Issue Number 51 - September 2003

Water: identifying our values
and future policy direction

As part of the development of its lobbying campaign on water issues, the Social Action Office Water Circle met during August to reflect on the values of Catholic Social Teaching and how these values will provide guidance and direction for its education and lobbying activities on the public policy issues surrounding water politics in Queensland.

The meeting encouraged those present to speak about why they are concerned about water/sustainability issues, and about what they believe or value that urges them on to doing something about the issues.

Some of the values included:

• Every species has a right to water. Ecosystems are being affected from being deprived;
• Water is a natural resource and belongs to all. It needs to be accessible to all. It is part of the common good;
• By its nature, water cannot be bought or sold;
• The incredible Murray-Darling Basin begins here in Queensland and impacts on those who live all along it;
• Water, more than any other natural resource, connects us with the environment, our health, our food, our spirit;
• Earth and water have their origin and continued existence in the divine and mediate the divine. Our spirituality is impoverished when they are not healthy.

Some of the problems and concerns around water were then discussed and reflected upon. These included:

• Protection and greed exist side by side and are the basis for national and international conflict;
• Poor people and women are the most affected by scarcity of water and by radical policy changes, even when these are about better water management;
• Concerns about quality, access, policy conflicts and the effects of corporatisation and possible privatisation in Queensland;
• The need for a balance between participation in decision-making at the local/regional level, and the formulation of national policy “for the common good”.

Current public policy processes, where our values have relevance and also where our problems and concerns may have implications for a water policy reform agenda in Queensland, were outlined. The relevant State and Federal policies associated with water were then discussed.

The Water Circle will be developing a Reflection/Discussion/Sharing process to be used during National Water Week, 19-25 October 2003 Watch out for this reflection which will appear in SAO Bytes and on the Eco-Justice webpage prior to Water Week.

The next meeting of the Water Circle will be held at 6.00pm on Wednesday 29 October 2003 at Justice Place and the SAO invites any contribution and/or networking, especially from anyone living within the Murray-Darling Basin.

Water Circle Project Worker: Victoria Kearney – project@sao.clriq.org.au