The Kimberley’s National Heritage-listed Martuwarra Fitzroy River is recognised as one of the world’s healthiest, free-flowing river systems.

The living waters of the Martuwarra, its tributaries, wetlands, floodplains and groundwater stores are renowned across Australia for fishing and tourism, support culture, the livelihoods of thousands of people, and are a haven for rare wildlife such as the critically endangered freshwater sawfish.

Developments that threaten to take huge amounts of water from the river, its floodplains or ancient water systems, threaten the health of the river, wildlife and community, and risk a Murray-Darling disaster.

In 2017, the incoming Labor Government made an election promise to protect the Martuwarra Fitzroy River.

I call on you to act on this promise by committing to long-term protection of the Martuwarra, its floodplains, wetlands and groundwater, that is co-designed with Traditional Owners.

In 2021, 43,000 people, like me, sent a submission to the government, calling for all plans for large-scale water extraction to be abandoned and for long-term protection of the Martuwarra to be enacted.

Following this record-breaking public response and strong support from Traditional Owners, the government made a policy promise in 2023 to protect the Martuwarra’s surface water flows. Now this commitment must be made binding

The future of the Martuwarra Fitzroy River and its people, culture and wildlife depends on you keeping your promise to protect this living river.