Indigenous Affairs Minister Snubs Butchulla Concerns

Representatives of the Butchulla community left the Queensland Government's Community Cabinet Meeting in Hervey Bay on Sunday feeling offended and ignored by the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Lindy Nelson-Carr.

A formal delegation of three, including an Owens Clan Elder, met with the Minister to voice their concerns about the Traveston Crossing Dam proposal and the impacts it will have on Butchulla cultural heritage, but the Minister was not willing to discuss the issue.

"She dismissed our meeting, claiming the issue was not part of her portfolio," said Elisabeth Berry of the Greater Mary Association, who took part in the delegation.

"We didn't want to discuss the dam with her as such. We wanted to know why Butchulla people have been excluded from the consultation process, and why the Queensland Government has considered them irrelevant to the cultural heritage of the Mary River. The Butchulla see the Mary as the life-blood of their country, so this exclusion has been a grave insult to them. Even if the Minister could not answer these questions, she could at least have offered to ask them on our behalf.

"She showed no concern that the people she is employed to represent are hurting over this issue, and made no attempt to provide them with assistance. She simply referred us to Minister Craig Wallace because his portfolio covers native title issues."

The response left Owens Clan Elder Joyce Smith, who had earlier been called upon by Premier Anna Bligh to welcome the cabinet to Hervey Bay, feeling ignored. "I felt left out. Not good. It shouldn't have been like that," she said.

The Minister's attitude was not a complete surprise to Butchulla spokesperson Norman Barney, "but it still makes us feel like we're not respected, and that's not a very good thing for a Minister of Indigenous Affairs to do,' he said. "It makes us lose respect for that person. And that is certainly not good."

The Butchulla community is concerned about the impacts a dam on the Mary River would have on the Great Sandy Strait, and how changes in the river would affect their sacred sites and traditional practices. They believe a reduction in river flows would be devastating for both the estuary and Butchulla culture in general.

"That the Butchulla feel their very culture is threatened by the proposed dam is a very serious matter," Ms Berry said. "It means there may be serious ramifications within the Butchulla community, both culturally and socially, if the project goes ahead. Such a level of concern must be addressed by the Government. It must be taken seriously."

We Socked It To 'em Again - in Hervey Bay!

Long-time campaigners against the TCD were overwhelmed by the turn out for the protest outside the ALP Community Cabinet Meeting in Hervey Bay on Sunday - our second rally this month.

Hundreds of people, young and old and from near and far, gathered outside the building at Wide Bay TAFE where Premier Bligh and her Ministers later met with deputations from the Fraser Coast community on a wide variety of issues. Ms Bligh and Andrew MacNamara (Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change and Hervey Bay MP) were escorted inside the venue by several uniformed and plainclothed police as the crowd vented their rage, screaming anti-dam sentiments at them. They also demanded Bligh "Sack Any Mac" (MacNamara) because he has failed so diabolically to represent his electorate on this issue.

Above: Bligh arriving.

Deputy Premier Paul Lucas didn't have it any easier. Someone stuck a 'NO DAM' sticker on his folder and he was quick to screw it up and throw it to the ground. (During the deputations Lucas was caught saying that water flowing out to sea is "wasted") But more on that in a future blog entry!!

Gold Coast Rally a Huge Success

Hundreds of people turned out for the protest rally outside the ALP Conference on the Gold Coast this weekend - and there is no doubt the politicians knew we were there! At one point we could hear our chanted words "NO DAM" echoing off the building. Federal Treasurer, Wayne Swan even got a personal serenade as he walked into the convention building.

After the official speeches where we were joined by national media, the crowd gathered in front of a balcony where delegates were having lunch and we helped them to see we are serious about stopping this dam!

Go to the link below for photographs of the protest:

http://picasaweb.google.com/greatermary/RallyQldALPGoldCoastConvention21June08

There are also photos available at:

http://s183.photobucket.com/albums/x51/wwwwatch/CascadesRally/?albumview=grid.

The Rally has been mentioned in the West Australian, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Brisbane Times - proof that this issue is truly national. For a short cut to these stories go to http://www.travestonswamp.info/forum/viewforum.php?f=12.

Next Sunday at the Community Cabinet we have an opportunity to put further pressure on Anna Bligh and her Government! The Bligh Government must be feeling the pressure at the moment with the gap between the ALP and the coalition reducing from about 20 points to 4 points on a two-party preferred basis. We need to have a massive turn out next Sunday to increase this pressure! Protest begins at 12:30pm at Wide Bay TAFE Uraween Rd.

Dok’ku Event a Stunning Success!!

Despite having had to compete with the World's Greatest Pub Crawl in Maryborough, brass band competitions and the threat of strong winds and rain, a crowd of determined supporters gathered at Tandora Homestead this weekend to celebrate the Mary River. They sent a loud and clear message to the world, on behalf of all lovers of river and sea, that the Mary must never be dammed! (For background on this event please read the blog entry below)

In the late afternoon a shower which had been threatening to fall all day, finally travelled across the strait from Fraser Island way, momentarily interrupting speeches, but soon the cloud passed, the sun came out, and miraculously there was a drop in the wind and well over a hundred people began scattering across the Dok’ku site to start lighting the slightly dampened candles.

The ceremony was swift and effective. Just before sunset a helicopter began filming the display, circling the area as the sun went down and the giant image of the Mary River Cod and the word ‘DOK’KU’ began to glow brighter and brighter in the growing darkness.

On the hill overlooking the site proud participants raised ‘Mary River Forever’ signs to bring home the message to all who would view the footage being taken: that they care about the fragile ecosystems of the Mary River and Great Sandy Strait, and that it is vital both be protected for future generations of both land and sea.

