Media Release – 20th November
Flashmob delivers petition to Rous County Council
On Monday 16 November representatives from the WATER Northern Rivers Alliance presented Rous County Council with a petition signed by 525 residents of the Northern Rivers region asking them to Stop the Dunoon Dam and rethink water options. WATER Northern Rivers asked the Chair, Cr Keith Williams to present the petition on their behalf. “He may not agree with everything outlined in the petition but we are asking him to present it in the spirit of democracy” said spokesperson Bianca Urbina.
The petitioners oppose the proposed dam because:
- it will destroy Aboriginal cultural heritage
- it will destroy an Endangered Ecological Community of Lowland Rainforest
- it will destroy habitat for 17 threatened fauna species, including the koala
- Rous Water admits the dam will cause a 400% increase in the cost of water
- it is financially risky and irresponsible, given there are viable, cheaper, less destructive alternatives
The petitioners support water security by:
- system-wide water efficiency and water, which was not analysed or costed by Rous
- water re-use including purified potable water, which was not analysed or costed
- water harvesting such as stormwater capture, and rain water tanks
- implementing contingency planning to ensure rapid responses to drought
The flashmob performed outside the offices of Rous Water in Lismore. “Today marks the beginning of a call to action for our region. In exactly one month Rous will decide whether or not to go ahead with the proposed Dunoon Dam” said spokesperson Bianca Urbina. WATER Northern Rivers will be coordinating a series of actions demanding smart water options that are not rainfall dependent.
It comes on top of a shocking revelation that the Rous County Council and Lismore City Council have already lobbied Melinda Pavey, Minister for Water for funding. “Let’s be clear about this, it’s not just funding for infrastructure or future water supply in our region. They have specifically requested funding for the dam, disregarding the community consultation process or the fact that it was shelved in 2013 due to the ecological and Aboriginal significance of the site” said spokesperson Bianca Urbina.
Rous County council is due to discuss the findings of community submissions made on it’s Future Water Project 2060 this Wednesday 18 November.
Information, images and footage can be found at the following links:
www.flikr.com/photos/andryahart/albums
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