The Murray-Darling Basin Authority has scrapped a deal with a First Nations advisory that it says failed to fulfil its contract. 

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) says it will no longer fund the Northern Basin Aboriginal Nations (NBAN) - an Indigenous advisory group set up to provide recommendations to river managers. 

“In recent times, NBAN has been unable to deliver on its contractual commitments and we are now in the process of finalising these arrangements,” says MDBA chef Andrew McConville. 

“We thank NBAN for their contributions to the work of the MDBA in helping to facilitate engagement with First Nations in the northern Murray-Darling Basin.”

The MDBA says the most recent major contracts provided to NBAN included a $400,000 per year commitment to sustain NBAN's internal operations and $1,250,000 to fund a cultural flows project officer to assist First Nations peoples to develop cultural flow plans.

Both contracts expired at the end of October.

The Murray-Darling Basin Plan requires the MDBA to consult First Nations communities when approving water resource plans (WRP).

While WRPs are in place for other states, the MDBA has been able to approve just two of the 20 WRPs required from New South Wales. 

It is unclear how the MDBA will consult First Nations communities regarding the outstanding WRPs in NSW.

Mr McConville said the authority is seeking an alternative forum to consult with First Nations in the northern basin.

“The MDBA is committed to listening to First Nations voices across the Murray-Darling Basin and is revising its approach to First Nations engagement in the northern Basin,” Mr McConville said.

“As a priority, we are exploring alternative arrangements to bring First Nations groups in the northern basin together and are setting up meetings to consult widely with First Nations.”

NBAN does not appear to have commented publicly on the matter.