Circumventing the Politics of Water to Achieve Equitable and Sustainable Access in Australia

ABSTRACT As the world approaches the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) deadline, ensuring equitable access to safe and sustainable drinking water remains a pressing challenge. This paper, informed by a roundtable discussion involving a diverse group of water sector experts, examines environmental and political‐economic threats to water security in Australia. In light of climate change, population growth, and systemic economic disparities, we highlight the need for collaborative approaches that integrate Indigenous knowledge and community‐led initiatives in water governance. Achieving SDG 6 will require targeted policy reforms, equitable financing, and the genuine inclusion of Indigenous voices. We propose context‐specific and multipronged solutions, including cross‐subsidization models, strengthened public service obligations, and embedding community voices in decision‐making processes to respond to water‐related political tensions effectively.