Nannas welcomed NSW pollies back to parliament with a new banner and street theatre, joined a rally against coal expansions and asked people to sign a make polluters pay petition.
Welcome Back Pollies
Nannas in running gear gathered opposite NSW parliament house to emphasise our heartfelt message — promises must be kept and there’s still time if you get a move on.
We identified five key promises the government made before the last election that have not yet been delivered:
- act on climate change — meet emissions reduction targets
- declare the Great Koala National Park
- rein in land clearing on private land
- save the rivers of the Murray Darling Basin
- reinstate real protection for Sydney’s drinking water.
As the March 2027 election draws near, sitting days are limited, but with a bit of Nanna-like energy and commitment, these promises could be kept!
MC Nanna Bernie explained the importance of the promises and gave us some laughs along the way. She introduced our new songs, our inspiring speakers and a ‘symbolic big run’ by the Nannas.
Nic Clyde, from Lock the Gate, gave us an update on the 20 coal mine expansions in the planning system. The government is not on track to meet its legislated emissions reduction targets, yet mine expansions keep being approved — 11 of the 11 expansions proposed since the last election have been approved!
Jane Garcia, also from Lock the Gate, reminded us about the Raise your Voice Against Coal Expansions Rally on the following Saturday — see below.
Candice Bartlett, from the Nature Conservation Council, told us about the government’s promise to rein in the excessive level of land clearing on private land, which has not been kept. One action the government needs to take is to remove the category ‘Invasive Native Species’ (INS) from the Native Vegetation Act. This inappropriate label allows landholders to clear 45 native species that are not ‘invasive’. Examples are mulga woodlands, coolabah trees, river red gums and a few species of wattle.
The history of Minister Penny Sharpe’s pathway to declaring the Great Koala National Park was told by Nannas acting out a race. Commentators were Nannas Cathy and Bron, with Nanna Alanah in the role of the Minister. What a marathon! While Cathy and Bron read from a script about the slow progress of the approval, 83 years young Nanna Alanah ran in sync with the script. Lots of stops and starts along the way, and at the end Alanah was left running on the spot somewhere near the finish line!
Nannas also called for action to save our Murray Darling Basin inland rivers. Implementing the recommendations of the Rivers Connectivity Report will be critical to keep the rivers alive and avoid more fish kills.
Another promise yet to be kept is to reinstate real protection for Sydney’s drinking water catchment. Labor committed to reinstate the full integrity of the Neutral or Beneficial Effect (NorBe) test to protect Sydney’s drinking water catchment, but they have yet to do it. Centennial Coal and Energy Australia must be stopped from discharging polluted mine wastewater directly into Sydney’s drinking water.
After this Nanna-powered event, we will be watching for progress in the remaining days of this parliament.
Raise your Voice Against Coal Expansions Rally
Several Nannas attended this rally in Martin Place on Saturday 8 August. The event, organised by Lock the Gate, was against the 20 coal expansions currently in the planning system.
A decision on the huge Hunter Valley Operations (HVO) Continuation Project is expected in early September. The objections number 3,380 and 6,010 supporting submissions are listed on the website so far.
Yancoal’s Moolarben OC3 Extension Project will be referred to the Independent Planning Commission soon. The public hearing will be held in Mudgee.
Flour Mill Markets
Nannas went to the Flour Mill Markets in Summer Hill on Sunday 2 August to collect signatures from Inner West residents on a petition to their council. The petition asks the council to pass a motion calling for big polluters to pay a levy into a National Climate Compensation Fund for emergency services. Over 100 signatures were collected in a couple of hours.
Over 11 councils have passed their own motion calling for big polluters to pay for damage caused by extreme weather events. More councils need to pass polluter-pays motions to show that this issue is important nationwide and that the federal government needs to act. Councils are already struggling to pay for disaster recovery and community protection, and more frequent extreme weather is predicted. Without additional funding, it is residents who will have to pay through levies and rate increases.
ABC Have your say
What matters to you? What is happening in your community? What worries you about the future? What gives you hope? And, what do you think people in power need to understand? Have your say here.
Nannas are watching
Thursday 23 July — Webinar Protect Larrakia Country
July 28 Webinar — In Conversation with Prof. Tim Flannery – the wild history of climate ‘fixes’, the ideas that we should be taking seriously and solutions that are making a difference.
Nannas are listening
Richard Flanagan sees ‘goodness in the midst of our apocalypse’ (ABC Listen)
Nannas are reading
Alliance of unions, Gomeroi people, farmers and environmentalists demand transparency over NSW gas policy (Lock the Gate)
Why Australia should urgently vaccinate wildlife most at risk from H5N1 bird flu (The Conversation)
High court blocks plan to extract two Sydney Harbours’ worth of groundwater from the desert (The Guardian)
30 July — Federal Court of Australia Appeal — Pabai Pabai and Anor vs Commonwealth of Australia. The appeal challenges the ruling that the Commonwealth does not have a duty of care to the Torres Strait Islander peoples to set appropriate emissions targets. Given the significant public interest in this matter, the Court has created a publicly available Online File.
Uncle Pabai & Uncle Paul’s climate case is heard in Melbourne / Naarm (Grata media release)
Chris Bowen vows to override Queensland and NT to force renewables-powered AI datacentres (The Guardian)
Albanese keeps backing lobbyists over public opinion, our analysis shows (Deep Cut)
Around the globe governments are banning fossil fuel ads. What are Australian politicians waiting for? (The Point)
Dodgy carbon credits under fire on all fronts (The Australia Institute)
ACCUs Policy For Great Koala National Park (Statement from Minister for Environment, Penny Sharpe )
Forthcoming Events