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On the Marketisation of Water: Evidence from the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia

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  • R. Quentin Grafton

    (Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU)

  • James Horne

    (Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU)

  • Sarah Ann Wheeler

    (University of Adelaide
    University of South Australia)

Abstract

Policy makers will increasingly have to turn to water demand management in the future to respond to greater water scarcity. Water markets have long been promoted as one of the most efficient ways to reallocate water by economists, but have also been subject to much criticism due to their possible social, economic and environmental impacts. We engage with common critical perceptions of water markets by presenting first-hand evidence of their effects in the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), Australia. Water markets in the MDB, as developed within an appropriate institutional framework and coupled with comprehensive water planning, have: (1) helped deliver improved environmental outcomes; (2) assisted irrigators’ adaptation responses to climate risks, such as drought; (3) increased the gross valued added of farming; and (4) been regulated in ways to meet social goals. If water markets are embedded within fair and effective meta-governance and property right structures, the potential exists for marketisation to increase efficiency, promote fairness in terms of initial water allocations, and to improve environmental outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • R. Quentin Grafton & James Horne & Sarah Ann Wheeler, 2016. "On the Marketisation of Water: Evidence from the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(3), pages 913-926, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:30:y:2016:i:3:d:10.1007_s11269-015-1199-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-015-1199-0
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    Cited by:

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    6. R. Quentin Grafton, 2017. "Responding to the ‘Wicked Problem’ of Water Insecurity," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 31(10), pages 3023-3041, August.
    7. Wheeler, Sarah Ann & Marning, Angelika, 2019. "Turning water into wine: Exploring water security perceptions and adaptation behaviour amongst conventional, organic and biodynamic grape growers," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 528-537.
    8. Sarah Ann Wheeler & Alec Zuo, 2017. "The impact of drought and water scarcity on irrigator farm exit intentions in the Murray–Darling Basin," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 61(3), pages 404-421, July.
    9. J. Alarcón & L. Juana, 2016. "The Water Markets as Effective Tools of Managing Water Shortages in an Irrigation District," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(8), pages 2611-2625, June.
    10. de Bonviller, Simon & Zuo, Alec & Wheeler, Sarah Ann, 2019. "Is there evidence of insider trading in Australian water markets?," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 60(2), April.
    11. Jean-Daniel Rinaudo & Guillermo Donoso, 2019. "State, market or community failure? Untangling the determinants of groundwater depletion in Copiapó (Chile)," International Journal of Water Resources Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(2), pages 283-304, March.
    12. Bajaj, Akshi & Singh, S.P. & Nayak, Diptimayee, 2022. "Impact of water markets on equity and efficiency in irrigation water use: A systematic review and meta-analysis," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    13. Hartwig, Lana D. & Jackson, Sue & Osborne, Natalie, 2020. "Trends in Aboriginal water ownership in New South Wales, Australia: The continuities between colonial and neoliberal forms of dispossession," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    14. Sarah Ann Wheeler, 2022. "Debunking Murray‐Darling Basin water trade myths," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 66(4), pages 797-821, October.
    15. Jiali Gu & Shikun Sun & Yubao Wang & Xiaojuan Li & Yali Yin & Jingxin Sun & Xinyu Qi, 2021. "Sociohydrology: An Effective Way to Reveal the Coupled Evolution of Human and Water Systems," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 35(14), pages 4995-5010, November.
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    18. Adam Loch & Christopher Auricht & David Adamson & Luis Mateo, 2021. "Markets, mis‐direction and motives: A factual analysis of hoarding and speculation in southern Murray–Darling Basin water markets," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 65(2), pages 291-317, April.

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