Water’s Edge is a podcast that talks about the ins and outs of water compliance in the Murray-Darling Basin. It breaks down the rules and regulations into easy-to-understand information.
The Inspector-General of Water Compliance produces the podcast. It’s conversational and inclusive, speaking to experts in their field. Many episodes relate to Inspector-General of Water Compliance reviews and reports in real time.
Follow us to find out about new episodes.
2024 episodes
Accuracy in trade price reporting
Published 25 September 2024
The Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Act 2023 introduced new rules. This could lead to a follow-up Inspector-General of Water Compliance investigation on trade price reporting.
Mildura water broker Phil Grahame offers his view on a fair-priced Basin water market. Participants should be able to make informed decisions.
Plus: the community asks a complex question. The Inspector-General of Water Compliance answers, about rules and regulations in Murray-Darling Basin jurisdictions.
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Accuracy in trade price reporting (PDF 186 KB)
Accuracy in trade price reporting (DOCX 402 KB)
Field days and surveys: the community’s say on Murray-Darling Basin water management
Published 28 August 2024
The Murray-Darling Basin community has its say on a precious resource: water. Find out about the Inspector-General of Water Compliance's Community Sentiment Survey conducted by ORIMA Research.
Join the Inspector-General of Water Compliance at Basin field days where the community shares what they're concerned about.
Plus: the Inspector-General Troy Grant steps up to the mic to answer Water's Edge listener questions.
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Field days and surveys: the community’s say on Murray-Darling Basin water management (PDF 196 KB)
Field days and surveys: the community’s say on Murray-Darling Basin water management (DOCX 403 KB)
A deep dive into the ACT's water with the Regulatory Leaders Forum
Published 30 June 2024
The Regulatory Leaders Forum unites leaders in Basin water management. The Inspector-General Troy Grant shares how the forum is going.
Icon Water discuss the Cotter Dam in Canberra. They aim to balance the environment with their infrastructure, including protecting the endangered Macquarie Perch. Canberra is the biggest city in the Basin, and the ACT is the only jurisdiction completely within the Basin.
Plus: Australia's largest inland sewage plant proves every drop of water is valuable.
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A deep dive into the ACT's water with the Regulatory Leaders Forum (PDF 159 KB)
A deep dive into the ACT's water with the Regulatory Leaders Forum (DOCX 396 KB)
Two water-stressed nations with one common vision
Published 20 May 2024
The search for positive water management leads to the Macquarie NSW region. There, Water's Edge finds storage, treatment, irrigation and community benefits. The Inspector-General Troy Grant takes Pakistan’s High Commissioner on a Murray-Darling Basin field trip. Pakistan also faces water scarcity and regulation but seeks to be a world-leader in water use.
Tony Quigley GAICD explains the innovative Trangie Nevertire Irrigation Scheme. He's a fourth-generation broadacre crop farmer and Chair of the Scheme.
Glenn Clifford, Luke Ryan and Murray Wood discuss drought-proofing drinking water in Dubbo. Join them at Dubbo Regional Council’s John Gilbert Water Treatment Plant.
Plus: explore the Burrima boardwalk with Tony Wass and David Duncan. It's at the Macquarie Marshes RAMSAR site. Tony and David are with the Macquarie Marshes Environmental Trust.
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Two water-stressed nations with one common vision (PDF 182 KB)
Two water-stressed nations with one common vision (DOCX 402 KB)
A climate for change? What Australia's Environment Report means for the Murray-Darling Basin
Published 4 April 2024
2023 was a year of climate opposites. Find out what it meant for the Murray-Darling Basin. Professor Albert Van Dijk(Opens in a new tab/window) led the 2023 Environment Report and has the answers. The Inspector-General Troy Grant takes the report off the page and into the Murray-Darling Basin.
Plus: hear from Narromine grower Tim Gainsford. Tim is one of the people putting the 2023 Environment Report into practice in the Basin.
Download transcript and related publications
A climate for change? What Australia's Environment Report means for the Murray-Darling Basin (PDF 182 KB)
A climate for change? What Australia's Environment Report means for the Murray-Darling Basin (DOCX 400 KB)
2023 Australia’s Environment Report(Opens in a new tab/window)
Global Water Monitor 2023 Summary Report(Opens in a new tab/window)
2023 episodes
Working collaboratively: how the ACT is helping Basin water management be more collaborative
Published 11 December 2023
Only 15% of people in the Inspector-General of Water Compliance's community sentiment survey knew that the ACT is part of the Murray-Darling Basin. The ACT is a small area when compared with the Basin states. But it brings significant economic and environmental benefits.
