Media Alert: REAL WATER SOLUTIONS Press Conference
Sunday March 14, 10.00am, Steps Parliament House

* Senator Nick Xenophon finding a legal solution to planning for floods

* Dr Anne Jensen, Australia’s leading freshwater scientists’ statement

* Julie Pettett, South Australia Conservation Council, environmental agenda

* Question to Candidates: How would you ensure that the floodwaters flow through the system to the Murray Mouth and Coorong?
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* Prof Diane Bell working with local knowledge, common sense solutions

REAL WATER SOLUTIONS are needed.

The floods across the northern basin can save the Murray-Darling River system

REAL WATER SOLUTIONS will require new thinking and bold leadership.

The Water Election Team (WET) is looking to law and science and the community

Hurry, Hurry Flush the Murray

Yesterday the Water Election Team (WET) was out in the electorate.

We heard “Good News” being proclaimed by politicians and we heard persistent questions from voters.

Premier Rann announced an extra 70 GL has been secured from the NSW floods.

The SA Labor Policy - Water and the River Murray - committed to a freshwater solution for the “Lower Lakes” and promised a new 170 GL Lakes Environmental Reserve.

And, more water is coursing down the Murray-Darling River system.

So, when will we hear that
* the Pomanda (Wellington) Weir is no longer needed?
* those who would govern the state will not proceed with the weir?
* the $5 million being spent on the Environmental Impact Statement to open the barrages and flood the “Lower Lakes” with seawater is to be spent on rehabilitating the damaged wetlands?

We are told that science will drive policy.

Today thirty of Australia’s leading freshwater scientists published a statement regarding the emerging Basin Plan in which they state that: “Flow connectivity needs to be a focus for management because it is crucial for recovery and maintenance of floodplain river ecosystems, and because streams, wetlands and woodlands cannot be managed in isolation.” http://www.wetrivers.unsw.edu.au/

So when will we hear that the
* dam/regulator at Clayton Bay is to be removed?
* Narrung Narrows are to be dredged and Lakes Albert reconnected to Lake Alexandrina?

The current record-breaking floods are our opportunity to reset the system. Who will have the courage and vision to act?

Today Diane Bell and Ruth Trigg of WET visited various offices around Adelaide where they explained what was happening with the Questionnaire and met a number of the people with whom they have been communicating via email and phone.

Remember: pass the cursor over the photograph to see the caption.

Who has answered the Water Election Team (WET) questionnaire and who hasn’t?

WET is delighted to report that their questionnaire for all candidates has been completed by the Liberals, Greens, Democrats, Family First and Independents (including David Winderlich, Mark Aldridge, David Peake, Corrie Vanderhoek and John Tregenza). Others have sent supportive messages.

WET is a little disappointed to report that the ALP has not yet responded to the questionnaire, but WET has sent reminders and hopes that the ALP will meet the March 12 deadline for answering.

Candidates’ answers to the 76 detailed questions will be collated and analysed. The results will be published in the week of the election.

WET has identified the water crisis as a key issue in the upcoming election and will be following the issues and answers after the election. Feedback from voters, who are studying the questionnaire and discussing it with family and friends, indicate that voters have a sophisticated understanding of water issues and want answers.

What is WET asking? The questionnaire is divided in 10 sections, each addressing a major facet of the crisis confronting our state and the Australian nation. Go the Water Election Team page.

Voters are adding more questions:
Will the most recent floodwaters reach Lakes Alexandrina and Albert and the Coorong?
Will the Murray-Darling Basin Authority intervene in the interests of a healthy river?
Has the federal or state government planned for the success of their ‘pray for rain’ policy? It has rained but where is the plan to manage the water?
Where does our International Ramsar agreement stand now?
What monitoring will there be of the floodwaters?
What is Kevin Rudd’s stance on water now?
Where is Mike Rann now?

Watch for further WET actions over the next 10 days.

The forum discussed what is being done and can still be done. Speakers included professionals and community leaders: Ian Dyson, Simon Bryars, Jochen Kaempf, Gerard Hocking, David Turner, John Caldecott, Judith Wingate, Andrew Thomas, David Gill and David Greenhough.

