Latest news
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On trust, fairness and the Basin Plan Review
02 June 2026
Watertrust Australia CEO Karen Hutchinson reflects on how philanthropy is such an important part of what makes Watertrust effective. At a recent funders forum, Watertrust had the opportunity to show our funders how our work is having an impact on the ground and breaking policy deadlocks. In this video, Karen explores this and other projects currently underway at Watertrust.
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Connecting the Lower Balonne
27 May 2026
The recently formed Lower Balonne Working Group has made a submission to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan Review, reflecting progress in an area of historic deadlock between water users in the region.
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Could addressing fairness make some water sharing challenges more achievable?
27 May 2026
Water sharing plans are a classic area of policy deadlock. Watertrust Australia’s work into fairness, which we are currently refining and testing with water policy practitioners, could provide new processes for decision makers to genuinely engage with stakeholders in this often-vexed area.
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Watertrust Australia’s submission to the Basin Plan Review
27 May 2026
In the contested world of water policy, disagreements are likely. But with transparent, inclusive and well-reasoned deliberation in place, deadlock and impasse does not have to be inevitable. Watertrust Australia’s submission to the Murray Darling Basin Plan Review makes the case to embed processes like these into the Basin Plan.
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What does fair look like from your perspective?
27 May 2026
This month in Adelaide, Peter Cullen Trust fellows and friends took a day to get immersive with the concept of fairness and how to apply it in water policy discussions. The workshop was an opportunity for Watertrust Australia to share its work on fairness to see how it lands with a group of experienced practitioners.
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Community Empowerment
15 April 2026
A few weeks ago, I joined a One Basin CRC panel that focused on empowering local communities, as part of a broader conversation around the review of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
What encouraged me about the panel was the clear and genuine appetite for approaches where locals and local knowledge have a stronger place in shaping the outcomes that affect them.
What encouraged me about the panel was the clear and genuine appetite for approaches where locals and local knowledge have a stronger place in shaping the outcomes that affect them.
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Does fairness really matter?
15 April 2026
“Does fairness really matter?” Watertrust Australia’s CEO, Karen Hutchinson asks in the Leith Boullly AM Oration.
The Leith Boully AM Oration held in Brisbane on March 10 honoured the work of the late much loved Leith Boully AM. In addition to Karen’s oration, the theme of fairness was a provocation for the other speakers on the day.
The Leith Boully AM Oration held in Brisbane on March 10 honoured the work of the late much loved Leith Boully AM. In addition to Karen’s oration, the theme of fairness was a provocation for the other speakers on the day.