Changes for Water Market Transparency in Victoria
- Details
- 01 July 2024
The Victorian Government has listened to the community and is making new information about Victorian water markets available to ensure transparency and to continue to build trust in water markets. From 1 July 2024, the Minister for Water can now include names of individuals in public reports in specific circumstances.
The Minister for Water will publish two reports in January 2025 on the Victorian Water Register website. These are:
- Large Water Owners – the names of any business that owns more than two per cent of high reliability water shares in the Goulburn or the Murray systems above and below the Barmah Choke have been reported on since the 2019–20 irrigation season (Large Water Owners - Corporations). From 2025 onwards this report will also include names of individuals. This report will be updated annually.
- Frequent Traders – the names of individuals and companies that have made more than 20 priced allocation trades (bought or sold) within, from or to the Goulburn water system, and the Murray water system during a water year. This report will be updated quarterly.
These changes have been made in response to the 2019 and 2020 community consultation on the level of water market transparency the community wanted. Through this consultations it was clear that the community wanted more transparency of certain aspects of the water market, balanced with an appropriate level of individual and commercial privacy.
The reports complement a range of information already published on the Victorian Water Register to increase transparency, such as reports on broker compliance, annual trade report and market trends. Water market transparency is important so that buyers and sellers can participate in the water market with confidence. Any individuals and new companies who will be included in this year’s reports will be notified prior to publication.
Contact the water register support team on waterregister.support@deeca.vic.gov.au if you have any queries or suggestion for new information products.
