The apparent commitment of the Commission to application of free-market principles to the management of our dwindling water resources is of particular concern and is evidenced by its statement that, by “removing barriers to trade and other policies which otherwise impede the natural and continuing process of adjustment”, governments can facilitate the process whereby “water markets play a critical role in this transition”.

Coordinator of Fair Water Use, Ian Douglas, has responded to this section of the report stating, “There is nothing “natural” about a process that removes water from one part of a highly-stressed, truly natural and complex system and reallocates it to another for purely commercial reasons; and that will be an undoubted sequel to a market-driven approach.”

“Transition to sustainable water management cannot be made utilising open market principles, unless the immense value of the services that healthy river systems bring to such a market is accepted by all those who seek to utilise them, factored-in to costing modalities and recouped to benefit the environment and public good”, he continued.

Dr Douglas added, “In the long term we will all lose if absolute priority is not given to restoring and maintaining the ability of natural resources, such as the Murray-Darling river system, to provide the invaluable ecosystem services that we require to support essential social amenities and an appropriate level of water-based industry.”

He concluded, “If Australia continues to do otherwise, our future will emulate that of the many regions of the world which have mercilessly exploited their natural water resources and are now dependent on the high-cost, technology-driven and ecologically-damaging activities of private water corporations for their water supply.”