Presentations from the RLCAG AGM, May 19, 2008.

Chairman's Annual Report 2007-8

For the past year the River, Lakes and Coorong Action Group's strong and dedicated committee has been its strength.
There have been two main thrusts for the committee:-

1. To communicate with politicians, the media and the general community about our environmental concerns, and to bring to their attention, that the recent moves toward water reform may be too late to avert an environmental disaster from occurring in this area.

Environmental concerns for this area focus on lack of water, salinity, acid sulphate soils and their impact on the biota living in this environment, and the degradation of the Lakes and Coorong Ramsar site. Members have met with Senator Wong, Karlene Maywald, Members of the State Opposition on their fact finding mission to the area, and have spoken with Nick Xenophon. They have also had support from Anne Bressington, Sandra Kanck and Mark Parnell. They have ongoing access to very supportive Local Member Adrian Pederick through Trevor Hammond.
A letter has been sent to Alexander Downer asking him to place a Private Member's Bill to take control of the Murray/Darling River system immediately.
Questionnaires were sent to all political parties prior to the election.

Television coverage has been given on 60 Minutes, Landline, Catalyst extras, and in fact on all commercial TV stations through their news services. Four Corners has also been approached to make a documentary focussed on the National Disaster occurring in this area. Media coverage has been given in the Southern Argus, and Mount Barker Courier, especially through Lisa Simmons. Most up river country newspapers have printed articles, or letters to the editor, as have also the Advertiser, Stock Journal, Victorian Weekly times and NSW Land rural newspaper. Aitchison has provided 3 weir cartoons to The Advertiser.

Radio coverage has been provided by Radio 891, and Radio National. Community information has been given through word of mouth to many interested friends and acquaintances in the street and over the phone; via the website; members sitting on a plethora of local and Government Committees; Milang Expo; tours and history presentations on World Wetlands Day, and speaker Professor Mike Young, speaking on 'A Future Proofed Basin' to a packed Milang Institute.

Letters for people to sign have been prepared for all public activities, and 60 -70 letters then handed into Mike Rann and Karlene Maywald, and sent off to Prime Minister Rudd, Penny Wong and Peter Garrett. All politicians receive letters of all our general meetings, and in addition received a copy of Mike Young's address.
The Alexandrina, Coorong, and Rural city of Murray Bridge Councils have all received a copy of Mike Young's presentation 'A future Proofed Basin', with a letter asking them to support his plan. Of all the plans proposed for the basin, this is the one which meets most, but not quite all of the aims of The River, Lakes and Coorong Action Group.
The Alexandrina Council has also been thanked for their ongoing support and asked to still oppose the weir, and opening the barrages to let seawater enter the Lakes.
Terry Sim's timely book, a Fresh History of the Lakes has been reprinted, and widely distributed.

Henry Jones, the group's official spokesman has been particularly busy speaking to very many groups, committees and politicians on the plight of this region and will present a separate report.

The second thrust of the committee has been
2. To become a member of Waterkeepers Australia.

Waterkeepers Australia was established through an iniative of the Meyer Foundation, in collaboration with Environment Victoria and the Australian Conservation Foundation. Waterkeepers Australia is modelled on the Waterkeeper Alliance of the US, whose patron is Bobby Kennedy Jnr.

Waterkeeper's first aim is to 'Protect and restore freshwater, estuarine and coastal ecosystems' It must also demonstrate a membership of at least 5 community members. This is done through its affiliation with the River, Lakes and Coorong Action Group.

