The Mayor of Hills Shire, Michelle Byrne, is advocating for the management of the Hawkesbury-Nepean River to be centralized under a single authority. Currently, the river’s oversight involves 13 different agencies and eight councils, which has resulted in confusion and poor coordination regarding the river’s health and maintenance.
Rose Jackson, the NSW Water Minister, has acknowledged the governance issues related to the river and indicated that efforts are underway to enhance management through the NSW Water Quality Governance Roadmap.
The Hawkesbury and Nepean rivers, which converge north of Penrith, stretch along the western and northern edges of Sydney. The management of this extensive waterway is split among multiple entities, complicating its oversight.
The geography of the river catchment positions Western Sydney as one of Australia’s most flood-prone regions. Mayor Byrne expressed concern over the fragmented management, stating that residents often face uncertainty about who is responsible for various issues. She recounted instances where residents reported fallen trees in the river, only to find no clear authority to handle the situation, leading to delays in response.
“It appears to be a case of all care and no responsibility when it comes to the river,” Dr. Byrne remarked during an interview with 702 ABC Sydney.
Agencies involved in managing the waterway include Water NSW, the NSW Environment Protection Authority, Sydney Water, and National Parks and Wildlife Services, among others.
Mayor Byrne is advocating for a unified management approach to streamline responses to challenges such as water quality and ecological health. “The current system is chaotic, and responsibilities are unclear,” she noted.
The management of the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment was previously overseen by the Catchment Management Authority until it was disbanded in 2013 and integrated into the Greater Sydney Local Land Services.
The river has been a contentious issue, particularly following severe flooding events that occurred five times between February 2020 and July 2022. The former Liberal government’s plan to raise the Warragamba Dam wall to mitigate flooding was abandoned by the current Labor government.
Minister Jackson acknowledged the confusion stemming from the involvement of multiple agencies and confirmed that the government is working on governance improvements by investing $1.7 million to enhance water quality management across New South Wales.
“This investment is part of the Integrated Catchment Management Work Program, aimed at developing essential reforms for cohesive water quality management statewide,” Minister Jackson said, adding that the government expects to implement these reforms in the latter half of this year.
Brad Bunting, the President of the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils and Mayor of Blacktown, supports the idea of streamlining river management, whether through the establishment of a new agency or better coordination among existing ones. He emphasized the need for a clear leadership role to unify efforts and ensure a consistent response across the river system.
Hornsby Mayor Warren Waddell, whose jurisdiction includes the lower parts of the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment, also endorsed Dr. Byrne’s proposal for a unified management approach. He mentioned that six councils are collaborating on a coastal management program aimed at creating a shared framework for river management from Broken Bay to Yarramundi.
“This collaborative strategy, which is unprecedented in New South Wales, will promote consistent, long-term benefits for the river and the communities it serves,” Mr. Waddell stated, expressing appreciation for the NSW government’s support in this initiative.
Hawkesbury City Council did not provide a comment on this proposal, while efforts were made to reach Penrith City Council Mayor Todd Carney for his insights.
