This is water theft: a recent scandal has revealed that Agribusiness is bleeding the Murray-Darling dry for corporate profit.
A damning report by ABC’s Four Corners revealed has uncovered serious mismanagement of the water supply by the NSW government, with officials reportedly letting private irrigators across the region pump more than their fair allocation.
We own this water: billions of taxpayer dollars were spent on buying back the Murray-Darling's water to protect its long-term health. Right now, no one even knows how much water is being taken from the river in the first place.
The system’s not working. Our money’s being wasted, and Australians deserve answers now.
Will you join us in demanding a full investigation into government collusion with the Agribusiness lobby? Malcolm Turnbull’s already calling for it -- we just need the Murray-Darling states to join in and to make sure its comprehensive.
Tell the States: we want an independent, comprehensive review into the mismanagement of the Murray-Darling Basin now!
Water is the lifeblood of rural communities. As a drought-ridden country, we need to manage our water supply properly, so it can sustain our businesses, communities and ecosystem for years to come.
The Murray-Darling is jointly managed by New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, and Queensland.
Alleged collusion between regional officials and irrigation lobbyists have come to light, after huge amounts of the river’s water rerouted to large-scale cotton-growing operations -- causing an impact on farmers and communities downstream.
Leading NSW water bureaucrat Gavin Hanlon was secretly recorded offering to share internal government memos with the lobbyists, in an effort to undermine the management plan in favour of big business.
The pressure is building. The Prime Minister has just called for an independent review into this scandal -- but for it to happen we need the states to agree to it, and to make sure it's comprehensive and transparent.
Help secure our most precious resource for generations to come. Let’s demand an independent, comprehensive review into management of the Murray-Darling Basin now!
No one has fought corporate water theft across the globe like SumOfUs. We made front-page news in British Columbia, Canada when Nestlé was taking public water for pennies a gallon -- forcing the government to re-write its water legislation.
After a quarter million of us denounced another water grab in the United States, we earned Oregon a public review. And time and time again, we have supported local groups working in the province of Ontario in Canada, and Michigan and California to stop water deals.
In neighbouring New Zealand, our members helped stopped a water bottling company from sucking up billions of litres of pure, artesian water for corporate profit.
We can protect our most precious resource in Australia too, but we can’t waste any time. Will you join us?
Add your voice to call for an independent, comprehensive review into the management of the Murray-Darling Basin now.
More information
The Guardian. 30 July 2017.
ABC News. 25 July 2017.
ABC News. 25 July 2017.