Apprehension about climate change at community forum was unfounded

Apprehension was the prevailing sense walking into the lecture room this week at the Tatura offices of the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR).

Tuesday night’s forum at the Tatura centre, commonly known as the Tatura Agricultural Research Centre, has been set up to allow the community to comment on what is being proposed as strategic directions for ‘Water for Victoria”.

The Tatura forum was one of 16 organized through the state to allow public input into the “Water for Victoria” discussion paper.

Fewer than 30 people were at the Tatura forum, and of those several were directly connected with organizers or from local or State Government organizations intimately involved with the maintenance and supply of water.

A few were farmers or had a direct connection with the commercial use of water.

An interest in climate change and its direct impact on water made it impossible to not attend.

Having been involved in previous conversations at which the attendees had similar characteristics, it seemed likely that climate change would quickly be dispensed to the “of little consequence” category, but surprisingly, that was not the case.

Many aspects of water were discussed during the two-hour workshop, but as had often been the case in previous similar discussions, climate change was discussed seriously and several people appeared to believe that the crisis that is climate change needed to be either at the top or close to the top of hierarchy of matters warranting attention when considering “Water for Victoria.”

Although, it is near too late, the serious of climate change and the need for it to be attended to appears to be gaining traction.

-       Robert McLean.