Victoria State Election 2022

The Victorian State Election was on 26 November.

We would like to acknowledge all those who stood as candidates and to congratulate those who have won their seat.

Our election asks were:

Southern Victoria’s rivers are in trouble. Long term extraction of water for cities and agriculture has damaged their health and now climate change is taking away their water. Iconic species that call rivers home such as platypus and river blackfish are disappearing from our landscapes, creeks stop flowing more often than they used to, and water quality is on a downward slide. 

The water crisis calls for strong leadership by the next Victorian government.

We need strong water leadership at this year’s State Election. We are calling for the next Victorian government to commit to: 

1. Water leadership in the climate crisis:  Rivers have already lost up to 20% of their flows and are predicted to lose much more in future as the planet warms. Difficult and courageous decisions must be made in the public interest to end our reliance on rivers and aquifers to supply our water needs.
2. Measure and monitor all the water we take from rivers and aquifers: Not all water use is measured or accounted for in southern Victoria. This is inequitable for users and damaging to rivers and aquifers. Measuring and monitoring are critical to knowing how much water is taken from our rivers and protecting their health. All water take must be measured and its impact on rivers monitored.
3. Lock in targets for sustainable water use: We know that the more water we take for human needs, the more our rivers suffer. If our rivers are to have a future, we must take less water from them and reduce extraction to a sustainable level. 

Our groups worked hard to show to candidates at this year’s Victorian election how important healthy waterways are to Victorians, and how we can make sure our rivers have the water they need to survive and thrive long into the future.

See the briefers below which were part of our campaign.