Griffith City Councillor Shari Blumer was elected as the national president, and Greater Shepparton City Council representative Geoff Dobson took up the role of vice-president.
Supporting the two new leaders are 12 regional chairs who represent the 12 membership regions of the Murray-Darling Basin, covering over 170 councils across four states.
The association is the peak representative organisation representing local government and communities across the Murray-Darling Basin at state and federal level.
MDA chief executive Mark Lamb said he was keen to continue the MDA’s basin advocacy alongside the new leaders.
“I look forward to continuing to work with the board and its leadership team to use our strong national voice to advocate for the basin communities,” he said.
“The association has a real opportunity to further basin advocacy, to ensure a healthy Murray-Darling Basin that supports thriving communities’ economic development, and a sustainable future.”
With the Murray-Darling Basin Plan set to be reviewed next year, the representation of communities and key organisations to ensure balance across the basin is crucial right now.
Cr Blumer said to do this, the MDA needed to create a One Basin principle to guarantee basin communities were heard.
“This will make the MDA’s voice and influence greater, stronger,” she said.
“(We) need to make sure that the basin’s voices are heard now. That all of the basin communities’ voices are heard.”
The MDA’s National Conference will be held from Monday, September 29 to Thursday, October 2 and will continue to focus on the continued collaboration of basin communities.
To find out more about the Murray Darling Association, go to mda.asn.au
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