ARCHIVED NEWSLETTERS - 1997

Issue 4 - December, 1997

The Birdsville Meeting

The Birdsville meeting was a great success with specific outcomes agreed to with the consensus of the meeting. The Federal Minister of the Environment, Senator Hill, attended on the second day. He stated that this community determined process over such a large, multi government region was a first; a unique and important step towards economic and ecological sustainability in the rangelands of Australia.

About 100 people attended from across the Basin - Camooweal, Muttaburra, Jericho, Windorah, the Birdsville track, Tibooburra, Innamincka, Alice Springs, Boulia - and from Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra. There was a good cross-section of interest groups represented at the meeting including pastoralists and pastoral companies, conservationists, the mining industry, representatives from Qld, SA, NT government agencies and the Federal Government, ATSIC, the petroleum industry, tourism and Landcare.

The meeting consisted of both small groups and plenary sessions so that every one could have their say.The first day the groups worked through the issues surrounding the options presented in the options paper . The second day began with a summary by Prof. Peter Cullen on what we had accomplished and what remained unresolved. Following the presentation it was agreed by the meeting as a whole that a small group draft a proposal to move forward based on discussions so far. The meeting agreed that all interest groups should be represented on this and for it to be chaired by Peter Cullen. The proposal was presented back to the meeting, edited, and agreed upon by the entire group.

Meeting Outcomes

General consensus was reached by the meeting that two levels were required: An over-arching Lake Eyre Basin Coordinating Group Five or six Catchment Management Groups that are not constrained by State borders (existing local groups such as the South West Strategy and the Marree Soil Board to feed into the Catchment Management Groups).

• Terms of Reference for the Lake Eyre Basin Coordinating Group:
• Promote ecological and economic sustainability in the Basin
• Develop and communicate a shared strategic vision across the Basin
• A forum for Basin-wide issues
• Communication channel with governments
• Integrate priorities for action plans and funding
• Manage a communication strategy for the Basin to facilitate knowledge flow and development
• Provide information to support catchment groups and individuals
• Apply social justice principles so that diverse views are respected and considered
• Liaise with other statutory groups with related responsibilities
• Build the capacity of the Basin community to undertake community based strategic planning.
• Terms of Reference for the catchment groups:
• Identify and prioritise issues and resource allocations within the catchment
• Operate across whole catchment on appropriate issues and ensure all views are represented
• Other terms of reference to follow pattern as for LEB coordinating group
• Membership of the Coordinating group:
• Independently appointed chair
• Chairs (or nominated members) of catchment groups (6);
• Four other selected individuals to fill required knowledge/skills gaps Up to five government observers (QLD, SA, NT, NSW, Federal) Catchment group representatives must form the majority on the group.

The membership of the Lake Eyre Basin Coordinating Group will cover the following competency areas:

• Knowledge and understanding of the: Pastoral Industry
• Agriculture
• Mining Industry
• Petroleum Industry
• Aboriginal Issues
• Conservation Issues
• Tourism Industry
• Regional Social and Economic development within the basin
• Skills and Understanding of:
• Operating and developing communication strategies
• Legislation and political processes
• Administration and operation skills, including conflict management, leadership etc.
• Biological and ecological processes in arid land and river systems
• Geological and physical processes in the basin
• Economic and regional development
• Social and cultural processes and history

Several themes emerged at the meeting. People talked about inclusiveness, the need to have different interest groups talking and working together. It was also clear that participants did not want the framework to be defined or hindered by State boundaries. There was a unanimous decision that catchment groups should cross State boundaries. The power the framework would have was also raised. This was summed up with it relying upon cooperation. If any interest group or individual was not happy with it they could bypass it and make their own representations to government. The catchment and coordinating groups will only gain power as they prove that they are effective and inclusive.

Transition Phase

The Lake Eyre Basin Steering Group has fulfilled it's Terms of Reference and ceased to exist at the Birdsville meeting. A transition taskforce now exists to establish the framework outlined above.

Membership:

A drafting committee was formed at the meeting to help with the process. It was agreed that this group would continue on as the transition taskforce to guide the transition phase. It consists of about ten individuals representing different groups and with skills to contribute to the process. Professor Peter Cullen from the CRC for Freshwater Ecology agreed to chair the group.

Tasks:

• Develop position description for independent chair of LEB Coordinating Group
• Advertise and appoint independent chair
• Coordinate formation of catchment groups
• Develop budgets for interim operation of coordinating group and catchment groups
• Abdicate to coordinating group upon formation

Funding

During Senator Hill's address to the meeting on the second day heannounced the Government's support for the coordinated management of the LEB. He said that the Commonwealth Government had allocated a matching grant with the States of $300,000/yr renewable for three years for the management of the Basin.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Issue 3 - October 1997

Issues Papers

The issues papers have been printed as a set and are being mailed out now (some with this information sheet). They cover some of the issues raised at the original meeting and present some of the different opinions regarding the Lake Eyre Basin. They are just a beginning. There are many different opinions and a lot of valuable knowledge within the community. If you haven't received a copy of the draft options paper or the issues papers please contact us and we will send them to you. The meeting is fast approaching. Please let us know if you will be attending so that we can organise catering and other arrangements.

