Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Water Act 1989 - SECT 22

Role of Minister

22. Role of Minister



(1) The Minister-

   (a)  must make sure that a continuous program of assessment of the water
        resources of the State is undertaken; and

   (ab) must make sure that a program of long-term water resources assessments
        is undertaken in accordance with this Act; and

   (ac) must make sure that a program of sustainable water strategies is
        undertaken for the State in accordance with this Act; and

   (b)  subject to and in accordance with this Act, may allocate the available
        water resources; and

   (c)  may require an assessment of the environmental water reserve to be
        carried out.

(2) The water resources assessment program must provide for the collection,
collation, analysis and publication of information about-

   (a)  the availability of water, including surface water and groundwater;
        and



   (ab) the use of one water source as a substitute for another water source;
        and



   (ac) the environmental water reserve; and





   (b)  the disposal of wastewater (including trade waste, sewage and saline
        water); and

   (c)  the use and re-use of water resources; and

   (d)  floodwaters; and

   (e)  drainage and waterway management; and

   (f)  water quality (including salinity); and

   (g)  in-stream uses of water; and

   (ga) current and historic levels of allocation and use of surface water and
        groundwater; and



   (gb) current and historic condition of waterways and aquifers; and



   (h)  anything else that the Minister decides is appropriate.

(2A) The Minister must make sure that information about the water resources
assessment program is published every 5 years by-

   (a)  making the information available for inspection, during business
        hours, free of charge at the office of the Department Head; and

   (b)  making the information available on the Department's website.





(3) Water may be allocated by the Minister under-

   (aa) an environmental entitlement; or





   (a)  a bulk entitlement granted to an Authority under Division 1 or 3 of
        Part 4; or



   (ab) a water share; or





   (b)  a licence to take and use water issued under section 51; or



* * * * *



(4) An Authority that has an irrigation district specified in column 1 of
Schedule 11 has, subject to section 223(3), a bulk entitlement for that
district to the amount of water specified in column 2 of that Schedule.

(5) The First Mildura Irrigation Trust has a bulk entitlement equal to the
entitlement granted to it under section 71(1) of the Mildura Irrigation Trusts
and Sunraysia Water Board Act 1958 and continued under this Act.

(6) The Minister may, by Order published in the Government Gazette set rules
with respect to the adjustment of volumes to be applied to transfers, whether
permanent or temporary, of water rights in non-declared water systems.

(7) The Minister may amend or revoke an Order made under subsection (6), in
the same manner in which the Order is made under that subsection.

Division 1A-Permissible consumptive volumes