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Environment Centre NT Magazine
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PANDANUSDECEMBER 2012
protecting nature living sustainably creating a climate for change
•Shalegas•Maningridafightsoil•PlacesyouLove•SustainableLiving•NuclearFreeNT•Mini-budget
Ranger uranim mine - end of an ERA.
Environment Centre NTDirector Stuart BlanchOffice Manager Lisa PetersPolicy Officer VacantNuclear Free NT Campaigner Cat BeatonSustainability Officer Mereki GarnettCommunications & PANDANUS EditorHannah Seward at Greenkey GraphicsFundraising Advisor Annette HerschtalCOOLmob Program Manager Robin KnoxCOOLmob Team Adrielle Drury and Bridget Edmunds
Contact usEnvironment Centre NTGPO Box 2120, Darwin, NT, 0801Unit 3/98, Woods Street, Darwin.T 08 8981 1984 E [email protected] COOLmob: [email protected] www.ecnt.orgLetters to the EditorE [email protected]
Facebook: Environment Centre NT
Flickr: environment_centre_nt
Twitter: EnviroCentreNT
PrintedonFSCcertifiedpaperfromsustainablesourcesusingvegetableinks.
From the ConvenorFrom the Director
COOLmob - why invest in energy efficienct house design?
The Interview - Maningrida
Sustainable Living - at home and afar
City of Darwin - Sustainability @ the Top
Australian Nuclear Free Alliance
End of a Radioactive ERA
City of Palmerston - advancing effective collaboration
Muckaty Nuclear Waste Dump update
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13NT Petroleum Laws -making life easy for the fossil fuel sector
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IN THIS ISSUE
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MagazinedesignedbyHannahSewardatGreenkeyE:[email protected]
Places we Love
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If you haven’t got yourcopyofWeeds of Northern Australia: A Field Guideyetyou’dbetterbequick.Theyaresellingfast.To place an order pleasecall:08 8981 1984orvisit:www.ecnt.org
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Cert no. L2/0031.2012
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WEEDS of
NoRTHERN AUSTRALIAA FIELD GUIDE
Nicholas Smith Environment Centre NT
C. gigantea
C. gigantea
C. gigantea
Calotropis gigantea
Giant rubber bush
Calotropis procera
Rubber bush
APOCYNACEAE (periwinkle family)
Description: Shrubs (or small trees) 3-5m tall
with a waxy appearance and milky sap. Stems are
smooth, grey-green. Leaves opposite, green-grey,
thick and waxy, with heart-shaped, often stem-
clasping bases. Pods green, bladder like, splitting
to release white-plumed seeds.
• C. gigantea is the larger and coarser of the two,
flowers are larger with mauve-pink petals.
• C. procera flowers are white with purple
blotches at tip.
Flowers/Fruits: All year round
Habitat: Found on roadsides, disturbed areas,
water courses, river flats and coastal dunes. Thrives
on poor soils particularly where overgrazing has
removed competition from native grasses.
Dispersal: Seeds spread by wind and water
over large distances. Local stands increase in
size by suckering. C. gigantea also spread as an
ornamental plant.
Control: Physical (hand pulling, grubbing); Land
Management (hygiene, reduce grazing intensity,
control feral animals, revegetation); Chemical
(foliar spray, basal bark, cut stump).
Notes: C. gigantea is native to Sri Lanka, India and
Asia and is very common in Timor. C. procera is
native to Africa and Asia and was introduced into
Australia from India in the early 1890s either as
a garden plant or in pack-saddles of camels. It
forms dense thickets which compete with native
plant species and transforms the appearance
of the savanna. Also hinders pastoralism by
degrading pasture lands and making mustering
difficult. Reported to be toxic to stock, however
it is sometimes grazed in semi-arid and tropical
areas but rarely in the arid areas, even in drought.
SHRU
BS & H
ERBS
PANDANUS
COOLmobcar pooling
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Arid Lands - Desert Update 17
LETTERS
NRM Calendar
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MINI BUDGET - OUR TAKEThe mini-budget 2012/13 is a mixedbag for the Territory’s environment,including necessary price rises forpower and water plus a modestincrease in supporting energyefficiency in business, to ignoringclimatechangeandditchinglandscapescale conservation in favour of anoutdated‘protecttheparks’approach
What’smissinginthemini-Budget:
Any mention of climate change andcutting carbon pollution at a timewhen the Territory’s greenhouse gasemissions are set to skyrocket andthe world is on track for an averageincrease in temperatures of over 3degreesCelsius;
Additional support for solar panelsandlargesolarfarmstohelpcutrisingpowerbills;
Funding to implement a new NativeVegetationManagementAct.TheBillis written and should be introducedinto Parliament to ensure a modernframeworkforregulatinglandclearingintheworld’slargesttropicalsavanna;
A commitment to further studyinglight rail for Greater Darwin to cutcongestionandpollution;Infrastructure upgrades at East ArmWharftopreventbulkgoodspollutingDarwinHarbour;Fundstofencecats,pigsanddonkeysout of large areas of our NationalParks to allow threatened species tobreedupandavoidlocalextinction;Landscape-scale initiatives to reducethreats and build climate resilienceacross different land tenures andbetweenprotectedareas;Funds for an independent inquiryinto the risks of the shale oil andgas industry to aquifers, landscapes,greenhouse emissions and remotecommunities.The Environment Centre NT urgesthe Mills Government to fund theseimportantinvestmentsandundertakethesekeyreformsinBudget2013/14,and beyond within this term ofParliament.
From the Director by Stuart Blanch
By Di Koser
Irecentlydidsomegreatbushwalksinthetall forests,mountainheathsand wildflowers of southernWestern Australia. We hiked insomebeautifulplaceswithamazingwildlife, but the scars on the landfrom the bulldozers and the chainsawsremindedmeof the immensevalue to society of the Territory’slargely intact landscapes. Wemust protect our precious naturalecosystems.
I also heard that in August theWA Government had announced
regulations controlling fracking forunconventional onshore gas wouldbetightened.This issomethingtheEnvironment Centre NT has alsobeencallingforintheTerritory.
The new Territory Government hasthe opportunity to heed the callsfrom the community, pastoralistsand Aboriginal Land Councils byplacing a moratorium on frackinguntil our laws are reviewed andtightened. Our laws need to bestronger to adequately protect ourwildlife and habitats, particularly
Di Koser
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petroleum, water,e n v i r o n m e n t a lassessment, andpollution controllaws.As thewet seasondraws closerwehave had some changes amongstour dedicated staff. We recentlysaid farewell to our Marine ParksCampaigner Jess Abrahams whoafternearlytwoyearsofhardworkhasleftustotravel,workandstudyoverseas. And we were pleasedto welcome back Stuart Blanch asDirector.
From the Convenor
The Environment Centre NT haswelcomed the Country Liberals’election commitment to create astrong, independent EnvironmentProtection Authority. We have longcalled for an independent EPA withbroad and strong legal powers toassess the environmental impacts ofprojects, develop policy, and enforcecompliance with developmentapprovalsandpollutionlaws.
ButTerritoriansare likelytoquestionits independence over contentiousprojects as the Chair of the NTPlanningCommissionisautomaticallyappointed to theEPA.ThishardwiresinaconflictofinteresttotheNTEPA.
ApartfromcreatinganewregulatoryEPA, the election commitmentsreleasedbytheCountryLiberalsduringtheelection campaign contained fewdetailsonenvironmentalprotection.
Our staff and Board have beenmeeting with new Government tofind out what their policies are ona broad range of environment andsustainabilitymatters.
Thanks to all our members andsupporters who have contacted ourofficesincetheelectiontoraisetheirconcerns about the Arafura Harbourcanal estate, development on theKulaluk lease in Ludmilla, the futureof land clearing controls, protectionof National Parks, and keeping the
moratoriumonseabedmining.
