9th Annual Water Symposium

Date: Thursday 27 February 2014
Time: 9.00am to 5.30pm
Venue: L’Aqua, Darling Harbour, Sydney

Attend and earn 7 CLE/ CPD units

9.00am Opening Remarks form the Chair

Rob Freeman, Commissioner, National Water Commission, Former CEO, Murray Darling Basin Authority

9.10am to 10.20am National Water Issues

Understanding Australian Water Priorities

  • Policy development
  • Drought and floods: How do we stay prepared?
  • Our water priorities

Presented by The Hon Senator Simin Birmingham, Parlimentary Secretary to the Minister for Environment

Integrating Value from Climate, Weather and Water Information

How information gathered by the Bureau is:

  • Bridging the gap from weather to short term streamflow forecasts
  • Informing seasonal streamflow and climate outlooks
  • Improving prediction of high rainfall intensity and design flood

Presented by Graham Hawke, Deputy Director of Environment and Research, Bureau of Meteorology

Observations on the Development of Water Markets

  • The roles of the ACCC in the water sector
  • Impediments to more efficient water markets
  • Where to now for water reform?

Presented by Nick O’Kane, Director of Water Trading and Monitoring, Australian Competition and Consumer Comission

11.10am to 12.35pm Water Security for Cities

Urban Water Management: Moving Towards Decentralised Water Systems

  • Governance challenges
  • Regulatory challenges
  • Political challenges
  • Transitioning

Presented by John Thwaites, Chair, ClimateWorks Australia and the Monash Sustainability Institute; Consultant, Maddocks and Former Victorian Premier and Water Minister

Introduction by Jonathan McKeown, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Water Association

Panel Discussion: Affordability in an Urban Context

  • Have we over complicated water management?
  • ‘Smart regulation’
  • Are we prepared for the next big drought?

Panel chaired by: Jonathan McKeown, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Water Association Panellists: Martin van Bueren, van Bueren Economics, Graham Hawke, Deputy Director of Environment and Research, Bureau of Meteorology Rob Freeman, Commissioner, National Water Commission, Former CEO, Murray Darling Basin Authority

12.35am to 3.35pm Rural and Regional Areas Water Imperatives

Water Trading Strategies for Regional Centres

  • Benefits of the water market for councils
  • How the market works How to participate in the water market
  • Knowing new trading products (water leases)
  • Understanding the difference between groundwater and surface water in water trading

Presented by Tom Rooney, CEO and co-founder, Waterfind

Environmental Water Management: Practical Issues

  • Regulatory and legal issues with water being released to the environment
  • Rules based versus ‘held’ environmental water
  • Role of an environmental water holder: objectives, regulatory instruments (flood easements), environmental water trade
  • Incentivising greater private participation in environmental water management

Presented by Martin van Bueren, van Bueren Economics

Navigating Water Sharing Plans

  • Implementing water sharing plans
  • Getting compliant
  • Getting accredited

Presented by Robert O’Neill, Director of Water Policy and Planning, NSW Office of Water

Legal and Regulatory Issues in Water Reticulation Network Transactions

  • A competitive environment: third party access and cartel issues
  • what is a good asset if you can’t access it?
  • Trips and traps for dealing with regulators, customers and third parties
  • Maximising contractual protection while minimising vendor risks

Presented by James Frearson Lea, Kain Corporate + Commercial Lawyers

Water in Mining and How it Impacts Communities

4.10 Coal Seam Gas: Queensland Perspective

  • The QLD regulatory framework for managing CSG water extraction
  • An update on management of water extraction impacts in the Surat Basin
  • Building new knowledge to improve predictions of groundwater impacts

Presented by Randall Cox, General Manager, Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment

4.50 National Groundwater Strategic Plan and Unconventional Gas

  • Overview of the National Groundwater Strategic Plan
  • Potential impacts of unconventional gas on groundwater
  • Future research and management needs for groundwater, including unconventional gas

Presented by Prof Craig Simmons, Flinders University and National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training

5.30 Chairpersons Closing Remarks and Symposium Close.

Sponsor/exhibitor contact

Ciaran O'Connell
[javascript protected email address]

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