Image: Department for Environment and Water
South Australia has appointed leading environmental and water lawyer Dr Emma Carmody as the new Commissioner for the River Murray, strengthening the state’s voice at a critical moment for the future of the Murray-Darling Basin.
Dr Carmody steps into the role as national attention turns toward the upcoming statutory reviews of the Basin Plan and the Commonwealth Water Act 2007, with South Australia preparing to defend hard-won environmental outcomes on the national stage.
An Adelaide native, Dr Carmody brings deep expertise in environmental law, water governance and basin-wide negotiations. Her career spans advisory work for state governments, First Nations groups, agricultural sectors, conservation organisations and international bodies, positioning her as a formidable advocate for South Australia’s interests.
The Commissioner role was established by the Malinauskas Labor Government as part of its election commitment to restore and protect the River Murray, the Lower Lakes and the Coorong. Dr Carmody succeeds Richard Beasley SC, the state’s inaugural Commissioner, whose tenure was marked by a relentless push for full implementation of the Basin Plan.
Mr Beasley played a pivotal role in securing passage of the Water Amendment (Restoring our River) Bill 2023, legislation that provided the time and mechanisms needed to recover the final 450 gigalitres of water promised to South Australia under the Basin Plan.
Dr Carmody’s appointment ensures continuity and momentum as the state enters a decisive phase for national water reform. She will coordinate with basin-wide stakeholders and provide independent advice to the South Australian Government, drawing on her extensive legal and policy background.
Environment Minister Lucy Hood welcomed the appointment, saying Dr Carmody’s experience and positioning would strengthen South Australia’s negotiating power. She said “her extensive background in water law and governance, environmental expertise and location will help ensure upstream states take notice that we are serious about securing the full delivery of the Basin Plan.”
Currently based in Sydney, Dr Carmody’s location places her at the centre of water policy discussions dominated by New South Wales, allowing South Australia to maintain a strong, informed presence during ongoing negotiations.
Between 2017 and 2022, Dr Carmody served as the sole Legal Advisor to the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, managing complex multilateral negotiations between nations. Her career also includes more than a decade at the Environmental Defenders Office, as well as contributions to the Peter Cullen Water and Environment Trustand the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists.
Dr Carmody said the appointment carried deep personal significance. “Having grown up in the southern Murray-Darling Basin, lived in Adelaide during the Millennium Drought, and spent much of my career advocating for the sustainable management of our largest river system, I am particularly honoured to have been appointed to the role of Commissioner of the River Murray.”
Mr Beasley also endorsed her appointment, describing her as uniquely qualified to lead the next phase of Basin Plan delivery.
With environmental health, regional economies, cultural heritage and community livelihoods all tied to the river’s future, Dr Carmody’s work as Commissioner will be central to ensuring the River Murray remains viable for generations to come.
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