Dear [your local MP’s name will be automatically entered],

I’m writing to you about the Fitzroy River, the lifeblood of the Kimberley. The river is National Heritage listed for its outstanding indigenous cultural values. A healthy river supports the livelihoods of thousands of people and also a diverse array of wildlife. It is considered the world’s last stronghold for the critically endangered Freshwater Sawfish.

Numerous statements by experts and Traditional Owners have raised concerns about impacts on the river and called for increased protection. Most recently this included the 2016 Fitzroy River Declaration by Traditional Owners. Also this year, over 100 eminent science experts on the river released the Fitzroy River Statement by calling for increased protection including a buffer zone to prevent irrigation impacting on flow in the river.

At the last election, I welcomed the WA Government’s landmark election commitment to protect the Fitzroy River through a new National Park and Management Plan, and to only support sustainable development. However, I am concerned that recent proposals for irrigation and water extraction projects along the river could undermine this commitment.

For this reason I am sharing the videos below with you that explain the importance of the river to sawfish and how irrigation threatens its fragile balance.

Please watch 'Last Stronghold’ here to discover how prehistoric sawfish, who have survived since the time of the dinosaurs, rely on a free-flowing and healthy Fitzroy River.

Please watch 'Desert River’ here to learn how irrigation can threaten the fragile balance of the river.

As my local MP, will you support establishing a permanent and enforceable buffer zone from water extraction, land clearing and mining along the length of the river to protect its outstanding values and underpin sustainable development?

Yours faithfully,
[Your name will be automatically added]