An Independent Panel was appointed by the Australian Government to determine the cause of the fish deaths in the lower Darling River and what actions can be taken to manage future events. The final report documents the panel’s findings and 27 recommendations.

This report investigates the causes of three major fish kills in the Darling River, near Menindee, in December 2018 and January 2019.

This research by the Australia Institute suggests that the Darling River fish kill was due to the mismanagement of the Menindee Lakes in southwest New South Wales.

Stakeholders in the Lower Darling are strongly opposed to proposed changes to the Menindee Lakes. Local member, Kevin Humphries, has proposed a new ‘Option 7’ for the Lakes, aiming to deliver more water and local jobs.

This report is the first in a series that highlights how the Murray–Darling Basin Plan has increased the flow of money and water to big agribusinesses and has increased the vulnerability of everyone else in the Basin– Aboriginal people, floodplain graziers, downstream communities and small irrigators.