Rights and Responsibilites

"Indigenous peoples have the right to the conservation and protection of the environment and the productive capacity of their lands or territories and resources. States shall establish and implement assistance programmes for indigenous peoples for such conservation and protection, without discrimination."Article 29 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted 13 September 2007

Raukkan Ngarrindjeri Community jetty 2000

Raukkan jetty 2008

"The natural resources of the earth, including the air, water, land, flora and fauna and especially representative samples of natural ecosystems, must be safeguarded for the benefit of present and future generations through careful planning or management, as appropriate." Principle 2, 16 June 1972, Stockholm, Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment

Narrung wetland 15th June, 2006

Narrung dryland, 27th June, 2008

"The discharge of toxic substances or of other substances ... in such quantities or concentrations as to exceed the capacity of the environment to render them harmless, must be halted in order to ensure that serious or irreversible damage is not inflicted upon ecosystems. ... "Principle 6

“Oxidation of acid sulfate soils potentially releases acid (measured by pH), changes alkalinity(measure of the ability of water to buffer acid conditions) amnd releases iron and sulphate. The (Lake Albert Water Level Management) project could potentially have caused acid and associated contaminants to be mobilised due to flushing of the Narrung narrows or increasing the water level in Lake Albert.

"The pumping of water into Lake Albert potentially could also have increased turbidity (through sediment disturbance) and'or altered salinity in lake Albert.

"At present there has been no apparent change in the overall water quality of Lake Albert...Alkalinity and pH level are currently maintained at satisfactory levels in both the Lakes...

"The water level is being maintained above the critical level of -0.6m AHD which prevents large scale exposure of acid sulfate soils and potential acidification of the Lake.

“The Coorong District Council Water issues Update #3, June 2008"

The Importance of Freshwater Flows:

According to the Ngarrindjeri nation Yarluwar-Ruwe, Caring for Ngarrindjeri Sea, Country and Culture, freshwater fishing has been "fundamental" to Ngarrindjeri "cultural economy since time immemorial." The Ngarrindjeri knowledge of "marine, intertidal, estuarine and freshwater environments" has enabled the nation to "sustainably harvest many species of fish and shellfish." These species are not considered commodities, but many are Ngarrrindjeri ngartji , "totems or special friends," and are significant in Ngarrindjeri "creation stories and have other cultural values." ...