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.

Saturday 15th August

Watershed will have a brainstorming, food, music and film evening at Kilcunda Hall, 5.00pm to 10.00pm. Mark it on your calendar!

5  -  6 pm       BRAINSTORM - NEW DIRECTIONS FOR OUR CAMPAIGN

6  -  7.30 pm  FOOD AND CHAT (please bring a plate to share)

7.30 – 8 pm   RECENT FILMS FROM THE CAMPAIGN

8  – 10 pm     MUSIC WITH :

·      Jane and Ian Chambers and friends

·      Area 18

·      John Coldabella

WHERE ?  KILCUNDA HALL

WHEN ?   SATURDAY 15^TH AUGUST

COST ?    GOLD COIN DONATION

More details contact Watershed Victoria

Stephen 0407811778 or Jessica 0407 307231

A lone kayaker, Steve Posselt, has galvanized irate farmers to join Friends of the Earth, Plug the Pipe and other groups fighting for better water policy.

He started a paddle from Echuca on 1st August, and will arrive in Melbourne by kayak on Sunday 16th August.

Some of us will join with others to welcome him when he arrives by kayak in Melbourne on 16th August. Steve will arrive by kayak at Federation Square at 1.00pm, where he will drag his kayak out of the water and be greeted and cheered by supporters standing on the bank of the Yarra.

“Please have a heart Melbourne,” Posselt said before embarking on the trip. “Don’t let the Government steal this precious water. The river needs it. We have alternatives - the river does not”.

Follow Steve’s journey by clicking on the link here.

1000 to 1200 people attended this rally on September 12th and 13th

Location: Hazelwood

Power Station
Street: Brodribb Road
City/Town: Hazelwood  Victoria

Take action for renewable energy.!

Join what will hopefully be the BIGGEST protest of its kind- EVER!!!

Hazelwood is one of the dirtiest coal stations in the industrialised world, spewing an average of 17 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every year.

Hazelwood was scheduled to be shut down this year, however it was given a life-line by the ALP state government in 2005 allowing it to continue operation until 2031. We need to remove that lifeline and instead support renewable energy, extending the life line to our planet.

On Sunday September 13, 2009, thousands of people from across Victoria, and Australia, will converge on Hazelwood for a day of peaceful community mass civil disobedience to Switch off Hazelwood and Switch off Coal – we will be taking direct action for renewable energy.

Camping and entertainment Saturday.

Past event - Monday 7th September

We gave out over 1000 flyers at various bank branches on the day. Basically we want the banks to meet with us to hear the real story of what they are investing in. You can see the flyers we used here for Westpac, and here for NAB. Feel free to print if you wish and distribute. Cheers, WV.

Neither Westpac or NAB, who are apparently involved in trying to find funding for the desalination plant to be built, will tell us what there involvement is. Hence we will be asking them what they are doing, and why they believe it is socially, economically or environmentally acceptable to support desalination ahead of the better alternatives.

We met 11.30 am on Monday 7th Sept. at Flinders St. station before we head for the banks to do some leafletting.

One comment from outraged Melbournian “I just got my water bill which despite my usage going down has gone up a huge amount. I think this is for the useless desal and north/south pipeline. My friends are cheesed off too.”

Past event

Feeling stirred up after this event? Why not flood the Herald Sun and the Age with letters?

hsletters@heraldsun.com.au letters@theage.com.au

PAST EVENT

Dear Watershed Victoria Supporters,

Following the State Government’s announcement today (Thursday 30th July), that the Suez-Degremont consortium will build their desalination plant, it has become clear from their press release that some dodgy deals will still need to be done to get this monstrosity built. The spin goes on, and we are determined to counter it.

Watershed Victoria is holding a press conference and media event tomorrow, Friday 31st July, 9.30am, at the Kilcunda Hall on the Bass Coast.

It would be great if you are able to come along and support us, in this time of need. Please dress in sombre clothing and wear a black armband.

The Government’s media release is available at:

http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/premier/australias-biggest-desalination-plant-to-secure-water-and-jobs.html

and Watershed’s first response at:

http://www.watershedvictoria.org.au/content/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/090730-watershedvictoria-mediarelease.pdf

When: Wednesday 15th July 9am til at least 10:00am

Media event with Bob Brown, Drew Ginn and support from Greg Hunt went well. Media were as interested in new and expanded uranium mines as desal, but that’s OK, that’s a serious issue too.

Watershed, in support of BCBA, need 16 ‘good & true’ people, to hold up placards for a media event.
 
Where: In Melbourne, near the CBD.
 
Travel: Hope to car pool from Wonthaggi/meet there as needed

Contact: To volunteer, please  phone Chris on 0419556381, or John on 0409425133

Saturday 20th June.

If you are still concerned that the Government’s ‘Water Plan’ isn’t in the best interests of Victorians, there is something that you can do this weekend. Watershed Victoria  are letterboxing Maxine Morand’s electorate of Mt. Waverley this Saturday, the 27th June. Please read on if you are able to come along and help out, even if only for an hour or two.

If you are coming from Melbourne, just turn up at the Pinewood Reserve (Melways 70 G4) between 10.30 and 11.00am.
Letterboxing will finish around 4.00pm, and there will be a BBQ in the Pinewood Reserve after some good footwork.
If you are coming from Wonthaggi there will be a bus and car pooling leaving Wonthaggi at 8.30am from the information centre. Everyone to meet up in the electorate at the Pinewood Reserve (Melways 70 G4) at 10.30 to 11.00am to collect boxes of flyers and maps. Ring Neil on 0413 902571 (or email neilnola@netspace.net.au) to book a seat on the bus, or just turn up at 8.30 and hope for a lift (if you have spare room in a car traveling to Melbourne please call by the information centre to see if anyone is looking for a lift).
Watershed hopes to distribute 20,000 postcards, folded into a flyer. Three quarters of these have been folded, ready to go, but more help is still needed to fold the remainder. If you are able to help with folding and addressing the postcards could you contact Watershed and they will try to get the materials to you asap.
Watershed will also be screening the, “Out of the Blue” documentary, that has followed the anti-desal campaign so far, with a Q & A session, in the electorate, in the following week. If you aren’t available for the letterboxing but would be able to hand out flyers for the documentary screening at railway stations or supermarkets (ideally one male and one female), please contact Watershed.
Bring a pack or bag to hold the letterboxing material, the weather forcast is good so a coat or umbrella might not be needed, sensible walking shoes and lots of good cheer!

Contact: Neil Rankine, Watershed Committee, 0413 902571

Last court case for protester:

Friday 10th July - Jeannie Zigon, the last of the people to go to court after the desal protest caravan was evicted a year ago, was in Wonthaggi Magistrates Court on Friday 10th July. In her defence she raised issues of aboriginal heritage and the limited amount of monitoring for indigenous artifacts that has been undertaken at the site of the “pilot” plant. 

 Results of court case - Case proven but no conviction, 3 month good behaviour.

Jeannie drew her inspiration for her defence from the wise words of prominent Aboriginal people, Professor Lahrissa Behrendt, Aden Ridgeway, Robbie Thorpe, etc.. Click here to download a statement she prepared.