Recommendation 8

Catchment-based planning must become the default approach, not a discretionary extra. By 2027, the Government should mandate catchment- scale planning and delivery through regional partnerships with defined statutory duties, long-term funding, and clear oversight. These partnerships should coordinate key actors across land, water, infrastructure and planning, and lead integrated water management that delivers multiple outcomes, including flood risk reduction, water quality improvements, and environmental enhancement, at the scale and complexity the challenge demands. (Recommendation, Paragraph 39)