Community input central to Kangaroo Island water policy review

The policy, adopted in 2017, guides permit decisions for activities including dam construction, water diversion and works in watercourses, lakes and floodplains. The review will consider whether its settings, including water take limits, remain appropriate for Kangaroo Island.

Kangaroo Island Landscape Board General Manager Will Durack said no decisions had been made and the Board had not adopted a position on potential changes.

“This is a review of the policy we already use to manage water-affecting activities. It is not a proposal to prescribe Kangaroo Island’s water resources, introduce water licensing or develop a water allocation plan,” Mr Durack said.

“Kangaroo Island is one of only two South Australian landscape regions without a water allocation plan.”

During the review undertaken for the 2017 policy, community members called for future water-management decisions to be supported by data collected on Kangaroo Island. Since then, the Board has invested substantially in local monitoring, surface-water modelling and hydro-ecological risk assessment.

“The current review is a direct response to what the community asked for,” Mr Durack said.

“We now have stronger Kangaroo Island data and modelling to help us understand how water can be managed for current users and future generations.

“Water quality is as important as quantity. Poor-quality water can affect farm productivity, downstream users and aquatic ecosystems. We want to safeguard the water that supports primary production, local communities and the environment.”

The Water Policy Review Committee was established by the Board under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019. It brings together representatives from the Board, Kangaroo Island Council, Agriculture Kangaroo Island and the community, supported by staff and technical specialists.

The committee is advisory and cannot approve the policy or make decisions for the Board. Its role is to examine the evidence, apply local knowledge and make recommendations.

The committee seeks consensus. If members hold different views, these will be recorded and provided to the Board for consideration.

Mr Durack thanked committee members for the time, knowledge and careful consideration they had contributed to the review.

“This is complex work, and I appreciate the commitment committee members have shown to understanding the evidence, sharing local perspectives and considering the needs of the wider Kangaroo Island community,” he said.

The committee has requested more time than originally anticipated to examine the modelling and understand the possible implications of any changes to water take limits. Formal community consultation will begin once a draft policy is ready for public review.

Given the significance of the process, Aphid Heinrich is chairing the review committee to make sure that the committee views are adequately relayed to the whole Kangaroo Island Landscape Board.

Consultation dates will be announced through the Board’s website. The draft policy and supporting information will be published on the South Australian Government’s YourSAy website, where community members will be able to provide formal feedback.

Following consultation, the Board will consider the committee’s recommendations and community submissions before deciding whether to endorse a proposed revised policy.

The proposal will then be submitted to the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water. Department for Environment and Water specialists will assess it and advise the Minister before a final decision is made.

“The community will have a formal opportunity to examine the draft and tell us what works, what does not and what needs to change,” Mr Durack said.

“No outcome has been predetermined. Our goal is a balanced, practical policy that supports viable businesses while managing risks to water quality, water-dependent ecosystems and other users.”

For more information about the water policy review contact the Kangaroo Island Landscape Board on 08 8553 2476 during business hours or email ki.landscapeboard@sa.gov.au