Water Watch Radio: Recent Episodes
Water Watch Radio
Water Watch is a weekly deep dive into news and current events from policy, ecology, art and climate. With a diversity of voices from our river communities as well as experts in the field, Water Watch celebrates the life and culture of Australia’s waterways, investigates the big issues facing the future of our rivers, and tells important stories about the human connection to land and water. Water Watch is brought to you by Broken Hill based community radio 107.7 2DRYFM.
This week, we’re heading back to the mid Murray River, where a small community group has been caring for their local forest for decades.
Friends of Nyah Vinifera Park are embarking upon a legal challenge in the Federal Court over the Federal Government's decision to approve the Nyah SDLAM or “floodplain restoration” project.
Friends of Nyah Vinifera Park believe the process for assessing the environmental impacts of this project were flawed and unlawful and are testing their claims in court. For this episode we speak to Nicola Silbert from Environmental Justice Australia and Jacquie Kelly, chair of the community group.
To visit the community group's fundraising campaign for their legal case, follow the below link:
Help us defend Murray floodplains in court | Chuffed | Non-profit charity and social enterprise fundraising
And to hear an episode touring the Nyah Vinifera Park with Wadi Wadi Traditional Owner Vincent Kirby you can listen to Episode 78 wherever you get your podcasts.
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This week, we're taking you back to the Northern Territory with an interview with one of the Traditional Owners who made the 4,000 KM trek from Darwin to Canberra in September. The delegation of Traditional Owners and environmentalists went to the capital to call on the Federal government to step in and halt the agricultural projects that threaten water-dependent ecosystems.
In this episode we speak to Cecilia Lake, a Mangarrayi Traditional Owner from Jilkminggan, a community of 300 people on the Roper River, east of Mataranka, where her Country is well renowned for its pristine waterholes and palm forests.
Cecilia attended the delegation in Canberra and is fighting to have her voice heard on the water issues facing her country, particularly the groundwater springs that feed the Roper River during the dry season. According to Cecilia, changes in local agricultural activity that extract groundwater for irrigation are already impacting her sacred springs, threatening the future of her Country and her community.
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Today you’re going to hear from a well read, and well written academic on water issues. Professor Quentin Grafton recently published a book, and the launch of the book was accompanied with an address to the National Press Club and an article in the Conversation. The description of the book proclaims:
It’s high time to call out the mistruths and post truths and retell Australia’s Water story, In this book Quentin Grafton explains how, from 1788 onwards, those in power have treated fresh water as a resource to be exploited, rather than cared for.
And to quote the book,
“Retelling Australia’s Water Story is more than a history lesson, or a list of what has gone wrong. Its a wake up call to fix what is broken, to listen to the voices seldom heard, and to begin a journey towards a just and sustainable water future for all.”
Author Professor Quentin Grafton has many accolades to his name including chair of the UNSECO Chair in Water Economics and Transboundary Water Governance, An Australian Laureate fellow at the Australian National University, a Distinguished Fellow at the Australasian Agricultural and Resource economics Society, a recipient of many awards, and he established the Water Justice Hub.
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This week Water Watch looks back to a presentation by Dr Josie Douglas, the General Manager of the Central Land Council speaking at the Fresh Water Futures Panel at the Environment Centre NT State of Environment Conference in September 2023.
With thanks to the PEW Charitable Trust for accessing conference audio and organising the Fresh Water Futures Panel.
Watch Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY.
Watch Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY.
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week we have a bit of arts and culture respite, but that's not to say its not going to get political!
It was our great privilege this week to interview an artist we've been following for a very long time, Murrawarri, Philipino rapper and drummer, Rhyan Claphem, who calls himself DOBBY. DOBBY has just released his debut album Warrangu, river story and it is all about the great beauty and tragedy of the Murray-Darling Basin, from the perspective of his ancestral connection to the waters of the Barwon River and the community of Brewarrina and surrounding areas.
This album is not just a collection of songs, it is a sonic journey and a research project, as Rhyan journeyed out to his ancestral homelands during 2019, to explore the consequences of drought and extractive practices on the land, animals, people and community.
To listen to the album or purchase your very own copy, please visit www.dobby.com.au
You can follow DOBBY on Instagram DOBBY (@dobbyau) • Instagram photos and videos
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
With things heating up in the Murray-Darling Basin regarding the Basin Plan, we’re continuing to cover Basin politics with a fascinating interview with Richard Beasley who was Senior Counsel assisting to the South Australian Royal Commission into the Murray-Darling Basin Back in 2018.
In a thorough investigation in 2018, the Royal Commission found that the Basin Plan was illegal, not just on the basis of a misreading of the Water Act but also that Murray-Darling Basin Authority had engaged in maladministration, acted with negligence, fostered scientific censorship and engaged in decision making that was incomprehensible and indefensible.
In 2021, Richard Beasley published a book, Dead in the Water, which presented the findings of the Royal Commission in a way that everyone can understand. This week we jump right into the deep end with Richard to remind us about the extraordinarily convoluted and flawed process that has been the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
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This week we are delving into a topic that we haven’t yet covered on water watch, but it has been in the media recently and there is growing awareness of its significance. In this episode we are talking about the chemicals commonly known as PFAS or ‘forever chemicals.’
PFAS are a class of almost 15,000 synthetic chemicals which are harmful to human and animal health, causing an array of serious illnesses. They were developed for industrial purposes, such as in firefighting foams, pesticides, building materials and electronics, but they’ve also been used in a large number of household and personal care products.
These include carpets, rugs, furniture, bedding, upholstery, cookware, food packaging, cleaning products, toilet paper, cosmetics, tampons, sanitary pads, dental floss, contact lenses, clothing, rain coats and shoes.
These chemicals are everywhere.
They are very resistance heat, stains, grease and water, and they do not breakdown, hence the name ‘forever chemicals.’
In the last few weeks, the Sydney Morning Herald have broken a story about potentially unsafe levels of these chemicals found in the Blue Mountains water supply, an hour and a half west of Sydney, and locals in the area are concerned about the effects that PFAS contamination might have on their health and the health of their children. In this episode we talk to Associate Professor Ian Wright from Western Sydney Uni who has been involved in the Herald's investigation, and we’ll be discussing this issue and what it means for communities and our water agencies as we embark upon more testing for these chemicals in Australian rivers.
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This week we’re heading to the Top End, where mismanagement of an expanding irrigation industry in the NT hit the national spotlight when ABC 4 Corner published “Water Grab” last month. The ABC 4 Corners program revealed the NT’s lax environmental laws, and failures to adequately regulate a burgeoning irrigation industry in the NT. The program exposed a territory government that is single-mindedly focused on economic development from large-scale irrigation and gas extraction, while recent changes to land use are already impacting the water quality of some groundwater sources, like at Mataranka, where freshwater springs are crucial sources of water for the Roper River, which relies on groundwater flows during the dry season, and are highly sacred sites for Mangarrayi people.
Following the 4 corners investigation, a delegation of environmental groups was joined by Mangarrayi Traditional Owners in Canberra to raise the alarm of these proposed developments with the federal government. The delegation hoped the Federal government would intervene on behalf of the concerned community and act to protect some of Australia’s last wild rivers.
In this episode Megan speaks to Kirsty Howey, the executive director of the Environment Centre NT about the delegation to Canberra, who they met with, the goals of this trip, and the state of play for water management in the territory.
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This week on the program we’re exploring the music and stories of Stiff Gins with one half of the Musical Duo Kaleena Briggs. Kaleena and her musical partner Nardi Simpson are freshwater women, whose ancestry, identity, connection to country sings through into their music.
They’ve been releasing music as the Stiff gins for 25 years, releasing 3 acclaimed albums and touring all over Australia and the world, and run music workshops in rural and remote indigenous communities. In their time they have accrued many accolades to their names including: Recipients of the Centenary Medal for ‘Outstanding Service to Indigenous Music, Most promising new talent at the deadly awards in 2000 & Best Single release at the deadly awards in 2001.
You can find their music on Spotify at the following link: Stiff Gins | Spotify
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This week on the program we’re exploring the music and stories of Stiff Gins with one half of the Musical Duo Kaleena Briggs. Kaleena and her musical partner Nardi Simpson are fresh water women, whose ancestry, identity, connection to country sings through into their music.
They’ve been releasing music as the Stiff gins for 25 years, releasing 3 acclaimed albums and touring all over australia and the world, and run music workshops in rural and remote indigenous communities. In their time they have accrued many accolades to their names including: Recipients of the Centenary Medal for ‘Outstanding Service to Indigenous Music, Most promising new talent at the deadly awards in 2000 & Best Single release at the deadly awards in 2001.
You can find their music on spotify at the following link: Stiff Gins | Spotify
This is the radio edit version, for an extended interview with Kaleena visit www.waterwatchradio.com, or find it wherever you get your podcasts.
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This week on water watch we are travelling south in the Murray Darling Basin to a special little spot on the Murray. Nyah Vinifera is a beautiful red gum and black box forest nestled on the Victorian side of the Murray River near swan hill, where the red sands of the Mallee descend into mud of the mighty Murray.
As a Murray floodplain recognised for its ecological and cultural significance, Nyah and Vinifera have both been identified as sites for Victorian Sustainable Diversion Limit Adjustment Mechanism Projects or SDLAM. These projects aim to artificially flood the forest to reverse decades of environmental decline. But these engineering projects are hotly contested, and some believe they may even cause ecological and cultural damage to these special water places.
Take a journey with us as Dan walks through the forest with Wadi Wadi Traditional Owner, Vincent Kirby and members of Friends of Nyah Vinifera, Nicole McKay and Jaquie Kelly.
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This week on water watch we share a wholesome conversation between Dan and Menindee bird water Geoff Looney from a live event to launch his new book "Birds of the Menindee Lakes Area, compiled by Geoff Looney"
Geoff has been photographing and bird watching in and around Menindee for 30 years and his new book is the best guide for birders to find and identify any of the 207 bird species that Geoff has seen in his decades of twitching.
In his time he has watched the Menindee Lakes go through turmoil and found endangered and critically endangered birds, one thought to no longer visit NSW.
At 77 years of age, Geoff is full of life and full of stories, make sure to tune in to this warm celebration of a life's work.
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This week we dig into the archives for an encore with veteran scientist and Honorary Professor in the Crawford School of the Australian National University, John Williams. John was a founding member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists and holds the prestigious Farrer Memorial Medal for achievement and excellence in agricultural science.
This conversation was first published on June 1st, 2023.
Water Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY.
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Last month, the NSW Connectivity Expert Panel handed down its final report, 12 months after the NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson established the Panel in response to a recommendation from the NSW Chief Scientists independent review of the 2023 Menindee Mass Fish Kills.
So today, we have the privilege of sharing an in-depth conversation with Amy Dula, the chair of the Connectivity Expert Panel, to tease out their recommendations and how the panel landed on them, to help us all better understand this dense and complex research.
This is the extended version of the interview which goes much deeper on the recommendations in the report.
To read the full report visit connectivity-expert-panel-final-report.pdf (nsw.gov.au)
Later in the program we have a statement from the NSW Minister For water Rose Jackson.
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Last month, the NSW Connectivity Expert Panel handed down its final report, 12 months after the NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson established the Panel in response to a recommendation from the NSW Chief Scientists independent review of the 2023 Menindee Mass Fish Kills.
So today, we have the privilege of sharing an in depth conversation with Amy Dula, the chair of the Connectivity Expert Panel, to tease out their recommendations and how the panel landed on them, to help us all better understand this dense and complex research.
We have published a bonus extended version of this interview which goes much deeper on the report. Please find this version in your podcast feed.
To read the full report visit connectivity-expert-panel-final-report.pdf (nsw.gov.au)
Later in the program we have a statement from the NSW Minister For water Rose Jackson.
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This week, we continue our exploration of the Coorong with a conversation featuring Garry Hera-Singh, a fisherman whose roots run deep in the area. Garry is a proud third-generation fisherman on his father’s side and a fifth-generation fisherman on his mother’s side. He lives in the small town of Meningie on the shores of Lake Albert, and has been working in the Coorong's commercial fishing industry since his youth, witnessing firsthand the gradual decline of the fishery over the decades.
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This week we are returning to the Coorong which we covered in a two part special series back in June after a fish kill of about 200,000 fish rocked the local community.
Last month, Water Watch had the privilege of touring the Southern Lagoon with ecologist Faith Coleman, a dedicated local resident who was featured in our special coverage of the fish kills. Faith’s passion for restoring the Coorong is palpable; she has spent years archiving and studying the Southern Lagoon’s history.
As we strolled along the sandy and sometimes muddy shores of Salt Creek and the South Lagoon, Faith shared fascinating insights about how the history of this place guides our current efforts to better manage wetlands. Her deep knowledge and enthusiasm revealed how understanding the past can help shape a more sustainable future for these vital ecosystems.
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Water Watch invites Marita Dyson of The Orbweavers to discuss songs about rivers and waterscapes, deepening our sense of time, change, and the ancient memory of water.
Marita Dyson writes melodies inspire by her experience of waterways, their history, and timeless character.
This program was recorded and first broadcast in October 2022
Water Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY.
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This week it was my great privilege to interview two incredible musicians and water activists Nancy Bates and Aimee Volkovksy who have collaborated on a beautiful new song Blood Red Moon. Barkiindji/Wilyakali song writer Nancy Bates is a highly accomplished musician who has toured internationally and spent three years on the road with Uncle Archie Roach as a backing vocalist, guitarist and support act. Nancy also works with women incarcerated in Australian prisons to help them tell their stories through song, and with school children teaching Barkindji language through song. Nancy’s collaborator, Aimee Volkovksy is a journalist, filmmaker and songwriter based in Broken Hill and leads an incredible project called Boneyard sessions that records and films musicians performing out on country in the natural environment.
They both grew up on the Darling-Baaka River and their recent collaboration is a call to return to country and was written when water first returned to the Baaka at the end of the previous drought.
To listen to Blood Red Moon on spotify follow the link Blood Red Moon - song and lyrics by Nancy Bates, Aimee Volkofsky | Spotify
For further information about Nancy Bates you can visit her website www.nancybates.com and find her on instragam Nancy Bates (@nancybatesmusician) • Instagram photos and videos
To follow Aimee's work you can find her work at Media And Marketing | Bush Witch Productions and follow her on instagram: Aimee Volkofsky (@theaimeev) • Instagram photos and videos
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
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This week it was my great privilege to interview two incredible musicians and water activists Nancy Bates and Aimee Volkovksy who have collaborated on a beautiful new song Blood Red Moon. Barkiindji/Wilyakali song writer Nancy Bates is a highly accomplished musician who has toured internationally and spent three years on the road with Uncle Archie Roach as a backing vocalist, guitarist and support act. Nancy also works with women incarcerated in Australian prisons to help them tell their stories through song, and with school children teaching Barkindji language through song. Nancy’s collaborator, Aimee Volkovksy is a journalist, filmmaker and songwriter based in Broken Hill and leads an incredible project called Boneyard sessions that records and films musicians performing out on country in the natural environment.
They both grew up on the Darling-Baaka River and their recent collaboration is a call to return to country and was written when water first returned to the Baaka at the end of the previous drought.
To listen to Blood Red Moon on spotify follow the link Blood Red Moon - song and lyrics by Nancy Bates, Aimee Volkofsky | Spotify
For further information about Nancy Bates you can visit her website www.nancybates.com and find her on instragam Nancy Bates (@nancybatesmusician) • Instagram photos and videos
To follow Aimee's work you can find her work at Media And Marketing | Bush Witch Productions and follow her on instagram: Aimee Volkofsky (@theaimeev) • Instagram photos and videos
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
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This week we are diving back into a story we covered extensively back in April this year with an important update - The Wilcannia Weir Project. NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson has been out in Wilcannia talking to the community about this project and has agreed to pause the project and investigate the original proposal submitted to the Environmental Impact Statement Process.
If you haven't heard the three-part series covering the Wilcannia weir project, go back through our archive and listen to Episodes 58, 59, and 62.
This episode is co-hosted by guest producer Em Jensen and includes interviews from Traditional Owner Monica Kerwin and General Manager of the Central Darling Shire Greg Hill.
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For NAIDOC week, we look back on the view from First Nations people and groups at the Senate inquiry into the Restore Our Rivers Amendment to the Water Act and Basin Plan from 2023.
Featuring:
Sonia Cooper Yorta Yorta woman, Yorta Yorta Water Policy & Climate Research Officer for the Yorta Yorta Corporation.
Dr. Kate Harriden Wiradjuri Woman, research fellow at Monash Sustainable development Institute at University of Monash
Grant Rigney Ngarrindjeri man from the Murray Mouth and chairman of the Murray Lower Darling River Indigenous Nations (MLDRIN)
Michael Anderson Yuwaalayaay and Gamilaraay man who was member of Northern Basin Aboriginal Nations (NBAN)
All comments made to the Senate Inquiry Nov 1, 2023. Read the report https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/MDBAWaterBill2023/Report
Water Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY.
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
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This week we have a bit of arts and culture respite, but that's not to say its not going to get political!
