National Water Policy: PCT Nationally Significant Conversation #1

Overview:

In her 2022 Peter Cullen Lecture, Rachel Connell, Head of Division, Water Reform Taskforce, with the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water and Deputy Chair of the Murray-Darling Basin Officials Committee, invited input from the Trust’s Network to the national water reform conversation.

The invitation was then posed as a challenge by Leith Boully in her moving speech to the 2022 Peter Cullen Trust Leadership Program graduates. This led to a group of 15 Fellows (the NWR Organising Committee) discussing how they and their colleagues could contribute a useful and meaningful ‘offering’ into the Australian Governments’ water reform considerations.  In January 2023, over fifty PCT Fellows gathered online to share their views on national water management including the four areas suggested by Rachel Connell. The Fellows’ conversation included discussion of the potential for a renewed national water commission, then focused on six pre-identified themes, including the four suggested by Rachel Connell with an additional two themes identified by Fellows.

Since that conversation, members of the Organising Committee have been synthesising Fellows’ input to create a draft summary report, including key areas for reform as well as consideration of the case for a renewed National Water Commission.

National Water Policy: a Nationally Significant Conversation

The next important step in this process is a working breakfast session to further our nationally significant conversation on water policy and policy reform.  Members of the PCT National Water Reform Challenge Organising Committee, other PCT Fellows and senior representatives from DCCEEW will gather for face to face, peer to peer dialogue, under PCT’s Chatham House Rule, where we will develop and explore priorities for national water policy.

This session kicks off our May PD Day of “Extreme Teaming”, but is offered as a stand-alone event, and is separately registered.

Light breakfast will be provided from 7.00am for a 7.30-10.00am agenda including welcome, scene-setting, panel and Q&A, table discussions and round-up.

Places are limited, but Fellows are encouraged to seek a place at the table.

REGISTER HERE: https://events.humanitix.com/national-water-policy-a-nationally-significant-conversation