We’ve been supporting TraditionalOwners to voice their objections tooil exploration in bays and estuariesoff the central Arnhem Land coast.ThishasneverhappenedbeforeintheshallowwatersofftheTerritorycoast,and oil exploration and productionin our coastal waters presents a realthreattomarinewildlifeandsensitivehabitats.YoucanreadmoreaboutthefossilfuelrushacrosstheTerritoryonpage4.
Our team has been highlighting therisks of proposed seabed miningin Territory coastal waters, whichwas halted in March 2012 by theprevious government under a three-year moratorium. We urge thenew Territory Government to keep
the moratorium in place for thethree years. In September we metwith Land Council representatives,regulators, CSIRO scientists, minersand the fishing sector to betterunderstand mining techniques, legalrequirements, environmental risks,and threats to sacred sites and songlines.
We welcomed a report into thelast December’s Edith River trainderailment that identified poor riskmanagementandlaxsafetystandardsby train company Genessee &WyomingAustralia.ThereportbytheAustralian Transport Safety Bureaufound thatGenessee&Wyomingdidnot have real time river height datafor the Edith River when its traindrivers drove across the floodedrailwaybridge.
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In September we received reportsthatminingcompanyWesternDesertResourceshadbulldozeditshaulroadinthesouthwestGulfCountrywithoutgetting formalapprovalbyAustralianand Territory Governments. Wereferred the alleged breaches toFederalandTerritoryregulators.
Whilst the bulldozing appearsto be a clear breach of federalenvironmental law, the Territory’smining, environmental assessmentandpastorallandslawsareweakandfull of loopholes. There may havebeennobreachoftheselaws,which–iftrue–wouldhighlightagaintheneedtostrengthentheselaws.
The bulldozing was a calculatedbusinessdecisiontowearasmallfineand potentially a court conviction inexchange for ahead start before theWet and making the mine a plumptakeovertarget.
The Australian and TerritoryGovernments should not reward thistype of behaviour. Approvals shouldbe withheld until investigations areundertaken and any court action iscomplete.
Given the NT EPA approvedconstruction of the mine only one
monthorsoafter thebulldozingwasreported, the appetite of the newGovernmenttowithholdapprovalsforthemineappearslimited.
OurSustainabilityOfficerMeriGarnettis working closely with the GeorgeBrownDarwinBotanicGardenstosetupacommunitygardeninStuartPark.
We are starting three exciting newprojects:
We’ll hold a workshop to scopechallenges in exporting renewableenergy to Asia through a highvoltage subsea electricity cable,start producing the Top End’s firstcomprehensive field guide towildlifeand the protected areas where youcan see them, and assessing theconservation values of eucalypt
woodlands and forests acrossNorthern Australia as part of theKimberleytoCapeinitiative.
We’d love your financial support aswe haven’t secured enough funds tofinishthem.
And we’ve partnered withNgarranbarrdji DevelopmentCorporation Ltd from theMangarrayiLands Trust at Jilkminggan to seek agrant from the federal government’sBiodiversity Fund to support on-ground management of fires,weeds, feral animals and cattle inthe Roper River catchment. There isstrong interest amongst IndigenousRanger groups, landcare, Parks &Wildlife Commission NT and theAustralian Wildlife Conservancy todevelop a catchment-wide landscapeconservation program that wouldaddressthesethreatsacrossdifferentland tenures over several millionhectares.
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Nature Territory
Atatimewhentheworld’sbestclimatescientistsarewarningoftheneedtocutgreenhouse gas emissions by at least40% below 1990 levels by 2020, thecreation of a large onshore and near-shoreoilandgas industrywouldcauseTerritorycarbonpollution levels toriseformanydecades.
“Around 90% of the Territory’s land and coastal waters is being targeted for fossil fuel exploration.”
AcrosstheTerritoryfossilfuelcompaniesare exploring for unconventional gas(tight gas, shale gas, coal seam gas),conventionalgas,andoil.
Tight gases are generally found inlow permeability and low porositysandstone and limestone, while shalegas is found within shale-type rocksthat are commonly associated withtraditional oil and gas sources. Bothrequire horizontal hydraulic fracturing(fracking)toallowthegastobereleasedfromthedeeprocksandflowintowells.
The number of fossil fuel companiesscouring the land and sea make for along list: Imperial Oil & Gas, Santos,Central Petroleum, Armour Energy,Hess, Falcon Oil & Gas, TamboranResources, Sweetpea Petroleum, WisoOil, Petrofrontier, Territory Oil & Gas,andsoon.
Essentially nowhere is off-limits:National Parks, farms, aquifers thatwater pastoral properties and remotecommunities,theDalyRivercatchment,the Barkly, remote Aboriginal estatesin Arnhem Land, bays and estuariesfavoured by anglers, the Simpsonand Tanami Deserts, and the WestMacDonnellRanges.
The rush started a decade ago whenFalconOil&Gas started exploring theBeetalooBasinontheBarklyTablelands.
So if youwanted toobject toplansbythese companies to explore for fossilfuels inanareayou lovedandwantedtoprotect,whatcanyoudo?
Well, the Petroleum Act prevents thevastmajorityofTerritorians fromevenlodginganobjectiontotheDepartmentof Mines and Energy over oil andgas exploration (let alone actual oilproduction). The law stops you fromevenhavingyoursay!
Unlessyouliveonthelandornearby,orhaveafinancialor legal interest in thearea, any objection you lodged couldlegallybethrowninthebin.But this is just one problem with thisimportant law. It does not require theprinciples of Ecologically SustainableDevelopment to apply. This is criticalbecause the application of the ESDprinciples is designed to conservebiodiversity, provide for communityinvolvement in decision making, andensure future generations are not
denied a healthy environment by ourgeneration.
ThePetroleum Act alsodoesnotdirectbureaucrats in the NT Department ofMinesandEnergy to referapplicationsfor exploration and production tothe EPA for assessment under theTerritory’s environmental assessmentlaw.YettheEPAaresupposedtobetheenvironmentalcop.
“The petroleum law contains very weak environmental protections. It reads like a law written for oil men.”
It could even allow oil wells to getthe go-ahead on one of our beautifulremoteNationalParkssuchasLitchfield,or in an aquifer that keeps the DalyRiverflowingcleanandclearduringtheDry, or in the shallowwaters betweenDarwinandtheTiwiIslands.There’snorequirementforafossilfuelcompany to get a water licence likefarmersdo.
And the community has very limitedrights to access information aboutexploration and production, suchas about what chemicals are usedin fracking, what information is inenvironmental management plans,what the risks are of well casingscrackingandpollutingaquifers,orhowmuchcarbonpollutionwillbereleased.
The Territory Government shouldadopt a moratorium on fracking untilitreviewsthe Petroleum Actandotherrelevantstatutes(water,environmentalassessment, parks, pollution control),and creates no-go areas to protectsensitive habitats (such as NationalParks) and important economic andcultural assets, such as farmlands andaquifers.Take Action!
TellChiefMinisterTerryMillsyouwantamoratoriumonfrackinguntilkeylawsarereviewedandsensitivehabitatsandimportanteconomicandculturalassetsareprotected.
Email:[email protected]:0889286500Address:TheHonTerryMillsMLA,ChiefMinister,GPOBox3146DarwinNT0801
The Territory’s petroleum laws - making life easy for the fossil fuel sectorByStuartBlanch,Director
Falcon Oil & Gas Australia’s Shenandoah 1A Fraccing, Stimulation and Testing set-up, Beetaloo Basin
Green Living
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Nature Territory
By Hannah Seward, Editor & Communications Officer
WelcometoTheInterview.
We bring you environmental answers, news and views from key people in our community.
In this issue of PANDANUS we talkto twowomen fromtheManingridaregion, situated on the north eastcoastoftheNorthernTerritory.
