{"id":"river-murray-waters-agreement-supplemental-agreement-act-1963","name":"River Murray Waters Agreement Supplemental Agreement Act 1963","slug":"river-murray-waters-agreement-supplemental-agreement-act-1963","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"sa","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":106671,"registerId":"sa-river-murray-waters-agreement-supplemental-agreement-act-1963-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"River Murray Waters Agreement Supplemental Agreement Act 1963","content":"South Australia\nRiver Murray Waters Agreement Supplemental Agreement Act 1963\nAn Act to ratify and approve an agreement entered into between the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth and the Premiers of the States of New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia respecting the waters of the Darling River stored at Menindee in the State of New South Wales in the connected series of lake storages collectively known as the Menindee Lake Storage, and for other purposes.\n\nContents\nPreamble\n1\tShort title\n3\tIncorporation\n4\tAct to bind the Crown\n5\tRatification of Agreement\n6\tFinancial provision\nSchedule\nLegislative history\n\n\nPreamble\nWHEREAS the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth acting for and on behalf of the Commonwealth and the Premiers of the States of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia acting for and on behalf of those States respectively have entered into an Agreement (in this Act referred to as the River Murray Waters Agreement Supplemental Agreement) to provide for the maintenance, operation and control of the waters of the Darling River in the connected series of lake storages at Menindee in the State of New South Wales collectively known as and referred to in the said Agreement as the Menindee Lakes Storage and for the availability to and use by the contracting Governments thereof in the manner and for the purposes and during the period set forth in the said Agreement:\nAND WHEREAS the said Agreement is expressed to be subject to ratification by the Parliaments of the Commonwealth and of the said States:\nAND WHEREAS it is desirable to ratify the said Agreement:\n\nThe Parliament of South Australia enacts as follows:\n1—Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the River Murray Waters Agreement Supplemental Agreement Act 1963.\n3—Incorporation\nThis Act is incorporated with the River Murray Waters Act 1935.\n4—Act to bind the Crown\nThis Act shall bind the Crown.\n5—Ratification of Agreement\nThe River Murray Waters Agreement Supplemental Agreement, a copy of which is set out in the Schedule to this Act, is hereby ratified and approved.\n6—Financial provision\nSubject to the provisions of the Agreement all moneys required for the purposes of this Act shall be paid out of moneys provided by Parliament for such purposes.\nSchedule\nEditorial Note—\nClauses 4, 7, 8 and 9 of this Agreement have been amended and clause 13 of this Agreement has been omitted by amendments made to the Principal Agreement by clause 29 of the Agreement dated 26 February 1970 contained in the Schedule to the River Murray Waters Act Amendment Act (No. 2) 1971.\nAN AGREEMENT made the eighth day of October One thousand nine hundred and sixty-three BETWEEN THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR ROBERT GORDON MENZIES, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia for and on behalf of the Commonwealth of Australia, of the first part, THE HONOURABLE ROBERT JAMES HEFFRON, Premier of the State of New South Wales for and on behalf of that State, of the second part, THE HONOURABLE HENRY EDWARD BOLTE, Premier of the State of Victoria for and on behalf of that State, of the third part, and THE HONOURABLE SIR THOMAS PLAYFORD, Premier of the State of South Australia for and on behalf of that State, of the fourth part\nWHEREAS on the ninth day of September One thousand nine hundred and fourteen an agreement was entered into by the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Premiers of the States of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia with regard to the economical use of the waters of the River Murray and its tributaries for irrigation and navigation and to the reconciling of the interests of the Commonwealth of Australia and the said States, which agreement was ratified by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Parliaments of the said States and is in this agreement referred to as \"the Original Agreement\":\nAND WHEREAS by further agreements dated the tenth day of August One thousand nine hundred and twenty-three, the twenty-third day of July One thousand nine hundred and thirty-four, the twenty-sixth day of November One thousand nine hundred and forty-eight, the second day of November One thousand nine hundred and fifty-four, the eleventh day of September One thousand nine hundred and fifty-eight (in this agreement respectively referred to as \"the first Amending Agreement\", \"the second Amending Agreement\", \"the third Amending Agreement\", \"the fourth Amending Agreement\", and \"the fifth Amending Agreement\") all made between the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Premiers of the States of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia certain provisions of the Original Agreement were modified, the Original Agreement as so modified being referred to in this agreement as \"the Principal Agreement\":\nAND WHEREAS the first Amending Agreement, the second Amending Agreement, the third Amending Agreement, the fourth Amending Agreement, and the fifth Amending Agreement, were all subsequently ratified by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia and by the Parliaments of the said States:\nAND WHEREAS, in pursuance of its rights under clause 46 of the Principal Agreement the State of New South Wales has diverted and stored the waters of the Darling River at Menindee by the construction of a connected series of lake storages collectively known as, and referred to in this Agreement as, the Menindee Lakes Storage:\nAND WHEREAS it has been agreed between the Contracting Governments that the waters stored in the Menindee Lakes Storage will be made available in the manner and for the purposes and during the period set forth in this agreement:\nNOW IT IS HEREBY AGREED as follows:—\nI.\tRATIFICATION AND ENFORCEMENT.\n\t1.\tThis agreement is subject to ratification by the Parliaments of the Commonwealth of Australia and of the States of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, and shall come into effect when so ratified.\n\t2.\tThe Contracting Governments hereby agree to submit this agreement for ratification to the respective Parliaments of the Commonwealth of Australia and of the said States during the present session of any such Parliament or if any such Parliament is not in session at the date of this agreement then at the first session of that Parliament held after the date of this agreement.\n\t3.\tEach of the Contracting Governments so far as its jurisdiction extends and so far as it may be necessary shall provide for or secure the execution and enforcement of the provisions of this agreement and any Acts ratifying it.\nII.\tMENINDEE LAKES STORAGE AGREEMENT.\n\t4.\tThis agreement shall be deemed to have commenced on the first day of January, One thousand nine hundred and sixty-three, and, without prejudice to the later operation of clauses 9 and 12, shall remain in force for a period of seven years from that date.\n\t5.\tThe State of New South Wales shall carry out the normal maintenance necessary to keep the Menindee Lakes Storage and the works associated with it in good order and condition, having regard to the full supply levels and storage capacities referred to in the next succeeding clause.\n\t6.\tFor the purpose of this agreement, and unless and until otherwise agreed between the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission of New South Wales and the River Murray Commission by the exchange of letters between them, the full supply levels of the Menindee Lakes Storage will be—\n\t(a)\tuntil Lake Cawndilla is declared by the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission of New South Wales to be effective—\nLake Wetherell—R.L. 208 feet Water Conservation Datum.\nLake Pamamaroo—R.L. 204 feet Water Conservation Datum.\nLake Menindee—R.L. 202 feet Water Conservation Datum.\ncorresponding to a total storage capacity of approximately 1 010 000 acre‑feet; and\n\t(b)\tafter Lake Cowandilla has been declared by the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission of New South Wales to be effective—\nLake Wetherell—R.L. 208 feet Water Conservation Datum.\nLake Pamamaroo—R.L. 204 feet Water Conservation Datum.\nLake Menindee—R.L. 202 feet Water Conservation Datum.\nLake Cawndilla—R.L. 202 feet Water Conservation Datum.\ncorresponding to a total storage capacity of approximately 1 470 000 acre‑feet.\n\t7.\t—\n\t(1)\tThe State of New South Wales shall operate and control the Menindee Lakes Storage in compliance with the provisions of this clause.\n\t(2)\tSubject to the provisions of sub-clause (3) of this clause, at any time when the quantity of water stored in the Menindee Lakes Storage is in excess of 390 000 acre‑feet—\n\t(a)\tsubject to paragraph (b) of this sub-clause, the water so stored in excess of 390 000 acre-feet shall be made available, at the direction of the Commission, for sharing between the State Contracting Governments as if it were water available for sharing under the provisions of clause 45 or clause 51, as the case may be, of the Principal Agreement;\n\t(b)\tthe State of New South Wales may use the water so stored in excess of 390 000 acre-feet as it requires but, for the purposes of the Principal Agreement, the amount so used in excess of 90 000 acre-feet in any year commencing on the first day of May shall be regarded as part of the share of the State of New South Wales under the provisions of clause 45 or clause 51, as the case may be, of the Principal Agreement for that year.\n\t(3)\tAt any time when the quantity of water stored in the Menindee Lakes Storage is less than 390 000 acre-feet, sub-clause (2) of this clause and clause 8 shall cease to operate until such time as the quantity of water so stored next equals 520 000 acre-feet, but during that period the State of New South Wales may use the water so stored as it requires, and the quantity used shall be deemed to be water used by that State under the provisions of clause 46 of the Principal Agreement.\n\t(4)\tAny direction to be given by the Commission under sub-clause (2) of this clause shall be determined by a majority vote of the four Commissioners, or, if the four Commissioners are equally divided, by the casting vote of the Commissioner representing the Commonwealth.\n\t8.\tSubject to the provisions of sub-clause (3) of clause 7 of this agreement, water available for sharing under the provisions of clause 51 of the principal Agreement shall at the time of any determination under that clause be deemed to include the volume of water in the Menindee Lakes Storage in excess of 390 000 acre-feet plus, during the period of restriction, the anticipated inflow less due deduction for estimated losses and a deduction of the unused portion of 90 000 acre-feet which the State of New South Wales is entitled to use in pursuance of paragraph (b) of sub-clause (2) of clause 7 of this agreement for each year commencing on the first day of May during which restrictions are continued.\n\t9.\tThe Commission shall pay to the State of New South Wales in respect of each year commencing on the first day of January during which this agreement remains in force—\n\t(a)\tan amount at the rate of £160 000 per annum to be paid by equal quarterly instalment at the end of each quarter, but no payment shall be made in respect of any day or days on which the effective capacity of Menindee Lakes Storage is less than 600 000 acre feet and an appropriate proportionate deduction shall be made from the quarterly instalment for the quarter in which any such day or days occur; and\n\t(b)\tthree-quarters of the cost during that year of operating the Menindee Lakes Storage and of carrying out the normal maintenance necessary to keep the said storage and the works associated with it in good order and condition.\n\t10.\tAny payment to be made by the Commission under the provisions of paragraph (a) of clause 9 of this agreement shall be borne by the Contracting Governments in equal shares.\n\t11.\tAny payment to be made by the Commission under the provisions of paragraph (b) of clause 9 of this agreement shall be borne by the State Contracting Governments in equal shares.\n\t12.\t—\n\t(1)\tFor as long as any moneys are payable between the Commission and the State of New South Wales under the provisions of this agreement, the Commission shall include references to the amounts of those moneys in any estimates prepared under the provisions of clause 34 of the Principal Agreement.\n\t(2)\tMoneys payable under the provisions of paragraph (a) of clause 9 of this agreement shall be included in that part of the estimates prepared in accordance with clause 34 of the Principal Agreement that deals with moneys payable by the Contracting Governments pursuant to the provisions of clause 20 and 32 of the Principal Agreement.\n\t(3)\tMoneys payable under the provisions of paragraph (b) of clause 9 of this agreement shall be included in that part of the said estimates that deals with moneys payable by the State Contracting Governments pursuant to the provisions of clause 33 of the Principal Agreement.\n\t(4)\tAt the same time as a Contracting Government pays to the Commission any moneys payable pursuant to clauses 20 and 32 of the Principal Agreement in accordance with the estimates prepared by the Commission under the provisions of clause 34 of the Principal Agreement, it shall pay its share as provided in this agreement of any moneys included in those estimates in accordance with sub-clause (2) of this clause, and at the same time as a State Contracting Government pays to the Commission any moneys payable pursuant to clause 33 of the Principal Agreement in accordance with the said estimates, it shall pay its share as provided in this agreement of any moneys included in those estimates in accordance with sub-clause (3) of this clause.\n\t13.\tTo the extent to which any provisions of this agreement are inconsistent with the provisions of the Principal Agreement, the provisions of this agreement shall prevail.\n\t14.\tUnless the contrary intention appears in this agreement,\n\t(a)\texpressions used in this agreement shall bear the same respective meanings as they bear in the Principal Agreement; and\n\t(b)\treferences to the Principal Agreement shall be read as references to that agreement as amended from time to time.\n\nIN WITNESS whereof the said parties to these presents have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and year first above-written.\nSIGNED SEALED AND DELIVERED by the above-named SIR ROBERT GORDON MENZIES in the presence of:\nW. H. SPOONER, Minister of State for National Development\n}\nROBERT G. MENZIES. (L.S.)