The community-based Speak Up Campaign was reborn at the March 14 annual general meeting, with a unanimous vote to again become active.
The meeting re-elected passionate community advocate Shelley Scoullar as its chair, with water advocate David Farley taking the role of deputy chair. Sue Braybon continues as secretary/treasurer.
Mrs Scoullar said they would be targeting Greens candidates through social media campaigns to prevent them from influencing the next govenment on policies to do with the Murray-Darling Basin.
Mrs Scoullar said it was exciting to have Speak Up back and advocating for local communities at a time when it was needed more than ever.
“It is devastating for our communities that Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek continues to pursue water buybacks despite unequivocal evidence that they hurt Australian people,” Mrs Scoullar said.
“How can we continue electing these city-based politicians who don’t appear to have a care factor for rural Australia?
“Their poor decisions, based on the need to appease fellow city-based environmentalists, need to be called out. That’s what Speak Up will do.”
“We would welcome more members and financial contributions, especially in the lead-up to the federal election when our focus will be on inner-city seats.
“Voters in these suburbs need to try and understand that the current approach is not going to save the Murray-Darling Basin.
“All we are going to do is store massive quantities of water in our dams, and as a consequence, there will be less available for food production. This will continue to decimate our rural communities, while at the same time increasing our reliance on imports of staple foods and also increasing the cost of food at the supermarket,” Mrs Scoullar said.
“If those who do not understand the implications of current water policy keep supporting the approach of Water Minister Plibersek, they will be implicit in promoting the cost of living crisis for themselves and their fellow Australians. Her approach to the basin plan should be ringing alarm bells across the nation.”
After being re-elected to continue the work of Speak Up, Mrs Scoullar said she had been overwhelmed by the encouragement from people across southern NSW and northern Victoria to keep the group active.
Mrs Scoullar welcomed the election of David Farley as Speak Up’s deputy chair.
Mr Farley lives in Narrandera, he is executive chairman of Matrix Commodities and has held roles with Waverly Mills, Australian Agricultural Company, Calcot Cotton, Colly Cotton, along with directorships in national and international agricultural businesses.
“He brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership from not only broader agricultural experience, but also exposure to water reform in California, where farmers have faced ongoing policy issues reducing their ability to grow food and fibre,” Mrs Scoullar said.
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