Recently communitymembers werehorrified to learn that around 30packages of land across the entirecoastline of Arnhem Land havebeen earmarked for oil and gasmining exploration. Local teacherJeffAschmannhappenedtospotthesmall notices by chance in the backpages of the NT News and alertedlocalcommunitymembers.
The mining company in question isPaltarPetroleumLimited,who‘focusontheacquisitionof,andexplorationfor, ‘unconventional’ oil and gasprojectsaroundtheworld.’
No one from Paltar, NT governmentor the NLC had any contact withthe community regarding theseexploration licence notices beforetheywerepublishedandcommunitymembers were left feeling shockedandconfused.
A meeting was requested andtook place on the 27th Septemberattended by the NLC and the localcommunity. This was the first timethat anyone in the Maningridaareawas able to find outwhatwasplanned,askquestionsandlookatamapofproposedexplorationsites.
Hannah Seward spoke to HelenaGulwaandAliceDiagumaEatherwhowanted to speak out on behalf oftheirparentsandgrandparents,whothelandbelongsto.
An interview with... Maningrida Community
HS: Helena and Alice, could you please tell our readers a little about yourselves?
HG:“MynameisHelenaGulwa,IamfromManingridaregion.Myfamilyisfrombothsides,saltwaterandstonecountry.
My grandfather and grandmotherare from saltwater country. I speakfour languages, I mainly speak mygrandfather’s language which isKunwinjku, there are 6 dialects ofKunwinjku.
I speak formymother, because it’smy mother’s country. By law andrules I have to supportmymotherscountry.”
ADE: “My name is Alice DiagumaEather.
Diaguma is my Kunbalang namefrom Nagalarramba (the other sideof Maningrida) from my great-grandmother’sside.
Iamspeakingonbehalfofmygrand-motherasthisishercountry.Ihaveadutyashergrand-daughtertoprotectthiscountryandoursacreddreamingsitecalledDjomiDreaming.
DjomiDreamingisasacredfreshwaterspring among themangroves in theLiverpoolRiver.
I speak my mother’s tongueNdjébbanaandamfromtheKunibídjipeople. We are saltwater peoplefromManingrida.”
HS: Can you tell usmore about theManingridaregion?
ADE: “Maningrida has a seasonallychangingpopulationofaround3,000people. The town is surroundedby 42 outstations and a total of 13languages are spoken across theregion.
The area supports a beautifulcoastline, mangrove lined estuariesand rivers, salt-flats, wetland,savanna and water holes. The localpeople hunt and gather food fromtheregionandrelyonthehealthoftheecosystemsandenvironment.
HS:What are the community’s main concerns?
HG:“Weareconcernedthatnoonespoke to us. If Jeff hadn’t seen thenotices we still would have no ideawhat is planned for this region.Weareworriedabouttheimpactontheenvironment and the land and seahabitatsforshellfish,turtles,dugongand dolphins.Wehave hundreds ofburial sites along the coast. Manyarenotregisteredandweworrythattheseareaswillbethreatened.”
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An interview with... Maningrida Community
HS: What are your thoughts on how this issue was handled from a communication point of view?
ADE: “The notices appeared in theNTNewsduring the schoolholidayswhenmanyfamilieswereoutoftheregionorawaycamping,huntingandgathering.Theywereverysmallandonly printed in English which couldbe the third or fourth language ofmany community members. Therewashardlyanyinformation.
Noonecametotalktousorprovideduswithanyinformationatalluntilwecalled ameeting with the NLC. Themeetingwasveryquick.Wewereallleftwaitingforagesandmostpeoplewenthome.Themeetingwasfinallyheldlateinthedaywithaverysmallamount of community members.Alotofpeoplewereoutoftownforceremony.”
HS:Have you been able to discover much information on the proposed explorations?
ADE: “Through my own research,which has taken a lot of time andeffort I have found out that PaltarplantocarryoutHorizontalHydraulicFracturing,LaserSurveysandSeismicSurveys. We have no idea whatdamage these may cause to thehabitatsandanimals.”
HS: What issues do you see this having for the region?
HG:“Weareworriedaboutthehealthofourfoodsourcesandwildlife.Werely on gathering oysters,mudcrabsand catching barra and other fish.Theareaisrichinwildlife,especiallycoastal bird species and GouldianFinches. There is a very importantfertilitysiteinthemangrovesontheTompkinsonRiver.Freshwatercomesoutofthemudanditsaveryspiritualsacredsite.
We haven’t seen an EnvironmentalImpact Statement or any plans ifproblems such as pollution andaccidents happen. This area is soremote and very dangerous. Howwill they get into the mangrovesand coastline to cleanup if there isan accident with all the crocs andstingers?”
HS: What is the community going about this?
ADE: “We held a public meetingand collected letters to send togovernment.
Wehave61peopleofficiallyopposedto the exploration notices. AFANTare supporting us by putting in asubmission as are the 2 local searangergroups.
Themostimportantthingistomakeeveryone in this region aware ofwhat is happening.We have set upawebsite,facebookpageandonlinepetition.
WealsohavevideosonYouTubeandare planning a community brochuretogettheinformationoutthere.
Our aim is to get a moratorium inplace to delay these explorations.We have no idea what effect theycouldhave.”
“Goto‘Protect Arnhem Land’onfacebooktofindoutmore.Please ‘Like’ our page andpostaphotoofyourselfwithabluehandtosaynotominingexplorationinArnhemLand.”
Nature Territory
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TellPrimeMinisterGillardtoprotectthelawsthatprotecttheplacesyouloveandthewildlifethatlivesthere.
Under pressure from bigbusiness and the mining industry,governments are moving forwardwith an aggressive plan to windback our environmental protectionlaws. In the guise of cutting ‘greentape’, Government and industrypropose to hand important federalapproval powers to the states andterritories, and fast track approvalsfor large developments. This willremove federal protection for ourmost special places and wildlife,and accelerate mining and otherdestructive development in ourwoodlands, rural landscapes andrivers.
History has shown us that theFederal Government has a criticalroleinprotectingmattersofnationalenvironmental significance. Short-sighted development proposalshave threatened Australia’s naturalheritage several times in the pastand the Federal Government hasstepped in to prevent irreversibleharm.WithoutFederalintervention,the Franklin River would bedammed, there would be oil rigsontheGreatBarrierReef,andnearpristine Shoalwater Bay would behometoalargecoalport.
The momentum to protect ournatural heritage is building acrossAustralia. It is essential that thePrime Minister hears communitysupportforthelawsthatprotecttheplacesyoulove.
The most recent national Stateof the Environment report showsthe country is going backwards inbiodiversity conservation, climatechange impacts, the health of ourcatchments, and the protection ofourforestsandwoodlands.
Nowmore than ever, we need theFederal Government to upholdand strengthen laws to safeguardAustralia’s natural heritage forfuturegenerations.
Why Environmental Laws MatterEnvironmentallawsareanessentialelement of a healthy society.They not only protect our fragileecosystems, they also protectour health, our communities, oureconomyandfuturegenerations.
Specifically our system of environmental laws:1.Recognisethevalueofthe
environment,andcanseektoensurethatdecisionsaremadeinaccordancewiththeprinciplesofecologicallysustainabledevelopment.
2.Protectthecommunity’srighttobeinformedof,andparticipatein,decision-makingprocessesthataffecttheenvironment.
3.Ensurethatarigorous,science-basedassessmentofenvironmentalimpactsisappliedinthedecision-makingprocess.
4.Provideenforcementmechanismswhereenvironmentallawsarebreached.
5.Ensurethatourinternationalenvironmentalobligationsareupheld.
What You Can DoCall, write or email PrimeMinisterJuliaGillardandyourfederalMP.
