Swan River Sewerage Spill 19 October 2004

LATEST NEWS: SEWERAGE SPILL INTO THE SWAN RIVER AT CAVERSHAM WESTERNAUSTRALIA

THE COMBINED SWAN RIVER AND SWAN COASTAL PLAINS NATIVE TITLE CLAIMS
Robert Bropho on behalf of the Swan Valley Nyungah People
Richard Wilkes and Albert Corunna on behalf of the Derbal Yerrigan Nyoongars of the Swan River Plains
Gregory Garlett and Kelvin Garlett on behalf of the Garlett Family Group
William Warrell on behalf of the Warrell Family
c/o- Guildford Post Office WA 6055 T: 08 92791636 F: 08 9279 3093M: 0410 748 078, 0412 648 522

19 October, 2004

The Premier of Western Australia, Geoff Gallop
Fax: 9322 1213
The Minister for Health, Bob Kucera
9213 700l
The Minister for the Environment, Judy Edwards
9221 4665

Re: Sewerage Spill into Swan River at Caversham

We, the Native Title Claimants of the Perth Metro Area who are Custodiansand Keepers of the Swan River and Swan Coastal Plains, especially the SwanRiver and its Sacredness, are writing to you on a very serious issue of theSwan River. On Sunday, 17 October, 2004, we were forced to inspect the flowof the raw sewerage into the River at Caversham after being notified byWater Corporation. Half a mile down the River at Barkeršs Bridge, therewere white people fishing in the River.

The River has been used by all people from all walks of life. Our concernis the raw spill of sewerage into the Swan River at Caversham. We say toyou, Premier Geoff Gallop, that this is a national disaster and it is adeadly health risk to the River and all people from all walks of life whouse it.

We call on you to ensure your Ministers take action about this immediately.

We would also like to call on Mr Bob Kucera as the Health Minister to getto the bottom of this serious problem from a health point of view.

We also call on Judy Edwards as Minister for the Environment and say untoher that it is far better spending the $40 million on the Swan River ondiverting this system of raw sewerage away from the Swan River.

There has got to be an engineering plan to take it away on dry land ratherthan go under the River.

All Ministers in Parliament under you, Mr Gallop, have a duty to care of thepublic in general concerning this raw sewerage spill. We, the Native TitleClaimants of the Swan River call upon you, Geoff Gallop and all Ministersconcerned, to take action about this immediately. It is a dangerous healthrisk to Black and white alike. It is a dangerous risk to our Sacredness andSpiritual Beliefs.

We are the concerned Native Title Claimants and behind that is the health ofthe People we represent which is at dangerous risk. This concerns ourFamilies and every white family that use the River who are at risk.

We have had many meetings in the past, back to l985, with the WaterCorporation concerning sewerage lines under the Swan River and we forewarnedthat this could happen. Only a short time ago was another spill into theSwan River in Guildford. There have been many other sewerage spills intothe River in recent times. Each time it happens, it damages the River, itdamages health of the people and it damages and desecrates our SpiritualBelief.

We all must learn from those mistakes and try and find another solution anddivert the sewerage line away from going under rivers.

Please note that we donšt want the River blocked off on each side or in anyway interfered with. We donšt want Water Corporation to disturb the bottomof the River Bed as was done at Capel with the Capel River, which was verydamaging to that River and desecrating to our Sacred Beliefs.

We want engineers of the Gallop Government to direct the sewerage pipes offin another direction on dry land. You can have pump stations on dry land.No matter how far it has to go, you can come up with the money for this safeidea. It is safety we are concerned about and the health of all people, notjust Aboriginal People, and our Sacredness.

Greg Garlett
Robert Bropho
Richard Wilkes
William Worrell
Albert Corunna

for:
Combined Native Title Claimants of
the Swan River & Swan Coastal Plains