Last week Sydney Knitting Nannas and Friends visited the NSW Shadow Environment Minister in Parliament house; wrote an update on coal mining in NSW; composed a tanka: attended a workshop on how to write to MPs; and learnt how the Australian Museum is tackling climate change.
Nannas meet with Kellie Sloane, Shadow Minister for the Environment
Three Nannas met with Kellie Sloane last week. She is the shadow minister for the environment and also the Liberal member for Vaucluse. Our main goal was to establish a connection and a basis to keep communicating about the state issues that concern us most. Tick, done.
In the meeting we shared our concerns about saving koalas in south-west Sydney, particularly if the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan is not comprehensively rewritten. We gave her a copy of a research paper about the huge risks of the Urban Heat Island effect in the Cumberland basin that we find particularly scary for present and future residents.
We told Ms Sloane about our observations of the recent hearing of the Upper House Portfolio Committee on the planning system and the impacts of climate change on the environment and communities held in Campbelltown. We noted that some committee members didn’t show up at all and only two, a Green and a Liberal, went on the site visit to the proposed Lendlease development of Mt Gilead Stage 2.
We moved on to our distress about the continued logging of public native forests within the borders of the Great Koala National Park. Ms Sloane said she had been contacted by many groups with different views and interests on native forest logging. We shared insights from our recent visits to Pine Creek, Clouds Creek and Tuckers Nob forests. Ms Sloane said the coalition supported the continuation of logging of native forest hardwoods, particularly in the north of the state. She is interested in the forest question, having visited the area recently, and is aware of the fact that native forest logging is subsidised by the taxpayer. She encouraged us to keep up our activism on the topic.
We made a brief presentation calling for an end to new coal and gas mining projects and drew attention to the need to do this in line with the parliament’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2035.
We thanked Ms Sloane for making time to meet with us during a sitting week. She said she is open to further communications with us and said she would follow us on social media.
Coal Update
Recent reports on the NSW government’s performance are of grave concern:
- NSW is not on track to meet legislated emissions targets
- NSW Biodiversity Outlook Report predicts 500 species could be lost within 100 years
- Revelations that open cut coal mines are likely to be emitting twice as much methane as is being reported. IEEFA Report
On a brighter note the Koala rally in Mudgee was well reported in the mainstream media and there’s a great e-Petition and video available. The rally called for the Moolarben coal mine expansion to be stopped.
Meanwhile Lock the Gate Ghostbuster actions on the government’s coal expansion policy have been held at the offices of ALP MPs around Sydney’s east and inner-west. The team will be moving on to the Western Suburbs next. Sydney Knitting Nannas meetings with MPs about the urgency of action to stop the expansion of coal mining were noted.
The regulations arising from the Climate Change (Net Zero Future) legislation, passed last year, will be coming before the parliament late this year. We need to be ready to watch and act.
Lock the Gate and other groups are pushing back against lobbying by the Minerals Council to get out of their responsibilities for coal mine rehabilitation. NSW Parliament to explore productive uses of land after mines close – Media Release
Wind Tanka
To showcase one of the alternatives to coal and gas Nanna Trish has composed a tanka.
Monday 13 May – Voice your Future Workshop
Nanna Jackie attended this workshop by Climate Writers. The aim was to encourage and build confidence to write to MPs about the climate. The workshop was facilitated by three young women who were clear and positive communicators.
In the beginning small groups, introduced themselves and told stories of impacts or concerns of climate change from a personal perspective. The workshop challenged the myth of having to know everything about a topic to have your say.
Tips included – MPs don’t pay much attention to ‘form letters’ so aim to include in the first or second paragraph your own personal concerns and/or experiences.
Participants were given Information about the underreporting of methane emissions to include in an email to Chris Bowen. Then they set to work on individual emails. When the email was sent, they were invited to come up and bang a mini gong and receive group applause. This group meets monthly. Next meeting on Saturday 25 March – you must register to see location.
Tuesday 14 May - Tackling Climate Change at the Australian Museum
Several Nannas attended the one hour session with four speakers. Dr Claire Rowe made a presentation on her research of invasive jellyfish and her findings that they are expanding their population and their range south due to climate change. Next was geneticist Dr Matthew Lott. He explained that koalas survived the ice age, but because of massive habitat destruction in the modern age they are at risk of extinction.
Zehra Ahmed spoke about the energy upgrades and implementation of waste management best practice across the Australian Museum to make it carbon neutral. Dr Jenny Newell, the Curator for Climate Change at the Museum encouraged everyone to write to pollies – ‘we have to stop fossil fuels.’
Warning – gas disinformation week
The gas industry conference is on in Perth this week. Organisers APPEA have changed their name to Australian Energy Producers with a new logo. Our graphic for the gas conference last year called APPEA the Australian Perpetual Polluters and Environment Annihilators. AEP stands for Air Environment Polluters.
Submissions close May 24. There’s still time to speak up for koalas and their habitats.
Nanna Recommendation
OddProd – delivers misshapen fruit and veg to your door. Nanna Janet says “The produce is excellent, very fresh and a good variety. You choose for a family, couple or single, delivery weekly or fortnightly, and a list of contents precedes delivery so you can edit the contents.”
Nannas are Reading
Yes to terrorism cover, no to fracking. What’s the farmer (insurance) scam? Michael West Media
Forthcoming Events