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Watertrust’s recent Insights Forum not only provided a chance for the organisation’s board members, advisors and extended team to come together, it also provided a natural setting to reflect on how far Watertrust has come, what we’ve achieved and how to reach our ambitious targets over the next 12 months.

Watertrust recently brought together a diverse group of stakeholders interested in the management of water in the Snowy Mountains to hear inspiring stories of how novel policy-making processes in British Columbia, Canada have transformed water management and massively improved outcomes for stakeholders.

It is difficult at the best of times to manage Adelaide's precious water resources to meet the domestic, environmental, cultural, and industrial demands. Once the added pressures of climate change and projected population growth are factored in, the need to rethink its future management becomes essential. That's why Watertrust has been working closely with stakeholders from across Greater Adelaide's water sector to co-design future water management arrangements.

In late 2022, an interim Working Group of First Nations leaders was convened by Watertrust to help shape a Ministerial roundtable with the Hon Tanya Plibersek. Watertrust continued to support the Working Group as it explored the potential need and options to strengthen First Nations' participation in water policy reform nationwide. As part of that work, the Working Group sought a landscape map of organisations in Australia that have a role in furthering First Nations water rights and interests.

Watertrust Australia enjoyed a strong 2023 as we continued to build trusted relationships with a wide diversity of stakeholders across Australia, and achieved breakthroughs with our unique positioning and skillset.
Our first Annual Review showed how the value of our independent status and focus on inclusive processes is resonating with many. This has now evolved to Watertrust playing a vital role in initiatives across a range of policy issues and geographies, providing a solid foundation to overcoming barriers to water and catchment policy reform.

For the past year, Watertrust Australia has been supporting First Nations leaders and governments in exploring ways to increase First Nations' participation in water policy reform processes. Watertrust initially convened an interim working group to shape a roundtable with Hon Tanya Plibersek. The working group has since evolved to explore options for a more comprehensive engagement between First Nations, governments, and non-Indigenous water users in upcoming water policy reforms.