Dr Su Wild-River is the ACT’s delegate on the Regulatory Leaders Forum. She is also from the ACT Environmental Protection Authority and a podcast guest.
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Working collaboratively: how the ACT is helping Basin water management be more collaborative (PDF 181 KB)
Working collaboratively: how the ACT is helping Basin water management be more collaborative (DOCX 400 KB)
How the community feels about water management in the Murray-Darling Basin
Published 23 October 2023
The Murray-Darling Basin is the country's largest area of agricultural production. It is a food bowl, producing a third of Australia's food supply. Yet 77% of people surveyed didn't know whether they lived in the Basin. Learn more about how people in the Basin feel about water management through the Inspector-General of Water Compliance's community sentiment survey.
Download transcript and related publications
How the community feels about water management in the Murray-Darling Basin (PDF 179 KB)
How the community feels about water management in the Murray-Darling Basin (DOCX 400 KB)
Steady as it flows – An assessment of River Murray operations and environmental water management (PDF 4.90 MB)
2023 Community Sentiment Survey
Hear from the community at AgQuip 2023
Published 11 September 2023
Were you at the 2023 AgQuip? Australia's largest agricultural field day celebrated 50 years. The Inspector-General of Water Compliance went along for the first time, to speak to people about the agency's work. Learn about how some issues are affecting community water compliance and regulation.
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Hear from the community at AgQuip 2023 (PDF 154 KB)
Hear from the community at AgQuip 2023 (DOCX 395 KB)
A chat with Grant Barnes from the Natural Resources Access Regulator (Part II)
Published 4 August 2023
Part 2 of a chat with Grant Barnes from the NSW Natural Resources Access Regulator, in conversation with Deputy Inspector-General of Water Compliance, Daniel Blacker.
The Inspector-General of Water Compliance upholds trust and transparency in the management of Murray-Darling Basin resources. The agency ensures all who use and manage Basin resources are accountable.
Some confuse the role of the Inspector-General of Water Compliance versus the roles of the Basin State governments and agencies. The legislation that set up the Inspector-General of Water Compliance - the Water Act 2007 (Cth) - notes that it does not duplicate the role of other agencies.
The Inspector-General of Water Compliance has oversight of Basin State governments and agencies to ensure they follow the Basin Plan and the Water Act. The Basin State governments and agencies enforce and prosecute individuals.
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A chat with Grant Barnes from the Natural Resources Access Regulator (Part II) (PDF 158 KB)
A chat with Grant Barnes from the Natural Resources Access Regulator (Part II) (DOCX 396 KB)
A chat with Grant Barnes from the Natural Resources Access Regulator (Part I)
Published 4 August 2023
The Inspector-General of Water Compliance has oversight of Basin State governments and agencies to ensure they follow the Basin Plan and the Water Act. The agencies enforce and prosecute individuals. The Natural Resources Access Regulator in NSW is one such agency.
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A chat with Grant Barnes from the Natural Resources Access Regulator (Part I) (PDF 165 KB)
A chat with Grant Barnes from the Natural Resources Access Regulator (Part I) (DOCX 397 KB)
Myth busting: buybacks
Published 20 July 2023
In this episode, the Inspector-General of Water Compliance discusses the current buybacks process. The Inspector-General answers your questions about what it is, why it's happening, and how it's rolled out.
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Myth busting: buybacks (PDF 137 KB)
Myth busting: buybacks (DOCX 392 KB)
The significance of the Barmah Choke and how it affects water trading
Published 27 June 2023
The Inspector-General Troy Grant visited the Barmah Choke. The Choke is on the border of Victoria and NSW, north of the town of Echuca. This shallow, narrow section has the lowest flow in any stretch of the River Murray.
Trade through the Choke opened on 1 July 2023. In this episode, the Inspector-General of Water Compliance's director of trade regulation explains how it works when there’s limited water flowing.
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The significance of the Barmah Choke and how it affects water trading (PDF 138 KB)
The significance of the Barmah Choke and how it affects water trading (DOCX 393 KB)
Origins of the Inspector-General with Mick Keelty AO
Published 29 May 2023
Former AFP Commissioner Mick Keelty led Murray-Darling Basin Water Resources as interim Inspector-General for 12 months. His appointment as Inspector-General was from 2019 to 2020. It followed his role as the Northern Basin Commissioner.
As interim Inspector-General, he helped draft new water laws. These laws helped create the permanent statutory position under the Water Act 2007 (Cth). Troy Grant was first to fill the permanent role, appointed in August 2021.
