Murray–Darling Basin Authority, Media Release, 6 May 2026

The Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) has marked the close of the formal public consultation period for the Basin Plan Review, a significant milestone in shaping the future of water management across the Basin.

More than 2,400 submissions have been received from First Nations people, community members, organisations, local, state and national government agencies. Many were shared in the final days of the consultation period which ended on 1 May.

MDBA Chief Executive Andrew McConville said the level of engagement reflected the importance of the Basin Plan to communities and industries across the region.

“People care deeply about the Basin and its future. We’ve seen that in the time people have taken to share their experiences, challenge our thinking and put forward ideas,” said Mr McConville.

“We want the Basin Plan, as it’s reshaped through the Review, to help manage the Basin’s limited water in a way that keeps rivers healthy as the climate changes, while also supporting the communities and industries that rely on them.

“Submissions and conversations have reflected a wide range of perspectives on the future of water management. The Basin is complex, and good policy depends on understanding those different perspectives.

“I want to thank every single person who took the time to be part of this. So many of you travelled, came to meetings, shared your stories, challenged us and gave your honest views. That means a great deal.

“We’ll now take the time to consider every submission in detail, because your insights and lived experience are central to shaping the next stage of this Review.”

The 12-week consultation period began on Thursday 5 February and closed on Friday 1 May 2026. Over that time:

• more than 2,800 participations in engagement meetings, forums and online channels
• we connected with more than 500 First Nations peoples and groups
• we visited more than 90 towns and regional centres across the Basin.

Every submission will now be individually read by the MDBA and considered in detail. This analysis will inform the What We Heard report that will be published alongside submissions (where consent has been provided) in late June.

“All of this information, together with insights from the MDBA’s scientific and technical analysis, will feed into the Basin Plan Review Report that we will share with Basin governments before the end of the year.”

The Basin Plan Review is a legislated process to ensure the Basin Plan remains fit for purpose. More information can be found at 2026 Basin Plan Review.