While Nanna Lyn paddled at the Macquarie Marshes in western NSW, Nannas were disappointed with Labor’s proposed reforms to environmental laws, horrified at the scope of trade agreements and supported a Human Rights Act for NSW.
Last time Nanna Lyn was at the Macquarie Marshes, she was nine years old, and it had not yet been declared a Ramsar wetland. There was a lot more water in those days!!! Releasing more water into the rivers is a high priority.
Environmental law
Nannas attended an online forum with Environment Minister, Murray Watt, on the reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act last week. They were very disappointed to hear the following day that the Minister has ruled out having a Climate Trigger in the bill.
Both the Greens and the LNP are very critical of what they’ve seen so far of the bill, for very different reasons, and the government needs to make a deal with one of them to get the bill through the Senate. A lack of detail on environmental standards and who will administer them is something that the Greens and LNP agree on.
Labor’s environmental reform racket (The Saturday Paper)
Watt’s war on the environment (Bob Brown Foundation media release
Trade agreements & fossil fuel companies
Nannas were horrified to learn from an Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network (AFTINET) webinar this week that some of Australia’s foreign investment and trade agreements allow foreign companies to sue the Australian government for corporate losses, including for “lost future profits”.
This can happen when agreements have Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) clauses in them. These agreements can be a significant barrier to climate action and to any government policy changes, whether or not they are in the public interest.
Any company, based in a country that has a trade agreement with Australia that has ISDS provisions, can sue the Australian government (or a state/territory government) if they introduce a law or policy change that will reduce the company’s expected future profits.
The federal government has taken the important step of ruling out ISDS in future trade agreements, and they have also committed to review existing agreements and to remove ISDS.
What was made very clear in the AFTINET webinar is that the review process needs to become an urgent priority for the government.
The current attempt by Australian mining billionaire Clive Palmer to gouge $420 billion from the Australian government by registering his company in Singapore is a case in point. Palmer is trying to use ISDS because he was refused a coal mining licence and a licence for a coal-fired power plant. Even if he loses his appeal in Switzerland, it will cost Australian taxpayers millions of dollars, money that could be invested in Australia’s transition to renewable energy and our Net Zero goals.
For more information read the AFTINET explainer, and to support the campaign Sign the letter to Labor here.
You can follow AFTINET on BlueSky, Facebook, YouTube
Woodside vs the Planet – Quarterly Essay
Nannas Cathy G, Tracey C and Bron attended the launch of Voices for Kingsford Smith held in Coogee on 22 October. The event featured Marian Wilkinson in conversation with Dr Sacha Molitorisz from UTS about her Quarterly Essay ‘Woodside vs the Planet’.
Marian’s research for the essay included interviews with Meg O’Neill, the CEO of Woodside, WA, Australian politicians, and many others. There was plenty of crossover in their views, and when interviewing one government official she realised the official didn’t understand that she was asking two different questions when she asked him “What is the benefit of this project to Woodside?”, then “What is the benefit of this project to the government?”
She also found that politicians often move straight from politics into roles in fossil fuel corporations.
In reply to a question about why she chose Woodside to research she said that they are ideal for telling the story of the gas industry. Woodside has all the elements: the long history, the clearly identifiable conflicting ideas, well-known protagonists including celebrities, and strong campaigns by First Nations and climate activists.
Human Rights Act for NSW
Last week, Newtown Greens MP, Jenny Leong, introduced a Human Rights Bill into the NSW Parliament.
This step towards human rights legislation in NSW has strong support from the HRA4NSW Alliance, a very diverse group of over 110 organisations and individuals. Alliance members assisted Jenny Leong in drafting the bill and they are calling for a public consultation before the bill is debated in parliament.
The government has not yet committed to supporting this consultation process but Attorney General, Michael Daley, has agreed to discuss the proposal.
Nanna Cathy was in the parliament: “It was great to witness this important moment from the gallery!”
Native Forest Logging Petitions
NSW MP for the Blue Mountains, Trish Doyle, met with the Bob Brown Foundation (BBF) inside NSW parliament to receive a petition with 15,784 signatures calling for the Premier to end native forest logging. Doro from BBF had tied all the petitions together with hemp and gum leaves, and it will now be passed on to Chris Minns.
Protecting forests is one of the most immediately effective actions we can take to slow the climate crisis.
Over 60,000 people across the country have added their name to the BBF Native Forest Declaration, calling for a nationwide end to native forest logging. Add yours today.
Rising Tide Blockade 27 November to 2 December
Register for The People’s Blockade in Newcastle here.
The People’s Blockade Guide 2025
Go to our Knitting Nannas Protestival page for updates on what Nannas are doing there.
Sign the petition to stop coal ships entering Newcastle Harbour over the weekend of the Protestival.
In Court
Four Rising Tide activists were in court last week on charges arising from last year’s blockade of the Newcastle coal port. Their cases were dismissed, as it appears the police evidence was a shambles. Here’s hoping costs are awarded against the prosecution too.
Legal experts have called for 129 anti-protest charges to be dropped after the decision. (Rising Tide)
On Air
Zack Schofield’s interview with Ben Fordham is an excellent example of how to outsmart shock jocks and get free publicity. (2GB Sydney Ben Fordham Live)
Forthcoming Events