The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (DCCEEW) welcomes South Australia’s new Regional Engagement Officer (REO) to their joint program.
Kate Bartlett will cover the Murray-Darling Basin region below Lock 1, including Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth.
MDBA Chief Executive Andrew McConville made the announcement while undertaking a listening tour of the Lower Murray region this week.
Mr McConville said the appointment of the Woods Point local will help to continue to strengthen connections, understanding and information sharing between the MDBA, DCCEEW and regional Basin communities.
“Kate is a fantastic addition to the REO program. Her mother’s family were involved in orchards in the Mypolonga area, and she now runs a dairy farm at Woods Point with her husband Kym. She has held numerous community roles linked with water, farming and irrigation,” Mr McConville said.
“We are excited to have Kate join our REO network and be the permanent contact for the region.”
DCCEEW Deputy Secretary Lyn O’Connell said that Kate is well placed to build on the strong network of REO’s across the Basin.
“The REO program is supporting the government by building trust and transparency in water management.”
“Kate demonstrates excellent knowledge of her local community and the water issues in her region. Kate couldn’t be better placed to continue developing the solid lines of communication between DCCEEW, the MDBA and Lower Murray communities.”
As a child, Kate Bartlett spent her youth swimming and boating on the same riverbanks where she and her husband are dairy farming.
“The River Murray flows in my veins,” Ms Bartlett said.
“My great grandfather introduced citrus to the Mypolonga area, and I married a third generation Jervois dairy farmer.”
It is this generational river lifestyle and business involvement where Ms Bartlett found a voice to step outside the farm gate during the millennium drought. She held numerous community roles linked with water, farming and irrigation.
“I like answers to my questions and speaking up for the region as an engagement officer is a great fit.
“In my role, I’ll listen to the community’s questions, find the answers, and relay these back to the community in a way the community can understand,” Ms Bartlett said.
