Creating a better way to shape water policy

The review of the Snowy Water Inquiry Outcomes Implementation Deed (SWIOID) presents a unique opportunity to embrace a 21st-century approach to water policy decision-making – one that is transparent, collaborative, and community-driven.

Too often, policy reviews result in gridlock, with stakeholders feeling over-consulted but under-listened to, while decision-makers struggle to navigate competing interests in ways that deliver practical solutions. Watertrust is working to change that.

In June and November of last year, Watertrust hosted national workshops in Canberra, bringing together government, industry, and community representatives to explore how Structured Decision Making (SDM) could be applied to the SWIOID review. Drawing on successful case studies from Canada – where SDM resolved long-standing conflicts over hydro-affected rivers – participants stepped through real-world applications of SDM, building shared understanding, exploring trade-offs, and considering alternative water management scenarios.

This work is about more than just the SWIOID review. It provides a national case study for modern, evidence-based decision-making – one that moves beyond entrenched policy roadblocks by ensuring deep community participation and structured, transparent deliberation.

The momentum from these workshops – particularly among non-government stakeholders – has reinforced the need for a deliberative, problem-solving approach. To build on this, Watertrust is now preparing a compelling case for the use of deliberative processes, like SDM, to support the SWIOID review and elsewhere, to be released in late February 2025.

By testing and proving innovative approaches that cut through policy deadlocks, Watertrust is demonstrating how water policy can evolve to be more inclusive, informed, and future-focused. If successful, this approach could reshape water policy decision-making across Australia – delivering solutions that work for communities, governments, and the environment alike.

Find out more; call Peter: 0480 446 530