SEMINAR: Water Resources and Water Resources Law Reform in South West WA � confronting water scarcity

With another very dry winter just passing, we can see that one of the greatest impacts of climate change on Australia is the drying of the South-West of the WA. If we add this climate pattern to the growing pattern of resource development, population growth and overuse of some of our scarce water resources, we can see a major adaptation challenge that should begin with water resources law reform. We need a much better defined framework to share the growing water scarcity with the natural environment. Yet, as the National Water Commission stated in its report “The National Water Initiative – securing Australia’s water future: 2011 assessment”, September 2011, p.9, Western Australia has yet to enact water management legislation consistent with the National Water Initiative, the national policy on water law reform, that WA signed onto in 2006 and still broadly supports. This is still true. This presentation will canvas the water resources management situation for the South-West of WA, particularly for Perth’s water supply, and argue that Western Australia needs water resources law reform.”