THE MURRAY-DARLING BASIN AGREEMENT

After a century and a half of working independently, the States and communities that make up the Murray-Darling Basin are now sharing expertise, experience and resources to manage the region  as a whole. The Murray Darling Basin Agreement,  for the co-operative management of the natural resources of the region, has been signed by the governments of the Commonwealth, New South  Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria. The Agreement was  initiated by the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council in 1987  and is administered by the Murray-Darling Basin Commission. The Agreement has enabled the co-ordination  of natural resources management across State boundaries and on a catchment wide basis. The Murray-Darling Basin Initiative is the largest integrated catchment management program in the world, covering more than a million  square kilometres. MURRAY-DARLING BASIN MINISTERIAL  COUNCIL The Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council normally consists of 12 Ministers holding portfolios for land, water and environmental issues within the Commonwealth, New South  Wales, Queensland, South Australian and Victorian Governments.

The Charter of the Murray-Darling  Basin Ministerial Council is:

"To promote and co-ordinate effective  planning and management for the equitable, efficient and sustainable use of the land, water and environmental resources of the Murray-Darling Basin."

MURRAY-DARLING BASIN COMMISSION

The Murray-Darling Basin Commission works  with the five governments involved in the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement, and the Basin community, to manage natural resources across state borders.

It is responsible for:

• Distributing the waters of the River Murray to the States  of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia;
• Advising the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council on environmental management issues throughout the Murray-Darling Basin;
• Administering the Natural Resources Management Strategy, which provides funds and framework to help co-ordinate the work of governments and communities in the management of natural resources throughout the Murray-Darling Basin.

Murray-Darling Basin commissioners are the heads of the land, water and environmental departments in the four States  and the Commonwealth. This structure encourages co-operation and has enabled  a small Commission with a staff of 38, to cover a huge geographic area by working with existing government departments throughout the Basin.