Other activists sometimes ask Knitting Nannas “What is it that keeps Nannas looking so good?” The answer is exercise. We do a lot of marching during protests, and we often walk from one protest to another as happened last week.
Coal
Nannas and many other groups gathered at Parliament House on Wednesday to call on NSW Premier Chris Minns not to subsidise the extension of the Eraring coal-fired power station beyond 2025. Earring’s annual emissions equal those of ALL passenger cars on NSW roads.
There were great speeches calling for the planned closure of Eraring in 2025 to go ahead and public funds to be spent on the transition to renewables. Professor Hespe of Healthy Futures stressed the health benefits of switching from coal to renewables.
Protesters marched from Parliament to Origin Energy’s AGM at the Shangri-La Hotel near Circular Quay. The crowd was more diverse than recent climate protests, and one of the speakers said that they had never been to a rally before. Police gave permission for the march to be on the streets. They were a heavy presence outside the Shangri La, where a senior police officer made a show of filming the faces of the protesters.
Thanks to the Nature Conservation Council, Sydney Climate Coalition, Healthy Futures and Solar Citizens for organising this important event, with input from Sydney Nannas.
Koalas and Native Forests
After the Origin protest, some Nannas went back to Parliament House with members of the Bob Brown Foundation and XR, for a vigil against current logging within the boundaries of the Great Koala National Park. A sound system provided good dance music and passers-by happily took brightly coloured leaflets. Speakers called for the logging of native forests to stop and noted that Environment Minister Penny Sharpe’s announcement on stopping logging in some koala hubs will not save koalas because of the logging of their habitat going on in many parts of the state.
Last week Nanna Chris from Coffs Harbour joined the Knitting Nannas on a special Zoom meeting about logging in the GKNP. She told us about NSW Forestry Corporation’s plans to log in Pine Creek State Forest in a way that threatens a critical koala corridor. Logging started on Saturday. See her report here.
A letter from the Nannas was sent on Friday to Minister Sharpe about ending native forest logging.
Yarn and Craft Group
The yarn/craft get together on Sunday 15 October was full of chat, ideas, plans, sharing and eating. It was lovely to see some new Nannas and have a chance to get to know one another.
While some Nannas planned a new banner, others knitted, caught up on news or wanted help with knitting. Nanna Claudia demonstrated her hand weaving loom, patterns were dragged out and chosen, and it was hard to keep up with everything going on. We looked at suggestions and decided on our end of year thank you/pay attention presents.
Craftivism is encouraged in all art and craft forms by Sydney Nannas. As well as staged knit-ins outside politicians’ offices, the Yarn and Craft Group meets irregularly in a private home. It is always a special occasion for meeting new nannas and learn new skills.
From picnic to theatre
Sydney Nannas joined members of ParraCAN, an environment group based in Parramatta, for a Picnic for Nature, a Nature Conservation Council initiative, on Sunday. We met at Caber Park in Winston Hills and talked about the interests of both groups. We are doing an action together at Blacktown this week – see below.
From the picnic, Nannas went to the Riverside Theatre to see a new production of The Visitors, a powerful and moving play about the arrival of the first fleet in 1788 as seen through the eyes of First Nations people. Review by The Guardian
Join us at these events this week
Wednesday 25 October: Bob Brown Foundation Vigil for Native Forests
Parliament House 12 noon. Dance moves are to be continued after the success at previous vigils. Facebook Events
Thursday 26 October: Whitehaven Coal AGM
The Mint, Macquarie Street just down from Parliament House. Gather outside from 9am – the AGM starts at 10am. Market Forces are moving two resolutions, which are opposed by the Board. relates to how the company is not investing to comply with their stated commitment to the Paris Agreement. Shareholder activists will be asking questions in the meeting. Nannas will be handing out leaflets at the two gates to the building. Facebook Event
Thursday 26 October 4pm – Rally/Knit-in at Blacktown
Federal Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland office, Suite 101C, 130 Main Street, is a 10 minute (650m) walk from the train station. ParraCAN members are asking to meet with her about the Office of National Intelligence (ONI) report on security and global heating, which the government will not release in any form. Nannas are having a knit-in to support ParraCAN.
Sunday 29 October: XR Sydney Zombie Walk: no people on a dead planet.
Meet at Sydney Town Hall at 10.45am – event starts at 11am. This pre-Halloween gathering of zombies and thriller dancers will be rowdy and creative. There will be lots of zombies and an opportunity to learn thriller dancing. A zombie walk will go to Hyde Park for a Food not Bombs picnic, stopping at intersections along the way. Nannas will sing at the Hyde Park picnic.
Instructional videos for learning Zombie dance here. Here’s the What’s app chat link if you want to join others who will be learning the dance.
Dates for your diary
Tuesday 31 October – Protest IMARC
International Mining and Resources Conference is on at the International Conference Centre in Darling Harbour. Protest by XR at 9.30 – 10.30am Facebook Event
Wednesday 1 November: Stop Waste Incinerators in NSW
8:30 – 10:30am Sydney Cricket Ground, Driver Ave, Moore Park
The waste management industry is holding a major conference to promote the incineration of residual waste in NSW as the ONLY way to manage NSW’s waste! This conference is a huge GREENWASHING exercise designed to convince vulnerable Local Governments, state and federal regulators to support the numerous projects they are seeking approval for. Waste to energy incineration comes with significant impacts to our health, the climate, environment, and future generations. Waste incinerators are part of the fossil fuel chain emitting more GHG’s than coal, oil and gas per unit of energy. Facebook Event
Tuesday 7 November: Tamboran AGM & Minister Plibersek
60 Margaret St, Sydney 8:45am – noon
Pressure is growing on Minister Plibersek to protect water from Tamboran’s toxic ‘forever’ fracking chemicals. Traditional Owners have not given consent to frack the Beetaloo in the NT. Join Traditional Owners from the Beetaloo Basin region, 350.org, GetUp, and AYCC for a DOUBLE action to protect water! Meet at 8.45am outside Tamboran’s AGM for a cheeky mediaworthy stunt. A bus has been hired to take us to Minister Plibersek’s office, where we’ll deliver our huge joint petition and a stack of postcards urging her to introduce stronger water protection. Facebook Event and Register here
Friday 10 November – meet up with South Coast anti-logging campaigners in late afternoon evening.
Saturday 11 November – Nature Conservation Council Conference
NSW Teachers Federation, 37 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills, and online via Zoom. Minister Penny Sharpe speaking just before lunch. Tickets to the conference $30 in person or free online. AGM from 9-12, then conference sessions and workshops. Joslyn van der Moole from South Coast speaking on a panel about native forest logging in the afternoon. https://www.nature.org.au/annual_conference
Friday 17 November: Student Strike for Climate
12 noon at Belmore Park then march to Tanya Plibersek’s office, 267 Cleveland St, Redfern. Facebook Event and Register Here
Thursday 23 to Sunday 26 November: Takanya BioBlitz Waratah, Tasmania. Citizen science camping trip with Bob Brown Foundation. Bookings required.
Fri- Sun 24-26 November: Rising Tide blockade of Newcastle coal port. NVDA training on Saturday 28 October in Glebe. There is a Signal group for keeping up with preparations. Go to website to express interest or register, request billet or book camping space or a kayak.
Saturday 2 December – Rally and march calling for climate action by COP28. More information here
Links
Nannas are reading
Gas fracker Tamboran grabs government cash, snubs Senate, scurries off to tax haven MichaelWestMedia
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