A busy week for Nannas – one arrested defending our forests, others attended actions at NSW parliament, Singleton and Newcastle. Some performed at a presentation about the Nannas, and others went to the theatre.
Native Forest Logging
Nanna Carol and Bron talk in Newcastle before Bron goes up to join the protesters in the Bulga State Forest.
Sydney Nanna Bron locked onto a logging machine and was arrested. She was the 15th protester to be arrested in the Bulga Forest, the home of endangered koalas and greater gliders. Read her story here
Green’s MLC, Sue Higginson spoke on native forests on Tuesday 15 October in the NSW Parliament.
“Last week the New South Wales and Federal Labor governments hosted the Global Nature Positive Summit in Sydney, yet across the State the New South Wales Minns Labor Government’s Forestry Corporation is smashing our public forest estate and engaging in industrial-scale extinction logging of our globally significant native forest and the myriad of threatened and forest-dependent species that call them home. All of this senseless extinction logging and the destruction and carnage is fuelling the climate crisis to extreme levels. It is destroying our frontline defence against the worst impacts of climate change because healthy, functioning forests are the best chance we have of drawing down the greenhouse emissions that are destroying the stable climate we once knew. Our forests capture, draw down and store carbon, which is one of the most important things we can do and should be doing right now.”
Reports in the media:
Lock on: from reporting on protests to joining them. (The Saturday Paper)
Greater gliders risk being wiped out after drastically undercounted government survey, campaigners say (The Guardian)
Amnesty International Film and Presentation
The Eastern Suburbs chapter of Amnesty invited us to a screening of the 35 minute documentary Walanbaa_Ngiiyani / Stronger Together, and to do a presentation on what Nannas do on Tuesday 15 October.
The film follows a group of young Gomeroi and Pacifika climate activists on a road trip to and around the Pilliga forest. It’s a great film and you can host a free screening online, at a venue, or in your home.
Nanna Bernie presented a 20 minute slide show of our work and antics. Nannas paraded a few examples of our craftivism and played the part of their costumes well. Bernie got lots of laughs from the small but engaged audience. We are ready and willing to perform similar shows at other events.
Snap Action – Bowden’s silver and lead mine
Sydney Nannas joined Peter Swain, from the Dabee tribe of the Wiradjuri nation and members of the Mudgee Region Action Group outside parliament on Thursday 17 October to raise our concerns about a proposed amendment to NSW planning laws.
In August 2024 the Court of Appeal decision of Bingman Catchment Landcare Group Incorporated v Bowdens Silver Pty Ltd set a precedent for how State Significant Developments (SSDs) must be assessed. The court ruled that all components of a development must be included in the Environmental Impact Statement. In Bowdens case a transmission line supplying electricity to the mine was not included. (The Development Site)
In response NSW Planning Minister Scully is bringing forward a Bill to give the Planning Secretary authority to determine which parts of any State Significant Development project are “integral” to it. This would give the Secretary the power to allow separate assessments of project parts. This could result in the cumulative environmental impacts of a project not being considered, as happened in the Independent Planning Commission’s decision to approve the Bowdens mine.
Nannas are relieved that if passed the Bill will respect the Appeals Court’s determination that the approval of Bowdens lead mine is invalid. The company may make a new project submission at the EIS stage but the inherent dangers of lead projects mean that they will continue to face fierce community opposition.
Snap action – Anti-protest laws
A dozen Nannas joined over 40 activists and members of grassroots community groups on Thursday 17 October in the gallery at Parliament House to hear a debate about repealing NSW protest laws.
Nannas stand with unionists, environmentalists and anti-war campaigners in an important fight for democracy, which must include the right to peaceful protest.
Greens MLC, Sue Higginson, opened the debate. “The right and freedom of the people of New South Wales to assemble publicly to protest, to come together in dissent, in grief, or in anger—however they choose—is of fundamental importance. In recent times there has been an assault on that very fundamental right. We are seeing an intolerance and, in no uncertain terms, a threat to that fundamental right.”
