Water Act 2000

A water plan must—

state the water to which the plan applies; and

state the desired economic outcomes, social outcomes, cultural outcomes and environmental outcomes of the management and allocation of water to which the plan applies (the water plan outcomes); and

state the volume of unallocated water reserved under the plan; and

state arrangements for providing water for the environment including the measures, strategies or objectives for environmental flows; and

if the plan provides a framework for managing water allocations—

state trading zones for the allocations; and

state water allocation security objectives.

A water plan may—

state measures that contribute to achieving the water plan outcomes; and

state the strategies for achieving the water plan outcomes; and

state limitations on taking or interfering with water in the plan area; and

state the taking or interfering with water in the plan area that does not require a water entitlement; and

state the purpose for, and the location of, unallocated water reserves; and

state a process for releasing unallocated water not held as a general reserve under the water plan; and

state the arrangements and process for converting, adjusting or granting water entitlements or other authorisations under a water entitlement notice; and

state criteria for deciding applications for water licences; and

state criteria and processes for deciding an application for a dealing with a water licence; and

state the types of applications for water licences that must not be accepted under section 107; and

state the proposed holders of resource operations licences and distribution operations licences in the plan area; and

state whether a water management protocol is to be prepared for the plan area and the matters the protocol must address; and

state the types of amendments that may be made to the plan without consultation; andNote—For the power to amend a water plan without consultation see section 51(2)(a).

state the categories of water licences in the plan area that are to be cancelled or repealed; and

include anything else that the Minister considers relevant to advance the matters mentioned in section 41.

To remove any doubt, it is declared that subsection (2)(f) does not override, or prevent, in an existing or future water plan a limitation, a condition or a matter that must or may be considered (however called) in a process for the release of unallocated water held as a general reserve under the water plan.