As the head of COAG, the PrimeMinister is responsible forimplementing this plan to windback environmental protectionlaws.ExpressyouroppositiontotheFederal Government’s proposal towindbackenvironmentalprotectionlaws under the guise of cutting‘greentape’.
Tell our leaders Australia needsstronger notweaker environmentallaws and the Federal Governmentshouldnotbehandingovermattersofnational environmental significancetothestategovernments.
Highlightandinsistthatthecurrentprocess - that allows the COAGBusinessAdvisory Forumprivilegedaccess to high-level policy agendasto the exclusion of the rest of civilsociety-isunacceptable.
Places You Love
Call: (02) 6277 7700
Email: www.pm.gov.au/contact-your-pm
Address:The Hon Julia Gillard MPPrime MinisterParliament HouseCanberra Act 2600
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There seems to be a greatdeal of momentum withsustainablelivinginschoolsandcommunitiesacrosstheTopEnd.While hosting a Carbon NegativePopcorn and Biochar workshop atthisyear’sCSIROCarbonKidsSchoolsDayinAugust,itwaspleasingtofindstudents from as far south as PineCreekcomingtogethertounlockthemysteriesofasustainable future intheclassroom.
Many schools inDarwinandacrossthe Territory are also workingtowards creating and managinga permaculture garden on site tosupport cooking classes, studenthealth and diet, and to providean exciting learnscape thatcomplements the new Australiancurriculum with a sensory outdoorexperience.
Fifteen years ago in Sydney theplightoftheschoolgroundwasnotso green. In two years my schoolwas systematically stripped of all
remaining grassy knolls in favourofasphalt,andtreeswerereplacedwithplastic shadecloth.Beeswereathingoffearandloathing–abeesting was considered much worse,it would seem, than the pursuingepisodes of grazed knees, elbows,andhands.AlthoughIwasaschoolcaptain, the powers of the Loraxwerenotvestedinmetoprotectthelivingschoolgrounds,andsoIcouldonly stick to my campaign agendaof pumping Coca Cola through theschoolbubblers.
Thankstoagrowingcriticalmassofteachers in support of sustainableliving education, school childrenin the Territory today are seeinga changing attitude towards ourrelationship with nature. RecentlyI have been joined in the GeorgeBrown Darwin Botanic Gardens byHenbury School and Darwin HighSchoolstudentstodiscussuncertainenergy futures and food security,followed by seed saving activitiesto support the in-school gardens.Even our little brothers and sistersfrom Mitchell Street ChildcareCentreenjoyanearlymorningyogasessionfollowedbyanadventurousbiodiversityauditoftheSnakeBeanCommunityGarden!
SUSTAINABLE LIVING at Home and Afar
By Mereki Garnett – Sustainability Officer
Green Living
If you are involved with a school,institution,orrefugeecentre,thereare opportunities for sustainabilityeducation and garden support atyoursite,socontacttheEnvironmentCentretodiscussfeesandbooking.WhetheryouwanttoinvestigatetheCarbon Story or improve a gardenbed over the Wet with a crop ofmung beans. It’s never too late toengagewithsustainableliving.
FormanyEnvironmentCentrestaff,the quest for a safe environmentand safe futures extends all theway from campaigning in Darwinto hands-on support in remotecommunities. One example of athriving community food gardenproject is in Utopia in the Barklyregion. A September visit was theperfecttimetoplantsummercropsofcornandwatermelonandcreatea seasonal planting guide in theAlyawarradialect.
Heretheelementsareextreme– ifit’snothot, it’s cold, and if it’snotwindy, there’s probably a bushfireor flooding rains. This and theresident horses can be challengingforanyhorticulturalpursuit,butforcommunitymembersreliantonabigdiesel generator and an overpricedoutback store, every new gardengiveshope.
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With energy costs rising andtheintroductionofthecarbonprice, choosing an energyefficienthomewillbecomeasimportantasthebuyingprice.
A factor many people overlookwhenbuyingahouse, ishowmuchwillitcosttorun?Ifyouarethinkingof buying a house in the tropics, itwouldbewise to consider the costto runyourhouseover its lifespan.This involves not just coveringmortgage payments but alsofactoring in the energy/water coststorunyourhome.Energycostsarerising consistently and the carbonpriceisnowaddingtothesecosts.
There can be a lot of variationbetween utility bills from house tohouse. Differences in power billscan vary from $200 to $2000 aquarter.Over ten years costs could
vary from$3600 to$80000!Thereareconsiderablelongtermfinancialbenefits in investing in an energyefficient house that is comfortabletoliveinwithlowpowerandwaterbills.It’sawin/windecision.
Costs of cooling your home The two main factors betweenexpensive or cheap bills are: thedesign of your home and the wayyouliveinyourhome.
The Design of your Home How to choose an energy efficient house
The best and easiest way to savemoneyonyourbillsistobeabletoidentify what will make an energyefficient house. Some features tolookfor:
Why Invest in Energy Efficient House Design?
Factors to consider •Howwillthehouseloseandgainheat?
•Howmuchwillyouneedtorelyuponanairconditionertokeepcool?
•Whatfeatureswillhelpyourhousestaycoolwithoutanairconditioner?
•WhatcanIdotoadaptahousetokeepitcooler?
•Bookingasustainablehouseholdauditforassessmentandrecommendationsonhowyoucanlivecomfortablyandsavemoney
COOLmob is a community based project of the Environment CentreNT.COOLmobaimstohelppeoplereducetheirCO2emissionsthroughtheir activities which include household energy audits, televisionadvertisements,publications,campaigns,mediaeventsandactivities.
Green Living
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VentilationCanyouencouragebreezestoenterthe house through vents, openwindowsandopendoors? Louversthatopenhorizontallyarewonderfulfor catching breezes, and they canbeopenedatananglewhenitrains.- If you do have to use airconditioning,makesuretheroomcansealwellsothecoldaircan’tescape.
Building Structure & Design- Light weight materials will cooldownfasteratnight
- Insulated structures and heavyweightmaterials will keep in thecold,air-conditionedair
-Elevatedhousescancatchbreezesastheyarehigherupandprovideverycoolspaceunderneath.
Shading- Themoreshadeyoucreatearoundyourhousetostopdirectsunlightfallingonthehouse,thecooler itwillbe.
- Wide eavesprotect your buildingfromdirectsunlight.
- Shade paved areas from directsunlight. Unshaded paved areascanradiateheatlongafterthesunhasset.
Orientation - Most importantly, have thesmallestpartofyourhousefacingthemorning(east)andafternoon(west)sun.ConsiderhowyoucanbestcatchanddirecttheNW‘wet’season breezes and the SE ‘dry’seasonbreezes.
The Way you live in your HomeEnergy Efficient AppliancesA valuable investment is energyefficient appliances that have ahigh star rating. Energy efficientpool pumps, white goods and airconditioners will all significantlyreduceyourenergybill.“Anincreaseofone starwill giveenergy savingsof 10% to 30% depending on thetype of appliance,” http://www.saveenergy.vic.gov.au/shopsmart/starratings.aspx.
For example one small airconditioner (<2kW) running for 10
hours a day every day of the yearwill cost between $292 - $584 peryear depending on how well theroom is sealed. One large 3.5kWair conditioner run for ten hourswill cost between, $510 - $1920peryear.Aninverterairconditionerrun for similar periods will costapproximately30%less.New‘solar’airconditionerscansaveadditionalcostsonpowerbills.Awelldesignedhouse will rarely have the need touseairconditioners.
Sustainable Household AuditHaving a sustainable householdauditisapowerfultooltoputyouincontrolofyourpowerbill.Investinanassessment and recommendationson how you can live in your housethemostefficientway.
For further information refer totheCOOLmobGreenhouse FriendlyDesign for the Tropics Booklet andthe Hardware for top end housingBooklet, Downloadable, at http://coolmob.org/booklets
Why Invest in Energy Efficient House Design?
