Knitting Nannas are back on the streets of Sydney after a thrilling and exhausting time in Newcastle blocking coal ships. Preparations are underway to make the Nannas Christmas video on Friday.
Sydney Koalas
Save Sydney’s Koalas (SSK) held a brief AGM in Campbelltown on 3 December and then got on with the business of koala spotting in Noorumba Reserve, but weren’t able to find any. Local legends Pat and Barry Durman are distressed by the declining numbers of koalas visiting their property at near-by Wedderburn.
SSK members were sad to see the treeless housing development next to the Reserve – this was first developed for housing by Lendlease as part of Mt Gilead Stage 1. The remainder is under development by Stockland. Meanwhile, Lendlease is blocking access to the koala underpasses on Stage 1 and koalas are now trapped in Noorumba and Beulah Reserves.
There was great news for koalas from the Supreme Court of NSW on 3 December. Lendlease lost their appeal in the $120 million Mt Gilead Stage 2 land case. This means Lendlease has failed to buy the option for Stage 2 and loses the right to develop that land.
Narrabri Lateral Pipeline Submissions
Submissions
Narrabri Lateral Pipeline is proposed to connect the approved Narrabri Gas Project (an 850-well coal seam gas field), to the approved Hunter Gas Pipeline to Newcastle. Gomeroi people, farmers, unions and environmentalists oppose this project. Submissions are due by 18 December. Submission Guide
Lock the Gate has produced a Tech and Submission Guide. There’s a step-by-step guide to setting up an account in the NSW Planning Department’s major project portal. The Planning Department wants all submissions to be lodged online through the Planning Portal rather than sending them an email. We understand this is because AI-powered chatbots help scammers create multiple submissions to send by email.
We can help set up your account in the planning portal if you get stuck. It’s easier on a computer than on a phone. We want NSW Planning to be overwhelmed by submissions objecting to this high-pressure pipeline through the Pilliga.
Also: Sign the petition to stop Santos’ Narrabri Gas Plans in north west NSW. Lock the Gate petition link here
Water trigger case dismissed
Community action group the Mullaley Gas and Pipeline Accord (MGPA), represented by Environmental Justice Australia, challenged the federal government’s decision not to apply key water protections to the Narrabri Lateral Pipeline.
The community group argued that the environment minister should have applied the ‘water trigger’ in the federal environment laws to the Narrabri Lateral Pipeline – essential infrastructure for Santos’ 850-well coal seam gas development near Narrabri. The Court dismissed the case. More info here.
This week’s actions for Nannas
Federal Court hearing – Wednesday 10 December 9.30am
Nannas will join Wiradjuri Traditional Owners outside the Federal Court next Wednesday to bear witness to the appeal by gold miner LFB Resources against Tanya Plibersek’s order last year that a toxic tailings dam at McPhillamys gold mine be blocked. The tailings dam was proposed at the headwaters of the Belubula River and would have involved blocking 26 springs.
The decision was made under Section 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act and is being tested by the mine owners.
The Belubula is part of the Murray Darling Basin catchment and has great cultural significance for local Wiradyuri people. ‘Belubula’ means two rivers, one above and one below ground.
Nannas will be outside court from 9.30am. The hearing will be on Level 17, Law Courts Building, Queens Square from 10am.
Section 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 attempts to prevent areas of Indigenous Heritage from being ‘injured or desecrated’ by its use. The Act states an area will be deemed as such ‘if passage through or over, or entry upon, the area by any person occurs in a manner inconsistent with Aboriginal tradition.’
Image: Traditional Owners at a ceremony on Wahluu 2018.
Westpac AGM – Thursday 11 December9am
Join Nannas at 9am for a Rally with Market Forces at Wesley Centre, 220 Pitt Street. Westpac is the worst bank for funding new fossil fuel projects. Information on Westpac’s loans to fossil fuel industry globally – $9.8 billion since 2016.
Environmental Protection Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act
Labor made a deal with the Greens on reforms to federal environmental laws on 26 November. The Greens won concessions on native forest logging and land clearing, the exclusion of fossil fuel projects from the fast-track approval process and the retention of the ‘water trigger’ in the assessment of onshore gas projects.
Nannas and other grassroots groups worked together phoning Labor MPs and Senators, calling on them to make amendments that would lead to real improvements in environmental protection. We were grateful for the work of environmental lawyers who rapidly unpacked many pages of legislation so they could provide advice to the community about the alarming weaknesses in Murray Watt’s bill. Special thanks to Environmental Justice Australia and the Environmental Defenders Office.
We await more information about the National Standards, on which so much depends, but so little is known.
International Law and Armed Conflict: What are our obligations?
Nannas attended this forum on 27 November at the Teachers Federation.
The forum was moderated by Justice Elizabeth Evatt, and Professor Emily Crawford gave an informative analysis of Francesca Albanese’s report From economy of occupation and economy of genocide.
Adjunct Professor Chris Sidoti discussed Australia’s obligations under International law, and the actions related to the state of Israel that he regards as necessary for Australia to meet its legal obligations. He has presented his recommendations to the federal parliament.
More information can be found at Chris Sidoti – prescription for action on Palestine
International Law on Palestine
Rising Tide Blockade and Protestival
Nannas from loops all around NSW contributed images, videos and stories for our media team to post on our website and social media – Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky and Twitter. It paid off – our social media stats went through the roof.
If you missed it, our daily reports are on the website here. You can subscribe to our website and receive our news by email when it is posted on our website.
Urban Ecology “Have Your Say” survey
Feedback will help determine future actions and direction in the City of Sydney’s Urban Ecology Strategic Action Plan that is being revised and updated. The survey is open until 13 January 2026.
Nannas are watching
The Sunday Shot – Saving Country – Guests Lorena Allam and Royce Kurmelovs. Royce gives a report on what happened at COP30 – he was there.
Sean Kelly’s November Quarterly Essay: The Good Fight – What Does Labor Stand For?
Nannas are listening
Geoffrey Robertson on war crimes impunity, plus how bush medicine saved Allied soldiers in WWII (ABC Late Night Live with David Marr)
Nannas are reading
Massive backtrack from Australia’s most bullish coal miner signals shift in fossil-fuel’s long game (Renew Economy)
Global race to secure critical minerals for weapons threatens climate, warns report (The Guardian)
La Niña is here for the summer – but it may not bring what Australians expect. Expert says the weather pattern, which typically brings wetter and cooler conditions, may be weakened by global heating (The Guardian)
Squadron locks in Reganosa for Australia’s first LNG import terminal at Port Kembla (Energy News Bulletin)
Polling reveals little appetite for new gasfields, strong support for export intervention (Lock the Gate)
Forthcoming Events