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Your guide to the structures, organisations and key people in the Australian Government

Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
The Murray-Darling Basin Officials Committee is established by the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement, Schedule 1 to the Water Act 2007 (Cwlth), as amended. The committee facilitates cooperation and coordination between the Commonwealth, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and the Basin states in funding works and managing the Basin water and other natural resources. The committee is responsible for providing advice to the Ministerial Council, and for implementing policy and decisions of the council on matters such as state water shares and the funding and delivery of natural resource management programs. The committee has high-level decision-making responsibilities for river operations, including setting objectives and outcomes to be achieved by the authority in Murray River operations. Membership of the committee comprises officials from the six Basin governments, and the committee is chaired by the Commonwealth committee member. The authority's Chair and Chief Executive are non-voting members of the committee.

Further information

  • Type of Body

    E. Statutory office holder, offices and committees

  • Established By / Under

    Act / Regulation

  • Established By/Under More info

    Schedule 1 to the Water Act 2007

  • Paid Members?

    No

  • Max No. of Board/Committee Members

    6

  • Annual Report Prepared and tabled?

    No, but noted in parent's annual report

  • Classification

    B. Secondary statutory structure

  • Auditor

    ANAO

  • Function Categorization

    Advisory Board

  • Creation Date

  • Postal Address

    Level 4, 51 Allara St
    Canberra City ACT
    Australia

Current board appointments

Position Appointee Start Date End Date
Chair Ms. Lyn O'Connell 5 June 2024 Determined by the appointer
Member Mr. Ben Bruce 6 February 2017 Determined by the appointer
Member Mr. David Wiskar 12 June 2017 Determined by the appointer
Member Ms. Helen Vaughan 26 June 2017 Determined by the appointer
Member Mr. Jim Bentley 3 July 2019 Determined by the appointer
Member Dr. Erin Brady 24 July 2019 Determined by the appointer
Last updated: