{"id":"F2024L00548","name":"Water (Accredited Water Resource Plan—NSW Murray and Lower Darling) Instrument 2024","slug":"water-accredited-water-resource-plan-nsw-murray-and-lower-darling-instrument-2024","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":442390,"registerId":"F2024L00548-fast-fetch-1775957402586","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Water (Accredited Water Resource Plan—NSW Murray and Lower Darling) Instrument 2024","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nWater (Accredited Water Resource Plan—NSW Murray and Lower Darling) Instrument 2024\n\nI, Tanya Plibersek, Minister for the Environment and Water, make the following instrument.\n\nDated 15 May 2024   \n\nTanya Plibersek\n\nMinister for the Environment and Water\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\n1  Name\n\n2  Commencement\n\n3  Authority\n\n4  Definitions\n\n5  Accredited water resource plan\n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Water (Accredited Water Resource Plan—NSW Murray and Lower Darling) Instrument 2024.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n  This instrument commences the day after it is registered.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under section 63 of the Water Act 2007.\n\n4  Definitions\n\nNote: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in section 4 of the Act, including the following:\n\n(a)      Authority;\n\n(b)      Basin Plan;\n\n(c)      water resource plan;\n\n(d)      water resource plan area.\n\n  In this instrument:\n\nAct means the Water Act 2007.\n\n5  Accredited water resource plan\n\n(1)    For the purposes of subparagraph 63(5)(b)(i) of the Act, the proposed water resource plan for the NSW Murray and Lower Darling water resource plan area specified in subsection (2) is accredited.\n\n(2)    The plan is the document titled NSW Murray and Lower Darling Surface Water Resource Plan as in force on the day that this instrument is made, excluding any material identified as not forming part of the plan.\n\nNote 1: The plan could in 2024 be accessed on the Authority website at www.mdba.gov.au.\n\nNote 2: The plan meets the requirements that a water resource plan for a water resource plan area must comply with to be accredited: see table item 11 of subsection 22(1) of the Act and Chapter 10 of the Basin Plan.\n\nNote 3: The accreditation of the plan ceases to have effect in accordance with the Act: see sections 54 and 64.\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument performs exactly the narrow function intended by section 63 of the Water Act 2007 — accrediting a state water resource plan. There is no scope creep; it does not expand beyond the statutory accreditation mechanism."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely short: only 5 sections spanning 2 pages","No defined terms in the instrument itself — relies entirely on definitions in the parent Water Act 2007","Single operative provision (section 5) with straightforward accreditation function","No conditional logic, exceptions, or nested provisions","Cross-references are minimal and explicit (section 63 of the Act, table item 11 of subsection 22(1))","Essentially a 'pointer' instrument that incorporates an external document by reference rather than setting out substantive rules"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument gives Commonwealth accreditation to New South Wales’ Murray and Lower Darling surface water resource plan, making that NSW water-management plan legally effective under federal law. It affects water users in the region (farmers, towns, industries), the Murray‑Darling Basin Authority and NSW agencies by authorizing how surface water is allocated and managed. Federal approval is necessary for lawful operation under the Basin Plan and matters for water sharing, drought response and environmental flows."},"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"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument does not change the content or geographic scope of the NSW Murray and Lower Darling Surface Water Resource Plan; it formally accredits that plan as in force on the instrument date (s5(1)–(2)). Accreditation gives legal effect under the Water Act 2007 but any substantive requirements remain those in the Plan and the Basin Plan; accreditation may cease in accordance with the Act (notes referencing ss54 and 64)."},"complexity_factors":["Administrative, not legislative: instrument accredits an existing plan rather than creating new regulatory rules (s5).","Relies on an external document ('NSW Murray and Lower Darling Surface Water Resource Plan') not reproduced in the instrument — users must consult the plan for substantive obligations (s5(2)).","Cross-references to the Water Act 2007 and the Basin Plan for legal effect and standards (ss3, 4 note, s5 note 2), requiring familiarity with multiple instruments.","Temporal and conditional elements: accreditation applies to the plan 'as in force' on the instrument date and may cease under specified Act provisions (s2, s5, notes referencing ss54 and 64), creating monitoring obligations.","Limited discretion recorded: Minister makes the accreditation declaration under statutory power (s3 refers to s63 of the Act), but the instrument itself contains minimal operational detail."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument formally accredits the NSW Murray and Lower Darling Surface Water Resource Plan under section 63 of the Water Act 2007, making the plan (as in force on the instrument date, excluding material identified as not part of it) the operative framework for that water resource plan area. It affects water users, licence holders, the Murray–Darling Basin Authority and state/Commonwealth regulators by confirming the plan meets Basin Plan requirements and imposing the plan’s compliance and administrative duties; accreditation can later cease under sections 54 and 64 of the Act."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/water-accredited-water-resource-plan-nsw-murray-and-lower-darling-instrument-2024","history":"/api/acts/water-accredited-water-resource-plan-nsw-murray-and-lower-darling-instrument-2024/history","analysis":"/api/acts/water-accredited-water-resource-plan-nsw-murray-and-lower-darling-instrument-2024/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/water-accredited-water-resource-plan-nsw-murray-and-lower-darling-instrument-2024/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/water-accredited-water-resource-plan-nsw-murray-and-lower-darling-instrument-2024/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/water-accredited-water-resource-plan-nsw-murray-and-lower-darling-instrument-2024/documents"}}