It was our great privilege this week to interview an artist we've been following for a very long time, Murrawarri, Philipino rapper and drummer, Rhyan Claphem, who calls himself DOBBY. DOBBY has just released his debut album Warrangu, river story and it is all about the great beauty and tragedy of the Murray-Darling Basin, from the perspective of his ancestral connection to the waters of the Barwon River and the community of Brewarrina and surrounding areas.
This album is not just a collection of songs, it is a sonic journey and a research project, as Rhyan journeyed out to his ancestral homelands during 2019, to explore the consequences of drought and extractive practices on the land, animals, people and community.
To listen to the album or purchase your very own copy, please visit www.dobby.com.au
You can follow DOBBY on Instagram DOBBY (@dobbyau) • Instagram photos and videos
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hundreds of thousands of fish were reported dead in the Coorong at the bottom of the Murray Darling Basin.
In Part 2 we explore criticism that Government failed to deliver water to the South Lagoon when they had the chance.
Featuring:
Glen Hill, Commercial Fisherman
Nadine Kelly, Program Leader of Healthy Coorong Healthy Basin at the SA Department of Environment & Water
Faith Coleman, Estuarine Ecologist
Watch Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY.
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This week, we will be turning our attention to a part of the Basin we’ve never talked much about, but its ecological health is an integral measure in the Basin Plan, and its ongoing health is important for the Murray Darling basin, around the country and the world.
We are talking about the Coorong, on the lands of the Ngarrindjeri people
It's one of the most researched and well-funded wetlands in the country, A RAMSAR protected site, with international ecological significance and ranked within the top six waterbird sites in Australia.
But sometime towards the end of May, it’s estimated many thousands of fish died in the Coorong’s South Lagoon.
Why are fish washing up on the shore of the Coorong? And is it a significant event similar to mass fish kills seen around Menindee? Stick with us in this Water Watch Special series, as we are to try to find answers.
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People of the lower-Darling Baaka River are breathing a collective sigh of relief after a flush of 45-50 GL fresh water has began its journey down the lower Darling-Baaka River below Menindee Lakes. This flush is intended to push a slug of algae infested river water right through the system into the Murray River and hopefully out to sea. But this flush has only been possible because of changes needed to be made to the rules and regulations that govern environmental water.
In this episode we speak to Mayor of Wentworth Shire Daniel Linklater about the experiences of people in his community who have endured this water quality crisis, and we also speak to Allan Raine, director of water planning implementation at the NSW DCCEEW, who helps us understand the complex policy mechanisms that had to be overcome to make this water release happen.
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This week we continue our conversation with Dr Kate Harriden, Wiradjuri woman and Research Fellow in Indigenous water at the Monash Sustainable Development Institute on incorporating Indigenous ways of being in water management.
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This week 30 pelicans have been found dead or dying at Lake Menindee, is this another event in the ongoing water quality crisis or a simply and example of healthy bird out competing the counterparts?
We speak to river ecologist and conservation biologist Professor Richard Kingsford from the University of Queensland for insight on this problem.
And later in the program we hear from Dr Kate Harriden, Wiradjuri woman and Research Fellow in Indigenous water at the Monash Sustainable Development Institute on incorporating Indigenous ways of being in water management.
If you see further pelican deaths, contact the EPA on 131 555 or the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888
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This week we continue the stories of Country and Culture from Ngaratya, the exhibition on display at the broken Hill City Art Gallery with a dip into the Water Watch Archive to share interview with Barkindji Malyangapa artist David Doyle & a special live recording of Leroy Johnson and the Waterbag band.
Check out the exhibition at:
https://www.ngaratya.com.au/
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This week on water watch we speak with Zena Cumpston, artist and co-curator of the contemporary art exhibition Ngaratya (together, us group, all in it together) that opened at the Broken Hill City Art Gallery last week.
The exhibition brings together six Barkandji/Barkindji artists including Nici Cumpston, Zena Cumpston, David Doyle, Kent Morris, Adrianne Semmens and Raymond Zada. with works inspired by Barkandji/Barkindji Country, as a Mother and active participant in the project.
View the works online at https://www.ngaratya.com.au/
Hosted by Krystle Evans and Megan Williams
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Last week, the anticipated interim report from the NSW Connectivity Expert Panel was published with a stirring response from irrigators and environmentalists alike.
If you listened to our episode last week, you’d know that we had the opportunity to sit down with the NSW Minister for Water Rose Jackson about the Wilcannia Weir replacement project, but we also spoke to her about this report.
The connectivity expert panel was born out of a recommendation from the NSW Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineers Report into the 2023 Menindee Mass Fish kills, as well as departmental obligations to re-make the Barwon Darling Water Sharing plan by June 2025.
In this episode we cover the big picture analysis of this report and responses to it.
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We had the privilege this week of sitting down with NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson to talk through a number of state water management issues.
And it has been a really big week of announcements with the much-awaited release of the Connectivity Expert Panel’s interim report which assesses the rules in all northern Basin water sharing plans… this report was born from last year's mass fish deaths at Menindee and it aims to bring the rules for upstream extraction back to a sustainable level.
But we are going to save that big topic for next week… instead we are going to follow up with our promise to take questions to the NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson about the Wilcannia Wier replacement project.
We also hear from Midura City Councilllor Jason Modica who is the chair of region 4 of the Murray Daring Association. He’ll be discussing the upcoming Basin Forum which will be held in Mildura next week.
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A new water quality monitoring project was launched in Menindee last week called Ngarratja Warrkina, which means ‘All Working Together’ in the Barkindji language. This project is a collaboration between the Barkindji Native Title Group, The NSW Environmental Protection Authority and the Department of Climate Change Energy Environment and Water.
The program will provide training for Barkindji River Rangers to monitor the water quality in the Baaka, and provide sampling data as well as on the ground observations to better inform the department and the EPA about what's going with the water quality in the Baaka. This program emerges from the terrible fish kills in the Baaka 13 months ago and the last few years of shocking water quality in the Baaka, a crisis which is still ongoing with blue-green algal red alerts popping up across the lake system.
We went down to Menindee last week to the launch of the program, and I had the privilege of speaking with the program's participants.
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This week we speak to the water campaigner at the NSW Conservation Council Mel Gray on the legal challenge they settled with the NSW government over failing to consider the impacts of climate change on water sharing, with background provided by Emma Carmody, the managing lawyer of the freshwater team at the Environmental Defenders Office
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Today we are continuing on with our coverage of the Wilcannia Weir Replacement Project. Last week, where we left of, the community could not understand why the government was exhibiting a completely new weir design in December 2023 after they had engaged with community in extensive consultation process to develop a weir design everyone was happy with.
But this week, we’re going deeper into that why…
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This week we’ve got a big program lined up about a little project, you might not have heard much about: The Wilcannia Weir replacement.
A new weir for Wilcannia, a small town located on the Darling-Baaka River, has been a project that has been on the table for over 50 years and attempted many times. In 2018, it seemed the project would finally be delivered and after two years of consultation the community had agreed upon a design.
But late last year the project was thrown into disarray...
This two part series tells the story of how a community went from being united with a government vision on their town weir to now opposing its construction…
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This week it is our privilege to cover an investigation by Bloomberg media, a global media outlet that has put significant resources over the years into investigating corporate water grabs across the world.
The last article in their Water Grab series explored two forms of water take that have exploded in the Murray-Darling Basin in the last two decades,
- floodplain harvesting in the northern Basin and
- the water trade in the Southern basin
When we’re talking about floodplain harvesting and water trade in the Murray Darling, it’s hard to describe the volumes of water that is required to support the cotton and almond industries. The Bloomberg article has done a fantastic job at describing not only how these water grabs have come to fruition but also the disastrous consequences it has on the lives of real people living around the Basin. You can find the article online by searching Bloomberg, water grab, Murray-Darling, and for those listening via our podcast, we’ll put a link to it in the show notes.
We had the privilege of meeting the California based lead journalist on the series, Peter Waldman, while he was researching the story in Australia last year. This week we were lucky enough to sit down with Peter to discuss this investigation at length.
This is the podcast exclusive full conversation that we have with Peter Waldman.
The details of Australia’s corporate water grabs exposed by Bloomberg, has caused a stir in NSW parliament with greens Upper house MP Cate Faerhmann questioning the NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson on the details of this story in budget estimates last month, and so keep an ear out for the voices of Rose Jockson and Cate Faerhmann with thanks to NSW Parliament for the recordings.
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This week it is our privilege to cover an investigation by Bloomberg media, a global media outlet that has put significant resources over the years into investigating corporate water grabs across the world.
