Lake Eyre Basin Rivers Assessment Implementation Plan Project: Milestone 3 Report Governance arrangements for the lebra

External assessment option

Quintessential characteristic

This option is based on the premise that a totally independent ‘audit’ process would appear to eliminate all conflicts of interest in respect to receiving resources to undertake the assessment, interpreting the results and providing fearless recommendations based upon the findings.

Coordination hub

This option looks to the LEBMF to negotiate with a third party to undertake the LEBRA and report directly to it upon completion. The Third party should be directly accountable to the LEBMF via the Secretariat.

Delegations

Under this option, a third party would respond to terms of reference set out by the LEBMF with limited involvement of LEB participating organisations.

Variation

Rather than utilise its own internal resources, the contracted third party would act as an oversight group and fully contract specific assessment activities to both internal and external providers.

Reporting requirements

The contracted third party would present the Assessment report to the LEBMF, taking into account the views of constituent government partners, the SAP, CAC and the SOG.

Role of SAP

The SAP would remain independent of the process, providing advice to the LEBMF in relation to:

• 
  the terms of reference for the performance of the LEBRA, including its methodology and reporting arrangements;
  
• 
  the capacity of the third party proposed by the LEBMF to carry out the LEBRA;
  
• 
  draft reports of the LEBRA;
  
• 
  the contracted third party’s report and recommendations to the LEBMF on completion of the LEBRA;
  
• 
  stimulating ongoing research and monitoring responses as identified by the LEBRA.
  

Members of the SAP would not be eligible to undertake any part of the assessment under this option unless there was no other option, in which case participating members would not be involved in providing formal advice or reviewing material in relation to the LEBRA.

NRM group role

The involvement of the NRM groups would be left to the third party to determine.

Scientific review and quality assurance

As the SAP is deemed to be independent under this option, it would take the lead in coordinating a response to drafts and findings of the assessment. The SAP could if it deemed so necessary seek further peer review of any or all aspects of the LEBRA.

Links

In contracting an external assessment team, the LEBMF would encourage the third party to consult with LEB associated stakeholders to the greatest extent possible.

Specific target links will be identified when a preferred option has been selected for implementation.

R&D issues

The identification of R&D issues needs to be written into the terms-of-reference for the LEBRA. The SAP and other external scientific peer reviewers should also consider R&D implications of draft and final LEBRA reports.

Limitations

This option does not encourage the sense of ownership that is central to the adaptive management approach advocated by the consultants.

Table 7: Summary of options for the governance of the LEBRA
Option	Quintessential characteristic	Coordination hub^a	Key delegations^b		Variations
			Primary	Secondary
Government leadership	Legitimate and expected government role	Senior Officers Group	State and NT technical officers	Regional NRM group officers and contracted third parties, including CSIRO, universities etc.	Open tender for project teams to form and undertake the assessment process to tightly defined-specification; Commissioned research team created for the specific purpose of undertaking the assessment reporting to SOG
Community leadership	Community ownership and direction	Community Advisory Committee	Regional NRM group officers	State and NT technical officers and contracted third parties, including CSIRO, universities etc.	Open tender for project teams to form and undertake the assessment process to tightly defined-specification; Commissioned research team created for the specific purpose of undertaking the assessment reporting to CAC
Technical leadership	Scientific rigour and independence	Scientific Advisory Panel	Commissioned research team created for the specific purpose of undertaking the assessment	All non-commissioned groups.	Open tender for project teams to form and undertake the assessment process to tightly defined-specification;
Collaborative assessment	Coordinated partner review	LEB Resource Assessment Working Group (new) comprising representatives of SOG, CAC and SAP	Internal participants	All non-commissioned groups.	Open tender for project teams to form and undertake the assessment process to tightly defined-specification
External assessment	Independent non-partner review	National Water Commission or other externally nominated body	Commissioned external research team	All non-commissioned groups.	Open tender for project teams to form and undertake the assessment process to tightly defined-specification

^a Overseeing group on behalf of LEB MF

^b Those responsible for doing the assessment