Indigenous values and water markets: Survey insights from northern Australia

• First comparison of Indigenous and non-Indigenous values to water markets.
• Water markets are acceptable to Indigenous respondents.
• There are caveats in the design of water markets to protect Indigenous water values.
• These caveats include not separating land and water title and supporting equity.
• Shared preservation value among all respondents for catchments of high ecological and customary value.

SummaryDrawing upon on the literature on Indigenous values to water, water markets and the empirical findings from a survey of 120 Indigenous and non-Indigenous respondents across northern Australia, the paper makes important qualitative and statistical comparisons between Indigenous and non-Indigenous values to water markets. The study is the first comparison of Indigenous and non-Indigenous values to water markets based on the same survey instrument. Key results from Indigenous respondents include: (1) water markets are held to be an acceptable approach to managing water; (2) markets must be carefully designed to protect customary and ecological values; (3) the allocation of water rights need to encompass equity considerations; and (4) water and land rights should not be separated even if this enhances efficiency, as it runs counter to Indigenous holistic values. Overall, the survey results provide the basis for a proposed adaptive decision loop, which allows decision makers to incorporate stakeholder values in water markets.