Water Watch Radio

We are back!! Welcome to the very first program of water watch for 2024.

This month marks the anniversary of last year's mass fish death in the Baaka-Darling River in Far Western NSW which saw a blackwater event kill 20-30 million fish in the Menindee weir pool. 

Last year we were out on the ground covering the government's response to the disaster which you can listen back to on our podcast feed. At that time, the response (or lack there of) was heavily criticised by the Menindee community, which triggered the incoming NSW labor government to launch an investigation into the fish kills headed up by the NSW Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineer.

As we kick into 2024 and a year on from this tragedy, we ask Grazier and water advocate from Menindee, Kate McBride, for an update on where the river is at and whether the current NSW government has been living up to the bar they set themselves as they came into government.

We are also launching a new segment this week that needs your help!

The Creek of the Week will feature local waterways around the country, if you love your local river we want to hear from you! Email us a 60 second recording describing a water place near you. Include your name, your location and the waterway that means something special to you, bonus points if you can get a little story or anecdote in there! 

Record it on the voice app of your phone and email it to waterwatchradio@gmail.com

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode of the Summer Series covers the Federal amendment to the Basin Plan known as the Restoring our rivers Bill with statements taken from public hearings to the Senate Inquiry back in September.  

In this episode we hear from:

NSW Irrigators Council, National Irrigators Council, Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, The Biodiversity Council, and Wilderness Society SA.

Throughout the program we’ll hear where people agree, such as on constraints and complimentary measure like land management and pest control, which are central to effectively delivering environmental outcomes. AND where they don’t - specifically whether enough water has been recovered to date in order to deliver the intended outcomes of the plan.

This episode was published back in September 2023 and so things may have changed.

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the final episode of the summer series, we listen back on a very important topic, often overlooked, or ignored in water policy. First Nations water rights and where they fit within current water policy and what must change if First Nations water rights are to be truly recognised. 

Watch Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY. 

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on our Second Bite Summer Series we will be hearing from musician, journalist, filmmaker and activist Aimee Volkovsky from Broken Hill. Aimee is an incredibly accomplished songwriter, and we had the privilege of sitting down with her late last year. The episode you are going to hear today was published back in November so please consider things may have changed since this conversation was recorded. Please enjoy!

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Water Watch's summer series we will be hearing from NSW Deputy Chief Scientist, Darren Saunder and members of the Darling River Action Group about the summary findings of review of the 2023 Menindee Mass Fish Kills.

This episode was first published in September last year before the full report was released and this episode captures the initial reactions of community members from the Darling River Action Group to the summary findings of the report.

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Water Watch's summer series we will be hearing from NSW Water Minister the Honorable Rose Jackson who has set a pretty strong policy agenda in her first year of office.

The week this was published the full report from the Office of the Chief Scientist regarding the disastrous fish kills at Menindee had been released. The episode you are going to hear today was published back in early October so please consider things may have changed since we had this conversation with Rose.

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this second bite we’ll be discussing an issue within water policy which has been a thorny problem for many who follow water politics; accountability, transparency and departmental bias.

This episode was first published in September last year and a lot has changed since then including the full release of the NSW Chief Scientists Independent Review of the 2023 Menindee mass fish kills. When we spoke to Greens MP Cate Faehrmann in September only the executive summary of the report had been released but with Cate’s knowledge in the area of NSW water policy we able to have a robust discussion about finding number 5 from the Chief Scientists report.

Greens MP Cate Faehrmann has been particularly active in this area chairing the NSW flood plain harvesting inquiry and following closely the Independent Commission Against Corruption investigation into NSW water policy back in 2020.

We touched on these issues in other episodes on water watch, including with the NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson and Deputy Chief Scientist Darren Saunders, so if you would like to catch up on the full year in water you can find our catalogue by searching water watch radio wherever you get your podcasts or go to waterwatchradio.com

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Water Watch Summer Second Bite Series Continues, this week looking back on the 2023 Mass Fish Kills in Menindee with interviews from locals in the days after the fish kill began. 

Watch Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY. 

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Water Watch's Summer Series continues with a presentation by Dr Josie Douglas, the General Manager of the Central Land Council speaking at the Fresh Water Futures Panel at the Environment Centre NT State of Environment Conference in September 2023. 

With thanks to the PEW Charitable Trust for accessing conference audio and organising the Fresh Water Futures Panel.

Watch Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY. 

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2023 Water Watch Summer series continues with a story from a little community 400km north of Alice springs called Ali Curung and a proposal by the NT government to extract 40,000mgL of groundwater annually to produce fruits and vegetables.
This episode was first published in August this year and things may have changed since then.

In this episode we spoke to Maureen Nampijinpa O’Keefe, a Kayditch Walpiri woman from Ali Curung and Alex Vaughan from the Arid Lands Environment Centre in Mparntwe Alice Springs.

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2023 Water Watch Summer series continues with Richard Beasley who was Senior Counsel assisting to the South Australian Royal Commission into the Murray-Darling Basin Back in 2018 and 2019.

In 2021, Richard Beasley published a book, Dead in the Water, which presented the findings of the royal commission in a way that everyone can understand. This episode was first published back in August and there have been some significant changes to the Basin Plan since I spoke with Richard including the passing of the Restore Our Rivers Bill which legislated to reduce the cap on water buybacks, extend the timeline for delivering the Basin Plan and a $100m allocation for Aboriginal Water Entitlements, among other provisions designed to get the Basin Plan back on track.

