The theme for the 72nd National Conference and Annual General Meeting is: Local Government, The Voice of the Basin. The Murray Darling Association (MDA) is a membership-based organisation representing local government and the communities of the Murray-Darling Basin since 1944.
The Basin covers 14 percent of the land mass of Australia, within which 172 local councils and their communities derive their wellbeing from the resources of the Basin.
Eighty-two of these councils are currently members of the MDA.
In 2014, at the Council Chambers in Forbes New South Wales, then Chairman of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), The Hon Craig Knowles signed into agreement a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Murray- Darling Basin Authority and the Murray Darling Association.
MDA National President, Mr Ken Rogers completed the agreement in the strong tradition of local government representation announcing, “A new era for the Murray Darling Association begins in 2014.”
That MOU acknowledges the key role that local government plays in the governance of the Murray-Darling Basin, and the great importance of local knowledge to effective decision making.
On signing the pact Mr Knowles stated, “If the MDA didn’t exist, we’d have to invent it”. This established both the principal and the mechanism by which local government can participate in informing water policy via the implementation of the Basin Plan.
Much has happened within the MDA and across the Basin. In 2016 at our national conference we will present our revised Constitution, once again placing local government at the forefront of this organisation.
The MDA’s strength and success in providing clear direction; local solutions; and a strong, credible contribution relies upon regional leadership and the active participation by our member councils.
We recognise and value the technical and professional expertise that is uniquely invested in local government. It is this local knowledge and partnerships that exist within councils that we can identify the issues and find the solutions according to the unique circumstances of our states and regions.
It is with the professional expertise and technical capacity of local government that we must give voice to our communities, both individually and collectively across the Basin.
The voice of local government – that is a powerful voice!
Can your council afford NOT to be that voice?
MDA National Conference October 26th and
27th Dubbo.
*Copy supplied by Murray Darling Association