She went on to say – “When I was young, I saw an injustice. I remember the very day I decided to take a stand. I locked onto a bulldozer, using my body as the only thing that was left to stop the destruction of an ancient forest and all of the life that depended on it that could not possibly defend itself. That forest is now protected by law and is an incredibly valuable environmental, social and economic asset of this State. I did not go to jail back then. But if I did now what I did then, under the current anti-protest laws I may not be so fortunate. Without a doubt, I would be treated far more harshly: possibly denied bail and placed in police prison for one, two or maybe three nights, before being taken to court, then placed on strict and harsh bail conditions, subjected to surveillance and arbitrary intervention in my home, and restricted from being with my friends, loved ones and community. The State would spend a lot of money and resources on punishing me—and to what end?”
Ms Higginson organised a press conference on the rooftop following the debate where there were excellent speeches by representatives of the Civil Liberties Council and activist groups.
Well Behaved Women
After the events at Parliament House, twelve Sydney Knitting Nannas attended a matinee of Well Behaved Women at the Belvoir Theatre. The Nannas loved the show – the stories, the singing and the acting and recommend it to all.
After the show we met Andrea Nevill in the lobby. She is a cast member and a First Nations Ambassador for Youth for Human Rights International.
One of our favourite Nanna t-shirts says – Well behaved women seldom make history, a much used quote from an obscure academic paper by Harvard professor Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. She was writing in 1976 about Puritan women celebrated in funeral sermons. The quote was meant to indicate that well-behaved women were not studied by historians.
Ulrich later wrote a book explaining the origin of the quotation and looked back at women of the past who had challenged the way history was written. “Ulrich updates their attempts to reimagine female possibilities and looks at the women who didn’t try to make history but did.”
NSW Social Impact Assessment
NSW rural communities endure the negative social impacts of coal and gas extraction, including 24 hour noise, dust, blasting, combustion, increased traffic, and loss of population, place, culture, and well-being. A new report Community Sacrifice for Coal and Gas highlights the NSW planning system’s failure to protect the human rights of citizens to a clean safe environment.
This report was prepared by the Social Impacts Alliance, with the support of Associate Professor Hedda Haugen Askland from the University of Newcastle, NSW. Contributors: Bev Smiles (Wollar), Julie Lyford (Gloucester), Meg Bowman (Upper Hunter) and Sally Hunter (Narrabri and Gunnedah).
Saturday 26 October – Crafternoon
1.30pm Glebe – contact us for address and how to get there. Get together over craft, catching up, sharing ideas and, of course, biscuits, cakes and tea. This is a good way for new Nannas to get to know others in the group.
Bring any craft project you’re working on, ideas for craft projects and Christmas gifts, and something to add to afternoon tea, but only if convenient – you don’t have to. Nanna Elizabeth will have on hand patterns, beginner and how to books, paper, cloth, yarn, paints.
Whitehaven Coal Actions
Wednesday 30 October – Whitehave AGM – Halloween Spooktacular
Move Beyond Coal Action 9.30am at Fullerton Hotel. The address is 1 Martin Place, but we’ll be gathering at the Pitt Street entrance where shareholders will be entering.
Key messages – Whitehaven coal plans are monstrous – need to be stopped. Expansion plans will lead to mass koala deaths, mining pollution, more prevalent climate change, any involvement with coal is risky business. However, we are not scared of you Whitehaven – we will continue to stand up to you.
Lots of costumes with a Halloween theme. There will be speakers, sea shanties and dancing. RSVP here
Thursday 31 October – Land & Environment Court
The penalty for Whitehaven’s four charges will be announced. An event will be held outside the court where we will sing coal songs – probably around 9.30am.
Nannas are watching
Nannas are reading
Moving graphic from World Meteorological Organisation showing monthly global mean temp difference ( deg C) compared with 1850-1900 average (ABC News)
Trees and land absorbed almost no CO2 last year. Is nature’s carbon sink failing? The sudden collapse of carbon sinks was not factored into climate models – and could rapidly accelerate global heating. (The Guardian)
Nannas are listening to
Rachel Lowry on nature conservation The Wisdom & Action Podcast
Forthcoming Events