Blue green algae in the Murray Darling Basin: A case for Commonwealth leadership

Climate change is a material threat to Australia's economic, social and environmental interests. Strong emergency management frameworks that enable agile responses to these threats are an important element to ensure a resilient economy. This paper considers recent blue green algae outbreaks in the Murray Darling Basin and considers some of the limitations to effective prevention, preparation, response and recovery. This paper proposes an alternative model that includes the responsibilities of the Commonwealth and the state and territory governments in the management of the basin's resources.