Nannas are following COP30 in Brazil, Murray Watt’s environment bill, the UN intervening in North West Shelf legal challenges and the Disinformation Senate Inquiry – all while practicing singing, dancing and air guitar for the Rising Tide Protestival.
COP-Out at Parliament House
Nannas joined XR for a small and dedicated protest outside NSW Parliament House on 12 November to highlight the urgent calls for climate action during the UN Climate Conference COP30 in Brazil.
Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres said. “Every voice matters. Yours have never been more important. If you want bolder climate action, now is the time to make yours count.”
“Leaders must act now to save humanity from the worst impacts of climate chaos, and profit from the extraordinary benefits of renewable energy.”
COP30 UN News Special Coverage until 21 November
UN to intervene in North West Shelf court case
Legal challenges to Australia’s biggest gas project, the extension of the North West Shelf gas plant, are progressing.
The Federal Court held the first case management hearing for the ACF and FARA proceedings on 14 November 2025, before the Hon Justice Button.
The Court:
- listed all three matters for a hearing in the week of July 2026
- confirmed the hearing will take place in Melbourne’s Federal Court
- received an application from the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment to intervene as amicus curiae
Environmental Justice Australia overview of the legal challenges
BBF Forest Vigil
Nanna Keelah bravely took on the perilous life of a koala at Bob Brown Foundation’s (BBF) Forest Vigil. Nanna Anne became one of only 300 remaining pairs of Swift Parrots migrating from logged habitat in Tasmania to logged and mined habitat in NSW. Nannas and BBF supporters were outside Parliament House on 12 November to call on the government to end native forest logging in NSW. The next vigil will be held on Wednesday 19 November at 12 noon.
Citizen Science is protecting endangered species and forests
Great news from the North East Forest Alliance about how citizen scientists are helping to give endangered species a fighting chance of survival. With training and dedication ordinary nature lovers are recording sightings of endangered greater gliders, quolls, frogs and plants. Once identified and recorded protection zones are put in place to preserve habitat.
Greater gliders can be given a 50 metre buffer from logging around them. Already close to 1,000 den trees have been identified by citizen scientists looking for eye shine in and around tree hollows at dusk. Greater gliders have a three hectare home range, utilising hollows in trees over 150–250 years old, with each glider using 1–20 den trees.
Three quoll scats close together warrant a 12-hectare protection zone. Search parties also look for rare and endangered plants, eagles’ nests, and frogs that get a protection zone too when identified.
Citizen science is a fun family activity. If you want to know what’s happening in a forest near you, contact North East Forest Alliance for more information. They have a great newsletter about all the different ways we can protect our forests and native species.
Great Glider Submission
The Commonwealth has released a draft National Recovery Plan for Greater Gliders, Petauroides minor (northern) and Petauroides volans (southern and central), and is seeking submissions by 19 December 2025, by email: recoveryplans@dcceew.gov.au
Logging impacts great glider populations, along with increased temperatures, droughts, and wildfires caused by climate heating. Any loss of den and feed trees affects the numbers of greater gliders a forest can support.
Den trees take a long time to mature and develop hollows. Greater glider habitat must be mapped and protected along with wildlife corridors to other forests.
Contact North East Forest Alliance for more information.
NSW Planning Laws passed both houses
The Planning System Reforms Bill 2025 passed both houses of the NSW parliament without further amendment. Jeremy Buckingham’s amendment was debated but not supported by the major parties. Sue Higginson’s performance in the House was outstanding.
Sue Higginson MLC reminded Members that “the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces and the Premier posited to the public that the proposed amendments to the Act are all about housing, housing, housing.”
“This amendment seeks to insert a control that goes to one of the most important matters the planning system – that it has to consider between now and 2050 and beyond, which is the greenhouse gas emissions and climate change impacts of all developments that are relevant to that consideration. I guarantee every coalmine and resource project is relevant. Two weeks ago the Premier signalled he would help the resources sector and the mining industry get their development approvals through faster and with less red tape.”
In a recent speech the Premier thanked the Minerals Council and “our good friend Stephen Galilee, who is literally the most longstanding coalmining lobbyist in this State”.
The passing of this bill means less consideration will be given to the impacts of mining on communities and the climate. It increases the power of Ministers, removes critical environmental checks and balances, and reduces community consultations. Nannas are furious!
Environmental Protection Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act
Nannas will be chasing up federal MPs and Senators about the Environmental Protection Reform Bill that could go to the Senate as soon as the end of this month.
