Conducting Inquiries
The Inspector-General of Water Compliance (the Inspector-General), established in 2021 under Part 9A of the Water Act 2007 (Cth) (the Water Act), is an independent statutory officer. Under the Water Act 2007 (Cth) (the Water Act), the Inspector-General of Water Compliance (the Inspector-General) has the power to conduct inquiries under Part 10AB. Inquiries may be directed by the Minister for Water or self-initiated by the Inspector-General.
An inquiry may relate to the Inspector-General’s monitoring and oversight functions undersection 215C of the Water Act, which include:
how Commonwealth agencies perform their functions and exercise powers under the Water Act, Basin Plan 2012 (Cth) (the Basin Plan) and water resource plans,
how Basin State agencies perform their obligations in managing Murray–Darling Basin water resources under the Water Act, Basin Plan and water resource plans, and
the implementation by Commonwealth and Basin State agencies of specific agreements relating to the management of water resources in the Basin.
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Inquiry Framework
The Inquiry Framework provides transparent guidance on how the Inspector-General conducts inquiries, including the legal basis for inquiries, the Inspector-General's approach at each stage of the inquiry process, and the procedural fairness principles that apply.
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