A review of the relevance of demography to Australian water planning

Australia is in the process of implementing a new and comprehensive agenda of water policy reform, notably under the National Water Initiative (NWI). National, regional and local water plans are crucial components of the water policy framework. Together with other disciplines, demography can make important contributions to the water planning process. Demography is clearly relevant to urban water supply planning. It is also relevant to national, State/Territory and regional water planning: for example, demographers can assist with understanding who is affected by water plans, who uses water, and who is likely to be affected by new water policy initiatives such as markets and trading.