\nSIGNED SEALED AND DELIVERED by the above-named ROBERT JAMES HEFFRON in the presence of:\nK. N. COMMENS.\n}\nR. J. HEFFRON. (L.S.)\nSIGNED SEALED AND DELIVERED by the above-named HENRY EDWARD BOLTE in the presence of:\nTHOMAS F. MORNANE.\n}\nHENRY E. BOLTE. (L.S.)\nSIGNED SEALED AND DELIVERED by the above-named SIR THOMAS PLAYFORD in the presence of:\nJ. S. WHITE.\n}\nT. PLAYFORD. (L.S.)\nLegislative history\nNotes\n\t•\tFor further information relating to the Act and subordinate legislation made under the Act see the Index of South Australian Statutes or www.legislation.sa.gov.au.\nPrincipal Act\nYear\nNo\nTitle\nAssent\nCommencement\n1963\n25\nRiver Murray Waters Agreement Supplemental Agreement Act 1963\n14.11.1963\n30.4.1964 (Gazette 23.4.1964 p854)\nProvisions amended since 3 February 1976\nNew entries appear in bold.\nEntries that relate to provisions that have been deleted appear in italics.\nProvision\nHow varied\nCommencement\ns 2\nomitted under Legislation Revision and Publication Act 2002\n\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose: ratifying the 1963 supplemental agreement regarding Menindee Lakes water storage and sharing arrangements. While the Schedule notes subsequent amendments to other clauses via the 1971 amending Act, these are editorial annotations rather than expansion of this Act's scope. The core function—giving parliamentary approval to an intergovernmental water deal—has not drifted into broader policy areas."},"complexity_factors":["Extensive cross-referencing to the 'Principal Agreement' (the 1914 River Murray Waters Agreement as amended) and five separate amending agreements, requiring readers to track definitions and clauses across multiple documents","Nested conditional logic in water sharing rules (e.g., clause 7 operates differently depending on whether storage is above 390,000 acre-feet, below 390,000 acre-feet, or between 390,000 and 520,000 acre-feet)","Technical measurement units (acre-feet, Reduced Levels relative to Water Conservation Datum) that assume specialised hydrological knowledge","Dual-phase operational structure (before and after Lake Cawndilla is 'declared effective') with different capacity calculations","Financial provisions split between capital payments and operating cost reimbursements with different cost-sharing ratios between Commonwealth and States","Incorporation by reference mechanism (section 3) meaning the Act cannot be understood without the 1935 Act"],"plain_english_summary":"This is a South Australian law from 1963 that rubber-stamps a deal between the Commonwealth (federal government) and three states—New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia—about sharing water from the Menindee Lakes in outback NSW.\n\n**What it does:**\n- **Ratifies an agreement** that lets the three states and the Commonwealth share water stored in the Menindee Lakes (a series of connected lakes on the Darling River).\n- **Sets the rules** for who gets what water and when:\n  - NSW keeps the first 390,000 acre-feet of water stored there for its own use.\n  - Any water above that level gets shared between the governments as if it were River Murray water.\n  - NSW can use up to 90,000 acre-feet of the \"excess\" water each year without it counting against its share.\n- **Pays NSW** for looking after the lakes: £160,000 per year (split equally between the four governments) plus three-quarters of operating and maintenance costs.\n- **Links to older laws**: It plugs into the River Murray Waters Act 1935, which is the main framework for managing the Murray-Darling Basin.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Primarily the four governments involved and their water bureaucracies.\n- Indirectly, farmers and communities downstream who depend on reliable water flows from the Menindee Lakes.\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThe Menindee Lakes are a critical water bank for the entire Murray-Darling system. This law formalised how that bank gets managed and who pays for it, ensuring South Australia (at the bottom of the river system) gets a say in how water is released from storage far upstream in NSW."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Scope cannot be assessed — the legislative text was not available in the provided source. The page returned a 'Page Not Found' error from the SA legislation website, meaning no comparison between original intent and enacted provisions is possible."},"complexity_factors":["No actual legislative text was retrievable — the source returned a 404 website error, preventing any meaningful legal analysis","Only the title of the Act is available, limiting assessment to general historical context","Inter-governmental water-sharing agreements are typically complex in nature, but that complexity cannot be confirmed or assessed here"],"plain_english_summary":"This 1963 South Australian Act gave legal effect to a supplemental agreement about sharing and managing River Murray waters between the Commonwealth and the states. It affects state governments and water authorities and, ultimately, farmers, irrigators and communities in South Australia who rely on Murray River flows. It matters because such agreements shape water allocation, infrastructure use and the health of a vitally important river system. No substantive details of the Act were available from the provided source."