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Thursday, April 02, 2009

The Australian Water Network has been launched

Today 48 Water Warriors (count them, folks) turned up in Sydney, to found the Australian Water Network.

People came from:
As organisers of today's event, Bernard Eddy and I would like to thank the Nature Conservation Council of NSW for their support for this event, and to make specific mention of Kim and Peter Martin, without whose enthusiasm, trust and logistical support, today's event could not have happened and also Dorothy Baker to whom we are greatly indebted (for patience, support and understanding). Also the help of volunteers, on the day, is much appreciated.

People came to hear Maude Barlow speak about water governance in Australia, and the abuse of policy, and Governments' (plural) obsession with expensive and inefficient high-tech solutions which will in the long term not solve the nation's water problems.

Maude at the Lal Lal Falls, on the Moorabool River, Victoria, near Ballarat.
Then we took a little break and got to know eachother better. People enthusiastically swapped their own horror stories of Government neglect and abuse of water issues.

We decided we need to do something about it, and this is the start of it.

PRESS RELEASE : 2 April 2009-04-02

The Australian Water Network was launched today.

The Australian Water Network will link activists, academics and community groups from all over Australia who are working in their local communities and states on the water crisis facing this country.

The Network will expose and challenge Government water policies which are failing to serve the common good; and promote ideas and strategies more likely to secure a sustainable water future.

"This is an historic day for Australia" said Maude Barlow, Senior Advisor on Water to the President of the UN General Assembly. "Consecutive governments, both Federal and State, have yet to recognise and respond to the Australian water crisis with a cohesive plan. They rely on the false gods of private markets and energy guzzling technologies as the crisis deepens into a national emergency."

The Australian Water Network will fight for the public control of water.

We will do all in our power to ensure water-flows for threatened ecosystems. This new voice in Australia will turn the tide on the water crisis.

7 comments:

mick said...

It sounds like a good start! More power to its continuation!!

Denis Wilson said...

Hi Mick
Thanks, the day did very well.
I had a chat with Tanzi, from the Save the Mary River campaign about your Blog, too. I told her how effective your reporting was in putting the Sandy Straits area "on the map".
Cheers
Denis

Anonymous said...

Hi Denis, I enthusiastically endorse Mick's comments. It must have taken a lot of work to get all those people together and that's only the beginning! Well done to you all.

Cheers
Barbara

mick said...

Thank You Denis!

Denis Wilson said...

Hi Barbara
Sorry for the slow response.
Thanks for the support. Parts of Australia seem to have too much water (at times). But the bits without it are really having a hard time of it.
Nice to know so many people support us.
Cheers
Denis

Brigid said...

Hi Denis, wow what a day it was. Beautiful place; beautiful people; and Maude. We started something. And what a geographic representation! And it was great to see that our substantial Victorian contingent held its end up even though we were in Sydney.
Now it is off to do some great work that will get more of us involved fighting for water locally and voicing our concerns nationally.
So thank you for everything. And I love the new picture at the top of the blog.

Blessings and bliss, Brigid

Denis Wilson said...

Hi Brigid
Glad you made it back home successfully. Victorian contingent was indeed very strong, and made great contributions.
Shelini made a good impression. Pls pass on my good wishes to her.
I have been delayed with photos. They are still coming.
I have been tied up with other commitments, and tomorrow go to Liverpool for further "tests" - just routine, but it means a further delay.
Cheers
Denis