INVITATION

to help build a better Australia through

government system reform

at the

 

3rd  Shed a Tier  Congress

[Free of Charge except for lunch; tea, coffee and biscuits provided]

Room 2R1, New Parliament House [will have public access – no need for passes]

Canberra, Friday 22 March 2002

 

The Murray Darling Beyond Federation

 

How the Murray Darling Basin and the Australian Environment

generally have suffered under our present system of government,

 and visions for environmentally sustainable government

 

A morning of speeches will be followed by lunch and afternoon workshops leading to the preparation of a Plan of Action for constitutional change and associated petitions.

 

9.30 AM      Convenor Jim Snow welcomes speakers and guests, explains facility arrangements and introduces The Hon. Mr Kelvin Thomson MP, Federal Member for Wills (Vic), to open the Congress.

 

9.50      Speech by The Hon. Mr Christopher Pyne, MP, Federal Member for Sturt (SA) 

10.10      Questions to Mr Pyne

 

10.25      Speech by Ms Catherine Moore, Greens Candidate for Federal Seat of Riverina (NSW) at 2001 Federal Election

10.45      Questions to Ms Moore

 

11.00      Break

 

11.15      Speech by Third speaker – to be confirmed

11.35      Questions to third speaker

 

11.50       Thanks to speakers and brief panel comments; preview of lunch and questions to be considered in workshops to formulate a Plan of Action.

 

12.00      Lunch, available in staff canteen.

 

13.10      Convenor Mark Drummond will facilitate division of participants into workshop groups to formulate responses to the 5 questions below and any other issues people wish to consider.

 

1315 to 1530      Workshops (refreshments available throughout) in which groups will formulate responses to the five questions below and other issues raised for consideration

 

1530 to 1630      Plenary Session, to include reports from workshop groups, determination of consensus and majority positions, and Plan of Action.

 

1630 to 1700      Convenors will summarise the Plan of Action established [to be documented in a Communiqué], invite participants to complete petitions, and bring the Congress to a close.

 

Questions/Issues on which resolutions are sought:

1.           whether powers and responsibilities should be granted to the Commonwealth in respect of (a) the Murray Darling Basin, (c) water use generally, and (c) the environment generally;

2.           whether the present system – of federal, state, territory and local governments – is suitable for Australia in the 21^st century, and whether changes are needed, in respect of (a) the Murray Darling Basin and (b) more generally;

3.           apt roles of national, state and local governments, if they remain in more or less their present form, in respect of (a) the Murray Darling basin and (b) more generally;

4.           whether regional governments or New States should form, a suitable number of such governments, and what their roles should be (a) in water and environmental management and (b) more generally; and

5.              constitutional changes needed to address the Murray Darling challenge, and a proposal for a referendum question (or series of questions) designed to facilitate changes considered necessary.

 

If you plan to attend, please contact Mark Drummond by e-mail at markld@ozemail.com.au, or at

5 Loddon St, Kaleen, ACT 2617, or by phone on 02 6255 0772.

 

All constructive ideas and thoughts will be welcomed:  If you wish to have particular issues addressed at the Congress in addition to the above, or wish for your views to be incorporated into the Congress Plan of Action and Communiqué – whether you plan to attend the Congress or not – please forward written submissions so as to reach Mark Drummond (addresses as above) by 15 March 2002.