The last article in their Water Grab series explored two forms of water take that have exploded in the Murray-Darling Basin in the last two decades,
- floodplain harvesting in the northern Basin and
- the water trade in the Southern basin
When we’re talking about floodplain harvesting and water trade in the Murray Darling, it’s hard to describe the volumes of water that is required to support the cotton and almond industries. The Bloomberg article has does a fantastic job at describing not only how these water grabs have come to fruition but also the disastrous consequences it has on the lives of real people living around the Basin. You can find the article online by searching Bloomberg, water grab, Murray-Darling, and for those listening via our podcast, we’ll put a link to it in the show notes.
We had the privilege of meeting the California based lead journalist on the series, Peter Waldman, while he was researching the story in Australia last year. This week we were lucky enough to sit down with Peter to discuss this investigation at length.
This is the shorter radio edit version of this story but if this story interests you, we highly recommend you listen to the bonus extended version also available in the podcast feed because this conversation went much further than we could go in this broadcast version and the full conversation is really worth a listen.
The details of Australia’s corporate water grabs exposed by Bloomberg, has caused a stir in NSW parliament with greens Upper house MP Cate Faerhmann questioning the NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson on the details of this story in budget estimates last month, and so keep an ear out for the voices of Rose Jockson and Cate Faerhmann with thanks to NSW Parliament for the recordings.
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week on water watch we continue coverage of Menindee Lakes and Darling Baaka water management now that the honeymoon is over for the NSW Governments. Today we talk inflows with long term water advocate from Sunset Strip at Lake Menindee, Ross Leddra and revisit statements on the recommendations from the 2023 Mass Fish Kill investigation by Dr Darren Saunders of the Deputy Chief Scientist in NSW and intentions to redefine priorities in the NSW water Department by NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson.
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We are back!! Welcome to the very first program of water watch for 2024.
This month marks the anniversary of last year's mass fish death in the Baaka-Darling River in Far Western NSW which saw a blackwater event kill 20-30 million fish in the Menindee weir pool.
Last year we were out on the ground covering the government's response to the disaster which you can listen back to on our podcast feed. At that time, the response (or lack there of) was heavily criticised by the Menindee community, which triggered the incoming NSW labor government to launch an investigation into the fish kills headed up by the NSW Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineer.
As we kick into 2024 and a year on from this tragedy, we ask Grazier and water advocate from Menindee, Kate McBride, for an update on where the river is at and whether the current NSW government has been living up to the bar they set themselves as they came into government.
We are also launching a new segment this week that needs your help!
The Creek of the Week will feature local waterways around the country, if you love your local river we want to hear from you! Email us a 60 second recording describing a water place near you. Include your name, your location and the waterway that means something special to you, bonus points if you can get a little story or anecdote in there!
Record it on the voice app of your phone and email it to waterwatchradio@gmail.com
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This episode of the Summer Series covers the Federal amendment to the Basin Plan known as the Restoring our rivers Bill with statements taken from public hearings to the Senate Inquiry back in September.
In this episode we hear from:
NSW Irrigators Council, National Irrigators Council, Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, The Biodiversity Council, and Wilderness Society SA.
Throughout the program we’ll hear where people agree, such as on constraints and complimentary measure like land management and pest control, which are central to effectively delivering environmental outcomes. AND where they don’t - specifically whether enough water has been recovered to date in order to deliver the intended outcomes of the plan.
This episode was published back in September 2023 and so things may have changed.
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For the final episode of the summer series, we listen back on a very important topic, often overlooked, or ignored in water policy. First Nations water rights and where they fit within current water policy and what must change if First Nations water rights are to be truly recognised.
Watch Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY.
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
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This week on our Second Bite Summer Series we will be hearing from musician, journalist, filmmaker and activist Aimee Volkovsky from Broken Hill. Aimee is an incredibly accomplished songwriter, and we had the privilege of sitting down with her late last year. The episode you are going to hear today was published back in November so please consider things may have changed since this conversation was recorded. Please enjoy!
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This week on Water Watch's summer series we will be hearing from NSW Deputy Chief Scientist, Darren Saunder and members of the Darling River Action Group about the summary findings of review of the 2023 Menindee Mass Fish Kills.
This episode was first published in September last year before the full report was released and this episode captures the initial reactions of community members from the Darling River Action Group to the summary findings of the report.
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
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This week on Water Watch's summer series we will be hearing from NSW Water Minister the Honorable Rose Jackson who has set a pretty strong policy agenda in her first year of office.
The week this was published the full report from the Office of the Chief Scientist regarding the disastrous fish kills at Menindee had been released. The episode you are going to hear today was published back in early October so please consider things may have changed since we had this conversation with Rose.
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In this second bite we’ll be discussing an issue within water policy which has been a thorny problem for many who follow water politics; accountability, transparency and departmental bias.
This episode was first published in September last year and a lot has changed since then including the full release of the NSW Chief Scientists Independent Review of the 2023 Menindee mass fish kills. When we spoke to Greens MP Cate Faehrmann in September only the executive summary of the report had been released but with Cate’s knowledge in the area of NSW water policy we able to have a robust discussion about finding number 5 from the Chief Scientists report.
Greens MP Cate Faehrmann has been particularly active in this area chairing the NSW flood plain harvesting inquiry and following closely the Independent Commission Against Corruption investigation into NSW water policy back in 2020.
We touched on these issues in other episodes on water watch, including with the NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson and Deputy Chief Scientist Darren Saunders, so if you would like to catch up on the full year in water you can find our catalogue by searching water watch radio wherever you get your podcasts or go to waterwatchradio.com
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Water Watch Summer Second Bite Series Continues, this week looking back on the 2023 Mass Fish Kills in Menindee with interviews from locals in the days after the fish kill began.
Watch Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY.
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
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Water Watch's Summer Series continues with a presentation by Dr Josie Douglas, the General Manager of the Central Land Council speaking at the Fresh Water Futures Panel at the Environment Centre NT State of Environment Conference in September 2023.
With thanks to the PEW Charitable Trust for accessing conference audio and organising the Fresh Water Futures Panel.
Watch Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY.
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2023 Water Watch Summer series continues with a story from a little community 400km north of Alice springs called Ali Curung and a proposal by the NT government to extract 40,000mgL of groundwater annually to produce fruits and vegetables.
This episode was first published in August this year and things may have changed since then.
In this episode we spoke to Maureen Nampijinpa O’Keefe, a Kayditch Walpiri woman from Ali Curung and Alex Vaughan from the Arid Lands Environment Centre in Mparntwe Alice Springs.
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
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2023 Water Watch Summer series continues with Richard Beasley who was Senior Counsel assisting to the South Australian Royal Commission into the Murray-Darling Basin Back in 2018 and 2019.
In 2021, Richard Beasley published a book, Dead in the Water, which presented the findings of the royal commission in a way that everyone can understand. This episode was first published back in August and there have been some significant changes to the Basin Plan since I spoke with Richard including the passing of the Restore Our Rivers Bill which legislated to reduce the cap on water buybacks, extend the timeline for delivering the Basin Plan and a $100m allocation for Aboriginal Water Entitlements, among other provisions designed to get the Basin Plan back on track.
Over summer, Water Watch will be sharing our favorite conversations as part of our Second Bite Series as we take a break to recharge after a big year!
Water Watch is produced on Wilyakali Country by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY.
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
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This week we take a second bite at a public forum held by the Murray Darling Basin Alliance on July 7, 2023 in Melbourne.
This conversation covers issues that come up time and again when discussing water issues and is a great prelude to the debates over amendments to the Basin Plan that are to come later in the series.
Watch Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY.
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
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2023 Water Watch Summer series continues with a fantastic conversation with veteran scientist and Honorary Professor in the Crawford School of the Australian National University. John was a founding member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, and holds the prestigious Farrer Memorial Medal for achievement and excellence in agricultural science.
This conversation was first published on June 1st, 2023.
Over summer, Water Watch will be sharing our favorite conversations as part of our Second Bite Series as we take a break to recharge after a big year!
Water Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY.
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2023 Water Watch Summer series kicks off with beautiful yarns with Barkindji Malayangapa artists Dave Doyle and Leroy Johnson.
Over summer, Water Watch will be sharing our favourite conversations as part of our Second Bite Series as we take a break to recharge after a big year!
Watch Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY.
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
For our season finale we are releasing an uncut interview with musician Aimee Volkovsky. It was our honor to sit down with Aimee Volkovsky this week who shared some moving stories and beautiful music with us.
To follow Aimee's work visit: Media And Marketing | Bush Witch Productions
To find Aimee's music on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7Lc8tpyKewgJwCYYCulG1p?si=kUKXg6h2ReS4Il-N7Yn-HQ
Bandcamp: If You Were A Lake I'd Drink You Up | Aimee Volkofsky (bandcamp.com)
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
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This is our last original conversation for the 2023 season, next week we will kick off our summer second-bite series which will look back at our favourite programs, so stay tuned for that!
