November 3, 2019
Food producers and their supporters demanding action to save farmers and rural communities will converge on Canberra early next month.
A Convoy to Canberra is the latest event to try and convince the Coalition Government, in particular Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Water Minister David Littleproud, that current water management is failing our nation.
August 13, 2019
Blighty dairy farmer Lachlan Marshall has been doing everything in his power to warn governments about the disaster unfolding in his region. He could see fellow dairy farmers walking off their land in despair, or being forced to sell the herd they loved, which had provided the family’s livelihood.
July 31, 2019
A clear statement acknowledging the historic estuarine condition of the Murray River’s Lower Lakes must be released by the South Australian Government and University of Adelaide. This is the request from a letter signed by a vast range of community, local government, farming and business groups.
August 11, 2019
It is time for Member for Farrer Sussan Ley to protect her community, not her political colleagues and career. This strong call has come from the community-based Speak Up Campaign which wants Ms Ley, who is also Environment Minister, to provide more support in her senior Government position for those she was elected to represent.
August 8, 2019
A human crisis including serious mental health issues, job losses, economic decline and the threat to livelihoods can be avoided if politicians would only intervene.
December 6, 2018
The environment is the casualty of political point scoring and it is time to reset the agenda. This view has been expressed by the community based Speak Up Campaign which is concerned about environmental damage across the nation as a consequence of poor government policy.
August 31, 2018
A Melbourne woman who wants to help the national drought effort is calling on governments to make water available to save dying crops and allow fodder to be grown for starving stock. She will deliver a petition with nearly 200 signatures, collected in only three days, to her local MP Peter Khalil.
August 29, 2018
A group that wants to see rural communities protected has slammed the politicisation of the current drought. It has called for politicians and lobby groups to stop trying to score political points with their comments about potential drought solutions. The call follows the response to suggestions that more of the huge quantities of water being stored in dams could be made available for some farmers to grow fodder for their drought-stricken colleagues.
August 24, 2018
When ‘Hydro’ the Poll Dorset ram is sold at the ‘Morvah Park’, Deniliquin sale in September he will make a special contribution to supporting the local community. The entire proceeds from the sale of ‘Hydro’ will be donated to the Speak Up Campaign, which is advocating on behalf of the region for effective, common-sense water policy.
August 23, 2018
Support for a crisis rally in Deniliquin on Monday is gaining momentum. Various organisations have backed the rally amid calls for the region to “turn up in force to send a strong, united message”. Speak Up Campaign chair Shelley Scoullar said she had been overwhelmed by the interest in the rally.
August 17, 2018
A crisis rally is being organised in response to the local impact of drought. It will fight for water to be made available so crops in the region can be finished, and also used to help grow desperately needed fodder for drought-stricken stock elsewhere in NSW and Queensland.
August 13, 2018
The Prime Minister must take decisive action to help farmers grow desperately needed fodder for starving, drought-stricken stock. In doing so, he will honour a commitment from predecessor John Howard and prioritise common-sense over political expediency. Speak Up Campaign chair Shelley Scoullar said the present situation, where food producers are denied the opportunity to help their colleagues in need, has to be rectified.
August 5, 2018
While Australians continue to grapple with massive increases to their electricity bills, a warning has been issued about the next price hike they will have to face.
“You had better brace for a significant increase in the cost of food staples,” is the warning from Wakool farmer Darcy Hare
August 5, 2018
Southern Riverina farmers are ready and waiting to help make a significant contribution to the nation’s drought effort. All they need is some government and bureaucratic support. Speak Up Campaign chair Shelley Scoullar said water from Dartmouth and Hume Dams should be made available so the region’s farmers can grow desperately needed fodder to help feed starving stock.
August 3, 2018
The rainfall predictions were not exactly what more than 130 people wanted to hear, when renowned meteorologist and weather presenter Jane Bunn visited Deniliquin this week. Ms Bunn told the large crowd a ‘Meteorology and Motivation’ night that she wished she had better news but the key drivers of big rainfall events “are not on our side at the moment”.
