The Trustee For Wentworth Group Of Concerned Scientists Foundation

The Wentworth Group is an independent group of eminent Australian scientists, economists and business people. It was formed in 2002 with the objective of connecting science to public policy to improve the management of Australia s land and water resources and the conservation of Australia s biodiversity. The Wentworth Group s activities in FY23/24 fell under two major categories: Water Reform and Healthy Landscapes. Donations to the public fund were primarily directed at supporting research, travel by staff and members, and employment of staff working in the following areas: National Water Reform: The key focus of our work in MurrayDarling Basin water reform has been undertaking research and analysis on the need for returning overallocated river systems to sustainable levels of extraction in a changing climate, embedding First Nations equity in the process and ensuring access to safe drinking water for our communities. We actively advise the Commonwealth Government, states and territories on how they can deliver on long overdue commitments to the Basin Plan. The Wentworth Group has continued to play a leading role in advising Federal, NSW, Victorian and South Australian water Ministers, key cross benchers, journalists and stakeholders on the practical measures that can be taken to deliver Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism and Constraints Relaxation projects, to ensure water recovered for the environment is actually being delivered to the environment, to improve connectivity in the Northern Basin and to get more water back in the active management of First Nations people. Healthy Landscapes: The focus of our work in 2024 was turning around systemic failures in national biodiversity conservation and putting forward evidencebased solutions that address environmental outcomes while ensuring community wellbeing and economic prosperity. We successfully launched the Blueprint to Repair Australia s Landscapes at the National Press Club and have undertaken significant engagement and received extensive interest in the Blueprint following its release, from media, across social media and among the environment sector and sustainable business groups. We have provided advice to governments on improving the effectiveness of the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to protect matters of national environmental significance, including to ensure that matters of national environmental significance are protected and improved. We are also nearing completion of a project which aims to develop a model for mapping native vegetation change between 2016 and 2022 across Australia. We are also developing a proposal to the Commonwealth which demonstrates the need for and the public interest in the establishment of a Commonwealth national vegetation mapping and monitoring program.