Wentworth Group proposal threatens Australia's water security and Basin food production
Wednesday, 02 June 2010
MEDIA RELEASE
Although the recommendations made
in the paper released yesterday by the Wentworth Group of
Concerned Scientists achieve the necessary reduction in diversions
from the Murray-Darling Basin, national environmental and public water-rights advocacy group, Fair Water Use Australia, is concerned that
its authors place inappropriate emphasis on minimising the impact
on profitable irrigating enterprises, as opposed to those which
provide the greatest economic and social benefit to the nation -
and Basin communities in particular.
The news that UK-based investment
holding company, the Guinness Peat
Group, has launched a takeover bid for water-trading agribusiness and
erstwhile cotton grower, Tandou,
will come as no surprise to the increasing number of Australians dismayed by the
sell-off of their water, according to public water-rights and environmental
advocate, Fair Water Use
(Australia).
Three of Australia’s largest water advocacy groups today applauded the South Australian Government for not ruling out removing control of Adelaide’s water supply from the private sector.
In a joint communiquefrom the Australian Water Network, FairWater Use (Australia) and South Australian umbrella group the Water Action Coalition, Mr Rann was encouraged to openly oppose the privatisation of water, including that of the Murray-Darling, and allow South Australians to voice their opinion via the ballot box next year.
Spokesman, Dr Ian Douglas, stated this morning, “South Australians now have the opportunity to be the first electorate to require that our dwindling water resources are protected from open-market profiteering and are protected as a public good.”
Water privateers on the march
Friday, 14 August 2009
MEDIA RELEASE
Fair Water Use (Australia) believes that the worst fears of the rapidly-increasing percentage of Australians who are disgusted by the ongoing privatisation of the nation’s water have been confirmed by recent statements ascribed to Gavin Hanlon, Managing Director of Coliban Water Corporation, which controls water supplies to a large portion of the state of Victoria.
The private sector increases its strangle-hold on the Murray-Darling
Sunday, 26 July 2009
MEDIA RELEASE
Data obtained by Fair Water Use from the Bureau of Meteorology and the Murray-Darling Basin Authority provides confirmation of the effect of the rapid increase in privately-held water in the Darling Basin on the volumes of water available for essential public and environmental use, refuting claims that the crisis in the Darling is predominantly drought-related.
Advocating environmentally-responsible use of Murray-Darling water
Fair Water Use (Australia) is a lobby group formed by everyday Australians who share the vision of a revived Murray-Darling basin and the sustainable environmental, community and economic benefits that would flow from its recovery.