- Judy Christie, Siwan Lovett, Nicola Dixon, Jeanie Muspratt (LtoR)
The Sydney Metropolitan CMA’s 2012 Community Forum was a great success thanks to Siwan’s inspiring key note address “Connections that Count: People, Place and Passion” and her work in helping plan and facilitate the event. The event was attended by 90 environmental volunteers from across the whole Sydney region who enthusiastically participated in the day. Siwan worked closely with our Forum planning team for several months to develop an integrated Forum program.
Her presentation set the scene for two interactive sessions that engaged 90 members of the community in priority setting, followed by the groups being facilitated to develop aspirational stories of action. Prior to the Forum Siwan also ran a short session for CMA staff with tips on how to facilitate groups and what to expect from the process. Feedback from volunteer participants was enthusiastic:
“Well organised and enjoyable Forum. especially Siwan’s input.”
“I particularly enjoyed the different slant put forward by Dr Lovett.”
”We worked hard!!! But it was excellent”
“This year was as good as could be”.
Nicola Dixon, Judy Christie and Jeanie Muspratt
I am so pleased that this event was such a success. The SMCMA team gave a lot of thought to how the day could be run to meet the needs of the volunteers and engage them in the development of the new Sydney Metropolitan Region Catchment Action Plan. It was a pleasure to be involved, and if you are planning an event with your local community I am sure Judy, Nicola and Jeanie would be happy to share their experiences. Siwan
More than seventy Indigenous community representatives gathered at the First Peoples’ National Water Summit in Adelaide last month to develop advice to the Commission on how Indigenous water should be managed. The two day Summit was convened by the First Peoples’ Water Engagement Council (FPWEC), which was formed to provide advice to the National Water Commission on national Indigenous water issues.
Summit attendees discussed numerous Australia’s First Peoples water-related topics including:
- gaining respect and recognition for cultural values and aspirations
- potential allocation of water entitlements to support economic development and cultural needs
- opportunities to improve decision making and partnerships in water planning and management.
Attendees then worked together to develop a national position on how Australia’s First Peoples can gain access to water and how water can be better managed to provide for Indigenous needs.
FPWEC Chair Phil Duncan said:
‘The Council will now use the Summit outcomes to develop formal advice to the National Water Commission on Australia’s First Peoples’ water issues. ‘This will inform the Commission’s findings as it develops a position on how Australia’s First Peoples’ water should be managed in the future.
‘Last year, through our Biennial Assessment submission, we advised the Commission that more could be done to address Australia’s First Peoples’ expectations in the allocation and management of water resources.
‘The Commission recommended that Australian states and territories better use engagement processes to explicitly account for Australia’s First Peoples’ water values and requirements in water planning.
‘It also identified a requirement to build Australia’s First Peoples’ capacity to participate in water planning and management, including recognition of Indigenous knowledge of water systems and found that specific allocations of water for Australia’s First Peoples remains patchy.
To learn more about the work of the FPWEC and other indigenous water planning projects follow this link.
National Water Commission Communique
Scholarships for the 2012/13 round of the IWC Water Leadership Program are now open. Applications can be made on-line until 30 June 2012. The next program will begin in December 2012.
Designed for emerging water leaders at the project to middle management level, this program is customised for the water sector through sound research and collaboration with experienced industry practitioners.
The program helps emerging leaders to develop the abilities they need to exert influence, drive change and advance challenging integrated water managementprojects — abilities associated with the most effective integrated water management leaders.
Several full ($10,000), half ($5,000) and quarter ($2,500) merit-based scholarships are available in 2012. Scholarships are currently only available to Australian citizens and permanent residents of Australia.
Agnese Middleton (IWC Communications)
The National Water Commission has released a new publication called Groundwater Essentials. This accessible and easy to understand booklet sets out everything you need to know about groundwater including: groundwater’s place in the hydrological cycle, the importance of groundwater, the various uses of groundwater, surface/groundwater connectivity, and risks to the groundwater resource. It also includes links to various water departments and authorities in each jurisdiction, as well as examples of how groundwater can be used for irrigation, potable supply, industrial use and stock and domestic use. Groundwater Essentials Link
Amanda Forman, National Water Commission
The Peter Cullen Water and Environment Trust is again looking for a diverse group of people who are actively involved in water system management to participate in an exciting leadership program. Only 15 people will be selected and funded to undertake this journey of personal and professional discovery.
For information and application forms, please see the Peter Cullen Trust Website Applications close on the 30th April, 2012.
You might also like to sponsor a participant from your organisation, call Dr Sandy Hinson, CEO on 0407 589304 to discuss this fantastic opportunity further.
Events, People and relationshops, Resources | Siwan Lovett | 
26 April 2012 10:50 am | 
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