Hurry Save The Murray!

I pay my respects to the Kaurna on whose land we are meeting and bring greetings from Ngarrindjeri country where our struggle takes place, greetings from the Lower Lakes and Coorong Infrastructure Committee at Meningie, The Finniss Catchment Group, the River, Lakes and Coorong Group, the Mannum to Wellington Lap, local land care groups and on it goes.

Life is grim in the Lower Murray, Lakes Alexandrina and Albert and the Coorong. Ancient gum trees are falling into the River – see Kathryn Rothe’s photographs; turtles are drowning and being rescued by school children in Milang, visit MOSHCC ; we see drills at Clayton for a weir or weirs or regulators – we are still in the dark, the Southern Lagoon of the Coorong is deader than the dead sea; the Narrung Narrows have silted up and the ferry is grounded, ask Lesley Fischer. We have a government bringing us one engineering option after another. It’s death by a thousand cuts.

But today we celebrate.

Rain is refreshing the country. Let it continue.

We celebrate that our struggle is now part of the story of our nation. The negotiations around the stimulus package put the state of the Murray-Darling Basin on the national agenda – $900 million from Nick Xenophon and $10 million from Sarah Hanson-Young. The recovery of the Murray-Darling is now part of the recovery of the nation.

We’re here to celebrate the coalition of action groups and politicians who are standing with us in our struggle to save the Murray. It can be done. This is not politics as usual. The River knows no boundaries and neither do we.

The RLCAG began to explore the possibilities of a constitutional challenge to section 92 mid last year. We congratulate Mr Rann on his declaration that he will be taking on the struggle too.

We have demanded fresh water and pointed out that temporary water will be cheaper that more weirs. Adrian Pederick, our local member who is with us today has leant a strong voice to this call. It seems we are being heard. The SA Government is entering into the temporary water market. $60 million for temporary water is cheaper than $400-500 million for weirs dredging, pumping and so on.

How did we get here: a people’s movement and many allies.

Our strongest and bravest are standing with us. They have taken the trouble to get to know the country and taken our fight to Canberra.

We can now truly talk about Australia’s River.

March is a time when people flock to Adelaide and David Winderlich will talk more about what we have planned.

We will be on the streets and at events. Look for the “Hurry, Hurry Hurry save the Murray” t-shirts.

Here is the flyer: take the quiz

Today we are launching our new publication Australia’s River.

Solid reading on a serious issue – maybe the most serious we will face in our lifetime. For my part, this is my life. Until the water flows, you’ll be hearing from me and the action groups and our allies.

Now I introduce:

• The Hon David Winderlich, MLC, Democrats
• Senator Sarah Hanson- Young, The Greens
• Adrian Pederick, MP, Liberal Party
• Senator Nick Xenophon, Independent
• George Trevorrow, Rupelle, Ngarrindjeri Nation

After the speeches we will walk to Parliament House and begin handing out our flyers for Murray March.