Kayaker Puts His Oar In

The Age

Tuesday October 2, 2007

Jessica Marszalek

AN ENVIRONMENTALIST who kayaked from Brisbane to Adelaide to raise awareness of climate change will announce tomorrow that he is to run for the Senate in the federal election.

Steve Posselt completed a four-month journey along the Murray-Darling river system, during which he kayaked 2170 kilometres and was forced by drought to walk 1080 kilometres, pulling his kayak behind him on wheels.

The civil engineer, who decided to make the journey after a near-death experience last year, said politicians and voters alike had failed to understand the environment and what was needed to tackle climate change. "If we do not learn to stop destroying our environment, especially our water and air, then we are headed for big trouble," Mr Posselt said.

"Somehow we must learn to use our water resources in a sustainable way.

"At present we seem to have created misery for a great deal of farmers through no fault of theirs."

Mr Posselt, who will stand as an Independent, said Australia needed a politician who understood water and was above party politics. He will run for a Queensland seat in the Senate. -- JESSICA MARSZALEK