Last week: Nannas worked with Greenpeace to save Scott Reef, called out proposed new NSW Planning laws for being outrageous, attended a Gender and Heat Symposium, followed the disinformation inquiry and met with an MP.
Action – Save Scott Reef
Over 500,000 people have signed the Greenpeace Save Scott Reef petition. Greenpeace’s new ability to identify how many signatories per electorate is a powerful tool when dealing with local politicians.
Some Nannas joined Greenpeace on a visit to the office of Matt Thistlethwaite MP on 30 September. During the brief meeting with the Member for Kingsford Smith, he was given a photo book and a poster, which on the back had the number of people in his electorate who had signed the Save Scott Reef petition – over 3000.
Matt Thistlethwaite gave the delegation time for a brief conversation about Woodside’s proposed gas drilling near the pristine Scott Reef off the WA coast. This is a unique and stunningly beautiful reef – watch the documentary Corals’ Last Stand.
Nannas will continue to put as much pressure as we can on our federal ALP MPs – expanding gas drilling offshore and fracking onshore would not only wreck precious natural wonders like Scott Reef – it would also break the government’s commitment to act on climate change. Our ALP MPs cannot continue to claim they stand with Pacific nations against global warming if they continue to support the expansion of gas and coal. We urge all Labor MPs to speak up for Scott Reef.
NSW Planning laws
Nannas are outraged about the proposed Minns’ government’s changes to the NSW Planning system. The Premier along with Planning Minister Scully say the bill is about speeding up the development of new housing, but it is about all developments. If legislated as it is currently drafted, it would mean giving extraordinary powers to the Minister and the Planning Secretary. Developments could be designated to make it illegal for decision makers to consider the environmental impacts, suitability of a site, the public interest and the social and economic impacts of a project on a locality.
The NSW Government introduced the Environmental Planning and Assessment (Planning System Reforms) Bill 2025 into the NSW Parliament on 17 September without public consultation and with no detailed explanatory material. The government is expected to try to rush it through both Houses of Parliament in the next sitting, which commences on 14 October.
Here’s a link to points we’ve compiled about why this bill needs proper scrutiny and what we suggest you ask your MP to do. Below are some resources you can use to understand the problem more fully.
The NSW Nature Conservation Council will host a webinar on Tuesday 7 October at 5-6pm: Fast-tracking destruction: NSW’s planning overhaul explained. RSVP here
The EDO has posted a legal opinion on their website.
NSW’s fast-track planning laws could allow mines to be approved without environmental assessment (The Guardian).
Gender & Heat Symposium
Sweltering Cities organised the Gender and Heat Symposium at Parramatta on 26 September to explore how we can respond better to our heating cities.
Heatwaves affect women more than men and in different ways: care work becomes harder – think mothers and teachers not being able to have kids play outside, aged care workers having to pay more attention to keeping residents hydrated as well as basic things such as women being expected to cook a hot meal every day. Increased temperatures have different health effects for women, such as poorer pregnancy outcomes.
Speakers included Dr Rebecca Huntley and a panel with social researcher Angelica Ojinnaka, urban planner Estelle Grech, medical doctor Prof. Adrienne Gordon, design researcher Prof. Abby Mellick Lopes, and more.
Senate Select Committee on information integrity on climate change and energy
The Select Committee on Information Integrity on Climate Change and Energy conducted public hearings last week for the inquiry into the prevalence and impacts of misinformation and disinformation related to climate change and energy.
- The speaker list and transcripts for the public hearings are here
- A full list of all submissions to this Senate Select Committee is here.
Submissions have closed but send anyway!
This inquiry is important to Nannas and for our supporters and followers. It will help us understand the disinformation tactics being used by those who want to undermine our work on climate and renewables. Below are some useful resources.
Donald Trump’s ‘climate hoax’ comments belong to a well-resourced playbook landing on Australia’s shores (ABC News)
PR firms are spreading climate misinformation on behalf of fossil fuel companies. Could Australia stop them? (Renew Economy)
Meeting new federal MP Ash Ambihaipahar
Knitting Nannas Louise, Bron and Tracey met up with Truc Nguyen from Voices for Power to attend a meeting with their new MP Ash Ambihaipahar in Kogarah on 26 September. Ash won the seat of Barton at the last federal election following Linda Burney’s retirement.
Truc explained the amazing work Voices for Power are doing by reaching out to the climate concerned culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community about navigating their power bills and switching to solar.
Nannas talked about Australia’s problem with gas exports, and that constituents reject new gas and coal approvals which sacrifice the planet’s climate future. If a giant gas tank in Darwin has been leaking methane for 20 years without the EPA enforcing controls on these emissions, how can we trust the gas industry with anything? Their scary plan for Carbon Capture and Storage under the sea could leak gas for 1000s of years.
We called on Labor to #SaveScottReef from Woodside’s 50 gas wells planned under the Browse Project to fuel its North West Shelf gas plant, tragically approved by Minister Watt till 2070.
Vale Jane Goodall
Dr Jane Goodall died age 91. Last year she said that despite humanity’s intelligence, we are destroying our planet. Jane’s breakthrough work for science and messages of hope will remain a great inspiration to Nannas. What a legacy she has left!
UN Day of Older Persons
The UN International Day of Older Persons was celebrated on our Facebook page with lots of fun pictures of the Nannas.
The theme of the day was “older persons driving local and global action: our aspirations, our wellbeing and our rights highlights the transformative role older persons play in building resilient and equitable societies. Far from being passive beneficiaries, older persons are drivers of progress, contributing their knowledge and experience in areas such as health equity, financial wellbeing, community resilience, and human rights advocacy.” This is exactly what Knitting Nannas do.
We’re all about creative, passionate, well informed and fun activism for a better, fairer, cleaner and sustainable world for future generations. Along the way we find ourselves in the midst of a welcoming community of women on a mission. What’s not to love and celebrate?
Crikey’s Corporate Misconduct Awards
The Alan Bond Award for Corporate Misconduct: What is Australia’s worst company?
Everyone has an opinion about which company is the most loathsome in the country — and Crikey has figured out how to objectively determine the worst of the worst by carefully compiling multiple criteria and then weighting them in terms of societal impact.
The first criterion is environmental damage, followed by breaking the law, undermining public policy, tax avoidance, etc.
And, to reach its conclusion Crikey wants to hear from you.
Nannas are watching
Amanda McKenzie from the Climate Council is In Conversation with: Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen.
Nannas are listening
Government still ignoring climate reality – One and a half million Australians could be at risk from rising sea levels, yet the Government continues to approve new climate-destroying fossil fuel projects. (The Australia Institute – Follow the Money Government still ignoring climate reality)
The Past and Future of Societal Collapse: Why civilizations fall and what we can learn from It with Luke Kemp – 2 hr 16 mins (The Great Simplification)
Nannas are reading
Laura Dreyfus, a senior lawyer at Environmental Justice Australia, shares “5 things I learnt” at the Australia’s Great North Conference in Garramilla / Darwin. (Environmental Justice Australia)
Forthcoming Events