This episode is a sneak peek into how the Inspector-General of Water Compliance came to be.
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Origins of the Inspector-General with Mick Keelty AO (PDF 183 KB)
Origins of the Inspector-General with Mick Keelty AO (DOCX 402 KB)
Steady as it flows report: the Inspector-General’s assessment of River Murray operations and environmental water management
Published 21 February 2023
Summer 2022/2023 saw significant rainfall across the Murray-Darling Basin. This reinvigorated concerns about how the river system was being managed. It echoed what the new Inspector-General of Water Compliance heard in 2021: distrust in how key agencies perform their duties.
The community told the Inspector-General that they didn’t think the River Murray was well-managed. They voiced concerns about environmental flows. An Inspector-General of Water Compliance report, Steady as it flows, looked at these concerns. This episode takes a look at it in more detail.
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Steady as it flows report: the Inspector-General’s assessment of River Murray operations and environmental water management (PDF 179 KB)
Steady as it flows report: the Inspector-General’s assessment of River Murray operations and environmental water management (DOCX 401 KB)
Water information hub: the role of the Bureau of Meteorology in collecting vital water information and the importance of reporting to the community
Published 20 January 2023
Matthew Coulton leads on agriculture and water issues at the Bureau of Meteorology. He advises agricultural and water agencies and businesses. He helps develop new products and services for the Bureau in agriculture sectors. This includes the Water Information Portal(Opens in a new tab/window). In this episode, he explains the Bureau's role and its responsibilities.
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Water information hub: the role of the Bureau of Meteorology in collecting vital water information and the importance of reporting to the community (PDF 154 KB)
Water information hub: the role of the Bureau of Meteorology in collecting vital water information and the importance of reporting to the community (DOCX 398 KB)
2022 episodes
Border Rivers Trade Audit: how different trading rules can cause issues when water crosses two jurisdictions
Published 31 October 2022
This episode is a look at the latest audit based on water trade in the Border Rivers region. The region covers northern NSW and southern Queensland. The 2 jurisdictions have separate trading rules.
This Inspector-General of Water Compliance audit found that some water trades between states were not recorded by both. Another issue found incorrect volumes recorded and manual adjustments without documented explanations.
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Border Rivers Trade Audit: how different trading rules can cause issues when water crosses two jurisdictions (PDF 168 KB)
Border Rivers Trade Audit: how different trading rules can cause issues when water crosses two jurisdictions (DOCX 398 KB)
How to improve collaboration, compliance and enforcement across the Murray Darling Basin with Des Pearson and Troy Grant
Published 19 September 2022
Guest Des Pearson (AO) is a former Auditor General of Victoria and Western Australia. He conducted a compliance and enforcement review across the Murray-Darling Basin.
He is honest and forthcoming about that report with insights on how to better manage Basin water. He calls for a more consistent approach to water terminologies and accounting.
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How to improve collaboration, compliance and enforcement across the Murray Darling Basin with Des Pearson and Troy Grant (PDF 173 KB)
How to improve collaboration, compliance and enforcement across the Murray Darling Basin with Des Pearson and Troy Grant (DOCX 399 KB)
Sustainable Diversion Limit Statement of Compliance: what is it and why is it important? Why is NSW behind and what are the consequences for not having a Water Resource Plan?
Published 19 August 2022
This episode looks at the annual statements of compliance for Sustainable Diversion Limits (SDL). The Inspector-General Troy Grant says he worries about late submissions. He explains how late submissions affect Basin communities.
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Sustainable Diversion Limit Statement of Compliance: what is it and why is it important? (PDF 152 KB)
Sustainable Diversion Limit Statement of Compliance: what is it and why is it important? (DOCX 395 KB)
Who is the Inspector-General of Water Compliance, Troy Grant? And what role does the Inspector-General play in water compliance?
Published 18 August 2022
In this first-ever Water's Edge episode, meet the Inspector-General. Find out how Troy Grant came to the role and his vision and purpose for the Inspector-General of Water Compliance.
The Inspector-General of Water Compliance is an independent statutory authority in the Commonwealth. It was set up under the Water Act 2007 (Cth). It upholds trust and transparency in the Murray-Darling Basin's water reform agenda. It delivers consistency of Basin water regulation. It strengthens Basin Plan compliance and enforcement.
Download transcript
Who is the Inspector-General of Water Compliance, Troy Grant? (PDF 127 KB)
Who is the Inspector-General of Water Compliance, Troy Grant? (DOCX 389 KB)
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To ask a question or suggest a topic for Water's Edge, email media@igwc.gov.au with the subject line Water’s Edge.