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This supplemental agreement addresses a focused subject — the treatment of waters stored at the Menindee Lakes — and implements rights and procedures contemplated by the existing River Murray (Principal) Agreement (notably NSW's rights under clause 46 of the Principal Agreement). It does not broaden the overall subject-matter of the River Murray arrangements beyond that original framework; rather it adds detailed, site‑specific operational and financial rules within the Principal Agreement's ambit. (See Agreement cl I and cl 46 reference in preamble.)"},"complexity_factors":["Incorporation with an earlier, longer Principal Agreement (River Murray Waters Act 1935) and reliance on many cross‑references to that Principal Agreement (clauses 13–14; cross references to clauses 20, 32, 33, 34, 45, 46, 51 of the Principal Agreement).","Numeric threshold and conditional logic in clause 7: storage triggers at 390,000 and 520,000 acre‑feet and an annual 90,000 acre‑feet allowance, producing different operational regimes.","Financial mechanics split across multiple clauses (clauses 9–12) with proportional deductions, quarterly instalments, and different apportionment rules (clauses 10–11).","Temporary duration and commencement rules (deemed commenced 1 January 1963 and seven‑year duration in clause 4) plus later editorial amendments noted (1970/1971 changes to clauses of the Principal Agreement).","Administrative requirements: Commission directions decided by a four‑member vote with Commonwealth casting vote (clause 7(4)); requirement to include payments in Commission estimates (clause 12).","Definitions and meaning drawn from another instrument (Principal Agreement), creating dependency on external defined terms and any subsequent amendments (clause 14(b))."],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does (mechanics)\n\n- Ratifies and approves a written agreement between the Commonwealth and the States of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia that deals specifically with the Darling River waters stored in the Menindee Lakes (the \"Menindee Lakes Storage\"). (see Schedule; Act, s 5)\n- Makes that agreement part of South Australian law by incorporating it with the River Murray Waters Act 1935 and states that the Act binds the Crown. (Act, ss 3–4)\n- Sets the operational rules for the Menindee Lakes Storage: New South Wales must maintain and operate the storage; the agreement fixes \"full supply\" levels (and an increased capacity if Lake Cowandilla is declared effective). (Agreement, cls 5–6)\n- Creates water‑sharing triggers and rules based on storage volumes: when storage is over 390,000 acre‑feet certain volumes are available to share between the contracting governments; when storage falls below 390,000 acre‑feet New South Wales may use the water as it requires until the storage reaches 520,000 acre‑feet, at which point the sharing rules return. The agreement also treats certain NSW uses as counting against the State's share in specified ways. (Agreement, cl 7(2)–(4), cl 8)\n- Gives the River Murray Commission (the Commission) authority to direct sharing when triggered; decisions are by majority of the four Commissioners with the Commonwealth Commissioner casting a deciding vote if tied. (Agreement, cl 7(4))\n- Fixes financial arrangements: the Commission pays NSW an annual sum (£160,000 as stated) and three‑quarters of operating and maintenance costs; how those payments are to be borne among the contracting governments is specified. The agreement requires the Commission to include these amounts in its regular estimates and budgets under the Principal Agreement. (Agreement, cls 9–12)\n- States that, to the extent of inconsistency, the terms of this Menindee agreement prevail over the earlier Principal Agreement, and that expressions not defined here take their meanings from the Principal Agreement. (Agreement, cls 13–14)\n\n**Who this affects (actors and flows)\n\n- Governments: the Commonwealth and the States of NSW, Victoria and South Australia are the parties who decide, pay and administer the arrangements (Agreement, preamble; cls I–III).\n- River Murray Commission: responsible for directing sharing when the storage trigger is met and for including payments in its estimates (Agreement, cl 7(2), cl 12).\n- New South Wales: obliged to operate and maintain the Menindee Lakes Storage and entitled to use water subject to the thresholds and accounting rules in the agreement (Agreement, cls 5, 7).\n- Other water users: indirect effect on irrigation and other water uses because the agreement changes how Menindee‑stored water is treated for intergovernmental sharing and accounting (Agreement, cls 7–8). The agreement allocates who pays for operating/maintenance and sets how much of the stored water is available for interstate sharing.