Challenges and Opportunities at Implementing Groundwater Governance in Australia: Case Studies from South Australia and Western Australia

摘要

The aim of this article is to critically analyse the governance challenges and opportunities of groundwater in Australia, in particular in South Australia, and Western Australia. It investigates these challenges focusing attention on the design and implementation of governance instruments, for example policy and law that include the principles of participation, accountability and sustainable use. In order to identify current challenges and opportunities faced by groundwater governance in Australia, first a doctrinal analysis is included, and then empirical work is done through 29 in-depth interviews with government and non-government stakeholders. The main findings are: despite the past decades of water governance reform, groundwater continues to be neglected; and not all States and Territories have fully implemented such reforms. For example, Western Australia continues to breach the National Water Initiative. Moreover, implementing meaningful participation and accountability procedures in groundwater planning, as well as sustainable groundwater use continue to be an elusive goal.