Magistrate recognises that Nannas’ motivation in engaging in civil disobedience was altruism, Newcastle Council approves the 2025 People’s Blockade, Nannas start collecting evidence of disinformation and where to join us at events this week.
Save Bulga Forest Trio in Court
Nannas Dom and Helen, whose court action in 2023 revealed that some of the state’s anti-protest laws were invalid, were back in court last week. This time they faced charges related to locking on to a logging machine to stop logging in Bulga Forest, along with another forest activist arrested at the same time.
The magistrate deliberated for well over an hour and then conceded their motive for offending and engaging in civil disobedience stemmed from altruistic sources.
They were not convicted or fined, but they were placed on good behaviour bonds and ordered not to enter restricted areas of Bulga State Forest in the next six months.
The background story – Nannas Dom and Helen arrested in Bulga Forest
Channel 7 News coverage on Facebook
Rising Tide Council Decision
Newcastle Council has approved the event application for the 2025 People’s Blockade of the world’s largest Coal Port, giving Rising Tide official permission to:
- Set up a Protest Camp on council parklands from November 27 to December 2 (pending a short notification process for local residents).
- Host their Protestival in Camp Shortland on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 November, beside the iconic flotilla on the water.
More than 160 locals watched the council meeting late into the night. Registrations for the event will open soon. Rising Tide website.
Senate committee on climate change and energy misinformation
Nannas are looking for evidence of misinformation and disinformation for a submission to this important Senate Committee. You can start looking too.
This is an opportunity to get onto the public record the climate denials, climate disinformation and doublespeak, as well as the impact this has had on communities.
Academics and organisations will be sending in submissions, but Nannas want to encourage anyone with a personal story or a community experience to send in a submission too. We are here to help if needed. Look out for climate disinformation being spread by
- fossil fuel companies,
- advertisements, editorials and opinion pieces in the media,
- flyers, letter drops and other correspondence,
- conversations held at polling booths.
Submissions close on 12 September, so we really need to get onto it now. Report due Feb 2026. More info soon.
Rise Against Coal Forum in Katoomba
Nanna’s Catherine and Anne attended a community meeting on 9 August, to hear the evidence and proposed actions against the coal pollution impacting Sydney’s drinking water catchment, the sensitive Gardens of Stone region and the Blue Mountains World Heritage area.
Underground coal mining is damaging groundwater, destroying endangered peat swamps, and threatening nature.
Water expert Dr Ian Wright gave a range of evidence, demonstrating the impact of coal mining and the burning of coal, and how this undermines the UN development Goal #6 ‘the right to clean water and sanitation.’ Dr Wright summed up the levels of water pollution at the head of the Coxs River as the worst that he has seen in 30+ years, with extreme high levels of heavy metals, including barium, zinc, cadmium, mercury. While Dr Wright has hope, he called out the EPA’s abject failure to protect the waterways.
Local Labor NSW MP Trish Doyle stated that “mining companies have wreaked havoc” and that in this term of government she will introduce a bill to strengthen the EPA and its regulatory powers and fines. She said that the Minns government and Environment Minister Penny Sharpe are serious about climate action, but she acknowledged that they have been slow to act. She committed to continue to speak up in the party room and publicly.
Greens MLC Sue Higginson noted that the practice of Centennial Coal and Springvale mine dumping dirty water into the Coxs River continues, despite that not passing the neutral or beneficial effect on water quality test. She added that the current mess was created by Labor’s failure to act to strengthen the provisions when they had the opportunity to do so, resulting in the ‘dirty provision’ (Schedule 5). Sue referred to the current impact of mining discharges as ecocide and warned that the filth is building. She called for the EPA to be a steward for the environment, rather than just a regulator.
Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill will pass a Mayoral minute at the next council meeting, supporting the motion for an enquiry and stated that “coals time has come.”
The motion calls for
- An immediate halt to water pollution, and nature and heritage destruction,
- A NSW Parliamentary Inquiry to correct regulatory failures and prevent further damage caused to this sensitive region by the coal industry,
- Protection of Sydney’s drinking water catchment through Labor’s promised river health laws,
- A coal phase out and rehabilitation plan that secures the health of rivers, nature and the community.
Mark Greenhill, Sue Higginson and Trish Doyle fully support the motion from the meeting and have committed to working together to get action to protect the Cox’s river feed and to pursue the aims of the motion.
Wednesday 20 August – 3 September – NSW Budget estimates inquiries
Nannas will be attending some of the Budget Estimate Sessions this week in person and online. Listening in to Ministers and public servants being questioned can provide new insights, and at least they know we are watching what they do.
Wed 20/8 Premier (Minns); + Land and Property (Kamper)
Fri 22/8 Treasurer (Mookhey); + Water, Housing (Jackson)
Mon 25/8 Planning (Scully); + Industry and Trade (Chanthivong)
Thu 28/8 Attorney General (Daley)
Fri 29/8 Climate Change, Energy, Environment (Sharpe)
Mon 1/9 Agriculture, Regional NSW (Moriarty)
Tue 2/9 Natural Resources (Houssos)
Wed 3/9 Police, Counter Terrorism and The Hunter (Catley)
Wednesday 20 August – Join Koala Man Peter Elzer crossing Sydney Harbour Bridge
Peter Elzer is walking from Coffs Harbour to the NSW Parliament to publicise the plight of koalas in the forests that should by now be part of the Great Koala National Park. Peter will be dressed as Koala Man and Sydney Nannas and a crowd of animals will accompany him across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Meet at the Northern Elevator, near corner of Bligh and Broughton Street to depart at 10am. Check for any last minute updates on Facebook Event.
Saturday 23 August: Menindee Memorial Stitch – Manly
Julie Paterson, the artist creating the Menindee Memorial Loop, is inviting stitchers to join her in the next stage of the project. She will be at Manly Art Gallery and Museum at 1 West Esplanade, Manly a short walk from Manly Wharf from 11am – 2pm. Bring along some cotton scraps (roughly the size of a postcard), a needle and some colourful thread.
We will sit together and slow-stitch some scraps to add to the next Menindee Memorial Loop. It’s not tricky – you don’t need to be a skilled stitcher.
Sunday 24 August 1pm: Nationwide March for Palestine
Sydney Nannas will join the Sydney rally and march, which will start at Hyde Park north at 1pm. The demands are: Stop the starvation, stop the genocide, stop arming Israel, sanction Israel now! Facebook Event
Pop Up Peace Choir starts at 12.30pm
Nannas are watching
Momentum – Mohammed “Dr Mo” Mustafa might only be a junior doctor from Perth, but he’s got the ear of leaders from around the world as he tries to turn his dream of a children’s hospital in Gaza into reality. (ABC iview Australian Story)
Louis Theroux: The Settlers – In the occupied territory of the West Bank is a growing ultra-nationalist community of Israeli settlers. Louis meets prominent settlers and discovers the consequences of their activity – and their plans to move into Gaza. (ABC iview)
Earth – Brought to life by mesmerising visual effects, Earth takes us back to a time when the sky and the seas were sepia-tinted, and giant fungi dominated the landscape. (ABC iview)
Inside Job is a 2010 American documentary film, directed by Charles Ferguson, about the late 2000s financial crisis.
Nannas are reading
Don’t be fooled by the name, community batteries – check out the different schemes (The Fifth Estate)
Forthcoming Events