Disclaimer: This document provides legal information only and does not replace the need for professional legal advice in individual cases. While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate, the EDO does not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage resulting from any error in this document or use of this work.

The Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Productivity Commission’s Draft Report on National Water Reform 2020 (Draft Report).

EDO supports revision of the National Water Initiative (NWI) across a variety of areas, as set out in our August 2020 submission to the Productivity Commission on the National Water Reform Inquiry. For the purposes of this submission, we are focussing on one particular area – Aboriginal water rights.

EDO works with many Traditional Owners and Aboriginal organisations across Australia in relation to freshwater legal issues and broader relationships to water.