PETITION TO PROTECT MARTUWARRA RIVER DELIVERED TO STATE GOVERNMENT

The Martuwarra River. Credit: Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council.

A petition to protect the Kimberley's Martuwarra River, the larges registered Aboriginal Cultural Heritage site in WA, was delivered to the WA Parliament on Wednesday.

The petition with over 27,000 signatures urged the WA government to stop all plans for large-scale water extraction in the Matuwarra Fitzroy River catchment.

Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council Chair Dr Anne Poelina said the devastating Fitzroy River floods this year left her community 1.5 metres underwater and highlighted the risks that would come with large-scale developments on the floodplains.

A new Water Act is being developed by the state government and Dr Poelina wants to see collaboration with traditional owners.

“One of the things we’re saying is that we really need to factor in climate scenarios and what that’s doing to the environment and to water,” she said.

“And we really want to co-design the process going forward.”

Listen to the full interview with Dr Poelina: