Nannas spoke at a Council meeting, asked people to host yard signs to end native forest logging and we’re confused about federal rules for data centres.
Make Polluters Pay Campaign
Nannas Liz and Wendy, supported by Nannas Bernie, Eury and Jackie, spoke to the Inner West Council on Tuesday 25 August about a polluter pays National Climate Compensation Fund to support local councils.
Volunteers all over the country are asking their councils to commit to formally calling on the federal government to set up a Climate Compensation Fund — to help with the damage and mitigation that is required because of climate change. Residents are already paying heavily for the impacts of climate change, so it makes sense that the big polluters — the coal, oil and gas industries — pay their fair share.
This was the crux of Liz and Wendy’s speeches — that Council should be explicit that the funding should come from big polluters, so that those most responsible bear the biggest burden.
The Council agenda was so packed that the meeting didn’t get to the motions before time ran out. So Inner West residents who haven’t signed the petition to Council are encouraged to sign now. We are close to the target of 1,000 signatures. Stay tuned for the result!
Meanwhile Councils in Randwick and Darebin in Melbourne have passed a motion calling on the government to introduce a Climate Pollution Levy on coal, gas and oil export companies to provide ongoing funding.
If you want to join the national campaign, search here for your local council to see if they are onboard.
End Native Forests Signs
Nannas joined Nature Conservation Council (NCC) volunteers in West Ryde on Tuesday 25 August to distribute leaflets and ask residents to host a yard sign to End Native Forest Logging. A lot of people were at home and were very enthusiastic about putting up signs. Some were already up when we went back down the street a little later.
NSW is on the brink of joining Victoria and Western Australia in ending native forest logging. By putting a sign in your front yard, you show decision makers that you want these forests and wildlife protected.
Fill in your details in the form and the NCC will send you a free sign. They measure 90cm x 60cm or 60cm x 40cm. You can choose a koala or a wombat sign.
Are data centres the saviours of the gas industry?
Queensland extracts coal seam gas and plans for the industry to expand. The gas is exported from Gladstone. Meanwhile, the NT government strongly supports shale gas extraction from the Beetaloo Basin. The plan is to pipe Beetaloo gas to Gladstone for export through a new 1,561km North to East Australian Pipeline (NEAP) .
There have been confusing messages coming from the federal government about the extent to which they will allow fossil fuels to be used to power new data centres. Nannas oppose all new approvals for fossil fuels and are confused about rules for data centres. Here’s why:
23 March 2026: The Federal Government published its ‘Expectations of Data Centres and AI Infrastructure Developers’. This document outlines expectations that need to be met if a development application is to be given priority. New data centres should secure new and additional clean energy generation and/or storage and cover their share of transmission and distribution infrastructure costs.
6 August: In his National Press Club appearance, titled Energy Security in an Uncertain World, Federal Climate Change and Energy Minister, Chris Bowen, stated that the Northern Territory’s planned data centres to be powered by fracked gas are not consistent with the government’s proposed national standards.
However, Bowen said that they could provide back up for their renewable electricity supply and that could be a gas firming power station. “These can be turned on within 15 minutes, but they would hardly ever be used.”, he said. National Press Club Podcasts
25 August: The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) says the number of data centres in development since last year has more than doubled from 97 to 225. Data centres coming to Australia will consume almost as much power from the electricity grid in a decade as all households in New South Wales and Victoria do today, the latest energy market forecast has found. (ABC News)
26 August: After a meeting of National Cabinet, the ABC reported that PM Albanese had agreed to a carve-out which would allow Queensland to use gas or coal to power data centres. The Northern Territory also opposed the renewables focus and has indicated it would use gas to power data centre projects. (ABC News)
28 August: Energy Minister, Chris Bowen, rejected claims Queensland and the Northern Territory secured a carve-out from proposed new rules requiring data centres to use 100 per cent renewables.
He said that states will be able to seek approval to use alternatives, like coal or gas, but the Commonwealth will have the final say, and the threshold will be “very high”. (ABC News)
28 August: Renew Economy reported Chris Bowen as saying that Queensland and the NT would be subject to the same national standards as other states, unless they can show the energy supply is cheaper than renewable sources. (Renew Economy)
The federal government has said it will release draft national data-centre standards before seeking to pass the legislation early next year.
Nannas are calling for a pause on data-centre approvals and a strong campaign by communities and environmental groups to resist the rapid rollout of new data centres. The federal government’s intentions are not clear, but it’s easy to see there’s a lot at stake — climate, water and energy resources. That’s before we consider the power transfer to a small number of foreign high-tech AI corporations. See our Action of the Week.
The Australia Institute’s audio unpacks the data centre industry promises: ‘Will the data centre boom make us better off?’
Changes to Independent Planning Commission (IPC)
In 2026, changes to the State Environmental Planning Policy (Planning Systems) 2021 mean that the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) is no longer the consent authority — the Minister for Planning is the consent authority — for the following types of State-significant development (unless the Department has received more than 100 objections from within NSW or the applicant has made a reportable political donation):
- Data centres
- Resource projects
- Energy projects that use wind, solar, coal or gas power
- Standalone Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects and development on identified sites and precincts listed in Schedule 2 of the PS SEPP, unless the applicant has made a reportable political donation.
Woodside scraps targets
Woodside scraps long-term emissions and clean-energy targets despite windfall oil profits resulting from the USA/Israel-Iran war. “The reality is that markets for emerging lower carbon opportunities, including hydrogen, ammonia, and carbon capture and storage, have developed more slowly than anticipated.”, CEO Liz Westcott said. (The Guardian)
Nannas knew these technologies were a long way from being useful at scale, why didn’t Woodside? Was it to get approvals through? Should approvals based on emissions reduction technologies that have failed be reviewed and rescinded?
Nannas are watching
Access all areas – ‘AUKUS is like a feast’: MPs sound alarm over defence industry lobbying | Four Corners Documentary
Nannas are reading
64% of lobbyists are former government officials, report shows (Deepcut)
Climate change and corruption are also driving up interest rates (Alan Kohler ABC News)
This is not a natural calamity: it is being done to us knowingly (Tim Winton – The Guardian) Tim Winton’s novel, Juice, was set in a world with an additional three degrees of heating. It was terrifying, according to some readers, including Nanna Kathy.
World’s oceans hit hottest temperature on record in August (The Guardian)
Forthcoming Events