Sydney Nannas will be doing presentations at two big events on the next two Saturdays. We will be drawing attention to the urgency of reducing emissions from fossil fuels, the major cause of global warming and extreme climate events.
We’ve agreed not to be distracted from the climate emergency by the federal opposition’s nuclear policy announcement. It’s a pitch to extend coal and gas mining and to derail renewables, so it makes no sense to us.
With less than a year to the next federal election we’ll be encouraging more people to find their team if they haven’t already and to make the most of the short time we have for real climate action.
Knitting Nannas love to chat with anyone looking to become more active in the climate movement. Here’s where to find us:
Saturday 29 June – I Million Women Festival of Solutions
Carriageworks, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh NSW 2015.
1000 + people are expected to attend this event. Nannas will be there and we’ll have a stall. Come and say hello to us between 9am – 10am and 12.30 pm – 2.30 pm.
Between 10am and 12.30pm the main event will be taking place on the stage – there is a great lineup of speakers and performers. Nanna Bernie is MC. Doors will be locked during this time.
Program of events and tickets $30
Saturday 6 July – Rising Tide Sydney Splash
3pm – Climate Assembly at Teachers Federation Conference Centre, 37 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills. Nanna Bernie is MC, Craig Foster is speaking on human rights, Polly Hemming from The Australia Institute is speaking, and First Nations hip hop artist DOBBY will be performing.
A Nannas and other groups will be given an opportunity to say a few words about what they are doing. Nannas will have a table displaying our work. Please come and say hello.
Koalas
Saturday 6 July – Koala Rally at Campbelltown
Meet at 10.30am at Koshigaya Park an 18 minute walk from the railway station. The focus will be on wildlife overpasses and development permission for Stage 2 of Mt Gilead. Local people are upset about the number of trees being cut down along Appin Road. Organised by The Greens in Campbelltown and co-hosted by Save Sydney Koalas.
“The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure has finalised the Gilead Stage 2 rezoning, subject to strict environmental and infrastructure delivery conditions that need to be met before new homes can be completed.”
The Koalas
Nannas highly recommend The Koalas film being shown in some cinemas in Sydney in the coming weeks with a live Q&A after the film. Directed by George Miller. Screenings at
- Thursday 27 June – Cremorne Orpheum on 27 June 6.30 – 8.30pm
- Thursday 27 June – Sutherland Shire Environment Centre 6.30 – 8.30pm
- Sunday 30 June – Randwick Ritz 1pm
Forests
Wednesday 26 June – Bob Brown Foundation (BBF) will hold a protest outside Tanya Plibersek’s office to save the Tarkine in Tasmania. The Tarkine includes a vast area of cool-temperate rainforest which includes species that evolved from when continents were joined together as Gondwana.
The weekly BBF Forest Vigils outside NSW parliament house on Wednesdays are taking a break until parliament resumes in August. The vigils have drawn attention to native forest logging and provided weekly updates on the destruction taking place in NSW forests, particularly those in the promised Great Koala National Park.
NSW MPs
Judy Hannan Independent Member for Wollondilly made a Community Acknowledgement Statement about us in parliament following our visit to her electoral office in May, and the day after we presented her and other members of the crossbench with climate scarves.
Rory Amon Liberal Member for Pittwater spoke with Nannas Tracey, Penny, Felicity and Jill, representing both the Sydney Knitting Nannas and Pittwater Nannas on 17 June. We discussed
- The vital role forests play in world ecology, climate, and in our own survival.
- The Great Koala National Park and the damage caused to habitat by native forest logging. The required trees are not being preserved.
- Complex wildlife forests designated for the park have been misnamed ‘plantations’ to enable logging.
- The state-owned Forestry Corporation is not being transitioned but is being subsidised, when we can get our timber needs from real plantations.
- The tricks Forestry Corporation has played in their scramble to log as much as they can before the proposed park is finalised. In particular wildlife numbers and the definition of ‘plantations’.
- The plight of the Sydney koalas and the overdevelopment on the Cumberland Plain. NSW’s only chlamydia free koala population is under threat, because of inadequate government supervision and control. Our map showed him the six wide corridors recommended by the Chief Scientist and how these had been reduced to two narrow ones. Underpasses have been delayed and koalas are killed on busy Appin Road.
- Malatty Creek, a koala heaven, is also marked for further development.
- Our concern for the plight of other uniquely Aussie fauna including the ancient Stuttering Frog and Rufous Scrub bird.
- Local objections to the Lizard Rock development where decisions are imminent.
Rory agreed to raise questions with the state government about
- When will they cease native forest logging in the Great Koala National Park?
- What are the plans for koala protection in Cumberland area?
- Is scientific input being followed?
ACF Nature Forum
Two Nannas attended a Nature Forum hosted by ACF Eastern Sydney in the Randwick Town Hall on Wednesday. Independent Member for Wentworth, Allegra Spender, Labor Member for Kingsford Smith, Matt Thistlethwaite and Australian Youth Climate Coalition member Natasha Abhayawickrama answered poignant questions from members of the audience. Hip hop artist and slam poet Cocoa The Conscious performed to a packed house. Congratulations to ACF Community Eastern Sydney, MC Stephen Lightfoot and ACF expert Brendan Sykes for organising a terrific event.
GasBusters Webinar
NSWGreens warmed Nanna hearts (but sadly not their feet) at the launch of their Get Off the Gas campaign at NSW Parliament House on Thursday night.
Tim Buckley, Director of Climate Energy Finance, recently returned from China spoke about China’s staggering commitment to clean energy and how it will lead to a decline in China’s demand for Australian coal within the next decade.
We then watched Sarah Aubrey, founder of @Electrify_This as she took us through her two-month project of transforming her draughty two star energy rating federation house into a cosy ten star pad. Nannas will be lining up to follow her insta account with all her practical tips.
Joining them on the panel was Kate Minter, Managing Director of Rewiring Australia. She spoke about the role that individual households can play in the urgent need for Australians to transition to clean energy sources. Panelists agreed that the recent NSW Government Budget could have done a lot more to incentivize this switch – especially for renters. They pointed out that the Victorian government is doing better in encouraging people to get off gas and as Nannas know gas connections are not allowed in new homes in Victoria.
From the audience Doctors for the Environment Australia said they’re concerned about the large numbers of NSW school children with breathing problems caused by the continued use of gas heaters in schools.
There are lots of reasons for NSW to get off gas and Nannas will be asking how they can support this campaign over the coming months.
Ref: Staggering rise of clean energy in China a wake-up call to Australia – including on nuclear Renew Economy
The Future Gas Strategy is so much hot air Doctors for the environment
Knitting
Knitting the climate scarf based on the graphics of Show Your Stripes has revealed the big temperature leap between 2022 and 2023. Looking closely at the changes brings home just how rapidly the trend to global warming is happening. Since 1985, the temperature is never below the average. And it seems 2023 went ‘off the charts’. Show Your Stripes had to re-work their average to keep it on the graphic.
Nannas are watching
Britain’s Got Talent 2024 Midlife Movers audition in dressing gowns. YouTube
Forthcoming Events