Over summer, Water Watch will be sharing our favorite conversations as part of our Second Bite Series as we take a break to recharge after a big year!

Water Watch is produced on Wilyakali Country by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY. 

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we take a second bite at a public forum held by the Murray Darling Basin Alliance on July 7, 2023 in Melbourne.

This conversation covers issues that come up time and again when discussing water issues and is a great prelude to the debates over amendments to the Basin Plan that are to come later in the series.  

Watch Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY. 

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2023 Water Watch Summer series continues with a fantastic conversation with veteran scientist and Honorary Professor in the Crawford School of the Australian National University. John was a founding member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, and holds the prestigious Farrer Memorial Medal for achievement and excellence in agricultural science. 

This conversation was first published on June 1st, 2023.

Over summer, Water Watch will be sharing our favorite conversations as part of our Second Bite Series as we take a break to recharge after a big year!

Water Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY. 

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2023 Water Watch Summer series kicks off with beautiful yarns with Barkindji Malayangapa artists Dave Doyle and Leroy Johnson. 

Over summer, Water Watch will be sharing our favourite conversations as part of our Second Bite Series as we take a break to recharge after a big year!

Watch Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY. 

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is our last original conversation for the 2023 season, next week we will kick off our summer second-bite series which will look back at our favourite programs, so stay tuned for that!  

We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone that has been part of water watch this year. It’s been a huge year for us, kicking off with the special fish kill series, being long listed for a Walkley and winning a national community broadcasting award for journalism. 

It’s a privilege to make this program every week and to be able to talk to and share conversations with all the extraordinary guests that have joined us this year.

It was our honor to sit down with Aimee Volkovsky this week who shared some moving stories and beautiful music with us. 

So with this episode we are going to publish a full version of the conversation on the podcast feed. So, whether you’re listening online or via the community radio network, you can find that full conversation by searching water watch radio wherever you get your podcasts. It’s truly special.

To follow Aimee's work visit: Media And Marketing | Bush Witch Productions

To find Aimee's music on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7Lc8tpyKewgJwCYYCulG1p?si=kUKXg6h2ReS4Il-N7Yn-HQ

Bandcamp: If You Were A Lake I'd Drink You Up | Aimee Volkofsky (bandcamp.com)

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For our season finale we are releasing an uncut interview with musician Aimee Volkovsky. It was our honor to sit down with Aimee Volkovsky this week who shared some moving stories and beautiful music with us. 

To follow Aimee's work visit: Media And Marketing | Bush Witch Productions

To find Aimee's music on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7Lc8tpyKewgJwCYYCulG1p?si=kUKXg6h2ReS4Il-N7Yn-HQ

Bandcamp: If You Were A Lake I'd Drink You Up | Aimee Volkofsky (bandcamp.com)

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Parliament prepares to debate the amendments to the Basin Plan, we look back on the testimony given by First Nations people and groups from around the Basin including: 

• Sonia Cooper Yorta Yorta woman, Yorta Yorta Water Policy & Climate Research Officer for the Yorta Yorta Corporation. 
• Dr. Kate Harriden Wiradjuri Woman, research fellow at Monash Sustainable development Institute at University of Monash
• Grant Rigney Ngarrindjeri man from the Murray Mouth  and chairman of the Murray Lower Darling River Indigenous Nations (MLDRIN)
• Michael Anderson Yuwaalayaay and Gamilaraay man who was member of  Northern Basin Aboriginal Nations (NBAN)

Watch Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community Radio 2DRY.

All comments made to the Senate Inquiry Nov 1, 2023. Read the report https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/MDBAWaterBill2023/Report

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amendments to the largest water policy in Australia's history are due back in Parliament any day after the Senate Reported on their public inquiry into the Restore our Rivers Amendments to the Murray Darling Basin Plan. 

This week, we look back on the buyback debate with Professor Sarah wheeler from the University of Adelaide and NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson. 

Watch Watch is produced by Broken Hill Community radio 2DRY.

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we continue to cover the latest on the Federal amendment to the Basin Plan known as the Restoring our rivers Bill with statements taken from last week's public hearings to the Senate Inquiry.  

In this episode we’ll be hearing from: 

NSW Irrigators Council, National Irrigators Council, Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, The Biodiversity Council, and Wilderness Society SA.

Throughout the program we’ll hear where people agree, such as on constraints and complimentary measure like land management and pest control, which are central to effectively delivering environmental outcomes. AND where they don’t - specifically whether enough water has been recovered to date in order to deliver the intended outcomes of the plan.

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we are going get into the duck weed on the amendment to the Basin Plan that is currently before parliament. 

This amendment, known as the “Restoring Our Rivers” bill was introduced by Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek in September and passed its second reading in the House of Reps a couple of weeks ago. 

This week there’s been a senate inquiry with public hearings from the wide array of perspectives on this amendment, and over the next few weeks we are going be covering what’s been said this week, but first we want to give you the lay of the land, what’s in this bill? what’s been missed? And who can we expect to hear from over the next couple weeks as we get stuck into the public hearings? 

Support the show: https://www.2dryfm.com/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.