ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the stories of people involved in two water conflicts in Australia. These are the two carrier case studies in which themes of fairness and justice can be explored. This chapter works at the first and second levels of understanding (described in the Introduction and Chapter 1) by providing contextual facts and details of the resource sharing issue, followed by a range of perspectives held by those involved. The first part of the chapter sets the scene for the social conflicts, including the cultural significance of water and river systems, some biophysical features of water in Australia, and a brief outline of the development of water management in two states of Australia, Victoria and New South Wales (NSW). The next two sections tell the stories of the two water conflicts from the perspectives of those involved. These stories are from confidential interviews (see Chapter 3) with a range of people who were either affected by the water conflicts or who were observers. Each section starts with a general description of the circumstances of the conflict. The aim of the chapter is to give voice to the willing or unwilling participants in the conflicts and to show the progression of events through the eyes of those involved.
