Click here for the outcomes of our meeting with bank representatives.

AquaSure’s Community relations consultant arranged a meeting with senior representatives from both banks as requested. We are holding off on this action to see if a meeting will eventuate. Fingers crossed they will listen.

We now have a commitment from the banks to listen to our concerns. More information about the meeting, click here.

Watershed Victoria Still Campaigning on the Desal Disaster

In recent weeks Watershed Victoria and supporters have raised the issue of major financial backing of the desal plant in Wonthaggi by Westpac and the National Australia Bank.
Both banks have signed on to the “Equator Principles”, a comprehensive set of responsibility benchmarks to invest only in projects that have no damaging environmental and social consequences.
In recent weeks we have leafletted Westpac and NAB branches in Melbourne, with good responses from bank customers.

We are asking for an explanation of the banks’ financial involvement and a comprehensive environmental impact study by the banks BEFORE financially backing the energy guzzling desal plant. They are relying on the State Government’s flawed and narrow environmental assessment, a mistake both in terms of local environmental impact and climate change. The banks have also had assurances from AquaSure, the consortium building the plant, which is hardly impartial, that environmental impacts will be minimised.
The banks promised to meet us to discuss our concerns.

On the bright side, we have had many whale sightings on the coast this winter, including a Southern Right mother and calf last week.

Ring NAB Corporate Responsibility Officer on 03-86342734 or Westpac 132032 and ask for the Corporate Responsibility Officer. More details are available under a new ‘BANKS’ tab on our website, and form letters are under the ‘writing letters’ section. http://www.watershedvictoria.org.au/content/category/letterwriting/

We were to meet at 11am on Thursday 1st October at Flinders St Station for more leafletting of Westpac and NAB branches. Our confidence that the banks would agree to meet and listen to our concerns has paid off. The outcomes from this meeting is posted by click above. More info - Neil 0413 902571.

The government now owns a land easement from the Bass Coast to Melbourne’s suburbs.

Around 125 farmers and other landowners have had parts of their properties compulsorily aquired, and this has happened without the usual 5 month notice. The government have kindly told the farmers that they won’t have to pay rent on this land (at least not yet). Read the story in ‘The Weekly Times’ newspaper at the link below:

http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2009/09/25/116381_latest-news.html

Sustainability - what is it?

Film challenge for young Victorians - $8,000 in prizes to be won

If you are under 21 and interested in the much misused word “sustainability”, and visual media, here’s you chance to win some great prizes. If you chose to question the sustainability of building a huge desal plant, that would shut out cheaper and better options for our environment, while tying up huge amounts of renewable energy, that isn’t even available yet, that could otherwise have been used to cut our carbon emissions, and a plant that creates yet another ocean pollution outfall, I wonder if you would have much hope of winning, given who’s running the show, but you never know!

Click here for the details:  www.futureshots.com.au

Wednesday 30th September

For Love Of Water.

A Frankston event welcoming Watershed attendance and/or input.

“F L O W” ,  a great documentary that explores questions related to the imminent global water crisis. Is water a human right or a commodity to be traded on the “free market” ?

Maude Barlow and Dr Vandana Shiva put the case for water as a Human Right, and question the future of water privatisation.

http://www.flowthefilm.com/trailer

WHEN ; Wednesday 30th September ; 7.30pm

WHERE :  Uniting Church Hall, 16 High St Frankston (Mel 100A A9)

Wednesday 16th September, 5.00pm, Fed Square

Watershed will be there spreading the message that politicians can’t just go on choosing the easy option for themselves, if it means a poorer outcome for us, and for the planet.  See the website above or phone Col on 0403769730 for more details.

September’s edition of the Watershed Bulletin is now available

Click on the image or here to read it