We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone that has been part of water watch this year. It’s been a huge year for us, kicking off with the special fish kill series, being long listed for a Walkley and winning a national community broadcasting award for journalism.
It’s a privilege to make this program every week and to be able to talk to and share conversations with all the extraordinary guests that have joined us this year.
It was our honor to sit down with Aimee Volkovsky this week who shared some moving stories and beautiful music with us.
So with this episode we are going to publish a full version of the conversation on the podcast feed. So, whether you’re listening online or via the community radio network, you can find that full conversation by searching water watch radio wherever you get your podcasts. It’s truly special.
To follow Aimee's work visit: Media And Marketing | Bush Witch Productions
To find Aimee's music on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7Lc8tpyKewgJwCYYCulG1p?si=kUKXg6h2ReS4Il-N7Yn-HQ
Bandcamp: If You Were A Lake I'd Drink You Up | Aimee Volkofsky (bandcamp.com)
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As Parliament prepares to debate the amendments to the Basin Plan, we look back on the testimony given by First Nations people and groups from around the Basin including:
- Sonia Cooper Yorta Yorta woman, Yorta Yorta Water Policy & Climate Research Officer for the Yorta Yorta Corporation.
- Dr. Kate Harriden Wiradjuri Woman, research fellow at Monash Sustainable development Institute at University of Monash
- Grant Rigney Ngarrindjeri man from the Murray Mouth and chairman of the Murray Lower Darling River Indigenous Nations (MLDRIN)
- Michael Anderson Yuwaalayaay and Gamilaraay man who was member of Northern Basin Aboriginal Nations (NBAN)
Watch Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community Radio 2DRY.
All comments made to the Senate Inquiry Nov 1, 2023. Read the report https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/MDBAWaterBill2023/Report
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Amendments to the largest water policy in Australia's history are due back in Parliament any day after the Senate Reported on their public inquiry into the Restore our Rivers Amendments to the Murray Darling Basin Plan.
This week, we look back on the buyback debate with Professor Sarah wheeler from the University of Adelaide and NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson.
Watch Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY.
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
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This week we continue to cover the latest on the Federal amendment to the Basin Plan known as the Restoring our rivers Bill with statements taken from last week's public hearings to the Senate Inquiry.
In this episode we’ll be hearing from:
NSW Irrigators Council, National Irrigators Council, Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, The Biodiversity Council, and Wilderness Society SA.
Throughout the program we’ll hear where people agree, such as on constraints and complimentary measure like land management and pest control, which are central to effectively delivering environmental outcomes. AND where they don’t - specifically whether enough water has been recovered to date in order to deliver the intended outcomes of the plan.
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week we are going get into the duck weed on the amendment to the Basin Plan that is currently before parliament.
This amendment, known as the “Restoring Our Rivers” bill was introduced by Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek in September and passed its second reading in the House of Reps a couple of weeks ago.
This week there’s been a senate inquiry with public hearings from the wide array of perspectives on this amendment, and over the next few weeks we are going be covering what’s been said this week, but first we want to give you the lay of the land, what’s in this bill? what’s been missed? And who can we expect to hear from over the next couple weeks as we get stuck into the public hearings?
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This week on Water Watch we go north to Central Australia to hear from Dr Josie Douglas, the General Manager of the Central Land Council speaking at the Fresh Water Futures Panel at the Environment Centre NT State of Environment Conference
Dr Josie Douglas (PhD) is a long-time advocate for social justice, land rights and Aboriginal led policy development based on grass roots solutions. A descendant of Wardaman people (NT), Josie has thirty years’ experience working in Aboriginal affairs. Josie has worked in senior executive positions at the Central Land Council and Central Australian Aboriginal Congress. She has been involved in negotiating significant NT and Australian government policies and partnership agreements and has been a powerful advocate for remote Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory.
With thanks to the PEW Charitable Trust for accessing conference audio and organising the Fresh Water Futures Panel.
Water Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY.
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
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This week we check in with Professor Steve Turton from Central Queensland University about the shape of current climate phenomena and how this might impact rivers across Australia. We also learn about how the current climate scenario is similar to that of the 1982-1983 drought and what that drought period meant for eastern Australia.
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Genuine involvement of First Nations views and knowledge is often spoken about in water policy.
As Australians head to the polls for the referendum on a Indigenous Voice to Parliament we get background on the development of this issues and question if a Voice would have an impact on water policy.
Background provided by Barkindji Woman and lawyer Gemma McKinnon who was a TechnicalAdvisor at the Referendum Council regional dialogues and constitutional
convention at Uluru.
Hosted by Megan Williams and Krystle Evans
Watch Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY.
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As Australians head to the polls, on water watch we ask how might a voice influence water policy? Thats Episode 47.
This bonus edition is the full, unedited presentation about the voice to parliament delivered at the Broken Hill City Gallery by:
Gemma McKinnon is a Barkindji woman and lawyer. Gemma was a Technical Advisor at the Referendum Council regional dialogues and constitutional convention at Uluru.
and
Peta MacGillivray is a Kalkutungu and South Sea Islander lawyer and researcher, and the Yuwaya Ngarra-li Senior Research Fellow focused on legal and justice issues based at UNSW. Peta has worked as a researcher on a range of criminology, legal services and community-development projects in NSW and across Australia. Peta’s area of legal practice specialisation is the legal needs of children and young people, particularly those experiencing social and economic
disadvantage.
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We have another huge episode on the nitty gritty of water policy and Basin politics with NSW Water Minister, the Hon. Rose Jackson, who is making the big decisions for the State's water management.
This week we also had the release of the full report into the Menindee Mass Fish Kills by the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer, and it makes for some extremely sobering reading about the long-term decline of the Darling-Baaka and its wetlands.
This week we put the tough questions to Minister Jackson about all things water policy in NSW.
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Shifting between the big issues on Watch Watch, this week we move away from fish kills to speak buy back with NSW member for Barwon Roy Butler after his notice of motion to NSW parliament copped criticism from Menindee community online.
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As news on the NSW Chief Scientist independent report into the 2023 Menindee Mass Fish Kills settles, we take a moment to remember the immediate reactions following the event in March.
This week we hear from
Barb Quayle of the Barkindji Elders Council
Ross Files Menindee Resident for over 80 years
Geoff Looney Local bird photographer
Leroy Johnson Barkindji Malayangapa Musician
Featuring music by Aimee Volkovsky
Water Watch is produced on Wilyakali Country at 2DRY FM in Broken Hill
Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/
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This week we are continuing our coverage of the NSW Chief Scientists' summary findings and recommendations from the review of the 2023 Menindee Mass fish Kills.
This week we are digging into finding number 5 with Greens MP in the NSW legislative council, Cate Faerhmann, who is well versed in NSW water politics, led the parliamentary inquiry into flood plain harvesting and was out on the ground back in March during the mass fish kills.
Finding number 5 from the Chief Scientist's report which reads “Explicit environmental protections in existing water management legislation are neither enforced nor reflected in current policy and operations… This failure in policy implementation is the root cause of the decline in the river ecosystem and the consequent fish deaths.”
Which begs the question: is NSW water policy failing to uphold the law?
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After many months of waiting, the NSW Chief Scientist's office have released the summary findings and recommendations from the independent review of the 2023 Menindee Fish Kills.
While we await the full report there is much to discuss about the summary findings and recommendations of this independent review, what it means for our rivers, the community of Menindee and for water policy and governance.
This week Water Watch travelled to Menindee to speak to members of the Darling River Action Group about their reactions to the findings and met with the chief scientist team who were continuing their listening sessions with community of Menindee as they finalise the body of the report.
An historic announcement on the future of the Murray Darling Basin Plan has come from the Federal Minister for Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek and we speak to Kate McBride on the condition of the Darling Baaka as blue green algae red alerts run from Menindee to the Murray.
Water Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY.
This week we are travelling to the Northern Territory to a little community 400km north of Alice springs called Ali Curung. For a number of years this little community has been locked in a battle with the NT government over one of the largest groundwater licenses issued in Australia, the Singleton Station license, which is a license to extract 40,000mgL of groundwater annually to produce fruits and vegetables.
Ali Curung Traditional Owners and environmental groups have taken the government to court over license which they believe was granted unlawfully. The NT government has rolled out the red carpet for big developments right across the Territory, aiming to double its economy in the next 7 years, and the Singleton Station license is only one of those developments which aims to transform the Territory's water resources into wealth.
Running Water Community Press, a First Nations-led independent publisher in Mparntwe Alice Springs has recently launched the Water Justice Project, a community storytelling initiative which says no to the Singleton Station Water License. In this episode we speak to Maureen Nampijinpa O’Keefe, a Kaytetye Walpiri woman from Ali Curung, who is part of the Water Justice Project, and Alex Vaughan from the Arid Lands Environment Centre.