Paul Davis has volunteered to become the Coorong, Lakes and Murray Waterkeeper.
For the last year Paul has been very active in this role:-

• Responding at length to the government's EPBC referral
• Representing local community interests at the SA Government's Weir Local Reference Group chaired by Russell Seaman
• Involved in public education, speaking at the request of the River Urban Users Group, at Camp Coorong to their CARE team; having a tent display on the Milang foreshore at the Milang Expo in November, and having a prominent table at World Wetlands day in Milang in February.
• Planning a 3 day Annual National Waterkeepers Conference and Tour to be held in Goolwa in October.
• Recently hosted a 2 day tour of the Lakes and Coorong wetlands for members of the Australian Grantmakers Network, in their search for projects to be funded by philanthropy.
• Has been actively seeking local media coverage through the Courier, Murray Valley Standard, 5 MU, Channel 10, SBS and the ABC
• Has engaged in verbal and written correspondence with many members of the public as an advocate for the environment.
• Has corresponded with the Ramsar Secretariat in Switzerland raising matters of concern about the state of the Coorong and Lakes.
• Has started to collaborate with the world Wildlife Fund to raise their awareness about the plight of the Lakes and Coorong wetlands.
• Has written a letter to Minister Garrett to ask the Australian Government to place the Coorong, and Lakes Albert and Alexandrina Ramsar Site on the the Montreaux Record. This letter has also been adopted by the World Wildlife Fund, Inland Rivers Network, Humane Society International, NSW Wilderness Society, NSW Nature Conservation Council, and Birds Australia.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it has been a very intense year for the committee who have met for two hours every two weeks for the past year. It is a committee who have given their utmost, and a huge amount of time, for the wellbeing and future of the Lakes and Coorong, and this district.

We have thrown some stones into the pond. We expect the ripples to continue to expand.

I have really enjoyed the committee meetings, I am very proud to have been part of that committee.

Anne Hartnett, Chairman

Spokesperson's report, 2007-08

We have had a very busy twelve months.
I think all the work has been worthwhile and feel we have made some small steps forward.

As you know we have held fortnightly meetings.

Since the last AGM I have

• made several trips to Canberra, Sydney, Echuca, Berri, Murray Bridge, Adelaide, Mannum, Mildura, Meningie with the opportunity to speak with Malcolm Turnbull, Penny Wong, other members of Parliament and Murray Darling Basin Commissioners.
• attended meetings of the Local Interest Group Panel for the consultation of the Wellington Weir.
• attended monthly meetings of the NRM River Murray Advisory Group.
• attended Drought Reference Group meetings, and various meetings with the boating industry.
• spoken at Probus Groups at Goolwa, Strathalbyn, LAP Groups, Australian Conservation Foundation, various school groups, and anyone else who has wanted to know what is happening in the Murray Darling Basin.
• had interviews with National Geographic journalist and photographer. The resulting article about this area should appear in the magazine in 2009.
• had further interviews about the area with 60 Minutes, Land line, State line, ABC television and radio, radio 5AA, the Australian newspaper, the Advertiser, Mt Barker Courier, Channel 10 TTN and the Victor Harbor Times.
• met with Peter Hurn and Maxine Gray from Transport Department re lake levels and beacons.
• met with Senator Penny Wong at the Goolwa Barrage and had various follow up phone calls from her office.
• spoken with Senator elect Nick Xenophon.
• Coorong meeting with other members and Stacy Bloomfield re Waterkeepers conference

At Pelican Point two weeks ago we spoke to and catered for a group of 60 representatives from the top of the Darling and Murray Rivers to the bottom as well as advisors to the MDBC.

Last week we showed a group from Melbourne and Sydney around the Coorong and spoke with them in the evening. Paul spent the next day with them and he will be able to tell you about their visit as it was to do with WaterKeepers.

This week I am speaking to schools, local government and at community meetings in the evenings at towns along the Lachlan, McQuarie and Namoi starting at Wagga and finishing on Friday at Tamworth.

Henry Jones

Your Committee is:

• Chair: Anne Hartnett
• Secretary: John Yelland
• Treasurer: David Knappstein
• Bruce Allnutt
• Chris Bagley
• Paul Davis
• Trevor Giles
• Henry Jones
• Liz Yelland
• Diane Bell

Membership:

The annual membership fee has been reduced to $1-00 per person, due in May.

or contact us by email.

You can also join at one of our meetings (see local press)