Nannas were out and about last week to support Gaza flotilla survivors, hear a court decision and protect the Gardens of Stone and public housing.
Gardens of Stone and Wallace Lake
Nanna Catherine joined others at Lake Wallace, on Wiradjiri land, at the Gardens of Stone Alliance‘s Catchment Future Forum.
As the early morning mist rose off the lake, Andrew Cox, from 4nature, reflected on Charles Darwin’s visit here in 1836, where the first platypus was sighted by colonists — and shot.
The platypus continues to be a beacon of the impact of humans on the environment, as Centennial Coal advances expansion proposals for three major underground coal mines.
Citizen scientists, Chris Yonkers and Julie Flavell, showed the group the simple water-quality testing method they have used for decades in their work to protect the waterways. They have created baseline data for water protection and recently even for enforcement where government agencies and greedy coal mining companies have failed. This data will be crucial in court proceedings, currently being undertaken by 4Nature.
Andrew Cox, on behalf of the Gardens of Stone Alliance, recognised Julie and Chris’ work over decades and presented them both with lifetime achievement awards.
They were recognised for their tireless and hugely impactful work in protecting the Gardens of Stone and the waterways around it and the Lithgow area. A town that has always been and continues to be highly vulnerable to needs and wants beyond itself.
The work that has produced this data is invaluable and is a profound legacy for this significant and beautiful space.
You can sign their petition and get more information on the actions you can take here.
Public Housing
Nannas say housing is a human right! A rally on 18 June saw over 100 supporters standing with tenants of the Waterloo housing estate who are facing eviction. The resistance camp had held their ground for 25 days.
The Minns government is planning to hand $1.3 billion of public land to developers. A small percentage of the proposed developments will be for social and public housing. With 69,000 households on the waiting list and a growing homelessness crisis, this is a shameful policy failure, a social and ecological disaster.
Action4PublicHousing on Facebook
SAVE WATERLOO: Refurbish, don’t demolish! Sign the petition.
Gaza Flotilla Investigation
Nannas kneel in solidarity with the eleven Australians from the flotilla who were physically abused, assaulted and, in several cases, sexual assaulted while in Israeli custody. They were captured by the Israeli Defence Forces when sailing on international waters on board the Global Sumud Flotilla to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
On 15 June, the Australian survivors of the abuse by Israeli authorities met with Foreign Minister Penny Wong, the Hon Dr Anne Aly MP, a Deputy Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police and a senior DFAT official.
Now, the Australian Government has committed to an independent investigation into Israel’s treatment of the Australians onboard the Gaza Flotilla fleet.
A world first: Australia will now investigate Israel (Michael West Media)
Michael West did a long interview with Julia Lamont about her experience of rape and torture. It goes where the mainstream media don’t care to go. Julia is doing extraordinary work keeping on talking about what happened to her and others, a reminder to all of us about what is happening to Palestinian prisoners.
Hunter Valley Operations (HVO)
Hunter Valley Operations (HVO) North Open Cut Coal Continuation Project, the biggest coal project in NSW history, is being assessed by the Independent Planning Commission (IPC).
The IPC has announced the following dates in the assessment process:
8 July – Speaker registrations close at 12 noon,
16 – 17 July – Public Hearings 10am at Branxton Community Hall, 35 Bowen St, Branxton. (Rally outside at 9am)
26 July – Submissions close at midnight – (submission guides will be available soon or go to NCC’s online Briefing and Submission Writing Workshop on Thursday 2 July at 6.30pm).
Make a submission with this form
Maules Creek Coal (Whitehaven) in Court
A judgement was handed down in the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) vs Maules Creek Coal appeal by Whitehaven in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal. The appeal was against their conviction for a big blast in 2020. Unfortunately, the appeal was upheld, and Whitehaven’s convictions were quashed, which left Nannas no longer smiling so cheerily on 17 July!
A separate case being held in the Land and Environment Court involves charges which the EPA has brought against Maules Creek Coal — Whitehaven — for 8 blasts which released toxic fumes into the air. We hope the disappointing appeal result has no bearing on the fume cases.
Nannas in Academic Literature – review
Social Work and Human Services Responsibilities in a Time of Climate Change: Country, Community and Complexity by Amanda Howard, Margot Rawsthorne, Pam Joseph, Mareese Terare, Dara Sampson and Meaghan Katrak Harris
Sometimes, the Knitting Nannas make it into academic literature! Social Work and Human Services Responsibilities in a Time of Climate Change: Country, Community and Complexity is an academic text grappling with questions of climate change injustice in the social work profession. With a focus on First Nations’ worldviews and drawing on community-led approaches (that’s where we come in), this text is concerned with ‘where social and environmental justice coalesce and how we, as people who work in social work and human services, might contribute to reversing the terrible impacts of human-induced climate change’.
The text discusses the framing of climate change and social work, reflects critically on First Nations’ worldviews and how they can influence this practice, deals with ‘wicked’ problems (an academic definition), gives examples of real world-problems already being seen in the profession as a direct result of global warming, the local community being a site for effective change, collective action, policy change, learning from previous events and attempts, and moving into the future. This text is centred in social work and is an academic text, so some of the concepts can feel a little overwhelming, but it’s a great overview of how this particular profession is already dealing and will need to continue to deal with the social and cultural results of human-induced climate change.
The Nannas are featured as a case study — in fact, the first sentence about us is ‘The Knitting Nannas delight in subverting assumptions.’ — bringing together our favourite thing: delight and subversion. The lesson to be taken from us is our ‘self-organising system’, which can grow and change as the challenge does. There are three questions our example poses for the readers of the book:
‘How might I extend my practice to include opportunities for increased community interconnectedness?’
‘How might I, as a social or human service worker, help facilitate this for community members experiencing social isolation?’
‘How might I situate activism more prominently in my community work?’
This gives you an example both of why you might read the book, and how community organisations reach beyond their intentions.
Nanna Wendy
Boiling Cold news from WA
If you want news on mining in WA, subscribe to the Boiling Cold newsletter.
19 June Boiling Cold Newsletter:
- Chevron’s Wheatstone plant, which supplies almost 20 per cent of the domestic market, was down for several days,
- Plans to mine bauxite in jarrah forest,
- Santos has moved over 100 jobs from Perth to Brisbane, and Adelaide’s office has been downsized, too,
- Woodside sinks more cash for Browse,
- Kwinana hydrogen dream deflates.
More news is available in the newsletter and on Boiling Cold website.
Nannas are watching
Timber Turmoil – Four Corners follows the logs and the money to ask whether the industry is really ending or just shifting state borders. (ABC iVIEW)
A nasty turn at the Bisalloy picket line near Wollongong. Bisalloy manufactures armoured steel plate for military purposes.
Nannas are reading
Push to create 1.2-million-hectare Great Southern Forest across NSW South Coast (ABC News)
Gas lobby desperation as global demand plummets (Michael West Media)
Nannas recommend TrueNorth – A 4pm weekday newsletter with links to news and views from independent media. Links to independent media here.
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