If you thought Trump was the only one who wants to Drill Baby Drill – think again! Our governments do too, but unlike Trump they’re also claiming to be reducing emissions! How does that work?
We are going to Newcastle for the Rising Tide event – we will send out an update soon.
ACF Community Forum – Protect Country and Climate!
Last Thursday activists from the frontlines of the fight against gas in WA and the NT came to the Marrickville Town Hall in the PM’s electorate to tell Sydney people about the enormity of the gas industry’s plans to frack onshore and offshore in their regions.
First Nations traditional owners are fighting the gas industry’s plan to turn their country from pristine environments into industrial wastelands. Mililma May, a Danggalaba Kulumbirigin Tiwi woman from the NT, spoke about the Middle Arm petrochemical hub. It’s near Palmerston where there’s mangroves, coral and good fishing. She also spoke about the repressive law-making and attacks on Indigenous rights being implemented by the new NT government. Ten-year-old children can be imprisoned, and there are new “tough on crime” laws that will disproportionately affect Indigenous people.
The NT government plans to give authority to the Chief Minister and the Territory Co-ordinator to push projects through without standard environmental assessments if the project would result in “economic growth”. (The former head of Inpex gas corporation has been appointed the interim Territory Co-ordinator.)
Speakers covered the projects that we have campaigned against, and added some astonishing details on Darwin Middle Arm petrochemical hub, the Beetaloo, Barossa, Burrup, Scott Reef and the north-west shelf. There was also new information about the plan to frack the Kimberley.
Fighting to save the Kimberley isn’t new – James Price Point was stopped. But now there’s a Texas billionaire planning to frack and build a pipeline to Darwin. This project will be up for a decision by Tanya Plibersek soon, and Malcolm Pritchard of Kimberley Environs said they need support from the eastern states to win this one.
Dr Louise Woodward, a paediatrician from Darwin, explained the health risks of gas mining. Gas is a silent killer that shortens people’s lives if they are exposed to it. It causes some diseases or makes them worse: respiratory, cardio-vascular, cancer, diabetes. These health impacts aren’t recognised in the assessment process.
Participants sent emails to Albanese and Plibersek calling on the Labor party to stop approving new coal and gas in Australia, to redirect fossil fuel handouts towards renewable projects, and to use the water trigger to halt fracking in the Beetaloo Basin.
The ACF event had a great vibe, with stall spaces provided for climate and environment groups including Sydney Knitting Nannas. We had some good conversations with people interested in what we’re up to, and connected with groups on the frontline in the NT. Supporting the campaign against gas expansions will be a priority for us in the lead up to the federal election.
Gold Mine in Belubula Headwaters
Historian, Lisa Paton, spoke with Nannas at our last Zoom meeting about Regis Resources wanting to build a tailings dam for a gold mine at the headwaters of the Belubula River, near Blayney. Tanya Pliversek made a protection order under Indigenous heritage legislation to protect it in August but Regis has appealed in the Federal Court saying the decision is legally invalid.
Lisa has Wiradjuri and Bundjalong heritage. When she lived in the area, she looked at Aboriginal history in the Kings Plains area and found significant archaeological Aboriginal heritage at the headwaters of the river. The area is rich in artefacts.
We learnt that one pit is not viable, so numerous other sites have been marked for pits. Premier Chris Minns has marked these areas ‘unsuitable for wind turbines.’
The amount of exploration licenses in the Central west region of NSW is astounding and yet water is limited here. This is prime agricultural land within the Murray Darling catchment. A proposed Lithgow to Bathurst pipeline carrying saline water from Centennial Coal is a trojan horse to open the area up to silver, gold and copper mines. Legislation is being put forward to make these applications go through faster.
Belubula Headwaters Protection Group Facebook
Have your say on draft Belubula water sharing Plan – webinar on Wednesday 27 November from 12pm to 1pm (NSW Government)
Macquarie Marshes under threat again
In July the regulator withdrew their approval for drilling in this incredible, ecologically rich and sensitive network of wetlands that spans 200,000 hectares in NSW’s central west. It shows an astonishing amount of hubris, that this mining company thinks this is an acceptable place for exploration, let alone a copper or gold mine.
