Water Act 2007

Each Authority member is to be appointed by the Governor‑General by written instrument.

An Authority member may be reappointed: see section 33AA of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.

To be eligible for appointment as an Authority member (other than as a standing Indigenous Authority member), an individual must, at the time of appointment:

have a high level of expertise in one or more fields relevant to the Authority’s functions; and

not be a member of the governing body of a relevant interest group.

To be eligible for appointment as a standing Indigenous Authority member, an individual must be an Indigenous person who, at the time of appointment:

has a high level of expertise in Indigenous matters relevant to Basin water resources; and

is not a member of the governing body of a relevant interest group.

For the purposes of this Act, a field relevant to the Authority’s functions includes each of the following:

water resource management;

hydrology;

freshwater ecology;

resource economics;

irrigated agriculture;

public sector governance;

financial management;

Indigenous matters relevant to Basin water resources.

For the purposes of this Act, an individual is a member of the governing body of a relevant interest group if:

the individual is one of the persons involved in the management of another entity; and

that other entity (whether incorporated or otherwise):

represents one or more classes of holders of water access rights, water delivery rights or irrigation rights; or

advocates managing the Basin water resources in a particular way.

The Chief Executive must be appointed on a full‑time basis.

An Authority member (other than the Chief Executive) must be appointed on a part‑time basis.

The appointment of an individual as an Authority member is not invalid because of a defect or irregularity in connection with the individual’s appointment.

An act of the Authority is not invalid because of a defect or irregularity in connection with the appointment of the Chief Executive, Authority Chair or any other member of the Authority.