To connect with the Water Justice Project visit Home page - Running Water Community Press
And to watch the video content produce by the project and directed by Maureen Nampijinpa O’Keefe: https://youtu.be/uwY1KYugPac
This week we continue the discussion about the Basin Plan and environmental water recovery as many people and groups wait with bated breath about how State and Federal governments are going to negotiate the delivery of the Basin Plan "in full".
Independent member for Murray Helen Dalton in the NSW Legislative assembly, has recently tabled an amendment to the NSW water management act which would restrict the transfer of water access licenses to the Commonwealth or the State unless the purchase passes a socio-economic test.
First up in this episode we speak to Bev Smiles from Inland Rivers Network about Dalton’s bill, as well as the state of the Basin Plan which Bev believes is a ‘dog's breakfast.’
Later in the show we hear from Sophie Baldwin, the CEO of the Southern Riverina Irrigators who supports Helen Dalton’s bill and fears for the future of her irrigation community if further buybacks are implemented in the Southern Basin.
With things heating up in the Murray-Darling Basin regarding the Basin Plan, we’re continuing to cover Basin politics with a fascinating interview with Richard Beasley who was Senior Counsel assisting to the South Australian Royal Commission into the Murray-Darling Basin Back in 2018.
In a thorough investigation in 2018, the Royal Commission found that the Basin Plan was illegal, not just on the basis of a misreading of the Water Act but also that Murray-Darling Basin Authority had engaged in maladministration, acted with negligence, fostered scientific censorship and engaged in decision making that was incomprehensible and indefensible.
In 2021, Richard Beasley published a book, Dead in the Water, which presented the findings of the Royal Commission in a way that everyone can understand. This week we jump right into the deep end with Richard to remind us about the extraordinarily convoluted and flawed process that has been the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
This week we cover more Basin Plan politics with an interview from Jono La Nauze, CEO of Environment Victoria. Environment Victoria have just recently published a report titled ‘Doomed without a drink’, on the state of the Basin’s animals and plants that are dependent on river flows.
Doomed without a drink - Environment Victoria
The report places 140 animals and plants in Victoria at increased risk of extinction without adequate environmental flows. EV are using this report to lobby Victoria to change its long-held opposition to water recovery buybacks, and relax the constraints that limit the ability to deliver environmental water to wetlands and floodplains.
The report highlights the legal obligations the state of Victoria has to prevent the extinction of fish, birds, frogs, invertebrates and plant; stating that the Victorian Government’s position on water recovery in the Murray-Darling Basin has long been in conflict with its legal obligations and commitments to biodiversity conservation.
The report asks the Victorian Government to rethink its opposition to Commonwealth water purchases, and to abandon controversial floodplain engineering projects and water offset projects in the Basin’s supply measures program.
This week we share a panel discussion organized by Conservation SA and Environment Victoria, which took place at the Wheeler Centre in Naarm/Melbourne.
The panels discussion and Q&A has stated: "The rivers and wetlands of the Murray-Darling are in a state of ecological collapse, while genuine solutions to provide them with enough water have been off the table for a decade. This year, we have a real chance to change that – and it’ll take all of us speaking up.
Featuring Virginia Trioli (Mornings on ABC Radio Melbourne), with the Murray Darling Conservation Alliance and a panel of experts on the Murray Darling:
-
Richard Beasley SC, the lead counsel for the 2019 South Australian Royal Commission into the Murray-Darling Basin and author of the book Dead in the Water.
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Kate McBride, a young farmer, Parliamentary Liaison Officer and prominent advocate for the protection of the Murray-Darling.
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Brendan Kennedy, a is a Tati Tati and Wadi Wadi Traditional Owner, Deputy Chair of Murray Lower Darling Rivers Indigenous Nations (MLDRIN) and Chair of the Victorian Aboriginal Water Officer Network, among other accolades. He has been instrumental in elevating the profile of First Nations Water Rights in the Murray Darling Basin.
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Michael Vanderzee, a water policy analyst for the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists. He has had an had an extensive career as a senior government policy adviser which, including 15 years' experience in national and state water policy reform.
It’s a chance to seize this moment by answering some basic questions – why is the Murray-Darling so important, what’s wrong with the river and how do we fix it?"
This week has been NAIDOC week with the very important theme: For Our Elders. This week we celebrate 45,000+ years of Barkindji culture with two very special guests.
Dave Doyle is a Barkindji-Malyangapa wood carver, sculptor, curator, poet, and educator, among many other things. He is currently has an exhibition at the Broken Hill City Gallery and in April launched an exciting show called 'ngaratya' at Bunjil Place Gallery in Narre Warren. This exhibition brings together six Barkindji artists who have collaborated on a multi-media celebration of Barkindji Country and culture.
We also hear from Malyangapa/Barkindji musician Leroy Johnson artist who recently performed with the Sydney Youth Orchestra in Broken Hill.
This week we have seen reports of extreme spikes in sea surface temperatures across the globe. Reports of this data have largely appeared on social media, where stunned climate scientists and other researchers are currently discussing theories about what could possibly be the cause.
We are still a number of months away from an El Nino being officially declared and so this spike in temperatures has left many scientists trying to figure out what on earth is happening.
We talk to Environmental Geographer Professor Steve Turton from the Central Queensland University to discuss what this might mean for our waterways over the next few years, and whether we are really ready for a megadrought.
We’ve got a big show this week with the team leader of the Independent Inquiry into the recent mass fish kills at Menindee, Deputy Chief Scientist and Engineer, Dr Darren Saunders. The team was out at Menindee last week listening to locals on the ground, and Dr Saunders spoke to us about the process of the inquiry and the approach that he and his team are taking in trying to find out why these fish died and how mass deaths like this might be avoided in the future.
Later in the show, we follow up on a story from a couple of weeks back that looked into the economics of water entitlement buybacks under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
For that story we spoke to a water economist from the University of Adelaide Sarah Wheeler and the CEO of NSW irrigators council Claire Miller, both presented very different opinions about water buybacks. In this episode we hear from Federal member of Parkes the Hon. Mark Coulton about the role that he thinks water entitlement buybacks should play in managing the rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin.
This week we are going to sit back and listen to an in depth conversation Dan had with one of Australia’s respected and trusted scientists in sustainable land and water management.
John Williams is currently Honorary Professor in the Crawford School of the Australian National University. He was a founding member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, and holds the prestigious Farrer Memorial Medal for achievement and excellence in agricultural science.
John is in his 80’s and has a wealth of experience as a hydrologist who has worked throughout Australia on ways to sustainably manage our river systems. He is a member of the Water Justice Hub, an initiative of the Australian National University and Dan was able to catch up with him while John and some fellow researchers were in Broken Hill for a learning tour of the Darling-Baaka River and Menindee Lakes.
This week we introduce different perspectives on the impacts of water entitlement buybacks with an interview from Claire Miller, CEO of the NSW Irrigators Council. We also speak to water economist Professor Sarah Wheeler of the University of Adelaide who discusses her research into buybacks and how different economic studies produce very different results about the impacts of buybacks on regional economies.
We take a break from the big issues today and celebrate Barkindji culture with two Barkindji-Malyangapa artists, Dave Doyle and Leroy Johnson.
Dave Doyle is a wood carver, sculptor, curator, poet, and educator, among many other things, who is currently curating an exhibition at the Broken Hill City Gallery and is soon to launch an exciting new show called 'ngaratya' at Bunjil Place Gallery in Narre Warren. This exhibition brings together six Barkindji artists who have collaborated on a multi-media celebration of Barkindji Country and culture.
We also hear a brand-new song from musician Leroy Johnson who wrote a powerful lament for the bony bream that died in the March fish kills at Menindee.
After weeks of community town hall meetings questions remained over how the fish kill could have happened.
Dan and Megan went trawling though the publicly available documents and data to find answers, and later satellite images and photos posted to facebook to try and verify the official line that "very limited management actions that could have been taken to prevent [the 2023 fish kills] from happening."
The full report is available at waterwatchradio.com and follow Geoff Looney's Facebook page at Menindee NSW Outback Photography by Geoff Looney
In this episode, we continue our special broadcast on the Menindee Fish Kills with Part 2 - "We meet the guidelines"
This episode we take a deep dive into drinking water quality and access to fresh water while thousands of tonnes of dead fish continue to decompose in Menindee's town water supply.
The new NSW Premier, Chris Minns was out on the ground in Menindee less than 48 hours after being sworn in, and we speak to community members about the issues facing access to water for domestic use and for stock, as well as a geographer and environmental scientist about the risks involved in a health crisis such as this.
Locals are disgusted as millions of fish have again suffocated in the Darling-Baaka River at Menindee.
