AB Bill 7 Water Amendment Act

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Bill 7: Water Amendment Act, 2025

Bill Sponsor: SchulzT

Bill Type: Government Bills

Amendments: No

Money Bill: No

Documents: Bill 7

First Reading

October 30, 2025 passed 121

Second Reading

November 5, 2025 adjourned 224-35

November 17, 2025 adjourned 298-307

November 18, 2025 passed 351-55

Committee of the Whole

November 25, 2025 passed 480-93

Third Reading

November 26, 2025 adjourned 536-43

December 2, 2025 passed 661-63

Royal Assent

December 11, 2025 outside of House sitting

Comes into Force

on proclamation SA 2025 c27 4/22/2026 5:18 PM

WHO GAINS POWER

  • The Minister gains authority to approve "lower-risk" water transfers between river basins by order — without a special Act of the Legislature
  • The Director gains expanded authority to amend licenses on their own initiative, including updating environmental conditions and return flow requirements
  • The Minister gains authority to extend the deadline for Crown land occupants to register historical water diversions
  • Cabinet gains broad new regulation-making powers over transfer agreements, disclosure, water reuse, monitoring and application timelines

WHO LOSES POWER

  • The Legislature loses exclusive authority over inter-basin water transfers — the Minister can now authorize lower-risk transfers by order alone
  • Licensees lose some procedural protections — the Director can amend licenses without consent in more circumstances
  • Applicants and licensees lose appeal rights on a wider range of amendments (monitoring, reporting, inspection, expiry extensions)

WHO GAINS MONEY

  • Farmers and Crown land occupants who missed the 2001 registration deadline may gain access to water rights if the Minister reopens the window
  • Licensees who qualify for water reuse provisions may reduce costs by recycling water rather than sourcing new allocations

WHO LOSES MONEY

  • Applicants and licensees face new disclosure requirements — all agreements, contracts and financial terms behind water license applications must be submitted to the Director and may be made public
  • Water users who fail monitoring and reporting requirements risk losing "good standing" status, which can block license transfers and renewals

THE CATCH

  • "Lower-risk" thresholds are set by regulation — the Minister can lower them at any time without returning to the Legislature
  • Current Law requires public consultation before any Bill authorizing an inter-basin water transfer is introduced in the Legislature
  • This Amendment creates a Ministerial order pathway for lower-risk transfers where public consultation is optional — the Minister "may" consult but is not required to
  • The more the Minister uses the order pathway, the less public consultation actually happens — by design
  • The Act comes into force on Proclamation — no fixed date, Government controls timing