\n\n**Why it matters (stated purpose and practical effect)\n\n- Stated purpose: to provide for maintenance, operation and control of Darling River waters stored at Menindee and to make those waters available to the contracting governments in the manner and for the period set out in the agreement (Preamble; Agreement, cl I(1)).\n\n- Practical effects and trade-offs (mechanisms rather than judgments):\n  - It converts a negotiated interstate arrangement into binding law for South Australia (Act, s 5; cl I). That gives legal force to the Commission's directions and the financial commitments.\n  - It creates clear numeric triggers that change water‑sharing rules (storage thresholds at 390,000 and 520,000 acre‑feet, and an annual 90,000 acre‑feet usage allowance for NSW) which alter when water is available for interstate sharing (Agreement, cl 7(2)–(3), cl 8). These thresholds change incentives for states to store, release or use water.\n  - It commits public money to annual payments and operating cost shares (Agreement, cl 9–11; Act, s 6). Those are fiscal obligations borne by the contracting governments rather than by private parties.\n  - It relies on multiple cross‑references to the earlier River Murray (Principal) Agreement for meanings, budgeting procedures and allocation rules; the supplemental agreement overrides the Principal Agreement to the extent of inconsistency (Agreement, cls 12–14). That requires ongoing administrative coordination between the Commission and the States.\n\n**Costs, incentives and implementation risks (concrete mechanisms)\n\n- Who pays: the Commission pays NSW (Agreement, cl 9); those Commission payments are borne by the Contracting Governments or State Contracting Governments as specified (Agreement, cls 10–11). Parliament must appropriate the money (Act, s 6).\n- Incentives: numeric storage triggers create discontinuities in sharing rules (e.g. below 390,000 acre‑feet NSW effectively has priority use and that water is accounted to NSW under clause 46 of the Principal Agreement), which affects how states manage inflows and releases (Agreement, cl 7(3)).\n- Discretion and administrative burden: the agreement gives the Commission decision‑making power on sharing directions (majority vote or Commonwealth casting vote) (Agreement, cl 7(4)). It also requires routine accounting and incorporation of these payments into Commission estimates under the Principal Agreement (Agreement, cl 12), which adds administrative steps and bookkeeping.\n- Coordination and legal complexity: many provisions depend on terms and procedures in the Principal Agreement (cross‑references to clauses 20, 32, 33, 34, 45, 46, 51 of the Principal Agreement are used), so implementation requires harmonising two instruments (Agreement, cls 7–8, 12–14). If the Principal Agreement is amended, meanings shift unless expressly preserved (Agreement, cl 14(b)).\n- Effects on private water users: the instrument does not directly regulate private parties, but it changes the pool of water treated as available for interstate sharing and the accounting of State entitlements; that can alter allocations available to irrigation and other users in each State (Agreement, cls 7–8). The mechanism is intergovernmental allocation and Commission direction, not direct adjustment of private water rights.\n\n**Concrete references to key provisions\n\n- Incorporation and binding: Act ss 3–4; ratification: s 5.\n- Operation and maintenance: Agreement cl 5.\n- Full supply levels/capacity: Agreement cl 6.\n- Sharing triggers and rules: Agreement cl 7 (thresholds 390,000 and 520,000 acre‑feet; 90,000 acre‑feet allowance), cl 8.\n- Payments and cost sharing: Agreement cls 9–11; budget/estimates treatment: cl 12.\n- Prevailing effect over earlier agreement and reliance on defined terms in the Principal Agreement: Agreement cls 13–14.\n\n**Bottom line (simple):** the Act turns a 1963 interstate agreement about the Menindee Lakes into enforceable South Australian law, sets detailed numeric rules for when and how Menindee‑stored water is shared between the Commonwealth and three States, assigns operation and maintenance obligations to NSW, and fixes the intergovernmental cost‑sharing and budgetary treatment of those arrangements."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/river-murray-waters-agreement-supplemental-agreement-act-1963","history":"/api/acts/river-murray-waters-agreement-supplemental-agreement-act-1963/history","analysis":"/api/acts/river-murray-waters-agreement-supplemental-agreement-act-1963/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/river-murray-waters-agreement-supplemental-agreement-act-1963/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/river-murray-waters-agreement-supplemental-agreement-act-1963/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/river-murray-waters-agreement-supplemental-agreement-act-1963/documents"}}