It was a very moving experience for all involved. On behalf of the campaign, we offer a big thank you to Jorge and Erica and Art for Earth, the sponsors and participating environment groups, and all the volunteers who worked so very hard to make this event such a resounding success!

DOK'KU Candle Event - Come and Light a Candle for Mary !!

Art for Earth Candle Installation outside Parliament House Canberra earlier this year.

Various groups from the Mary River area will converge at Tandora Homestead on the banks of the Mary River on Sunday 1st June to participate in creating DOK'KU, a spectacular illuminated artwork of a Mary River Cod using 4000 candles.

The Queensland Government, through Arts Queensland, has provided $14,446 to Art for Earth, a non-profit group, to create the display. The funding was provided under the regional partnerships category to support a collaboration between an internationally-renkowned artist (Jorge Pujol), indigenous community members, regional conservation groups, and volunteers from the general public. Over 4,000 candles will be used to create a 50 metre long Mary River Cod which will then be lit in a moving ceremony at sunset.

Jorge Pujol is well known for his candle installations around the world, including the "Sorry the First Step" event in Canberra for indigenous reconciliation, in collaboration with Getup. This latest project aims to celebrate the Mary River and Great Sandy Strait, and to raise awareness about the threat both now face.

'Dok'ku' is the local indigenous Butchulla word for Cod fish. The Mary River Cod is an endangered species and is an excellent visual symbol of not only river fauna in general, but the connection between the river and the sea and all the rare, vulnerable, threatened and endangered species that depend on the estuary, including dugong, indo-pacific humpback dolphins and loggerhead turtles.

Guest speakers at the event include representatives from Greenpeace, the Australian Conservation Foundation, and Steve Posselt, the cross country kayaker who recently completed a marathon journey along the full length of the Mary River to help expose the folly of the Traveston Crossing Dam (see blog entries below). Representatives from the Greater Mary Association and Save The Mary River Coordinating Group will also be there to participate in the candle lighting ceremony at sunset.

For those travelling from the valley, a free bus has been arranged from the Kandanga Save the Mary Info Centre and can pick up at Gympie. Ph 5488 4800 to book a seat. If you are arriving independently, you can find Tandora Homestead by turning off the Hervey Bay-Maryborough highway at Dundathu into Prawle Road and following the signs to the banks of the Mary River.

COME AND HELP CREATE DOK'KU! - TELL THE WORLD YOU CARE ABOUT THIS FRAGILE, THREATENED ECOSYSTEM!

Light one of 4,000 candles - no skills required.

Arrive 9am to help create the installation, or arrive 4pm to watch the candle lighting ceremony at sunset.

This event is guaranteed to raise national attention for the plight of the Mary River and the Great Sandy Strait. Footage of the installation will travel to Spain for the Zaragosa Expo on Water and Sustainability in July.

Learn more about Art for Earth at http://www.artforearth.net/

Media contact and further background information: Erica Neate Admin Coordinator Art For Earth ph 4128 7225.

On Day 17 (April 26) of his 861 kilometre epic paddle, kayak adventurer and anti-Traveston dam campaigner Steve Posselt arrived at River Heads, and after a short break, continued down the Great Sandy Strait and out into the open sea to make his way back to Brisbane.

Among the crowd present to welcome him were Member for Wide Bay and Federal National Party Leader Warren Truss, and a very thankful Dewy the Dugong.

Later, as he travelled down the Strait, Steve wrote in his diary:

“Down near Boonooroo (about half way down the Strait) life is not as abundant as up near the mouth of the Mary … It has been suggested that this abundance of life is due to the influence of the Mary and it makes a lot of sense. To think that anyone would place all of this at risk is very saddening. One can only hope that it is due to ignorance but even that is no excuse when these people have access to information if they care to listen.”

Steve completed his epic journey up the Mary River in Brisbane on Saturday (May10) – well done Steve and crew!!

Go to http://www.kayak4earth.com/ for more information.

Mary Kayaker on Home Stretch!

“Don’t Murray the Mary” kayaker Steve Posselt has now paddled the entire length of the Mary River, through Great Sandy Strait in the lee of Fraser Island and is due to reach Noosa, days ahead of schedule, on this coming Saturday, May 3rd.

His return to West End in Brisbane ( between Boundary St and Jane St) will take place a day earlier than anticipated, on the following Saturday, May 10 at 11am, four weeks after his departure.

Steve was able to take part in the second anniversary “Floatilla” at Traveston Crossing last Sunday, where he was joined by around a hundred other canoes, kayaks, rowboats and even an inner tube, in a colourful show of opposition to the proposed Traveston Crossing dam.

He has attracted considerable media attention on the trip, understandable given his national profile following his four month walk and paddle along the Murray darling last year and given that he is a past president of AWA, the Australian water Association.

Coinciding with Steve’s trip, and effectively underscoring his “Don’t Murray the Mary” message, Federal Climate Change and Water Minister Penny Wong delivered an inspirational and far-sighted address to the Australian Water Summit in Sydney on Tuesday. A copy of her speech can be downloaded from:

http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/wong/2008/pubs/sp20080429.pdf

It is well worth a read and describes a water future that is quite at odds with that proposed for the Mary.

Come and join the crowd celebrating his return and help by raising your voice for Mary. Buses are organized from Hervey Bay, Maryborough and Kandanga. The Hervey Bay bus leaves at 5.30am and will stop at Maryborough on its way to Brisbane.

For bookings contact Beryl Suttcliffe on 4121 6383 or leave a message on 0416169467, or send an email to http://au.f656.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=sutty53@lizzy.com.au

Follow Steve's Journey! Go to http://www.kayak4earth.com/