The Independent panel assessing the social and economic conditions of the Murray-Darling Basin have finialised its Terms of Reference and Assessment framework following submissions from stake holders on the draft Terms of Reference.

The Panel will now run a number of drop-in sessions, roundtables and discussions across the Basin to hear from people about the issues affecting the social and economic conditions in towns and communities, starting on September 30.

Chair of the Independent Panel Robbie Sefton said the final Terms of Reference reflected public feedback including to ensure a variety of stakeholder perspectives such as First Nations and non-agriculture sector stakeholders are captured, and to consider both the positive and negative impacts of water reform and other drivers of change.

"Our goal is to make sure we have a strong body of evidence to underpin any recommendations from our assessment of social and economic conditions across the Basin. We also understand that the Panel can't reach every stakeholder in the Basin for consultation.

"This is why we will be running an online survey that will ask stakeholders to provide input on the same questions we will be asking on our trips through the Basin - providing us with additional reach and the ability to build a really useful dataset of responses.

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"I urge everyone interested in our work to bookmark the Panel's website and to register for regular updates - including information on public drop-in sessions and the release of the online survey."

To find out more about the panel's work, meeting schedule and Terms of Reference visit https://www.basin-socio-economic.com.au or email independentpanel@mdba.gov.au.

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