Last week Nannas acknowledged Blue Skies and Threatened Species Days, celebrated a win at a Forest vigil, heard from our representatives at a medical conference and a coal group and more.
Blue Sky Day and Threatened Species Day
Sydney Knitting Nannas gathered in Glebe Point Park on Sunday 7 September to acknowledge International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies and Threatened Species Day.
This was the perfect day to hear that the Minns government have placed a moratorium on logging in the proposed Great Koala National Park, and that the full area of the park will be delivered. Finally, they are offering some protection for a few of our most threated species. Nannas big and small celebrated.
Before the park is declared the Premier has said that it must be included in a federal carbon credit scheme that has not been finalised. Carbon credits are used by polluters to offset their emissions, and in most cases they don’t work to protect the climate. They are of great value to polluting corporations because they allow new or extended polluting projects to go ahead.
References:
NSW locks in great koala national park and brings in immediate ban on logging (The Guardian)
The problem with carbon credits and offsets explained – The Australia Institute)
Forest vigil
Knitting Nannas and a greater glider joined Bob Brown Foundation supporters at Parliament House to celebrate the ban on logging in the Great Koala National Park at a Forest Vigil in Martin Place on 10 September. On a rainy day and to the beat of the Drum Rebellion, they continued to call for native forest logging to be banned across NSW.
Medical Conference
Sydney Knitting Nannas were represented at the Health and Climate Forum run by Doctors for the Environment Australia by Associate Professor Dr Forbes McGain. The forum was held 4-6 September at Parliament House Canberra (Day 1 Parliament House Theatrette, Day 2&3 Old Parliament House).
Presentations covered health risks from climate change, the urgent need to reduce fossil fuels, building a more resilient health system in the face of climate change, and reducing the health system’s own pollution and carbon emissions.
Forbes is an international leader in reducing the health system’s emissions and its massive plastic waste. He leads the Healthcare Carbon Lab at the University of Melbourne. More about him here. https://mdhs.unimelb.edu.au/healthcare-carbon-lab
He wore his SKN T-shirt during his own presentation to the Forum audience, and among the leaders of Doctors for the Environment Australia.
Several politicians participated, notably the cross bench including Dr Monique Ryan, Dr Sophie Scamps, Allegra Spender, and Senator David Pocock. Regrettably Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who was expected to speak, was not able to attend. Other speakers included Dr. Jemesa Tudravu (Fiji) and Dr. Richard Denniss (The Australia Institute).
Concerns were expressed that the Labor government seems to have interpreted the modest performance of the Greens in the last election to mean the community doesn’t want more action on environmental issues and climate change.
Of note, Pocock spoke passionately about his formative experiences in nature during his childhood. It was clear that he places importance on protecting the natural environment for future generations.
Coal Report
Mt Pleasant court decision: There was a great celebration in the Muswellbrook RSL attended by the team of locals, the legal team and Penny Sackett the former Chief Scientist. The decision is now being called the Denman decision.
A letter will be sent to Paul Scully, Penny Sharpe, Dept of Planning and IPC about the Denman Decision (previously called Mt Pleasant). Sydney Nannas are signatories. It calls on the government to:
- Pause progression of coal projects through the planning system while further assessment is undertaken
- Require all projects to conduct a full and up-to-date assessment of local climate impacts via amendments to their Environmental Impact Statements.
- Properly consult local communities on these impacts before any decision is made.
MACH has sought leave to appeal to the High Court. We won’t know till late this year whether the court will hear the appeal, and if they do it will take a year. If the court doesn’t agree to hear the appeal the case will go back to the Land & Environment court.
Coalfields:
Mudgee District Environment Group has appealed the approval of Ulan mine due to the Denman decision.
Also, based on this decision, mining companies will have to rework how they do Environmental Impact Statements (EIS).
HVO is back in the planning system and submissions are due by 25 September. It is still massive. The application does not seem to respond to the Denman decision.
Illawarra and Sydney drinking water is at risk from Peabody’s Metropolitan mine so it should be assessed by the Independent Planning Commission. Illawarra Nannas and others groups are lobbying their NSW MP and Planning Minister Paul Scully.
Safeguard Mechanism
Ulan is huge and has high emissions, yet it doesn’t meet the threshold for the Safeguard Mechanism. Only Scope 1 emissions are included in the Safeguard Mechanism. Ulan is an example of how the Safeguard Mechanism is not fit for purpose.
“Modification” Campaign
There is a campaign being planned against projects being labelled “modifications” so they can be quietly approved by the pro-coal Department of Planning.
Nanna Heather awarded the Annual History Citation
The History Council of New South Wales awarded Emeritus Professor Heather Goodall with the 2025 Annual History Citation. They acknowledged her “contributions to history through her efforts to inform and enrich national conversations on our Indigenous histories and the myriad of inter-colonial relationships that have influenced our past and present. With deep knowledge, and determination, she has dedicated much of her career focusing on environmental history, particularly the histories of water, rivers and oceans”.
2025 Annual History Lecture Awards
Regional Nanna News
Victoria’s Mount Alexander Knitting Nannas held a protest at Woolies on 6 September to tell customers not to buy deforested beef because of the environmental damage caused by land clearing.
Beef is the number one cause of habitat loss and Woolies is the number one buyer of beef, apart from Hungry Jacks and McDonalds. Koalas are on the brink of extinction in many parts of NSW and Queensland where most of this land clearing is occurring.
To be clear, Nannas are not asking Woolies to not sell beef, they are asking them to not source beef from areas which are being cleared now. This was the promise they made to Australians last year and they need to honour this commitment. https://www.mountalexanderknittingnannas.org/
News from ACF
Members of ACF are planning visits to ALP MPs offices to drop off many letters calling for laws to protect nature with strong rules and an independent referee. The campaign also asks for an end to deforestation and to stop climate destruction.
The co-ordination of this action is on a WhatsApp group. The letter text is here.
Former Greens leader Adam Bandt will join ACF as CEO in January 2026. Until then the current CEO Kelly O’Shanassy will remain at the helm.
Nannas are reading
Woodside vs the Planet – Marian Wilkinson – Why is Australia doubling down on fossil fuels? (Quarterly Essay)
This is World Heritage?Jesse Noakes reflects on the new Quarterly Essay from the source of emissions (The Last Place on Earth)
[If you want to listen to or see both these writers go to The Sunday Shot podcast or watch on YouTube]
Forthcoming Events