In the last couple of weeks, Nannas have learnt a lot by attending webinars, conferences and a peace rally, visiting MPs and reading about what’s seriously wrong in the NT.
Peace and Anti AUKUS Rally
In recognition of the International Day of Peace, Nannas supported the rally in Sydney on Sunday 20 September, which called for an end to war and Australia’s complicity in the devastating wars being perpetrated by the USA and Israel.
Nannas arrived early to join in singing peace and anti-war songs with the Pop-Up Peace Singers as people arrived at Town Hall.
Video sent to us by Peter Boyle: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1786257645915589
The strong message from speakers was that a safe and secure future for Australia will not come from the alliance with the USA. It should come instead from an independent and defensive stance that requires the removal of US military bases, closure of the Pine Gap spy base and withdrawal from AUKUS.
David Shoebridge spoke strongly of the dangers of the AUKUS agreement, and Australia’s role as a client state of the USA through bases on the east and west coasts.
He spoke about a US Republican congressman, Michael McCaul, saying that he considered Australia a ‘beachhead’ for the US in its efforts to deter China and maintain peace in the region. This was reported earlier in an interview with Paul Keating advocating against AUKUS in The Guardian.
In expressing opposition to AUKUS, Cathy Eatock, Co-Chair of Indigenous’ Peoples Organisation, pointed out that Aboriginal people have repeatedly rejected even low-grade medical uranium waste stored on their lands. Aboriginal communities are still suffering the legacy of past nuclear testing at Maralinga, Emu Plains and the Montebello Islands.
Like the people of the Pacific, they will continue to oppose any dumping of nuclear waste from AUKUS submarines on their lands. Cathy also pointed out that Australia is in breach of the Treaty of Rarotonga, which establishes the South Pacific as a Nuclear Free Zone, and which Australia helped develop under a previous Labor government.
Saffa, a Palestinian-Australian unionist from Wollongong, spoke about a campaign led by Wollongong Friends of Palestine to stop local company, Bisalloy Steel, from exporting strengthened steel for use by the Israeli military. Picketing the company has led to shifts being cancelled in the past, and the next step in the campaign will be a 48-hour picket commencing on 15 November.
Nannas in the NSW parliamentary gallery
Nannas were in the parliamentary gallery to hear more about a bill brought forward by Greens MP, Kobi Shetty, on Thursday 24 September. The bill is designed to improve the regulation and transparency of political lobbying in NSW and responds to recommendations made in a 2021 Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Report.
Yes, five years ago, ICAC told the parliament, after a detailed investigation, that the Lobbying of Government Officials Act should be reformed to safeguard against lobbying risks of corruption and undue influence.
This bill seeks to ban politicians from having secret meetings with lobbyists, to switch off the revolving door between politics and corporate lobbying and to widen the law’s coverage of public officials and events involving lobbyists.
In her speech, Kobi Shetty referred to the disillusionment of citizens who are aware of the access professional lobbyists have to politicians compared to the access given to community groups and individuals. She added that it’s no wonder public faith in our institutions keeps falling.
Nannas call on all NSW politicians to act in the public interest and vote that this long-overdue bill become law.
Increased Security Surprise
Nannas were alarmed when we had to leave our phones and knitting at the parliament’s security office — this hasn’t happened to us before. The worst that had happened previously was having to turn our t-shirts inside out to hide the anti-gas slogans.
We checked later, and it turns out there are separate rules for going into the parliamentary gallery as opposed to committee rooms and public spaces, which is where we usually go. Still, we wondered if lobbyists also have to surrender their phones and knitting when prowling the upper levels where the public does not have access.
Meanwhile we are learning to finger knit — no needles required!
Something is seriously wrong in the NT?
One of our favourite independent news sources, True North, posted a special Sunday edition on 21 September about what is happening in the Northern Territory.
Over the last couple of years, a few Sydney Nannas have visited the Northern Territory, learning about it and seeing its beauty. But what’s currently going on there is truly alarming!
Articles and podcasts from the NT’s own independent media as well as national independent news outlets are highlighting the suffering of communities caused by a far-right government and a punishing justice system.
NT’s land and resources are being sold off for militarisation, for thirsty and power-hungry data centres and for the expansion of gas fracking. These should be major concerns for all Australians, and yet very little is reported in the mainstream media.
Sydney Nannas will continue to support the Environment Centre NT in their campaigns against the Middle Arm project and fracking at Beetaloo, while at the same time advocating for Aboriginal rights in the NT.
Submissions
Last week, Nannas wrote a submission to object to the Wilpinjong Coal Mine Continuation Project under the federal Environmental Protection Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) legislation. Many Sydney Nannas have seen the existing mine and what the coal industry is doing to the environment in the Mudgee region.
Our reasons for objecting to the expansion of the Wilpinjong mine include its disregard for First Nations’ land claims and cultural heritage, and that its further expansion would be inconsistent with NSW and Commonwealth Net Zero commitments. It would further impact surface and groundwater and do more irreparable damage to unique ecosystems, destroying critical habitats of threatened and critically endangered species. Wollar Village will be even more closely hemmed in by huge mining voids, and more of the region’s prime agricultural land would be destroyed. The combined footprint of the three adjacent coal mines is 300km2.
No wonder Nannas are cross! With our climate and biodiversity on the line, this project should not even be under consideration.
During September, Nannas also wrote submissions to the Federal Government Safeguard Mechanism Review and to a Federal Inquiry into AI and Data Centres. We find writing submissions is also a good way to learn about what is going on.
New CEOs
Dr Kirstie Howie, the former Executive Director of the Environment Centre NT, has been appointed The Wilderness Society’s new CEO, taking up the role on 31 August in Melbourne.
Kirsty worked as a native title and land rights lawyer before leading the Environment Centre in campaigns against fossil fuel expansion, deforestation and the destruction of ecosystems.
Dan Ilic, a comedian, broadcaster and filmmaker, will become GetUp’s next CEO in November.
In 2021, he raised money for billboards to shame the Australian Government’s record on climate action in Time Square, New York before the Glasgow climate talks (COP26).
Nannas are watching
Tivan wants an additional 4.5 Billion litres of water a year out of the Speewah Valley in the Kimberley
Nannas are listening
Godfather of AI welcomes pause in development (ABC Listen)
Kerry O’Brien on the perfect storm destroying our politics — with Richard Flanagan (ABC Big Ideas)
Nannas are reading
Labor ditches new packaging laws to cut plastic waste, sparking unprecedented ‘scale and breadth of outrage’ (The Guardian)
El Niño goes viral — and scientists learn what makes people care about the climate (Nature)
Gas and its overlooked health risks (Doctors for the Environment)
Big Gas drillers give us so little and take so much. They can’t have this treasure by Tim Winton (Sydney Morning Herald)
Queenslanders’ rights to oppose mining projects ‘gutted’ by new laws, activists say (The Guardian)
Independent Planning Commission to assess Bowdens Silver mine again (ABC News)
Shifting the burden: New report finds farmers carry load of industrial emissions from coal and gas (Farmers for Climate Action)
Glencore to pay $1bn settlement amid US bribery and market abuse allegations
Government to fund maintenance, safety of abandoned oil platform off West Australian coast (ABC News)
Forthcoming Events