Demand sustainable water options for Melbourne

Be part of a community presence outside the office of Tim Holding in Springvale (address below).
Friday, February 6, 11am – 12 noon.
(NB: please note date change due to Court hearing for Plug the Pipe campaign)

We all know that Melbourne is facing growing water stress. In response, the state government has announced a desalination plant for the Gippsland coast near Wonthaggi and the North - South pipeline, which will pump water from the Goulburn River.

The pipeline and desal plant will be disastrous for our state:
* They will have major impacts on rural communities and coastal environments.
* They will create very few long term jobs.
* The desal plant will need vast amounts of energy – and hence contribute substantially to greenhouse gas emissions (if green energy is sourced to run the plant, this will limit our ability to shift current energy production from coal into renewables).
* A French company - either Suez or Veolia - will control the desalinated water. Water is an essential resource and should not be controlled by multinationals
* These projects will be enormously expensive – around $5 billion dollars.

Both these projects are being built for the benefit of Melbourne people, so we should educate ourselves about the impacts of these projects, as well as looking at the alternatives.

It is time to bring the message to the Minister for Water, Tim Holding, and other key members of the state government that Melbourne people want a sustainable water future.

There will be a peaceful and colourful community assembly outside the electoral office of Victoria's water minister, Tim Holding.

Please consider coming along, and send a message to our government that we want water options that:

* are sustainable

* create long lasting jobs

* are greenhouse friendly

* don't take water from parched river systems north of the Divide or damage coastal areas

Where: 387 – 389 Springvale road, Springvale (close to Springvale station).

We want to make this as colourful as possible - please bring friends and banners!

This community action has been initiated by Friends of the Earth, please let us know if you are able to add your organisations name.

For further information: Cam Walker (03) 9419 8700, 0419 338 047.