Saturday, 6 December 2008

Love, Mary launched in Brisbane

Jerry Coleby-Williams.

It was standing room only as more than a hundred people packed the Avid Reader Bookshop in West End on Thursday night for the launch of “Love, Mary”.

The event proved to be something of a political milestone with the book being jointly launched by Greens MP Ronan Lee and the LNP’s Shadow Minister for Sustainability, David Gibson.

That the launch took place in the Premier’s own electorate of South Brisbane, with local Greens candidate Gary Kane in attendance, the issue of the Traveston dam is planting more than a toehold in Brisbane.

Jerry Colbey-Williams, MC for the event, introduced an entertaining and impressive line up of speakers commending the book, including Kayak4Earth, Steve Posselt and Gubbi Gubbi Elder, Dr. Eve Fesl.

Author and project Co-ordinator Adele Coombs and graphic designer Glenbo Craig thanked the host of people involved in writing, editing and preparing the book in under six weeks. Adele said the book was “a vibrant call to arms” which has already commenced being spread throughout Australia.

Ms. Coombs said one of her main inspirations for the book were the words of Bob Brown at the Get Up Climate Torch Relay held in September this year.

“Senator Brown had said that day, if all 22 million Australians knew what damage was being proposed on the Mary River they would stand up and stop this dreadful dam. That got us thinking about other ways to get the message out,” said Ms. Coombs.

Young Angus Robinson of Kandanga who had celebrated his twelfth birthday on the day of the dam announcement just over two and a half years ago, spoke passionately about the effects of the proposal on his family and community.

Save the Mary River secretary Mr. David Kreutz unveiled plans of the new “Our family… to yours” promotion to make personal links between families in the Mary Valley and Brisbane homes.

‘Make no mistake,” said Mr. Kreutz, “The Traveston dam will be a key issue in the coming state election. ‘Love, Mary’ will be an important tool in that campaign.”

With the launch coinciding with the release of several reports commissioned by federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett all of which are critical of the proposal, it would be difficult to argue otherwise.

Contact: David Kreutz 0418 463 099 / Glenda Pickersgill 0411 443589

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