August 3, 2018
The importance of water to our agricultural community will be high on the agenda at a meeting in Cohuna this month. It has been organised by the Speak Up Campaign, which is advocating more balanced water policy, in particular through implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
July 27, 2018
A recent tour of regional NSW has left Greg Toll with unforgettable images and clear concerns for distressed communities. The Speak Up ambassador and his wife Margaret have recently returned from a trip of over 3200 km which took them from their home in Bendigo through Mildura, Broken Hill, Bourke, up to Brewarrina and back through Griffith and Deniliquin before arriving home.
July 25, 2018
A highly credentialed speaker has accepted an invitation to join the program for next week’s ‘Meteorology and Motivation’ forum. As well as renowned meteorologist and weather presenter Jane Bunn, the night will also feature agricultural advocate David Farley.
June 27, 2018
As more information comes to light it is increasingly obvious that developing the Murray-Darling Basin Plan lacked the research, science and scrutiny that Australian taxpayers would expect.
June 16, 2018
Governments have a legislated commitment under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan to the health, welfare and prosperity of regional communities. So following this month’s meeting of Water Ministers, which took decisive action to halt the removal of productive water, there needs to be ongoing focus on their future.
June 8, 2018
A group of protesters who wanted to talk to the nation’s Water Ministers was ejected from Canberra’s Hyatt Hotel this morning, but not before they delivered their message.
May 24, 2018
The outstanding community support being received by the Speak Up Campaign Inc. was again highlighted at its inaugural members’ meeting in Deniliquin today (Thursday May 24).
April 12, 2018
A big crowd is expected at a public water forum in Moama tomorrow. The forum will bring together a host of guest speakers and panellists who will talk about flaws in government water policy and how it is adversely impacting communities across Victoria and New South Wales.
April 10, 2018
What is the value of environmental flows in the Murray-Darling system? It is a question that has been asked numerous times, but scientists who question the ‘just add water’ approach to environmental management continue to get their views, and even their careers, tarnished. The value of environmental flows is one of the topics to be discussed at a public water forum in Moama this Friday.
April 4, 2018
The impact of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan on regional communities will be in the spotlight at a public forum in Moama next week. Academics, business owners, researchers and community leaders from across three states will come together next Friday, April 13 for the open water forum, Uniting the Southern Basin.
April 2, 2018
There are too many misconceptions about the Murray-Darling Basin and water sharing within it. We have seen constant pedalling of false information, on top of the acknowledged poor initial benchmarking, which has led to a Basin Plan that is not delivering the social, economic and environmental outcomes that were promised.
March 28, 2018
If we stand united our communities can thrive. That is a key message being promoted at a water forum in Moama on Friday, April 13, titled ‘Uniting the Southern Basin’. It will be well at the Moama Bowling Club from 11am.
March 21, 2018
Communities from across northern Victoria and southern New South Wales will come together next month at a forum to talk about their future. A range of speakers and panels will discuss common issues which are affecting the prosperity of numerous towns and industries.
March 18, 2018
The new South Australian Liberal Government is being encouraged to ‘come to the table’ and work towards water policy solutions that benefit the entire nation. There are calls for an end to an obstructionist and exclusive attitude that has plagued development of effective water policy. Speak Up Campaign chair Shelley Scoullar said implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan has been hampered by the attitude of the former SA Labor Government.
March 12, 2018
Minister for Water David Littleproud emphasised his determination to lead the Murray-Darling Basin Plan through its full implementation, at a meeting in Shepparton attended by the Speak Up campaign last week.
March 8, 2018
An inquiry into the management of environmental water has been welcomed, but it should have a broader focus. Shelley Scoullar from the Speak Up Campaign Inc. believes the inquiry should not only consider the efficiency of environmental water delivery in the Murray-Darling Basin, but also how much environmental water the Basin needs.
February 26, 2018
Population and workforce declines in the vicinity of 50 per cent should ring alarm bells, but instead they get ‘sugar-coated’. They should highlight the need for drastic action, but instead there are attempts to hoodwink the public and hide the true cause of the declines.
February 15, 2018
Political disruption of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan this week should be the trigger to re-evaluate its progress. Speak Up Campaign Inc. believes the Senate passing a disallowance motion on Wednesday night is the latest proof that too much of the plan is about politics, rather than developing effective, balanced water policy.