Projects
Browse some of the water policy challenges I’ve worked on, ranging from major basin reforms to international legislative design.
Evidence of impact across water policy and reform
For more than 15 years, I’ve worked on water policy challenges ranging from major Basin reforms to international legislative design to practical guideline development for practitioners.
These projects demonstrate my capacity to diagnose complex issues, design implementable solutions, and build stakeholder confidence through genuine engagement. Each engagement reflects my commitment to evidence-based advice that works in practice, not just on paper.
Projects & recent work
Native Vegetation Act & Landscape SA Act Amendments (South Australian Department for Environment and Water 2023-2024)
Client Challenge The South Australian Department for Environment and Water needed to progress amendments to the Native Vegetation Act and
Vietnam Law on Water Resources – Legislative Development and Implementation Support (Australian Water Partnership, 2022–24)
Vietnam sought to modernise its Law on Water Resources and then develop the subordinate instruments and plan to implement it.
National Water Commission Establishment – Secondment (Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, 2022–23)
Client Challenge The Water Reform Taskforce needed strategic analysis and options for the potential re-establishment of a National Water Commission
Policy and Strategic Support for the Basin Plan Review and Evaluation (Murray–Darling Basin Authority, 2024–25)
Client Challenge The MDBA required high-quality policy analysis to inform the 2026 Basin Plan Review, including assessments of third-party impacts
Review of Schedule D of the Murray–Darling Basin Agreement (Murray–Darling Basin Authority, 2021–24)
Client Challenge The Murray–Darling Basin Authority was required to review the operation of Schedule D, which governs how interstate water
Water Banking for Enhanced Drought Resilience (One Basin CRC and Flinders University, 2025-26)
Client Challenge The Murray–Darling Basin faces escalating water security risks—persistent recovery shortfalls, increasing climate variability, rising demand, and heavy dependence
Understanding Conveyance Losses from Trade Report (Murray-Darling Basin Authority, 2025)
Client challenge The Murray–Darling Basin Authority needed to finalise its conveyance loss project by turning complex modelling into a clear,
Let's discuss your next project
If you’re facing water policy reform and need independent expertise that fills capability gaps and delivers defensible outcomes, I’d welcome the conversation.
Yvette Colton
yvette@coltonconsulting.com.au
+61 411 302 977