Over 20 Nannas attended the Sydney Knitting Nannas meeting on Friday at Customs House near Circular Quay. First, we took photos for social media, then had a cuppa and a chat before making a video and starting the meeting.
NSW Parliament – it’s time for Welcome Back Pollies
The first sitting of the NSW Parliament begins on Tuesday, 11 February and Nannas and Friends will be there to welcome them back at 10.30am at the top of Martin Place on Macquarie Street.
There’ll be singing, knitting, speeches and Q&As with the MPs who drop by. Please join us if you can – How about bringing a placard about something you want from the parliament this year? Facebook Event
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act
There was a lot of discussion around the upcoming federal election and whether the Labor government will pass the ‘Nature Positive’ laws in a sitting of parliament before the election.
Our hopes were dashed on Sunday when Albo shelved the laws after resistance from the Western Australian Labor Premier, Roger Cook, and sections of the mining industry. (ABC News)
The Samuel Review on our current laws was publicly released in February 2021. It found the EPBC Act “is out-dated and requires fundamental reform. It does not enable the Commonwealth to effectively fulfil its environmental management responsibilities to protect nationally important matters.”
Since the Samuel Review, the environment movement has worked tirelessly for real reform in many different ways. Nannas have been part of the campaigns, including when Morrison’s LNP attempted to make the laws even weaker. We’ve written letters and submissions, rallied, marched and barracked for MPs working in parliament for reform. And, what did we get? One improvement was a water trigger that includes shale gas mining, but will it stop the massive new mines in the NT? We don’t know.
Yet again state and federal governments have caved in to the mining industry. Who runs this country?
Nannas will not give up! – It’s time to get louder on saving the land, air and water.
Election 2025
Sydney Knitting Nannas have put together some information about the forthcoming federal election to help people make their vote count. There’s information on what a hung parliament is, and how it can be a good thing for democracy. More information will be added after the date for the election has been set.
We can’t rely on the school system to educate young people about voting, so please share information with grandchildren and others who are turning 18 or have not yet voted. Spread the word – talk to family, friends, hairdressers and allied health workers. Start a conversation!
This election is critical for all of us, and particularly to young people and future generations.
The following is the first of a Truth Trust series we are doing for the election as we know the lies are going to be bigger than ever.
Central West News
The new Central West Nannas loop have done their first Knit-In outside Andrew Gee’s office in Bathurst in the federal seat of Calare. Gee, an Independent, quit the National Party in December 2022 over the party’s opposition to the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
Knit-Ins by various Nanna loops are expected to be held outside Liberal and National Party MP’s offices and at markets or on the streets up until the election.
Renewables
A higher number of people will be employed in the renewable sector than in fossil fuels. “Every dollar of investment in renewables creates three times more jobs than in the fossil fuel industry.” United Nations
Wednesday, 5 February – Extreme heat awareness day
Sweltering Cities is a group operating in Sydney and Melbourne. There is lots of information on their website about this growing group and the issues they have been working on. Sixty-five groups nationwide will be having actions – a lot of them about climate change and health issues related to extreme heat.
Sydney Knitting Nannas have decided not to have an event this year but to plan for one next year. Instead, we will do a social media awareness campaign focussing on:
- how the NSW Planning Department in Parramatta can make cities more liveable with a focus on solutions
- the fact that older women are more vulnerable to heat exhaustion.
We will also attend a webinar by Sweltering Cities and Red Cross on Wednesday, 5 February at 2 pm. Reserve a spot and get a link here.
Submissions
Nanna Cathy, one of our keen writers, says: Initially, writing submissions can be daunting, but it is a great learning experience. Keep in mind you don’t have to be a good writer or know a lot about an issue, as there is usually a submission guide. Writing in your own words is best and you don’t need to make it long.
If submissions are clearly copies of a guide, they are counted as one bulk submission with other similar ones. See our guide on writing submissions and follow the link to the 3 steps.
Send emails from your individual email address, not through an organisation.
Nannas are reading
Make a noise or work with the system? New research reveals four ways to create real change for nature (The Conversation)
‘Be prepared to die out there’: Workers blow the whistle on Adani’s Carmichael coal mine (SBS News)
Santos celebrates capture and storage of 340,000 tonnes of CO2, but expert says it’s ‘hardly a drop’ (ABC News)
Tamboran and Santos sign MOU to explore Darwin LNG expansion (Petroleum Australia)
Forthcoming Events