National Water Commission

The National Water Commission (NWC) was an independent statutory authority in Australia established by the National Water Commission Act 2004 to implement the National Water Initiative and reform the broader national water agenda. The agency was abolished by the Abbott government in 2014.

The Commission reported to the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities portfolio, and provided independent, evidence-based advice to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and the Australian Government on national water issues.

The Act was amended in June 2012 following an independent COAG Review of the Commission. Under the amended Act, the Commission had three core ongoing functions: monitoring, audit, and assessment. It was also empowered to undertake broader activities that promoted national water reform objectives. The Commission had additional functions under other Commonwealth acts and regulations:

• The Water Act 2007 assigned an ongoing function to audit the effectiveness of the implementation of the Murray–Darling Basin Plan and associated water resource plans. The Commission was required to conduct its first audit by March 2013 and subsequently no later than five years from the conduct of the first audit.
• In 2011, the Commission was delegated additional functions under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Regulations 2011.