Water theft in Australia’s Murray-Darling Basin: Offender motivations and criminal justice outcomes

Fresh water is the lifeblood of all human and non-human life. In recent years, it has become a commodity of substantial value, not only in regions of drought but also for high yielding commercial enterprises that require substantial volumes of fresh water for maximum profit. As such, this precious natural resource has become the target of criminal enterprises that seek to exploit fresh water resources for economic gain. This article examines the deleterious social, economic, and environmental impacts of water theft with a focus on offending and offender motivation. It draws on original fieldwork and primary court data to understand the rationalities of perpetrators and to assess the processes and sanctions of the regulatory and criminal justice systems responding to these transgressions. In doing so, the article describes what is known about the offenders and penalties for water theft in south-eastern Australia's Murray-Darling Basin, the nation's largest and most regulated and connected fresh water river system.