Both WATER Northern Rivers and the Ballina Environment Society (BES) have expressed their opposition to the rescission motion proposed for Rous County Council in regards to the Dunoon Dam.
WATER Northern Rivers says the rescission motion proposed would take us backwards and the BES believes strongly that it is a thoroughly retrograde step which denies contemporary water management methodologies, will desecrate a pristine environment and is oblivious to the cogent arguments supporting the two previous rejections of the Dunoon Dam solution of 2013.
The BES also says the most serious reason for past rejections is the heritage value of the Widjabul Wia-ba’sl valid claim as traditional custodians of the land.
Tomorrow Rous County Council will vote on the motion that will significantly alter the decision made on December 16, 2020.
A destructive, disrespectful and unconscionable dam
WATER Northern Rivers says the rescission motion put forward by Cr Sharon Cadwallader, Cr Robert Mustow and Cr Sandra Humphrys will set out to pass the original motion without three key elements that are crucial to stopping what they says is a destructive, disrespectful and unconscionable dam.
The BES says that the rescission motion, if successful, would again motivate the exploration, planning and financial feasibilities for the Dunoon Dam project.
The BES says that in addition, the Rous Councillors should sustain the original cease work decision on the basis of substantial environmental damage concerns and the need to implement modern demand water management processes to provide for the needs of the community.
BES also urges Rous Water to cease planning on using Marom Creek ground water as a substitute for the dam. Modern demand management does not include that mode of environmental pillage.
Thank You postcards to Rous Board
In response to this rescission motion, WATER Northern Rivers invited community members to write Thank You postcards to the Rous Board for stopping the Dunoon Dam. There was an overwhelming response. In just 15 days, after hundreds of volunteer hours and many conversations, 915 people from across the Northern Rivers have signed the postcards in support of the decision made on 16 December 2020 to cease all work on the Dunoon Dam.
That is on top of the 90% of submissions made against the dam during Rous County Council’s public exhibition of the Integrated Water Management Plan.
Of the 915 people who signed the postcards 35% were from Byron Shire, 10% were from Ballina Shire, 47% from Lismore City Council, and 8% from Richmond Valley Council and other areas.
Only 6% were from the area directly impacted by the proposed Dunoon Dam, a fact that proves the movement for Smart Water Options is broadly supported across the region.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
