A UNITED COMMUNITY DEMAND FOR ACTION

Opening speech by John Caldecott (Convenor)

Water is connected and everything is connected through water. It is the reason why we are here today, to launch a movement campaigning for our water and our environmental rights. That movement is called Water Action Coalition or WAC. The WAC movement aims to provide a louder voice to those organisations and their campaigns to achieve water equity for all. Together and as a community we will be standing up for what are basic human rights and a basic right of our ecology to clean water. We will be standing up for the water cycle, for its conservation and sustainability for future generations.

As our Patron Maude Barlow, President of the Council of Canadians and Senior Advisor on Water to the President of the United Nations frequently states - water is a public trust and it is a key element of our Charter being released today. Nobody should own the water of this country. As custodians we have a lot to learn from Aboriginal nations on how to be effective custodians and to respect the water and interdependent ecology.

South Australiatoday is a state in crisis as evidenced by the campaigns of many of the organisations committed to and supporting WAC.

Never before has an issue provoked such wide debate and concern within communities as governments continue to make decisions based on short term needs rather than holistic solutions. Concerned South Australians are now rallying in increasing numbers to oppose these panic measures and to have their voices heard.

For more, see the opening speech by John Caldecott and the media release.

Original Foundation Committee (Convenor John Caldecott):

• Australian Civic Trust Inc - Darian Hiles
• Cheltenham Residents Association - Trevor White
• Fair Water Use Australia - Ian Douglas
• Land & Water Australia - Bob Giles
• Friends of Gulf St Vincent - John Caldecott
• Save Our Gulf Coalition - Peter Laffan
• Western Adelaide Coastal Residents Association - Jim Douglas