This is a WAC “Call For Action” Rally following on from the launch of WAC on the 19th July 2009 that culminates on the steps of Parliament House North Terrace for community groups to tell their stories and to collectively demand both Local, State and Federal Governments implement a National Commission to coordinate a State of Emergency into the Murray-Darling Basin and to establish an urgent National Public Commission of Inquiry into water management, conservation, recycling and sharing of any available resource.

THEMES

Stories of Despair by Community Groups

What are the consequences of governments continuing to get it wrong? Our Water will be privatised and owned by financial markets and overseas interests. Our marine, freshwater heritage and the public utility of our waterways will be lost forever to future generations. South Australia will not lead the world in conserving wastewater and stormwater in our cities and towns. Governments fail to uphold the Public Trust Doctrine.

Proclamation of Hope

If we act now we can fulfil Colonel William Light’s hopes, dreams and our responsibilities as trustees of our water, our rights. Public water policy must be changed to ensure water is a public trust, prioritised in use, conserved and sustainable to maintain a vibrant and healthy community both now and into the future. (Advertiser 15/9/09 – Light’s dreams)

RALLY PURPOSE

• Reject Rann’s Water Security Plan and the Privatisation of Water and its Management.
• Desalination and dams are not acceptable water security or management solutions.
• Demand that all of our rivers, creeks and underground water in South Australia must be allowed to fulfil their purpose, conserved and protected in public trust.
• The Murray must flow to the sea and the rivers and creeks of the South Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges must be allowed to flow into the Murray and Lower Lakes. The Coorong must be reconnected to its freshwater sources.
• Demand a National Commission be established by the Federal Government to coordinate a State of Emergency into the Murray-Darling Basin to prioritise and fairly share all available water. Establish an urgent full and open National Public Commission of Inquiry into its management.
• Demand that Adelaide’s coastal waters be saved from pollution by recycling 90% of our stormwater and wastewater for industry use instead of building expensive dams and desalination plants. Water conservation must use all available means such as rainwater collection.
• Our Gulfs are precious, unique and must be protected from ill-conceived marinas and their dredging consequences. Industry development proposals must result in no degradation of the marine environment or its ecology and there must be strict controls on dredging. This is of particular importance to the Upper Spencer Gulf region.
• Demand a full and open South Australian public commission of inquiry is immediately held in the management of water and the environment.
• Demand a referendum opposing the privatisation of water and its management.

CONTACTS

John Caldecott             WAC Convenor           Ph: 0427 976 503

Jim Douglas                  Rally Convenor             Ph: 0417 875 232

Richard Watson            Media Coordinator       Ph: 0402 418 191

order subject to change on the day

• Cheltenham Stormwater Recovery and Public Open Space – Cheltenham Park Residents Association: Trevor White
• Adelaide Stormwater Recovery – Brownhill Creek Association Incorporated: Marcus Richard Beresford
• Save Adelaide Coastal Waters – Friends of Gulf St Vincent: Pat Harbison
• “Storm Water”: Adrienne Lovelock
• The Problems with Desalination – Save Our Gulf Coalition: Corrie Vanderhoek
• Cuttlefish A Precious Asset – Cuttlefish Coast Coalition: Greg Curnow
• Upper Spencer Gulf – Save Point Lowly: Andrew Melville-Smith
• Underground Water Underhand Use – Friends of the Earth: Peter Burdon
• Australian Conservation Foundation: David Noonan
• Social Justice and a Fair Go for All (SA Unions): Janet Giles
• Conservation Council of SA Water Policy (CCSA): Julie Pettett
• The Death of Coorong Dreaming – Ngarrindjeri: Tom Trevorrow
• Lower Lakes and Coorong – A Vital Part of SA’s Murray Heritage – River Lakes Coorong Action Group “Save the Murray Wave”: Ruth Trigg
• Let the Murray Flow to the Sea – Coalition of Concerned River Murray Communities: David Peake
• “A RIVER DAMMED AND DAMNED”: Hallett Shueard
• Murray-Darling Basin – Fair Water Use (Australia): Ian Douglas

Politicians attending:

• David Winderlich MLC
• Senator Sarah Hanson-Young
• Mitch Williams MP
• Robert Brokenshire MLC
• Mark Parnell MLC

Steps of Parliament House

OUR WATER OUR RIGHTS

 OPPOSE

water privatisation, dams and desalination. 

DEMAND

water conservation, stormwater & wastewater recycling and a fair share of water from the Murray-Darling Basin.

download posters: A3 colour, A4 colour, A4 B&W, A5 B&W

• Come and learn about our water issues
• Join a group of your interest
• Or form a group

AIM

This is your opportunity to be a part of the Our Water Our Rights Rally

Send the State and Federal Governments a strong message

Diane Bell Lower Lakes campaigner will conduct proceedings

Come and support a large number of community groups from all around the State plus peak conservation, environmental and social justice organisations all calling for Change and a Fair Go

Julie Pettett CCSA – Janet Giles SA Unions – David Noonan ACF – Sarah Hanson -Young Greens – Tom Trevorrow Ngarrindjeri Elder – Hallett Shueard poet/author – and many more

Special Guest – John Schumann singer/ songwriter /environmental activist

Bring your banners, placards, flags, streamers, whistles drums and loud voices.

Let’s collectively make our demands with a strong voice – “Water is essential for all life”

DEMAND THAT GOVERNMENTS LISTEN

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John Caldecott

Water Action Coalition – Convener Mob 0427 976 503 E-mail jec@ciq.com.au

Jim Douglas

Our Water Our Rights Rally Convener Mob 0417 875 232 E-mail jdouglas@picknowl.com.au

Richard Watson

Media Coordinator Mob 0402 418 191 richard@thinkstrat.com

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For more information go to the WAC website or click on Comments below to see the latest comments and to add one of your own.