Di Bell

The headlines today read: “Senate Inquiry finds Coorong can be saved” and “Not enough water to save Lakes”. Confused? The majority report reflected the government position that the fresh water needed to prevent acidification of the Lower Lakes was not available. This position was challenged by the minority report of Australian Greens Senators Rachel Siewert (WA) and Sarah Hanson-Young (SA) and Independent Senator Nick Xenophon (SA).

With respect to allowing opening the barrages, the majority report, endorsed by the Labor Senators stated: “If the admission of sea water becomes necessary, the potential environmental impacts should be subject to further detailed investigation and community consultation.” 

The Minority Report ruled out flooding the lower lakes with salt water and called for emergency action to allow the system to survive: “The Commonwealth Government to acquire 60 gigalitres of fresh water by next spring within the southern connected system to maintain the water level of the lower lakes above the critical acidification point.”

The underlying causes of the crisis were variously named as over-allocation, climate change, drought, mismanagement and lack of political will to act. Both the majority and minority reports acknowledged that there were significant knowledge gaps and that more research and consultation were needed. (Full Report)

Di Bell and friends enjoyed a glorious day at Langhorne Creek with jazz, local wines, food and dancing. There was plenty of thoughtful discussion about the state of the River Murray

 and Lower Lakes and when the new member for Mayo popped in for lunch with his family, Di was able to congratulate him on the election results. These were declared on September 23 and Di, who was in Sydney at a conference, was disappointed not to be present. We are still waiting for details of the full distribution of preferences to be posted on the AEC website.

Di was back on the podium stressing the need to keep the issue of the River Murray on the political agenda [Adelaide Rally Sept 28.doc].

During the election, The Greens had announced they were planning a rally in Adelaide in Victoria Square to focus attention on the state of the Murray and Coorong. It was timed to draw attention to COAG meetings in Perth in the week following the rally and the release of the Senate Report of their “Inquiry into water management in the Coorong and Lower Lakes”, scheduled for October 3.

The Greens Senator, Sarah Hanson-Young, spoke of the need for political will to “pull the states into line” while Independent Senator, Nick Xenophon,
warned the federal government that it did not have the numbers in the Senate to pass legislation without the support of the cross-benches.  Dr David Paton, University of Adelaide, outlined the depth of scientific knowledge regarding the Coorong and the many warnings that those who undertake research in the Murray-Darling Basin had delivered. In introducing Di Bell, Leon Byner of 5AA noted that she had demonstrated that Mayo could no longer be considered a safe Liberal seat. Di spoke of the civil movement that is building and the need to involve community groups in the decision-making process [Adelaide Rally Sept 28.doc].

There can be no doubt that the rallies of the past six weeks have had an impact. They have brought people together across interest groups, focused attention on the immediate problem of the need for fresh water into the lakes now and the underlying problem of over-allocation and they have received good media coverage. There can also be no doubt that the Mayo campaign has sent a powerful message to our politicians. Electors are more interested in action than party platforms. It will be interesting to see how many of the campaign promises are realised. As Di Bell warned, we will be watching.

Di Bell and Waterkeeper Paul Davis set out early on Sunday morning to drive around Lake Alexandrina to Meningie on Lake Albert and then along the Coorong to Mark’s Point. At Rumbelo’s Shack they met up with Gary Hera-Singh, third generation Coorong fisherman, who had offered to take them by boat to the gathering planned by Kate Elms and Liz Livingston on Mundoo Island. There they met with Kym McHugh, Mayor of Alexandrina Council, Hendrik Gout, journalist, Independent Weekly, John Bounty and Verity Starks. The conversation was wide ranging: the water crisis, water proofing Adelaide, drains in the south east, the problems with proposed weir at Pomanda Island, the folly of the Twin Lakes proposal, the changing conditions in the Coorong, the death of the southern lagoon, the need to keep the Murray Mouth open, and the reason why letting salt water into the lakes was not a solution for acid sulphate soils.

Di, Paul and Gary set out the facts and identified the lack of political will as the stumbling point. Kym had to leave early. Liz and Kate fed the group very well and over a few glasses of local red, we started to talk solutions. John had ideas and technologies for oxygenating dead water that are worth further exploration. Hendrick listened.

The sun came out, the wind dropped and the trip back along the Coorong was less choppy. Di and Paul came back through Narrung and across the ferry at the Narrows. The pumps have stopped. Water is no longer being pumped from Lake Alexandrina to Lake Albert. The pelican families had found a good resting spot on the bund.

Seven years ago Di Bell was in Washington DC as the Twin Towers in New York City and the Pentagon, a few kilometres from where she was working, were hit. This year she was happy to be in Milang as the sun rose over Lake Alexandrina and Channel 9 was there to greet the new day with the weather report.

Local school children demonstrated how to clean the tube-worm encrusted turtles, read the weather report and chatted with the reporters about their valiant efforts to save the turtles. When the assembled crowd heard the news of the purchase of Toorale Station in north-western NSW there was a hearty cheer.

Di then settled into writing a submission for the Senate “Inquiry into water management in the Coorong and Lower Lakes”. The River, Lakes and Coorong Action Group had already lodged their submission.  Will any other candidates in the Mayo by-election, apart from Di Bell share their ideas with the Senate Committee? http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/rrat_ctte/index.htm

Back in Stirling, the count continues with more postal votes being added to the primary vote for each candidate. The Greens candidate Lynton Vonow conceded. Team Di are still watching the process being played out.  There are a number of helpful guides to preferential voting.  This one is useful: http://www.eca.gov.au/systems/single/by_category/preferential.htm

There are seven minor parties and Independents whose share of the vote ranges from  0.29% to 2.50%. Their combined tally is some 7,163 votes, more than the difference between Di and the Greens and probably enough to bring the Liberals to 50% plus one. To whom will these votes flow?  Certainly not all to one candidate.

The AEC has said the results should be available in a day or two.  Whatever the final tally, it is clear that a number of residents of Mayo have become engaged in the political process through the Team Di campaign and want to continue to work together on local issues.