It was a shocking week for Knitting Nannas and the movement to protect our climate, land, water and natural environment.
HVO Coal Mine Approved
It’s taken us a few days to regroup after the Independent Planning Commission approved the Hunter Valley Operations (HVO) coal mine on Wednesday. We send thanks and care to all the people who worked so hard to prevent this appalling approval, as we join them in planning the next actions.
The approval has been called a ‘system failure’ and indeed it is. And, our planning system was chosen and created by a majority of the politicians on both sides of parliament who are beholden to greedy coal corporations, rather than to the long-term interests of the state’s residents.
That’s why Sydney Knitting Nannas and Friends will be outside Parliament on Tuesday 13 October at 11am to Welcome Back MPs and let the NSW government know that we are furious that HVO expansion was approved to continue for 19 more years.
We would like you to join us there — come along and hear speakers from climate and environment groups highlight what the decision means and what we can do. Bring a sign to show the pollies what you think!
HVO was approved in NSW while Bangkok flooded, over 5,000 people remain missing in Nepal and an unknown number in China. At the same time our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, urged global cooperation on climate at the UN General Assembly.
Now he’s in Fiji at the Pre-COP Leaders’ event for four-days of climate meetings in preparation for COP31 in Turkiye next month. Australia is the COP31 President of Negotiations. One wonders what UN delegates will make of Mr Albanese claiming to lead on climate change while expanding our coal and gas exports.
Last week former defence leaders and security practitioners called on the Australian government to make climate security a national priority in a full-page ad in the Sydney Morning Herald. They want the government to end new coal and gas licenses, accelerate decarbonisation and put climate risk at the centre of national security planning.
Lock the Gate’s System Failure statement is available here. Sign the statement and share it on Facebook and Instagram and/or print out and give to your MP, or to the public at markets. It can also be displayed on notice boards etc.
IPC’s Statement of Reasons for the Decision to approve the expansion.
The green light for the largest coalmine in NSW history is shocking proof that our governance systems are betraying Australians – Georgina Woods (The Guardian)
We must plan for coal mine closures, not approve them because we lack a plan (Renew Economy)
A new tool directly links carbon emissions to the amount of environmental and economic damage caused. The biggest coal project before authorities in New South Wales, the Hunter Valley Operations mine, will emit the equivalent of about 809m tonnes of climate-warming carbon dioxide if it wins approval. (The Guardian) And it did!
Matt Kean warns climate crisis ‘isn’t someone else’s problem’ as largest coal project in NSW history greenlit (The Guardian)
Background information on HVO by Sydney Knitting Nannas.
ANZ Campaign
In our next steps in the campaign to get ANZ to rule out funding the North to East Australia Pipeline (NEAP), Nannas met up with Rising Tide Singing Sisters to visit seven branches over 29 and 30 September: Mascot, Eastgardens, Bondi Junction, Double Bay, Haymarket, North Sydney and Chatswood.
Three or four of us went into each of the branches while others rallied outside. Inside we asked to meet with branch Managers, and most of them came to speak with us. We gave them letters calling on the bank to rule out funding the NEAP. The pipeline is proposed by the APA Group to carry fracked gas from the Beetaloo Basin in the Northern Territory to Gladstone LNG plants in Queensland for export.
For the Singing Sisters this was the third visit to Bondi Junction and the second visit to some of the others. They followed up their earlier letters to the branch managers and the bank’s CEO, Nuno Matos.
We had a great time singing the Climate Song during our visits — sometimes outside, sometimes inside. Singing inside a branch attracts a lot of attention from staff and customers.
Outside we did some singing and chanting, had some good conversations with people passing by and gave out leaflets.
ANZ Double Bay claimed reverence for First Nations’ values in a sign on their window. But, do they mean it? If they were serious, they’d rule out funding the pipeline that will open up First Nations’ land and water resources to shale gas fracking across the Beetaloo Basin.
One of the highlights of our visits was Nanna Janet telling the bank managers why she ditched them — setting a good example for others to follow. Keeping customers is central to the managers’ jobs, so they couldn’t just say fracking the Beetaloo was up to the ‘high ups’ and nothing to do with them.
Glebe Speakout Against Racism and Bigotry
Nannas Janet and Louise attended a community rally to unite against racism in Glebe on Saturday 26 September. Like most people, we want a society of kindness, tolerance and open minds and hearts that welcomes diversity. That’s something to knit and rally for! It was a good event for meeting lovely people, despite the unseasonal heat.
The Red Lines Package
Labor and the Coalition have teamed up to stifle debate about our international human rights’ obligations. They have blocked a Senate inquiry into the Red Lines Package.
Australia has signed up to international obligations on genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity — but our domestic law does not hold us to these obligations.
The Red Lines Package would fix that. It ensures that Australia doesn’t fund, arm or invest in illegal settlements, war crimes or genocide — anywhere in the world.
The Bill amends laws to ensure Australia does not breach its international human rights’ obligations — through imports, defence exports or investments.
Support the Red Lines Package to ensure Australia does not profit from genocide:
Hannah Ferguson explains the Red Line Package on Instagram
Make big polluters pay
Blue Mountains City Council became the 13th council in Australia to back a Climate Compensation Fund paid for by big polluters. The motion passed unanimously. The Blue Mountains is one of only two cities in the world surrounded by World Heritage Areas. In the catastrophic Black Summer fires, 80% of it burnt. A Climate Compensation Fund will ensure Councils do not foot the bill for extreme climate events. Facebook slide show
All Councils face rising costs forcing them to make difficult decisions about what services and infrastructure can be maintained. Extreme weather events and fires made more intense and more frequent by climate change are presenting difficult choices for them. As the key drivers of climate change, fossil fuel corporations should be made to pay for cleaning up after extreme weather and for preparing communities for future events.
Blue Mountains Council backs fossil fuel levy to help pay disaster bills (Hawkesbury Gazette)
Nanna Meets MP
Nanna Lyn met with her State Labor MP, Maryanne Stuart, on Saturday 26 September before a community meeting in Woronora. They discussed a few local issues — rubbish on the Woronora Bridge and in the bush; also, the preservation of a natural park instead of making it into a playground. Ms Stuart has been supportive of local issues and supports the Community Residents Group.
Lyn gave her the notes prepared by Knitting Nannas regarding NSW Labor’s promises that have not yet been kept on climate, the environment and biodiversity. They discussed these issues and Lyn asked that the appropriate Ministers be encouraged to keep Labor’s promises. Lyn asked for responses from the Ministers to be passed on to her.
Nannas are watching
Juice Media explains Australia’s use of ‘offsets’ for carbon pollution and the Improved Native Forest Management method.
Nannas are listening
Is China’s rare earth monopoly already unbreakable? (ABC Global Roaming)
Nannas are reading
This Labor government is the Ed Sheeran of Australian politics — Amy Remeikis (Deep cut)
Australian banks now make $228,900 profit from the average home loan — new research (The Australia Institute)
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