On 4 April 2018, DELWP advised that it would be following up on the outcomes of the annual audit of water brokers who use the Water Register’s online Broker Portal to request further information from some brokers.

In most cases, brokers have provided the requested information from the audit and DELWP is assessing this to consider if any further action is required to improve compliance with the Agreement.

Two water brokers have not provided the information requested in a timely manner, and DELWP will be suspending their access to the online portal until the required information is provided. This information will then be assessed to ensure that they have robust controls in place for their use of the portal.

DELWP takes the brokers’ obligations seriously and they provide important controls that support confidence in the conduct of water market intermediaries and the water market.

The Government, through Water for Victoria has committed to actively monitoring water markets to ensure that they continue to operate effectively.

Brokers who do not have access to the online portal can still submit trades manually to water corporations.