NSWALC to Host March 3 Day of Action to Combat Murray-Darling Water Crisis

22 February, 2019

NSWALC to Host March 3 Day of Action to Combat Murray-Darling Water Crisis

The When The River Runs Dry action day will be hosted by Land Councils in six highly-impacted townships at Bourke, Dareton, Dubbo, Menindee, Walgett and Wilcannia.

“The NSW and Federal Governments have dropped the ball when urgent action is required to restore the health of our most precious resource,” NSWALC Chair Cr. Roy Ah-See said.

“As the peak Aboriginal organisation in NSW, we are stepping up as the rivers run dry to get a better deal for our communities.”

Locally run community gatherings will be staged at the six sites to raise awareness and bring about change for residents forced to endure poor access to clean drinking and bathing water.

“These townships are highly populated by Aboriginal people, but this isn’t just an Aboriginal issue. Clean water is a basic human right and the fact is, people living in those communities are being deprived of that,” Cr Ah-See said.

“We want everyone to come together and converge on those gathering sites to show their support. By working together, we can drive change that will reverse the appalling state of our rivers.”

The When The River Runs Dry day of action is being held at:

·         Dareton LALC – Junction of the Murray & Darling Rivers, Cadell Street, Wentworth, 11am – 2pm

·         Menindee LALC – Burke & Wills Park, Menindee, 11am – 1pm

·         Wilcannia LALC – Old Bridge, Wilcannia, 11:30am – 1:30pm

·         Nulla Nulla LALC – Central Park, Oxley Street, Bourke, 4pm – 6pm

·         Walgett LALC – Meet at the LALC office (87 Fox Street) for a march to the Marjorie Phyllis Walford Bridge, 11am – 1pm

·         Dubbo LALC – Victoria Park, Talbragar Street, Dubbo, 9am – 12noon

NSWALC has issued four demands:

·         We demand the establishment of a Commonwealth Royal Commission into the management of the Murray Darling Basin. Only a Commonwealth Royal Commission will have the powers to investigate how this situation could have been allowed to deteriorate so badly and recommend long term action to restore the health of our rivers and the communities who depend on them.

·         We demand a State level special inquiry to address the mismanagement of water and our river systems in NSW.

·         We demand a suspension of water trading in the Barwon Darling River system.

·         We demand our involvement, through our Land Councils, in all decisions about water management and planning.

Acknowledgement

We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners of the lands where we work as well as across the lands we travel through. We also acknowledge our Elders past, present and emerging.

Artwork Credit: Craig Cromelin, from a painting he did titled, "4 favourite fishing holes". It is a snippet of his growing years on the Lachlan River, featuring yabby, turtle, fish and family.

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