Who Determines Access To Australia’s Water? Social Flow, Gender, Citizenship And Stakeholder Priorities In The Australian Water Crisis

Water, or lack of it, has become an issue of national and international significance. Who gets it and for what purpose are critical decisions being made right around the globe. In this paper we argue that the bodies through which these decisions are made are significantly gendered, with men dominating the ranks of water decision making bodies. Further we argue that the dominant factors that drive decisions are the economic value of water followed closely by the environmental issues associated with low water supply. Drawing on earlier work, we argue that the social factors associated with water, or what we refer to as social flow, are largely overlooked in decisions about water allocation. We assert that a significant reason for this is the gendered make up of water bodies. We therefore conclude that it is essential that women become more prominent on these bodies and that greater attention be given to the gendering of decision making bodies and the factors that drive these decisions.