Nannas had big issues with the NSW parliament this week, and plotted actions directed at the Albanese government on Palestine and climate misinformation.
Welcome Back Pollies – NSW Parliament
Our NSW pollies were back in parliament this week so Nannas rallied outside to urge them to take some big steps. There were speeches on our favourite topics and Nanna Penny lead us in singing for climate, koalas and renewables not fossil fuels.
As ever real climate action is at the top of our list. Hunter Knitting Nannas came down to tell the pollies that their towns have been repeatedly flooded out in this term of government. Nannas expressed their heartbreak and outrage that there are still about 20 new fossil fuel projects moving through the planning system while their communities keep copping the effects of climate-related extreme weather events.
Fixing the Murray Darling Basin River system is urgent. Nanna Tracey spoke about the need for more water to be returned to the rivers, and how over extraction played a part in causing the algal bloom near Adelaide. On a hopeful note she reported that the state’s Water Sharing Plans are under review and that some recommendations of the Connectivity Report could be included. This makes it a good time for us to be in touch with MPs about bringing the Water Sharing Plans into line with restoring the health of the rivers.
Nannas want to know when the government will declare the long-promised Great Koala National Park. When will they end native forest logging? We asked Sue Higginson, Greens MP, when she came to meet us. She said she’s searching for hints that the Koala Park will be declared soon but so far there’s no clear sign of when it will happen. Sue also encouraged us to keep standing up for the right to protest, and to keep pushing for action on climate and biodiversity.
South-West Sydney Koalas still need safe corridors to protect them. Saul Deane of the Total Environment Centre explained that construction of housing and infrastructure in South West Sydney is proceeding at a pace, but infrastructure that will allow the koalas safe corridors is slow. In the case of Malatty Creek, part of a critical corridor, it has been blocked off.
The government’s gazetting of the Warranmadhaa (Georges River Koala National Park), between Long Point and Appin, is a good step towards protecting koalas. An urgent need remains to provide safe corridors in the areas impacted by residential developments.
Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative’s Peace Symposium
This event brought together 120 people from the Blue Mountains for discussions of peace and nuclear disarmament. Speakers included the Lord Mayor Mark Greenhill, Robert Tickner, author and peace activist, the Indonesian Ambassador Dr Siswo Pramono, local federal MP Susan Templeman and Nanna Catherine Dobbie.
The Blue Mountains Council is a member of the Councils for Peace, an international alliance initiated by the Mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the horrific aftermath of the USA’s bombing of their cities 80 years ago. There was strong support for the Australian government to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, a legally binding international agreement which has the goal of total elimination of nuclear weapons. Indonesia has already ratified the treaty.
Susan Templeman, who is a member of the Labor committee for Defence and International Trade, has participated in several international events about this issue. When asked about progress towards ratification she stated that these things take a long time to generate.
There were also calls for Australia to pull out of the AUKUS agreement, and a lot of concern being expressed about US bases making Australia a target in the event of war.
Bill to repeal repressive NSW anti-protest laws
Greens MP for Balmain, Kobi Shetty, has a bill before parliament to repeal anti-protest laws in NSW. Nannas were in the packed public gallery to hear Ms Shetty’s second reading speech last week. She traced the history of Coalition and ALP laws introduced in recent years to limit protest rights and increase penalties. She added: “We must ensure we have a society where people are not criminalised and imprisoned for expressing themselves in peaceful and nonviolent ways. The ongoing attacks on the right to protest must stop, and these undemocratic laws should be repealed.”
While the public gallery was packed the Assembly itself was not, with only a small number of MPs attending. We will look out for the date and time of the debate on this bill.
Hiroshima Day rally at Sydney Town Hall – 80 year commemoration
About 100 people joined the rally at Sydney Town Hall on Saturday to mark 80 years since the USA dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Author Sara Haddad spoke about the cruel impacts of nuclear bombs. She and other speakers described the similarities of the bombing of the Japanese and the bombing of Gaza, saying that Gaza is like Hiroshima in slow motion.
March for Humanity
The Sydney Nanna contingent in the March for Humanity was led by the standard “Yarn not War”. We joined 300,000 people from Sydney and nearby regions in calling for an end to starvation and bombings of Palestinians, for Australian government sanctions and for an end to the arms trade with Israel.
Where to from here for this growing movement for humanity? The next big event is the Nationwide March for Palestine on Sunday 24 August, 1pm in Hyde Park.
Nannas will keep writing to the PM, the Foreign Minister and our federal MPs. What we want: a permanent ceasefire, urgent sanctions against Israel, stopping the arms trade immediately and pushing for food and medical aid to be allowed in. Priority must be given to stopping the starvation and killing of the Palestinian people. This is what we want from the government. Nannas know this is what brought hundreds of thousands of people together on the harbour bridge in pouring rain.
Knitting and craft auction
Nannas were asked by the NCC to contribute something to their Gala fund raising auction. Nannas Lynn and Elizabeth knitted climate scarves and Luce made some jewellry.
“Wowee, how popular your scarves were! Within a day of them being online they were the top most bid on item, and finished equal top with 24 bids in total. In the end, they went for $320 and $300! Bidding wars were also started over Luce’s lovely items, and in the end they helped us raise $127!” said Niamh Murray from NCC.
Senate committee on climate change and energy misinformation
This inquiry will examine how misinformation is financed, produced, and disseminated, including the use of ‘astroturfing’, bots, and trolls. The committee is particularly interested in understanding the role of social media and the potential for foreign interference in domestic political campaigns regarding climate and energy policy.
We can all make submissions to the inquiry and back them up with as many examples of misinformation as we can find. Having evidence like screenshots, links, personal stories, advertisements, billboards will make our submissions powerful. There’s a sea of examples – from offshore wind farms killing whales to the fossil fuel industry funding our health and education systems. We can look for co-ordinated misinformation between groups and make arguments about how the misinformation causes harm. Submissions close on 12 September, so we really need to start collecting examples now. To make a submission.
Nannas are watching
Nannas are reading
85% emissions cut by 2035? Yes we can (The Conversation)
Take the Climate Council’s Good News Climate Quiz (Facebook)
We know the Sydney Harbour Bridge protest against the killing in Gaza was huge – but just how big was it? (The Guardian)
Forthcoming Events