Quixotic water policy and the prudence of place-based voices

Australia has a history of quixotic water policies, forged by dreams of abundance and facilitated by technological and regulatory mechanisms, including impoundments, irrigation schemes and over-allocation of both surface and artesian water. The consequences of such quixotic water policies are social as well as biophysical. To date, deteriorating river health and declining water quality and quantity caused by poor management practices have impeded human wellbeing as well as the operation of ecological systems. This chapter analyses these issues through undertaking a case study of northern New South Wales catchment of Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), identifying management fashions and deficiencies. The Namoi catchment sits within MDB in northern New South Wales. Even with its relative biophysical advantages, Namoi shares the poor ecosystem health of most other catchments in MDB. The MDB itself is a catchment, one that spans four States and one Territory, all with divergent jurisdictional-based views regarding water use and economic interests as well as heterogeneous perspectives within their boundaries.