IfyouwouldliketoreceiveouremailNEWSLETTERsendyouremailaddressto:coolmob@ecnt.org.Thefreenewsletterisfullofexcitingsustainablelivingtips,gadgetsandnews.
COOLmobnowhasaFacebook page!Pleasesearchforusandstayinthesustainabilityloop.
Ifyouhaveyourheartsetonahousethatdoesn’thavethesequalitiestherearestillthingsyoucando.
Green Living
11
Green Living
We all know that Darwin hasthe best lifestyle of all thecapital cities in Australia, butthetruthisitisnotwithoutitsdailytrafficcongestion.The flow of commuters eachmorningintothecityandawayeachafternoon is dominated by single-passenger vehicles lined bumper-to-bumper. So instead of thinkingup acronyms of the number plateofthecar infrontthatyou’vebeenstaring at for 5 minutes, why notthink about how cool it would betocarpool?Andalsohoweasyit isnow!COOLmobhasjustlauncheda carpooling website,funded by the NorthernTerritory Government’sClimateChangeGrantandCity ofDarwin CommunityClimateChangegrant,tohelpcommuters either share orfind a ride. The site will linkupcommutersinandaroundDarwinwith similar travel routes, timesanddestinations.Findingasuitablecarpool is as easy as registering tothesiteandsearchingforamatch.
Carpooling is not a new initiative,but as traffic congestion increasesand petrol and parking costs alsorise, it becomes a very attractivealternativetogettoandfromwork.The relatively close proximity ofsuburbs and towns and our activesocial connections in Darwin alsoprovide excellent opportunities forpeopletocarpool.
How much will carpooling save me in vehicle running costs?Sharingthejourneytoorfromworkmeans you share the costs aswell,so everyone benefits. COOLmobstrongly encourage drivers andpassengerstonegotiatetheamountof fuel contributions before thejourneybegins.
To give you an idea of how muchmoney a journey may cost adriver each journey COOLmob has
developedaFuelGuidebasedontheAustralian Taxation Office VehicleRunningCostscalculator.This takesinto account the vehicle’s enginesizeandthekilometrestravelled.
Youmaydecidetoaskforaquarteror half (or even less) of the totalscalculated inCOOLmob’s fuelguideor youmay decide to simply sharethedrivingsoyouareswappingcars.
Is carpooling safe?The COOLmob carpooling websiteis for information purposes only tohelppeopleshareorfindrides,andall personal information (such ashome address, email address andphone number) are kept private.Once you find a match that suitsyou, youwill be prompted to sendthat person a message via thewebsiteandrequestalinkup.
If you are carpooling for the firsttime, COOLmob urge drivers andpassengerstoarrangepickuppointsinpublicspaces(suchasashoppingcentre) and to let their colleaguesknowthattheyarecarpooling.
Ultimately, it is always up to thedriver and passenger to decidewhether they want to carpooltogether, thoughchancesareyou’llfinditaverypractical,funandsocialexperience!
Popularity of carpooling is growing nation-wideSimilarprogramsdevelopedinother
parts of Australia havebeenverysuccessful,withcarpooling becomingan important part ofworkplace’stransportandenvironmental policies.
There are incentives forboth organisations andindividual commuters to
introduce carpooling strategiesas it reduces travel costs andgreenhousegasemissions forboth.Someorganisationsareofferingfreeparking, priority parking, parkingvouchersoraguaranteedridehomeschemeforcarpoolers.
Share or Find a Ride today!The COOLmob Carpooling websiteaccommodatesbothregularweeklytrip plans, irregular and once-offtrips.Sowhetheryou’relookingforaridetoworkeachday,ortoshareaseatforaroadtripsouth,thengotowww.coolmob.org/carpool to findtheridethatsuitsyoubest!
Ifyouhaveanyquestionsregardingthewebsitepleasedon’thesitatetocontactCOOLmobstaff.
Be COOL and CARPOOL with COOLmob’s new carpooling website
www.coolmob.org/carpool
Forexample:Avehiclewithenginesizeupto1600cc
(1.6Litres)willcost$0.63perkilometre.Ifyoutravel
100kilometresperweekitwouldcost$63.00
perweek.
Avehiclebetween1601-2600cc(1.601-2.6Litres)willcost$0.74perkilometre,so20kilometresperdaywill
cost$74.00.
12
Green Living
The City of Darwin’s newinteractive online portal‘Sustainability@TheTop’ provides the community withinformationon living sustainably inDarwin and across the Top End, aswell as the associated health andenvironmentalbenefitsofdoingso.
Council released its ClimateChange Action Plan 2011-2020late last year, which identified theneed to engage the communityin reducing the municipality’senvironmental footprint. Councilis continuing its commitment tothis process by helping facilitatechanges in behaviour by staff andthecommunitybygivingpeopletheresourcestodoso.
Sustainability@TheTop allowsuserstocreatetheirownsustainableactionplanbypledgingtocompleteactions at home, in the garden, atplay and at work within a chosentimeframe. Users receive regularemailpromptsencouragingthemtorevisit theiractionplanandupdatetheir pledges. As users completetheir pledges, their $, water, CO2and ‘footprint’ savings are trackedthrough the inbuilt ecologicalfootprintcalculator.
Sustainability@TheTop providesthe opportunity for users to askquestions and make comments, as
Sustainability@TheTopwell as post community events tothe events calendar, the resourcepageandnewspage.
ByengagingthecommunitythroughSustainability@TheTop,Councilandthe community can work togetherin reducing the municipality’senvironmentalfootprint.
VisitSustainability@TheTop athttp://www.sustainabledarwin.com.au/orfollowthelinksthroughtheCityofDarwinwebsite.
13
The2012meetingoftheAustralianNuclear Free Alliance (ANFA) washeld on the weekend of October5-7 on the land of the ArrerntepeopleinAliceSprings.TheAlliancebrings together Aboriginal people,environment and health groupsand trade union representativesconcerned about uranium andnuclearprojects.
SincewelastmetinSeptember2011,it has been confirmed in FederalParliament that uranium fromAustralia was inside the strickennuclear reactorsatFukushima.Thisnewshashadprofound impactsonANFA representatives, especiallythose whose country the uraniumcamefrom.
The ANFA gathering was attendedby representatives of the followingAboriginal nations, organisationsandaffiliatedgroups:
Alyawarr, Anmatjere, Arabana,Arrernte,Gurindji,Iwaidja,Katyede,Koara, Kokatha/Anterkirinya,Kokatha/Mirning, Kokatha/Narrangar, Larrakia, Mirarr,Ngalia, Nyoongar Pitjantjatjarra,Tjupan, Walpiri, Wajarri Yamatji,Warlmanpa,Warramungu,Yamatji.
Anti-Nuclear Alliance of WesternAlliance, Arid Lands EnvironmentCentre, Australian ConservationFoundation, Beyond NuclearInitiative, Choose Nuclear Free,Conservation Council of WesternAustralia,EnvironmentCentreoftheNorthern Territory, EnvironmentalDefenders Office, Friends of theEarth, Gundjeihmi AboriginalCorporation,InternationalCampaignto Abolish Nuclear Weapons,Maritime Union of Australia,Medical Association for PreventionofWar,SortirDuNucleaire(France).
ANFA representatives from aroundthe country spoke about uraniumexplorationandminingineachstateandterritory.
Australian Nuclear Free AllianceAcrossAustraliathenuclearindustryistirelessandinsidiousinitseffortsto gain a foothold at any cost.Pressure for uranium explorationis increasing in many places andmining companies are hopeful thatnewconservativestategovernmentswillweakencurrentrestrictions.
WhilesomeAustraliangovernmentsmay be complicit in wanting toexpand the nuclear industry,internationally thewindsofchangeare blowing with many nuclearpowered countries committing tophaseoutthistoxicenergysource.
