November 28, 2022

Congratulations to @DeakinCrim’s Reece Walters and Laura Bedford, who have been awarded an ARC Discovery Grant for their project Preventing Water Theft in the Murray-Darling Basin

Professor Reece Walters (Deakin University), Dr Laura Bedford (Deakin University), Dr Tariro Mutongwizo (University of New England), and Professor Robert White (University of Tasmania) have been awarded an Australian Research Council Discovery Grant for their project Preventing Water Theft in the Murray-Darling Basin.

This Project aims to understand the complex interaction of socio-economic, legal and political factors that have enabled the theft of fresh water in the Murray-Darling Basin. By analysing the policies and regulations governing freshwater management, this project expects to generate new knowledge of the extent and types of water theft, offenders processed, penalties delivered, and the performance and operations of regulatory and enforcement agencies. The expected outcomes include new research strategies for water theft prevention. This will benefit national security and community health by contributing to a sustainable and equitable supply of fresh water.