The Inter-State Commission: a solution to the on-going issues in the Murray-Darling Basin?

Sustainable management of inter-jurisdictional river systems is a global challenge. We review the history of governance of the Murray-Darling Basin in Australia to draw lessons for future management. An Inter-State Commission is mandated in the Australian Constitution to adjudicate inter-jurisdictional disputes and was seen as the solution to the many governance issues relating to the Basin. Such a Commission was eventually established alongside the River Murray Waters Agreement and then abolished. In this article we draw on key literature to assess whether lessons can be drawn from the history of the Commission and the Agreement that highlight key unresolved issues which can inform improved governance of inter-jurisdictional rivers, in particular the Murray-Darling Basin and water resources more generally in Australia. Major problems have emerged in the Basin because of excessive water extraction and the consequent environmental damage. These are now compounded by climate change and exacerbated by contestation over water management among the state and federal governments. A plethora of government agencies have been established to tackle the problems. In one way or another, they have all failed. We conclude that the coercive powers of the Commission or a similar body are needed for more sustainable water management.