MuckatyTraditionalOwnersupdatedthe meeting on the campaignagainst the proposed nationalradioactive waste dump, calling itbeautiful country that floods andtremors. Custodians talked aboutunity and solidarity for each otherto ensure that when we stop thedump at Muckaty the governmentwill not simply target anotherremotearea.Radioactivewasteisanational problem.Weneed to stopthistoxictradefromthesource:nouraniummining.ANFAresolvedthatradioactivewaste should be storedatthefederallydesignatedfacilities-LucasHeightsandWoomera-wherewe have nuclear expertise, untilthere has been a comprehensiveinquiry into the least worst way tomanagethiswaste.
ANFA will continue to engagewith trade unions. We are allworkers, we are all people withfamilies and children and we areall concerned about the future.ANFAwasalsodescribedasaunionin its own right.Wewillworkwithcommunity groups, churches,doctors and all people opposedto the nuclear industry. There wasacknowledgement of the struggleswe have with fair representationin themedia.We resolved toworkhard to become our own mediaproducers.
Against a backdrop of risingresistance to nuclear power inIndia the meeting heard andexpressed concerns about theAustralian government’s intentionto sell uranium to that country.ANFA resolved to send a messageof support to Indian anti-nuclearactivists to coincide with PrimeMinister Gillard’s visit in midOctober.
ThemeetingcalledforamoratoriumonalluraniummininganddumpingofnuclearwasteinAustraliapendingapublic inquiry into the impactsofall aspects of the nuclear industryincluding uranium exploration,miningandexportsaswellashealthimpactsoncommunities livingwiththe legacy of nuclearweapons anduraniummines.
ECNT campaigner Cat Beaton with NT delegate Sam Cooper and ACF campaigner Dave Sweeney
Nuclear Free NT
1413
Nuclear Free NT
In late November 2012 EnergyResourcesofAustralia(ERA)ceasedminingPit3at theRangeruraniummine in the bounds of KakaduNationalPark.ThismarksahistoricpointinKakadu’shistoryastheminehas been in operation for over 30years. It alsomarksahistoricpointfor the Environment Centre, whohasbaredwitness to theminingofuraniuminKakadusincethecentreopeneditsdoorsin1983.
“This news is a step towards theultimateendofuraniumminingandprocessing in Kakadu and beyond,”said Environment Centre NuclearFreecampaignerCatBeaton.
ERA will continue to processstockpiled ore and develop plansfor a new mining operation at theRangersiteand isexpectedtoseekfederalandNTgovernmentapprovalearly in 2013 for an undergroundproject known as Ranger 3 Deeps(R3D).
Ranger was established on a noconsent lease with the MirarrTraditional Owners denied their‘righttoveto’.Withinthat30years,the Environment Centre has seenover150 leaks,spillsandbreaches;an overloaded tailings dam thatleaksmorethan100,000litresaday;radioactive exposure to workers;and a shutdown that resulted in a$150milliondollarlosslastyearandan$135milliondollarlossthisyear.
The Environment Centre NT andmany other groups oppose anyuraniumminingintheNT,andthe3Deepsprojectisnoexception.
While ERA argue this new Ranger3Deepswork ispartof theRangermine-wearelookingatawholenewmine and a newmining technique,neverbeforeusedbyERA.
End of a radioactive ERARanger uranium mine has ceased mining Pit 3
The3Deepsbox cutdeclinebeganinAprilthisyearandwilltunnelfor2kilometresdowntoadepthof350metresundertheMagelaCreek.
This exploration decline tunnel isthe mining infrastructure neededif commercial mining of the 3Deeps deposit is to occur. TheFederal Government has comeunder heavy criticism for allowing‘mining dressed as exploration’ tooccurwithnopublicenvironmentalassessment. The 3 Deeps declineis a tunnel big enough to drive atruckdown intoand iswellbeyondanythingeverpreviouslyconsideredfor authorisation for exploration.The Environment Centre NTand other groups are urging anEnvironmental Impact Study beensured for any proposal to minethe3Deepsdeposit.
“In recent years ERA’s productionand profits have declined with thecompanyrecordingaseriesofannuallosses,”saidAustralianConservationFoundation campaigner DaveSweeney.
“The ore body, like the company’sassurances,isdepleted.Nowwouldbe a good time for ERA to draw aline under operations at the siteand begin a comprehensive clean-up and managed exit. After morethan three decades of contest andcontamination at Ranger it is timethissorrychapterclosed.
“Wewill be looking for thehighestlevelof federalandNTgovernmentassessment and scrutiny of ERA’spast performance and any futureambitions.”
Ranger Uranium Mine - Pit 3 (photo by Hannah Seward)
15
The City of Palmerston is now the largest city in the Northern Territory outside Darwin.Average age of 28 years,Palmerston’s32,000populationisprimarilymadeupoffamilies.Around 30 per cent of thepopulation is under 15 years ofage.
With an expected increase of1,000 people over the next 10years, Palmerston is increasinglybecoming the major regionalcentreofthetopend.Underwayarethreenewsuburbsandthreenewschoolstoaccommodatetheincreaseinpopulation.
Whilst Strategic andTownplanningsit with the Northern TerritoryGovernment, Palmerston Councilis actively involved in maintainingand enhancing sustainability at itsvarious assets throughout the cityandwithintheorganisation.
With over 100 Parks and Reservesthroughout the City to maintain,Council is proud of the wonderfulvariety of large and small openspaces, which offer a great varietyofoutdoorexperiences.
Having just celebrated 30 yearsof Local Government, the City of
Palmerston is inanewandexcitingeraofrevitalisationandchange.
Participation in 2012 by Councilwithmanyenvironmentandclimatechange planning opportunities hasseen a new era of partnershipsunderway with governmentdepartments, non-governmentorganisations, the community andbyparticipatinginregionalevents.
March: Clean Up Australia Day – heldatthePalmerstonEscarpment,families and friends groups gottogether with gloves and rubbishbags and did a great job. MeetingatCunninghamParkathigherendof
theescarpment,theday
introduced new residents tothislovelywalkingarea.
April: City of Palmerston Conservation and Land Management Scholarship, for students attending thePalmerstonCampusofCharlesDarwin University. Theinaugural year of the new
scholarshipprovidesaweekofworkexperience with Council through aproject or by placementwithin theorganisation.
June: Top End Sustainable Living Festival – The Palmerston theme of“Sustainability and HealthyCommunities” became an Expoheld at the Water Tower locationin the City on 1 June as part ofthe overall Top End SustainableLivingFestival.NRMNT,PowerandWater, NT/SA Volunteers, Friendsof Mitchell Creek, Roil Platinum,Greening Australia, Coolmob andKeep Australia Beautiful NT joinedCouncilontheday.
The City of Palmerston – Sustainability and Advancing Effective Collaboration
Additionally, Palmerston’s Mayor,IanAbbottjoinedtheLordMayorofDarwin on the Saturday afternoonpanel discussion in the BotanicGardens,Darwin.
Costa “ABC Gardening Australia”cametoPalmerstonfortheMondayaftertheBotanicGardenseventandvisited the Driver Primary Schooland joined their gardening classand planted a tree in their KitchenGarden.
Costa also gave the ‘thumbs up’ toCouncil for its proposal of futurecommunity gardens in the suburbsofWoodroofeandGray.
June: Melaleuca Awards - forEnvironmentalAchievers–LocalGovernmentSection.
Councilwas delighted to enter thisprestigious award and welcomedthe interest shown through pressarticles about the Sanctuary LakesStoryandthroughthevideofootagetaken by Power and Water andplaced on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoGsW1iN4eM
July: Planet Footprint Environmental Scorekeeping Service,engaged by Council to providetheir services of independentenvironmentalandcarbonreportingrequirements for organisationsespecially local council andgovernment departments. Councilheld a presentation in Chamberswith Mayor, Aldermen and staffin attendance along with invitedrepresentatives from adjoining
municipalities, governmentdepartments and non governmentorganisations.
