I am running as an Independent because I care about the people of Mayo and I am passionate about the environment. I want to take that passion to Canberra.
This is a watershed election and I offer a real choice to the people of Mayo.
Mayo is the water electorate. Not only does Mayo include the Murray Mouth, it also takes in the major water storages for Adelaide. These storages are supplemented by water from the River Murray. But, the River system has been dramatically over-allocated to the point where it will not survive. This has to change.
I stand for
- * Emergency action to release a minimum 350GL of water downstream to Lakes Albert and Alexandrina and the Coorong. This immediate action will begin the restoration of the river environment and give hope to the farms, business and communities dependent on the river system.
- * Negotiating a new Murray-Darling Basin Agreement that binds all states.
- * Establishing an independent statutory authority that can address past over-allocation policies and establish a sharing regime that can handle future climatic conditions.
- * The first priority of the water-sharing regime will be to maintain the health of the Murray-Darling Basin as a whole. This health is to be determined by end of River flows at the Murray Mouth. The second part of the regime establishes shares for the environment and other users in the available water in a fair and just manner.
Other critical Mayo Issues are:
- * Immediate action to keep our community hospitals open and functioning.
- * A fair go for pensioners and families dealing with rising costs of living and fuel prices.
- * Innovation in local community responses to national issues. These include power generation, carbon trading, emissions policies and involvement of people in decision-making. Small is beautiful. Local is the way to go!
- * Recognition and support for the fundamental role played by the arts in our everyday lives.
See you September 6th at the polls.
Di Bell
