Anti pipeline protest in Melbourne draws 1000 people
Around 1,000 angry and frustrated country Victorians marched on Parliament House on 9 August to send a clear message to Premier John Brumby to “plug the pipe”.
Speakers at the rally included farmers Eril Rathjen and Leanne Welsh, VFF President Simon Ramsay, National Party Leader, Peter Ryan, Liberal Party Leader, Ted Baillieu and Federal Parliamentarian, Fran Bailey.
All were unanimous in their opposition to the pipeline with Eril and Leanne speaking from both their hearts and their heads as they questioned where the “new water” was coming from and they spoke of the emotional and financial impact of the proposal on their families.
Nationals Leader, Peter Ryan characteristically delivered the quote of the day, “Steve Bracks is remembered as the man who killed the Man from Snowy River and John Brumby will be remembered as the man who turned the Goulburn Valley Food Bowl into a dust bowl.
Local Nationals MP, Bill Sykes was also at the rally and said that the rally was another important step along what may be a very long road to a common sense solution – water savings staying in the Goulburn-Murray catchment and Melbourne water needs being met by recycling “waste” water and storm water capture.
Dr Sykes said, “Given the focus of the debate is on the deliverability of water savings, it is critical that the Government have an independent audit of claimed water savings from recently completed projects and an audit of the factual basis for claimed potential future water savings.
“Until the independent audit is undertaken the two sides of the debate will not have common ground upon which to continue a rational, informed debate.”
Dr Sykes concluded, “The Nationals have already requested an independent audit. I repeat that call and challenge Mr Brumby to live up to his claim of his leadership being based on substance (rather than spin!).
Speakers at the rally included farmers Eril Rathjen and Leanne Welsh, VFF President Simon Ramsay, National Party Leader, Peter Ryan, Liberal Party Leader, Ted Baillieu and Federal Parliamentarian, Fran Bailey.
All were unanimous in their opposition to the pipeline with Eril and Leanne speaking from both their hearts and their heads as they questioned where the “new water” was coming from and they spoke of the emotional and financial impact of the proposal on their families.
Nationals Leader, Peter Ryan characteristically delivered the quote of the day, “Steve Bracks is remembered as the man who killed the Man from Snowy River and John Brumby will be remembered as the man who turned the Goulburn Valley Food Bowl into a dust bowl.
Local Nationals MP, Bill Sykes was also at the rally and said that the rally was another important step along what may be a very long road to a common sense solution – water savings staying in the Goulburn-Murray catchment and Melbourne water needs being met by recycling “waste” water and storm water capture.
Dr Sykes said, “Given the focus of the debate is on the deliverability of water savings, it is critical that the Government have an independent audit of claimed water savings from recently completed projects and an audit of the factual basis for claimed potential future water savings.
“Until the independent audit is undertaken the two sides of the debate will not have common ground upon which to continue a rational, informed debate.”
Dr Sykes concluded, “The Nationals have already requested an independent audit. I repeat that call and challenge Mr Brumby to live up to his claim of his leadership being based on substance (rather than spin!).
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posted by Greg Naylor at
3:33 PM
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