Today on Water Watch we hear the response from a number of Menindee locals, original audio from a Town Hall Meeting held by representatives from multiple Government agencies and from an ecologist with 30 years experience.
Guests in order of appearance:
- Geoff Looney - Local bird photographer
- Cameron Lay - Director of freshwater environments at Dept Primary Industries speaking at the Community Meeting
- Barb Quayle - member of the Barkindji Elders Council
- Ross Files - 83 year old, life long Menindee Resident
- Ross Leddra - President of the Darling River Action Group
- Bill Johnson - ecologist and director of water policy consultancy Slattery & Johnson
This episode was created by Dan Schulz with production support from Megan Williams
We're back in action for 2023 and we are kicking off a huge episode speaking to NSW election candidates for the seat of Barwon. Sitting member and Independent Roy Butler, National Party candidate Annette Turner and Labor candidate Joshua Roberts-Garnsey discuss what they hope to achieve if they are elected. If you are registered to vote in NSW, don't forget to vote next week on March 25th, and consider the rivers when you approach the ballot box.
This is 2DRY FM’s water watch summer series broadcast nationally on the community radio network.
Over summer, we’re taking a second bite of our favourite episodes from 2022.
This week we speak to community members about the floods that ravaged South-East Australia in late 2022.
This program was first published in November
If there’s something you’ve missed, you can listen back to all our episodes in full by searching Water Watch Radio wherever you get your podcasts.
This is 2DRY FM’s water watch summer series broadcast nationally on the community radio network.
Over summer, we’re taking a second bite of our favourite episodes from 2022.
This week we talk post-truth water politics and surviving floods...
This program was first published in November
If there’s something you’ve missed, you can listen back to all our episodes in full by searching Water Watch Radio wherever you get your podcasts.
This is 2DRY FM’s water watch summer series broadcast nationally on the community radio network.
Over summer, we’re taking a second bite of our favourite episodes from 2022.
This week we talk about our unique connections with waterways and how it inspires music and arts to explore the world through the story of water.
This program was first published in October.
If there’s something you’ve missed, you can listen back to all our episodes in full by searching Water Watch Radio wherever you get your podcasts.
Now let’s dive in!
This is 2DRY FM’s water watch summer series broadcast nationally on the community radio network.
Over summer, we’re taking a second bite of our favourite episodes from 2022.
This week we talk history and ecology in the Basin. There are a few rebuttals to an earlier conversation you can catch in our podcast feed.
This program was first published in October.
If there’s something you’ve missed, you can listen back to all our episodes in full by searching Water Watch Radio wherever you get your podcasts.
This is 2DRY FM’s water watch summer series broadcast nationally on the community radio network.
Over summer, we’re taking a second bite of our favourite episodes from 2022.
This week we listen back to a public forum held in Swan Hill which brough together river people, academic and agency representatives to discuss the future of the Murray-Darling Basin
This program was first published in September.
If there’s something you’ve missed, you can listen back to all our episodes in full by searching Water Watch Radio wherever you get your podcasts.
This is 2DRY FM’s water watch summer series broadcast nationally on the community radio network.
Over summer, we’re taking a second bite of our favourite episodes from 2022.
This week we feature inspiring presentations on giving rights to rivers as ancestral beings.
If there’s something you’ve missed, you can listen back to all our episodes in full by searching Water Watch Radio wherever you get your podcasts.
This is 2DRY FM’s water watch summer series broadcast nationally on the community radio network.
Over summer, we’re taking a second bite of our favourite episodes from 2022.
This week we shift focus to how national water policy translates to local issues.This program was first published in August.
If there’s something you’ve missed, you can listen back to all our episodes in full by searching Water Watch Radio wherever you get your podcasts.
This is 2DRY FM’s water watch summer series broadcast nationally on the community radio network.
Over summer, we’re taking a second bite of our favourite episodes from 2022.
This week we’re talking life, culture and the big issues with a musician that needs no introduction in far west NSW. This conversation was first published in August
If there’s something you’ve missed, you can listen back to all our episodes in full by searching Water Watch Radio wherever you get your podcasts.
This is 2DRY FM’s water watch summer series broadcast nationally on the community radio network.
Over summer, we’re taking a second bite of our favourite episodes from 2022.
This week we are going in deep on the politics of Floodplain Havesting Regulations in NSW.
These conversations were first published in August.
Regulations have since been knocked back by the upper house of NSW and Roy Butler has resigned from the Shooter, Fishers, Farmers Party.
If there’s something you’ve missed, you can listen back to all our episodes in full by searching Water Watch Radio wherever you get your podcasts.
This is 2DRY FM’s water watch summer series broadcast nationally on the community radio network.
Over summer, we’re taking a second bite of our favourite episodes from 2022.
In this week we talk about NSW water policy and the role of Art in representing environmental catastrophe with a photo from Wilcannia’s dry river bed.
These conversations were first published in June & July.
If there’s something you’ve missed, you can listen back to all our episodes in full by searching Water Watch Radio wherever you get your podcasts.
Our last original episode for 2022 is an interview with Rose Jackson, the Shadow Water Minister in the NSW Upper House for the Labor Party, Rose Jackson.
We discuss Floodplain Harvesting, Menindee Lakes operational rules and the future of the Murray-Darling Basin. Campaigning around water is ramping up as we hurtle toward the NSW election in March next year...
This week Water Watch speaks to Kate McBride who grew up on the Darling-Baaka and is now the Australia Institute’s Parliamentary Liaison Officer based in Canberra. She attended the National Press Club on Tuesday, which was addressed by Andrew McConville who is relatively new to the job of being the Chief Executive of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. He gave an overview of the state of Murray Darling Basin Plan and we were very lucky to get some inside analysis from Kate.
We also hear from Justin McLure from Koollara station near Tilpa on the Darling-Baaka river. He has some extraordinary stories of flood life in the Northern Basin and what its like to be managing a station under an ocean of water.
This week we interview two community members from different parts of the Southern Basin, about their experiences of the recent flooding. Echuca resident Kevin Dunque on the Murray River and Wiradjuri Elder Ray Woods on the Murrumbidgee talk to us about their responses to the recent flood events and we discuss how the way we think about and interact with river systems may have to change in order to better live in balance with the floods events.
You can check out some of Ray's work at www.burambabili.org
This week we cover Menindee community's preparations for flooding and how these floods are going to be managed by the relevant authorities. 2300-2700 gigalitres of water is making its way down the system to Menindee. Given the Menindee Lakes holds about 1700 gigalites... thats an enormous amount of water!
Tony Webber, spokesperson from WaterNSW discusses the management of water releases from Menindee Lakes, and how this will impact landholders.
And we also speak to Lorraine Looney a Menindee resident who reflects upon her experiences of the 1976 flood which saw river levels much higher than what is expected to arrive in coming months.
This week we cover both drought and floods, beginning with an interview with Dr. Quentin Grafton of the Australian National University. Quentin Grafton is a Professor of Economics, Australian Laureate Fellow, Convenor of the Water Justice Hub, and Director of the Centre for Water Economics, Environment and Policy (CWEEP) at the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University, and he along with other researchers have recently published a paper which discerns and quantifies how much of an impact meteorological factors and extractive uses of water have had on stream-flows in the Darling-Baaka River.
Later in the show we have an interview with a Torrumburry resident, Tuesday Browell who has been living in her boat for 16 days while the river keeps rising. Her house was built to stay dry for a one in a hundred-year flood, but this flood has gone well beyond that and her house like many other thousands of houses has been inundated by water.
As flood waters impact communities across the Basin, Water Watch invites Marita Dyson of The Orbweavers to discuss songs about rivers and waterscapes, deepening our sense of time, change, and the ancient memory of water.
Marita Dyson writes melodies inspire by her experience of waterways, their history, and timeless character. She shares her stories with us, and we are privileged to hear a yet to be released song for the upcoming album New Moon.
As storage across the Basin tips 99% capacity, the flows on the way to Menindee Lakes are making locals uneasy about flood preparedness. Menindee resident Graeme McCrabb shares his predictions on how wet it's going to get.
And State and Federal water ministers come together to discuss the Basin Plan, Tyler Roche the Healthy Rivers Campaigner at Environment Victoria shares his analysis of how it went
Produced and hosted by Megan Williams
As flows down the Darling Baaka have declined, stories normalising extended dry periods throughout the river system have grown.
Ecologist and water policy analyst Bill Johnson joins water watch to discuss the changing narrative around how much and how often the Baaka should flow.
This week Water Watch speaks to the CEO of the NSW Irrigators Council, Claire Miller about her recent visit to the Menindee Lakes to speak to community members about their concerns regarding water management in NSW. We also hear from members of parliament who debated the Floodplain Harvesting disallowance motion last week which was resolved in the affirmative, sending the NSW government back to the drawing board on regulating floodplain harvesting in the remaining upstream valleys.