STOP PRESS - Meeting to be held in Birdsville The Steering Group's final public meeting in Birdsville is to be held on the 14th and 15th of November. At the meeting we will decide whether to proceed, and if so, how. Everyone is welcome!(Please RSVP by 3rd November) The meeting will not be all work. We are organising entertainment also. So come along, contribute your ideas, meet others, learn and enjoy yourself.

Overview and Update

• STEP 1 - Lake Eyre Basin Steering Group formed.
• STEP 2 - A. Consultation about catchment management and production of options paper. (The draft options paper has been distributed for comment. The next version will be distributed before the November meeting) B. Development of issues/information paper (these are being distributed now).
• STEP 3 - Public decision to be made about catchment or natural resource management framework at the November meeting.

The draft options paper has been posted out to over 400 people. We have been receiving some useful comments but would like to receive more. Just jot down your ideas and send us a fax. We encourage you to attend the meeting and have your say. Please let us know if you are coming so that we can organise the catering.

Issue 2 - August 1997

What has happened since February?

Fourteen meetings have been held around the basin so far, from Kooroorinyah in the north east, to Alice Springs in the west, and Marree in the south. At these meetings we have been discussing: Catchment management and regional planning - what are the pros and cons? Issues - what are the natural resource management issues in your region? And, if catchment management is agreed to by the community in the basin - what would we need? And what would it look like? If participants believed catchment management would not work in the basin we asked them to list their reasons.All of this information is now being put together into a draft options paper. This will be circulated as widely as possible for comment. Comments will then be incorporated into the final version of the options paper.

The options paper will summarise the information collected at the meetings and in informal discussions, and will contain a summary of options for a basin-wide catchment management process that participants proposed in the meetings. At a public meeting at the end of the year the steering group will ask you to choose an option.

Issues raised at the meetings include:

Basin-wide:

• Ensuring fair representation in any catchment management process, between States and between interest groups;
• Weeds and feral animals;
• Surface water management (including water extraction);
• Sustainable grazing practices;
• Education;
• Local knowledge;
• Management of the Great Artesian Basin.

Regional:

• Uncontrolled tourism;
• Potential and existing chemical usage.

Local :

• Sewerage systems;
• Contamination or point source pollution;
• Great Artesian Basin loss of pressure and local draw down.

The above are only examples and are certainly not prioritised. The outcomes of the meetings and other discussions will be recorded in detail in the options paper.

So what do you think?

There is still plenty of opportunity for you to have your say. You can comment on the draft options paper when it is done; and attend the final public meeting in Birdsville. Or give me a ring and have a chat.

Issue 1 - February 1997

What do you think about Catchment Management?

As the project officer for the steering group I will be holding meetings around the basin from the end of March through to May. When I have gathered your views I will write an options paper outlining alternatives for proceeding with catchment management. This will be distributed for feedback. At the end of the year the steering group will hold a final public workshop to discuss how to proceed.

You can be involved in a number of ways: come along to one of the public meetings; give me a ring and chat one-to-one; comment on the paper when it is done; and/or attend the final workshop.

What is the Steering Group?

The Lake Eyre Basin steering group was initiated in 1995 by some community members in the Basin. Concerned by the conflict between different groups and the potential for World Heritage listing community members wanted to do something constructive and bring together the different interests to work towards sustainable use and management of the natural resources in the basin. A workshop was held in Birdsville and a decision was made there to form the Lake Eyre Basin steering group.

The steering group's tasks include preparing an information paper on the present management of the basin, preparing a discussion paper on options for catchment management and consulting with the community and interested groups on these issues.

The steering group brings together a diverse range of stakeholders across State borders. The steering group includes representatives from the Pastoral Industry, the Queensland and South Australian State Governments, Conservation groups, the Mining and Petroleum Industries, Landcare groups, Aboriginal organisations and local government.

Funds were raised through member contributions to establish a project officer position. The project officer joined the group in September 1996. A successful National Landcare Program application has now ensured funding for the position for 1 to 3 years.

So what is Catchment Management?

Catchment management is about community involvement in decision making rather than government imposed decisions. It does not push one point of view but considers the whole range of views. People work together to reach an agreed position.

Catchment management encourages sharing of information, ideas, resources and effort through: identifying problems, issues and priorities; planning for sustainable and balanced use of catchment resources; resolving conflicting demands; and overcoming obstacles.

Many communities around Australia have begun catchment management. Usually they form a catchment committee and develop a catchment strategy through community consultation.

The Natural Heritage Trust monies (which now includes the Landcare programme) are likely to be directed through regional or catchment strategies.