Senate inquiry into the new EPBC Act. The Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications is accepting submissions until 5 December on the Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025 and six related bills. There are submission guidelines from Environmental Justice Australia – join us in having a say about how the bill needs to be amended.
Disinformation Senate Inquiry
Select Committee on Information Integrity on Climate Change and Energy received 239 submissions plus other documents. Public hearings have been held in Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney. The committee has been granted an extension of time to present the final report on 24 March 2026.
The public hearings are unravelling the links between the fossil fuel industry, Australian organisations and the Atlas Network! Something Nannas have been banging on about since January 2024.
Submissions here
Transcripts here
Friday in person meeting at Customs House
Singing, dancing and air guitar practice were all features of our meeting at Customs house on 14 December. Sydney Nannas are getting excited about the People’s Blockade of Australia’s biggest coal port in Newcastle!
Here are some of the comments made by Nannas who have been in previous years:
- It’s a festival for climate action, with great music – this year Lime Cordiale is the lead act
- Lots of fun in the park, on the beach and on the water
- You can go for the day on Saturday or Sunday by train from Sydney
- It’s organized, safe, and Nannas have never been into portaloos so clean
- Uplifting, inclusive, supportive, creative, active, happy, history making
- Meet like-minded people
- Don’t regret passing up this chance to make a difference.
Take time out – live for a day the way you want the world to be. See you there!!!
Rising Tide
Information page for Knitting Nannas – Watch for updates
Nanna Central will be at Foreshore Park and the Nannadome will be on Horseshoe Beach. Program available with an overview and detailed plan for each day.
The Nannas will gather at Nanna Central on Saturday 29 November from 8.30am. A photo will be taken promptly at 9:30am so Nannas can get to their volunteer commitments. There will be a prize for the best name tag.
Nanna’s Santos Action tent: Santos proposes to clear a 30m+ wide corridor through the Pilliga forest and farmland for the Narrabri Lateral Pipeline to link the Narrabri Gas Project to the Hunter Gas Pipeline. Knitting Nannas will have a special gazebo at Rising Tide to let people know why this project must be stopped, and to make it easy for people to lodge submissions.
Rising Tide registrations here
Southwest Sydney listening and potluck dinner
Knitting Nannas contributed to discussions on Southwest Sydney’s migrant issues, goals and priorities for 2026 with key stakeholder representatives on 11 November.
The organiser, Sydney Alliance, is a coalition of diverse community organisations, unions, and faith groups, working together to build a fairer and more just Sydney.
Small groups sat around tables and talked about what we love about our area, what is putting pressure on us and our families, and what is the future we hope for. The issues raised at listening meetings across Sydney will contribute towards a citywide Discernment Convention in 2026 where leaders across Greater Sydney will gather to reflect and explore solutions and proposals for future campaigns or actions.
Rally at Jo Haylen’s Office
Nannas joined Lock the Gate outside Jo Halen’s office in Marrickville on 14 November to demand the end of coal mining approvals. Climate change is causing a steep hike in the cost of living and insurance premiums for her constituents. Lock the Gate has asked Ms Halen to meet with them and community representatives about the Minns government’s approval of eight coal expansions since their election. There are 18 more in the planning system – what’s the plan for meeting legislated climate targets?
Meanwhile this weekly action will continue on Fridays in November, starting at 8:00am.
Nannas try to meet Hunter MP
Nannas were thwarted again when our meeting on 10 November with Federal MP for the Hunter was cancelled due to illness. We hand delivered our questions about how we can possibly get to Net Zero through offsets and better technology when neither seem to work. We await a reply and a date for another meeting.
Knitting Nannas in Paris photographic exhibition
A couple of photographs of Knitting Nannas, taken by Sarah Barker, are in the PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris 2025. The international exhibition is called “State of the World”. Sarah’s series of photographs was made at the March for Forests in Sydney in March this year. Interview with Sarah and scroll down to click to see her winning work
Coal
Courts have cancelled a large coal mine approval on climate grounds for the second time in four months, as pressure grows on Australia to curb fossil fuel exports. (SMH pdf)
Ulan Mod 8 is open for submissions, closing Tuesday 18 November. Submission guide here.
Chain Valley on the Central Coast is moving through the planning system.
Wilpinjong Mod 3 received 300 submission objections, but over 600 in support. Bots??
Nannas are reading
Fact checking five Coalition claims about net zero, from power prices to the $9tn cost (The Guardian)
The Coalition is spinning a line that climate action is economically bad. How are they getting away with it? (The Guardian)
Report warning: Gas-led Whyalla Steelworks transition a $2bn taxpayer ‘Santos subsidy’ (INDAILY)
Forthcoming Events