Sea and Gulf of Carpentaria drainage divisions and the North East Coast drainage division north of Cairns. 

The Taskforce focused on the key surface and groundwater systems and basins within the Timor Sea and Gulf of Carpentaria drainage divisions, and that part of the North East Coast drainage division north of Cairns.