Public servants gagged

Putty Creek in flood February 2012

In late May I had a dream that I was in a library looking up something to do with coal seam gas and someone approached me to join a meeting. Over 60 people were at the meeting and they were all anti CSG campaigners who worked in the public service and had been told they would lose their jobs if they continued campaigning against it, or they were people without permanent Australian residency and were threatened with deportation.

Solar energy - it works for me

Recently, when a guest was reluctant to plug a new laptop into a power socket in our house, I realised just how little people understand solar energy. Yesterday, Harvey Norman announced that it had placed a substantial order for user-friendly solar panels to supply to customers in addition to kitchens, bathroom items, hot water and air conditioning systems.

Perhaps people’s perception of solar is about to change! 

Australia to lose environmental protection

The koala was recently listed as a nationally threatened species, but now the federal
government plans to hand its legal powers over to the states, placing the koala and its habitat
at risk. Koala and joey photo: WRD-073 © Dave Watts / Lochman Transparencies

Not content with putting pressure on the state government, big business and the mining industry have broadened their attack to our federal environment laws. Following intense industry lobbying, federal and state governments have recently announced an aggressive plan to wind back critical environmental protection laws that protect our land, water and wildlife.

Fullerton Cove Pilot Project Approved

The NSW Government has given Dart Energy approval to drill pilot coal seam gas wells north east of Newcastle. Local residents are concerned about contamination of nearby RAMSAR listed wetlands, the Hunter River estuary and the Tomaree Sands groundwater system which is a component of their water supply. This is compounded by the history of earthquakes and floods in the area.

Great Barrier Reef threatened



Courtesy of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

UNESCO’s report on the Great Barrier Reef says ‘The rapid increase of coastal developments, including ports infrastructure is of significant concern. The property further lacks an overall plan for the future sustainable development of the reef that will lead to protection of Outstanding Universal Value in the long-term’.

It goes on to ‘requests the State Party to not permit any new port development or associated infrastructure outside of the existing and long-established major port areas within or adjoining the property, and to ensure that development is not permitted if it would impact individually or cumulatively on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property’.