Damn these SCA people.
While we are busy trying to persuade the Federal Government that they have the power to block the work on the Kangaloon Aquifer under Federal Environmental Protection legislation (the EPBC Act), the SCA's contract workers are laying our pipes as fast as they can.
We don't blame the workers - they are doing a job of work. But we surely do blame the Minister, Bob Debus, who as Minister for the Environment and Conservation, ignores his protectionist responsibilities, while pressing ahead with his authority as boss of the Sydney Catchment Authority.
The irony of this situation is beautifully illustrated by the fact that within a few metres of Butler's Swamp, large diameter pipes are being laid, to take the water away.And within the Swamp, just 20 metres away, several Christmas Bells are valiantly flowering. (Click photo to enlarge).
These precious flowers are in blissful ignorance of the threat to their environment.
The State Government has deemed the Kangaloon Borefield to be "Critical Infrastructure" under something called "Section 3A". All I really know is that this power gives Minister Sartor the power to declare something as being necessary to proceed, and all the local Government Regulations and by-laws are rendered irrelevant. Not only that, all the usual protections which people rely upon, for example under the Threatened Species Act, also are deemed irrelevant.Some of my friends, who know about this stuff consider the Minister's declaration to be outrageous. They argue that with a realistic yield from the Kangaloon Aquifer borefield will only amount to 7 days supply of water to Sydney. You should hear what Jonathan Bell really thinks about this stuff.
You will be able to discuss this in full and loud voice at a forthcoming Public Meeting to be convened by the Save Water alliance at the Robertson School of Arts on Thursday 1 February, at 6:00pm.More about that later.
Christmas Bells (Blandfordia nobilis)
Butler's Swamp 22 January 2007
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