Councilhasalreadybeenabletoseefrom baseline data -Organisationwidewaterconsumptionin11/12onparwithconsumption in10/11andsignificantly less than consumptioninpreviousyears.
August: Keep Australia Beautiful Week.Council partnered with studentsfrom the Bakewell Primary Schoolto undertake a project called ‘Kidsn Lids’. The students painteda ‘no rubbish’ stencil onto thenew stormwater drain lids at theCouncil Depot. The importance ofkeepingrubbishoffroads,footpathsand walkways was the message.The students who took part alsolearnt about Council services andimprovements made to capturestormwater run-off. They in turnprovided their experience andknowledgewiththeirschoolclasses.
September:
• The City of Palmerston wasadvised that it was successfulwith two projects submitted totheEnvironmeNTGrants.
• The City of Palmerston is theNorthernTerritory Finalist in theKeep Australia Beautiful 2012NationalSustainableCitiesAwardand judging took place againstnational criteria late September.InNovembertheNationalAwardwinnerswereannouncedandwereceived a commendation. TheMayor,Aldermenandstaffalongwith community representativesproudly showed the Judge theCity.
• An abstract presented by theCity of Palmerston for the 2012National Parks and LeisureConference was accepted.Pam Robinson, Environmentand Climate Change StrategicPlanner and Simone Drury,Healthy Communities Manager,will present “Sustainability andHealthy Communities - Growinga Greenway in the City ofPalmerston” at the Newcastleconference.
A lot is happening in the City ofPalmerstonandifyouhaven’tbeenherelately,‘comeondown’andtakeatripthroughthevarietyofsuburbs,oldandnew.Bringapicnicorwalkin areas such as the PalmerstonEscarpment, the beautiful reserveMarlow Lagoon or the picturesqueSanctuaryLakesarea.PalmerstonisaPlaceforPeople.
1615
Green Living
17
The desertSMART EcoFair was agreatsuccess.Morethan2200visitswere made over the weekend andmorethan1000peopleattendedtheSundayEcoFair.Theprogrammingofthe EcoFair allowed for a range ofeventstobepartofthewholeeco-festival.
On Friday we had more than 180students from 7 different schoolsparticipateinaseriesofworkshopsfacilitatedbylocalorganisationsandCentralian Senior College students.Costa Georgiadis from GardeningAustraliawasaround for thewholeweekend and brought his energyand passion for sustainability andgardening to every step of hisinvolvement. The students werefully engaged in their workshopsand the current feedbackhas beenhugely supportive. The 783ABCOutdoor Broadcast was very wellattended and for 2 hours, RohanBarwick held the Drive Show withspecial guests Costa, Dr Karl, DrMark Stafford Smith and Jeff Langentertainedmorethan100people.
TheexhibitionopeningLookup,lookdown by Barbara Stuart saw morethan 150 people attend with theamazingAsanteSanachoirentertainand warm everyone’s souls for theevening.
Dr. Karl’s Global Warming was
attendedbyalmost300people.Hisdirectwarningaboutclimatechangeinspired a new type of climateactivist armed with the argumentsagainst climate scepticism and theneed for immediate action. TheChanging Climate panel was well-attendedwithmorethan100peoplelistening to local and interstateidentities discuss the challengesand opportunities for sustainablelivelihoods inCentralAustralia.TheforumwasfollowedbyGreenDrinksintheGarden, localcandidateshad3minutestopitchtheirpoliciesandlocal comedians Eshua Bolton andLeonTrippkeptuslaughinguntiltheAlice Springs Bicycle Film Festivalstarted.TheBikeFilmFestivaldrewalmost 300 peoplewho all seemedto enjoy the mix of local andinternational films. The success ofthis inaugural partnership will seethe Bicycle Film Festival become aregularpartoftheEcoFair.
TheeventwasmadepossiblethroughNational Science Week fundingfrom the Australian Government,NT EnvironmeNT grants program,Power Water Corporation andCrownePlazasponsorship.
The desertSMART EcoFair hasmatured and has become apermanent fixture on the AliceSpringseventcalendar.
desertSMART EcoFair 2012
Coal seam gas wells, pipelines and access raods in Chinchilla, Queensland. Image provided by Jeremy Buckingham.
DESERT UPDATE
Visit ALEC’S brand new website www.alec.org
Report by Jimmy Cocking
18
Nature Territory
Tiny baby pheasants nesting inkiller gamba grass and a boy’s firstphotograph feature in a calendarlaunched to celebrate the effortsof Territorians looking after theircountry.
The Territory Natural ResourceManagement Sharing Our Stories2012 Calendar was launched at aforum showcasing how people arelooking after the land, water, sea,soil, animals and plants across theNorthernTerritory.
More than 28 people shared theirstoriesattheforumrunbyTerritoryNatural Resource Management(NRM) on 29 November includingprotecting threatened species,controlling feral cats and foxes,protecting swamps from buffalo,monitoring bush tucker in DarwinHarbour and managing fire insensitiveconservationareas.
Worktoeradicategambagrasswasrecognised in the calendar withphotos of three pheasant chicksdiscovered by Wangamaty (LowerDaly) Land Management GroupcoordinatorJoyeMaddison.
ThechickswerefoundinacleverlydisguisednesthiddeninsideanisolatedclumpofgambagrassonapropertyoffWoolianaRoadintheDalyRiverregion.
JoyemarkedthegambagrassclumpwithaflagandGPScoordinatesbeforereturningseveralweekslateroncethechicksleftthenestandbeforetheweedseededtospraythegambagrasswithherbicide.
Calendar recognises Territorians caring for country
Nhulunbuy Primary School studentSam Drysdale’s first photographiceffortalsofeaturesinthespectacularcalendar after he took an amazingphoto of a single dragonfly whilecampingnearTurtleBeachinGove.
The10-year-old,whohelpshismotherVanessawithnaturalresourceprojectsfor Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation,captured the exquisite beauty of theinsect in his first photograph with apropercamera.
“IthoughtitwasprettycoolandIamstoked my photo is in the calendar,”he said. “I think it is very importantthatwelookaftertheenvironmentorpeoplewon’tbeable to seeanimals,birdsandinsectslikethese.”
Territory NRM provides expertise,advice and funding through theAustralian Government’s CaringforCountry funding tohelpnaturalresource management projectsacross the Top End, through theGulf, Barkly and Katherine regionsandCentralAustralia.
Inthepastyear37individualgroupswere directly funded to undertakenatural resource managementwork including 13 Indigenous landmanagement groups, four pastorallandcare groups, eight pastoralists,four educational institutions, fourconservation organisations, threeurbanlandcaregroupsandfourlocalgovernmentandindustrygroups.
Young Nhulunbuy land carer Sam Drysdale took a winning photo of a dragonfly.
Baby coucal pheasant chicks nesting in gamba grass.
19 20
Nuclear Free NT
Five years have now passed sincethe federal government acceptedthe Northern Land Council’s (NLC)nomination of a site in the MuckatyLand trust for a national radioactivewastefacility.
The NLC issued a press release atthe time telling the public there wasoverwhelmingsupport for theproposaland stating that it was “only a fewindividuals in neighbouring groupsexpressing concerns.” (Media Release,Approval of nomination of MuckatyStation for Commonwealth RadioactiveWasteRepository,27September2007).
TraditionalOwnersofMuckatycontinueto speakout against thisNLCassertionand against the dump being built atMuckaty. Over the years they havedeveloped a network of supportersacross the country that includestrade unionists, health professionals,environmentalists and human rightsorganisations.