The Forum was jointly presented by Save Our Gulf Coalition http://www.saveourgulf.org.au/Troubledwatersforum.htm) and Water Action Coalition ( http://www.civictrust.net.au/page31.htm).

Ruth Trigg of the RLCAG welcomed the politicians and assembled crowd and explained the relationship between WET and the Fresh Water Embassy. The Embassy maintained a peaceful vigil at Clayton Bay for the duration of the construction of the dam/regulators and now WET is working to ensure that water is given a priority in the run up to the March 20 election.

Diane Bell explained that WET had prepared a short play for the politicians. In five minutes the talented crew spelled out the history of the Murray Darling Basin and offered solutions.

Watch the Video. WET Launch Part One; WET Launch Part Two

The candidates were then given one minute each to address one of the ten problem areas on the questionnaire and the expert panel marked their answers. There were some straight “A”s and some failures. Some homework was assigned.

The launch concluded with rousing rendition of “Hard Times Come Again No more” from Angie Starr.

We then repaired to Hutt St for debrief and lunch.

WET is an initiative of the River, Lakes and Coorong Action Group Inc (RLCAG)

Remember, pass the cursor over the photographs to see the captions and for more photographs visit Di Bell’s Flickr page.

If you want to sing along with Angie (a 19th century Stephen Foster song):
As we pause in life’s pleasures and count its many tears
Let us all taste the hungers of the poor.
There’s a song that will linger forever in our ears:
Hard times, come again no more.

And for the Leafy Sea- dragons

Hard times, hard times, come again no more.
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door.
Hard times, come again no more.

And for the long neck turtles.

In the run up to the March 20th state election, WET will be asking all candidates to fill in a questionnaire concerning water issues.

Visit the WET page to learn more.

While we do take issue with your ideas, there is much common ground between us.
* We are committed to a fresh water solution and a healthy river.
* We live in the driest state in the driest continent at the “bottom” of the river.
* The river is over-allocated.
* The rainfall across the Murray-Darling Basin is highly variable.
* Under current climate change scenarios rainfall across the southern Basin will diminish.

Your plan calls for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a weir across the River Murray near Tailem Bend. An EIS for a “temporary” weir across the River Murray at Pomanda Island (below Wellington) has already been prepared. This has entailed some three years of work, addressing the requirements of Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC), and has produced a substantial body of materials.

Your argument for a weir addresses the specific needs of commercial users of the river but the gains would be short-lived.

A weir near Tailem Bend, like one at Pomanda Island, would create a pool of still water that would be prone to algal blooms and favour carp above native fish species. It will not secure Adelaide’s water supply. Salinity levels will increase. Silt will build up behind the weir.

While we agree the needs of river users should be taken into account in future plans for management of the river, a weir would be a short-term fix that undermines a long-term recovery. Further, your plan ignores the long-term impacts of weirs. As ecologist Keith Walker pointed out in his letter (8/2/2010), another weir would compound the effects of the diversions, weirs, barrages, levees and other flow regulators that have fragmented an ecosystem that relies on connectivity. It is folly to add to that legacy in the name of resolving the situation.

Whatever we do must be driven by best practices, draw on local knowledge and be underwritten by the research of independent scientists. We believe we already have that body of good sense, knowledge and practice. It tells us that when the salt and nutrients carried by the river are being flushed out to sea through the Murray Mouth, we will have a healthy, sustainable river.

We, the undersigned, are committed to “a fresh water solution”. The recent rains and floods are an opportunity to reset the system; to begin to undo the damage of past mismanagement; to care for our internationally recognised wetlands (Ramsar sites); to take bold and decisive action and not wait for the expiration of state water management plans in 2014 and 2019.

What is needed is the political resolve to act now in the interests of the river, and ultimately, in the interests of all.

We are concerned by the apparent endorsement of your letter by the Lower River Murray Drought Reference Group and the Murray Darling Association, when we understand that neither group has endorsed your position.

Can we set aside divisive politics and work towards a healthy river?

Endorsed by the River, Lakes and Coorong Action Group Inc and the Finniss Catchment Group Inc

The Keynote address by Professor Ian Lowe, President of the Australian Conservation Foundation, outlined the “The truth and lies about water politics”.

All parties were represented and each made a short statement. An audio is available at http://www.unisa.edu.au/hawkecentre/events/2010events/WAC.asp