Now, the miner, Australian Consolidated Gold Holdings, is taking the Minister for Resources to court to get the drilling approval reinstated. (Western Plains App)
Social Impact Alliance Report
Several Knitting Nannas joined MPs in the Jubilee Room at NSW Parliament House for the Social Impacts Alliance’s presentation of their new report Community Sacrifice for Coal and Gas on 13 November.
The report points to gaps in the planning system and recommends how to help rural and regional communities. 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. The NSW planning system has failed to protect the human rights of citizens to a clean safe environment.
The 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) are all friends of the Sydney Knitting Nannas.
Bev Smiles, a legendry mining impacts activist and rivers advocate, represented mining impacted communities. Meg Bowen, a landowner in the Hunter Valley, is campaigning against Santos’ gas pipeline, which is proposed to go through her property.
Lendlease and koalas
A Save Sydney’s Koalas protest was held outside the Lendlease AGM on Friday 15 November.
Nearly three years ago, many Nannas joined a big protest on Appin Road to save south-west Sydney’s koalas. The protest demanded that Lendlease construct underpasses or other safe passage for koalas across this road before they began work on their housing development. However, as soon as they gained approval from Transport for NSW, Lendlease commenced the roadworks without the underpasses.
Fencing, some constructed by Lendlease outside their development at Mt Gilead and some by Transport for NSW further south, has contributed to koala deaths rather than prevented them. Koalas have been displaced and distressed by the extensive roadside tree destruction and they are wandering onto the road and being trapped there by the fence. (Yahoo News)
In the three years since that demonstration, 49 koalas have been killed on Appin Rd, the greatest number in the last 12 months. (Sydney Basin Koala Network)
The area that Lendlease is now developing as housing has always been used by koalas as a dispersal corridor as the population increased. We are also calling on Lendlease to recognise koala dispersal corridors in their development plans, an idea which they have always resisted.
During the AGM Diana Pryde, Secretary of Save Sydney Koalas, asked Michael Ullmer, the Chairman of Lendlease, if he was aware that Lendlease had misled Greg Warren, Member for Campbelltown, about there being no koalas struck by vehicles on the 3km stretch of road outside the Lendlease Gilead development. Publicly available data shows that four koalas were hit since work began in March this year – 2 of which died.” (A reply has been promised by Tuesday.)
Diana also raised the fact that “the underpass should have been built before road works began. It is breeding season and koalas are moving between the Georges and Nepean Rivers and being obstructed by the fencing forcing them along the Appin Road.”
Note: Australian Ethical has divested their Lendlease shares citing lack of transparency about the Koala Corridors on Gilead.
New protest laws
Minns Labor Government wants to strengthen penalties for blocking railways to boost safety in illegal protest crackdown. (Minns Media Release)
New laws are another slap in the face for the right to protest (NSW Council for Civil Liberties media release)
Sydney Ratbags and Change Makers: Exploring Women and Environmental Work
Nanna Bron attended this Town Hall style meeting and was very impressed by how it was facilitated by Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia (WELA).
It was a great opportunity to reflect on the contributions of women protecting our environment and natural resources.
Nannas are watching
Maori haka in NZ parliament to protest at bill to reinterpret founding treaty BBC
Explainer of the Treaty of Waitangi Facebook
Jack Tame Interviews Hana Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, before she became NZ’s youngest MP in 170 years YouTube
Nannas are listening
After our arrests, Susie Russell on the #SaveBulgaForest latest (No Fibs Podcast)
Nannas are reading
To save the planet: Disable this global consumer-corporate machine Pearls and Irritations
The most disaster-prone council in NSW, Shoalhaven, says it has run out of cash. Many councils are in trouble because of extreme weather events, but there’s no mention it’s about climate change. Sydney Morning Herald
Forthcoming Events