You will hear from Rose Jackson, the shadow water minister from the NSW Labor party, Independent MP Justin Field, Mark Latham from One Nation, and National Party MP, Wes Fang.
This conversation asks the question: is enough being done to return the system to a balance? Who gets to decide how rivers are shaped? And how can equity issues be resolved, despite the division between different water users?
This week we cover the IPART public hearing into Broken Hill water pricing. IPART is the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal which regulates the pricing of water. We interview Carmel Donnelly, the chair of the IPART public hearing to discuss IPART's draft water pricing review and the concerns she's heard from community members and Broken Hill councillors during the consultation period.
We also talk to Linda Nadge who is a Broken Hill business owner who runs a tourism operation called Outback Astronomy on a property a few kilometres out of town. We discuss some of her concerns about water pricing and water supply for users such as herself.
Also the disallowance to Floodplain Harvesting Regulations in the NSW Upper House was successful: 16 ayes to 15 nos - is it back to the drawing board for the NSW Government?
Thank you to Kylie Lawrence of the Watershed Alliance AU for digging up an facebook video of the 2018 delegation to NSW parliament which provided a petition to halt the Wentworth to Broken Hill pipeline project.
Three prominent NSW politicians have got their feet wet at Menindee in the past two weeks.
Cate Faehrmann from the Greens Party, Independent MP Justin Field, and the Shadow Environment Minister Penny Sharpe of the NSW Labor party, bore witness to a full Menindee Lakes System, and attended meetings to discuss the future of the Menindee Lakes and Darling-Baaka River with local community members.
This week on Water Watch we interview Justin Field, Penny Sharpe and vice president of the Darling River Action Group, Darryn Clifton about the upcoming floodplain disallowance motion and their hope for more equitable water sharing arrangements.
We also play excerpts from budget estimates where Justin Field questioned the Water Minister, Kevin Anderson about whether he can demonstrate that the rules he’s put in place and the flow targets in the Water Sharing Plans, are going to deliver on his obligation under the NSW Water Management Act.
Floodplain harvesting rules continue to be contested by the Darling-Baaka River community and pressure on the NSW government to reconsider its water sharing arrangements will persist into next year. Political campaigning around water management for the NSW 2023 state election has begun.
This week Water Watch covered a forum held last week in Swan Hill, organised by Sustainable Living in the Mallee. The River Peoples Forum covered issues including The Water Act and the Basin Plan, Indigenous Water Rights, the importance of Floodplains and Flooding, and Water Recovery Methods.
Water Watch interviewed Peta Thornton, a Swan Hill local, horticulturalist and rivers advocate, and a key organiser of the forum. We discussed issues covered in the forum and asked whether current policy frameworks are succeeding, and how we ensure that the policy is fit for purpose to deliver water for the whole community.
The forum included a huge range of contributors including Maryanne Slattery and Bill Johnson, Jamie Pittock and Matt Colloff from the ANU, Bruce Lindsay of Environmental Justice Australia, Glynn Wittwer economist at Victoria University, Nicole McKay Councillor Swan Hill Rural City Council, Vincent Kirby, Traditional Owner from Nyah Vinifera forest, Helen Dalton member for Murray and many others.
The forum was hosted by Sustainable Living in the Mallee and Friends of Nyah Vinifera Park with assistance from Swan Hill Rural City Council.
This week Water Watch republishes parts of a webinar hosted by Resources, Environment and Development Group at the Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University. Prof. Anne Poelina, a Kimberley, Nyikina Warrwa Indigenous scholar and chair of the Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council discusses how our rivers can be understood as ‘ancestral beings’ under Indigenous laws, and Dr Erin O'Donnell from the Melbourne University School of Law presents an overview of how rivers around the world are being represented as legal persons. The conversation relates to how the novel legal concept of the ‘ancestral person’ could unite the idea of Nature as a legal subject with Indigenous world views that see Nature as a complex tapestry of ancestral relations enmeshed in a network of interdependence and guardianship between the human and the non-human world.
Water Watch thanks the Crawford School of Public Policy for allowing us to republish parts of this dialogue and extends this thanks to both Anne Poelina and Erin O'Donnell for their contributions to the discussion.
The full webinar is available on youtube at the following link, with further contributions from Dr Alessandro Pelizzon, Dr Kat Taylor and audience members:
https://youtu.be/kixgWtkDHPA
Last week, Federal Environment and Water Minister, Tanya Plibersek visited Wilcannia to discuss the future of the Darling-Baaka with community members. We were able to catch up with floodplain grazier, Justin McClure of Kallara Station to discuss how the meeting went and the huge task ahead for the new Water Minister to address the issues facing the Darling-Baaka.
This week on Water Watch we take a much earned break from the policy analysis to listen to the stories of Leroy Johnson, Mayangappa Barkindji Wimpitja. Leroy Johnson and the Waterbag band have just released the first song from their upcoming album, 'No Baaka, No Barkandji.' Dan was able to sit down with Leroy and yarn about his Country, the Baaka river and his people.
We were also lucky enough to preview an unreleased song from the album, 'This River.'
The single 'No Baaka, No Barkandji' can be found on spotify, itunes and youtube music.
https://open.spotify.com/track/4jx0uydm5Jn2RJjvXDsgpQ?si=fraw3AUHQFuhbIYowWOSlg
This week on Water Watch we continue our coverage of NSW floodplain harvesting regulations. A disallowance motion was introduced in the NSW Lower House by member for Murray, Helen Dalton, to disallow the governments Floodplain Harvesting Regulations. We cover the parliamentary debate from Helen Dalton, member for Barwon Roy Butler and also get a chance to speak to Far West local and president of the Darling River Action Group, Ross Leddra, about what this all means for the Darling-Baaka and how political representation impacts river communities.
Audio of debates taken from NSW Parliamentary Recordings.
Water Watch continues to cover the NSW Water Sharing Plans and Floodplain Harvesting Regulations as 4 of the 10 NSW Water Sharing Plans were approved by the Environment Minister this week. Dan and Megan catch-up with member for Barwon, Roy Butler who has advocated for downstream scarcity targets, as well as water researcher Maryanne Slattery who has sustained a strong critique of the government's floodplain harvesting regulations. We ask the big question, are these regulations gonna be enough?
Megan and Dan have a yarn with Barkindji artist and bush food enthusiast, Dave Doyle, and Ngiyampaa man and Senior Lecturer at UTS, Mark Lock. They are working on a project to educate Barkindji community about plant identification and uses of that knowledge for traditional food and medicine. They also discuss the central role of the Barka River in Barkindji culture, and how traditional ecological knowledge is critical to caring for Country.
This week Megan and Dan talk to Mayor of Broken Hill, Tom Kennedy about a join submission to the draft Western Regional Water Strategy. Three Far West local governments have collaborated to give feedback on the proposed policy.
Megan also got a change to catch up with Far West artist, Ruby Davies about her work being shown at the Broken Hill City Art Gallery which features Ruby's decades long documentation of the Darling-Barka River.
Megan & Dan interview Iain Ellis, Fisheries Manager at NSW Department of Primary Industries and coordinator for the Murray-Darling Basin Authority's Native Fish Recovery Strategy. They discuss everything from fish migration, fish passage and even a little angling advice for punters out there.
To commemorate NAIDOC week, Megan interviews Dr. Anne Poelina, Nyikina Warrwa Traditional Custodian from the Mardoowarra, lower Fitzroy River, in Western Australia about how our rivers can be understood as ‘ancestral beings’ under Indigenous laws. And Megan also yarns to Barkindji man David Doyle about traditional bush foods and medicines that can be found along the Darling-Barka river and Menindee Lakes.
In Episode 4, Megan & Dan talk to Independent MP Justin Feild about internal email exchanges acquired by a Parliamentary order for papers, which reveal departmental concerns about the proposed trigger targets in the draft Western Regional Water Strategy and amendments to the NSW Water Sharing Plans. We also discuss with Mr. Feild whether the policy process is respectful of community concerns.
In Episode 3, Megan and Dan talk to local bird photographer and former tourism operator at Menindee Lakes about a new bird he has photographed, and the vast data base of waterbird sightings he has collected at Menindee over the years.
In Episode 2, MEgan & Dan attend a community consultation meeting in Menindee about the NSW governments proposed amendments to the water sharing plans and their draft Western Regional Water Strategy. We chat with community members and Department staff about the proposed trigger targets which are supposed to protect the lower Darling-Barka during critical dry conditions.
In Episode 1, Megan and Dan introduce themselves and discuss the reasons for starting a community radio program focusing on water issues.