Maurice Blackburn Social JusticePractice is representing TraditionalOwners pro-bono in a federalcourtaction takenagainstboth theNorthern Land Council and federalgovernment.
People across the Barkly regionremainresolutelyagainstthedump.
A group of Muckaty women recentlywrote to Northern Territory ChiefMinisterTerryMillsasking for supportintheircampaignagainsttheproposedradioactivedump.Thelettersays:
“We think about our culture. That land is very important to us; we will not let it be poisoned with a nuclear dump. We have had lots of protest marches in town and some pastoralists have come along to
“You have said you want to listen to people in the bush. We are speaking up now to say please come to Tennant Creek and talk to us… We will show you the country where they want to put it. We want you to listen to our story and help us say no to the nuclear dump.”
A struggle through many seasons:
MUCKATY NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP UPDATE
By Natalie Wasley, Beyond Nuclear
Initiative coordinator.
KEEP THE POISON OUT OF MUCKATY“Kurlalu yarnmi Majju
Majju Manu Wangku ka Wangangka yama nyirrinjji mana Manu Wangku Kuna”
20
The CLP knows very well that theMuckaty dump is a high-profileissue for the region. Despite theswingagainst theALP inmostbushseats,GerryMcCarthywasreturnedasMemberforBarklydueatleastinpart tohis very active campaigningagainst the waste dump. The CLPcandidate in the Barkly, a TennantCreek resident, also publicly statedopposition during the electioncampaign.
The Country Liberals say they areopposed to the dump being builtin the NT, yet have declared itinevitable due to the overarchingpowers of the federal government.It is important therefore for thecommunity campaign to maintainpressure on the NT governmentto stand up and fight the federalgovernmenteverywaypossible.
Federal process
The initial government timeframeestimatedaremoteNTwastedumpwould be operating by the end of2011.Thetenacityofthecommunityhas held this threat at bay and theMuckatysitehasnotyetevenbeenofficially declared. Consequently,thefederalgovernmentisexaminingthe option of storing spent fuelrods onsite at the Lucas Heightsnuclear reactor complex for an
‘interim’ period of five years untila remote facility is operating. Thefirst shipment of this spent fuel,generated at Lucas Heights butreprocessed overseas, is due toreturntoAustraliainmid2015.
The Lucas Heights facility is wherethe vast majority of the wasteis currently stored, and whereAustralia’s nuclear expertise isconcentrated. As Dr Ron CameronfromtheAustralianNuclearScienceand Technology Organisation hassaid:“ANSTOiscapableofhandlingandstoringwastes for longperiodsof time. There is no difficulty withthat.”
DespitecapacitytoleavethewasteatLucasHeights,andacommitmenttorespecttheoutcomeoftheFederalCourt action, Minister MartinFerguson is clearly determined topress ahead with a remote facilityatMuckaty.Departmentsunderhisjurisdiction are preparing facilitydesignconceptsandenvironmentalassessment frameworks evenwhileawaitingthecourt’sdetermination.
Thecampaigntostopawastedumpbeingbuilt inSouthAustraliawasadecade long struggle and laid thefoundationsforthecurrentMuckatystruggle.Wemustcontinuetobuildmomentum against the federalplan to dump Australia’s worst
industrial waste on the Territoryand push the government toundertake responsible radioactivewastemanagement. There isbroadsupport across civil society for anindependent and comprehensivecommission into production,transportandstorageofradioactivewaste.Thiscould take input fromarange of stakeholders and considerall available options, rather thancontinuedpursuitofasingleremotefacility in an area considered byCanberratobepoliticallyvulnerable.
[email protected] www.beyondnuclearinitiative.com
Nuclear Free NT
Lett
ers
L
ette
rsRailway to Rehabilitation
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We’d like to hear from you....Here’syourchancetoputpentopaperandwriteintotheEnvironmentCentreNT.We’dliketoknowwhat’sonyourmind.
Pleasesendanyletters,comments,tips,statements,factsorquestionstousviapostoremailandwewillselectthebestonesandputtheminthenextmagazine.Topicscanbeonanythingenvironmental.Maybeyouhaveaquestionfortheteamhere,atoptropicalgardeningtip,ideastomakeourlivesmoresustainable,orsimplywanttoletoffsteamaboutanissue,here’stheplacetodoit!
Writetous:TheEnvironmentCentreNT,GPOBox2120,Darwin,0801.Emailus:[email protected]:(08)89811984
Pleasenote:Submissionsshouldbenolongerthan200wordsandmustincludeyournameandaddressandeitheraphonenumberoremailaddress.Wewillnotpublishyournameifyourequestusnotto.Wereservetherighttoeditallcontentandrefusesubmissionofanyunsuitablecontent.
21
Your Say
TotheEditor,
IgreatlyappreciatedtheopportunitytoattendapublicmeetingconvenedbytheEnvironmentCentreNTtohearexpertopiniononthecurrentstateofRumJungle.
TheRailwayClubrecentlyprovidedanilluminatingbackdroptothevexedproblemoftheissuessurroundingtherehabilitationofthescarthatistheRumJungleUraniumsite.AproblemlongforgottenbythoselivingoutsidetheNT.
ItwasagoodeffortbyyoutobringtogetherRumJungleelderKathMills,DrGavanMudd,DeptofEngineering,MonashUniversityandMs.TaniaLaurencont,PrincipalMiningScientistfortheNTGovernment.
Theirpresentationscoveredthehistoryoftheminetheenvironmentaldegradationofthesiteandsurroundingareasandtheplanningtowardsputtingitallbacktogether.Itwasapparentthattheunderstandingofminingdamageanditsrehabilitationhascomealongwaysincethe1950’s.
Therewasvigorousquestioningfromtheaudience,whichincludedrepresentativesfromtheBatchelorcommunity,membersoftheMinesandEnergyDepartment,mediaandTheAmateurFisherman’sAssociationNT.
Issuescanvassedincludedhowmuch,howlongandwhoisgoingtopay.ItwasexplainedthatastheminewasaFederalGovernmentinitiativebasedonnationalsecuritygrounds,
theywouldhavetocarrythecanforthecleanup.WhilstadriverfortheNTeconomy,itwasquestionableastowhetherthemineevermadeagenuineprofit.–unlikelywhenthecostsofrehabilitationarefactoredin.
TheDepartmentofMinesandEnergywillissueitsreportandrecommendationforthesitesrehabilitationin2013.
Thewell-attendedmeetingwasconductedharmoniouslyalongsidetheRailwayClub’sMondaynightpoolcompetition.
InowfeelthatIhaveagreaterappreciationfortheissuesconfrontingtheNTresidentsandtheimportanceoftheEnvironmentCentreinbringingtheseissuestothepublic’sattention.
WilliamOwensRapidCreek.
05/12/12
Thanks Bill.
It was great to have such a weighty discussion so well attended - thanks for coming. Do look out for similar events early in the new year. - Ed.
YES!
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Plea
se re
turn
this
form
to:
GPO
Box
212
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arw
in 0
801
Membership Application
IfyouhaveaneventweshouldallknowaboutpleasecontacttheEnvironmentCentreNT:The Environment Centre NT, GPO Box 2120, Darwin, 0801
Emailus:[email protected]:(08) 8981 1984
Facebook:EnvironmentCentreNT
Flickr:environment_centre_nt
Twitter: EnviroCentreNT
YoucandownloadacopyofPANDANUSMagazinefromourwebsite:
www.ecnt.org
IfyouwouldlikeadditionalcopiesofPANDANUSpleasesendusanemailorgiveusacallonthecontactdetailsabove.
Join or renew your
membership at
www.ecnt.org
Fossil fueled future?
New Staff
a busy 2013
In early 2013 the Environment Centre will host a public meeting about shale gasandoilexplorationandextraction in theNT.Wewillhear fromTraditionalOwners,environmentalistsandeastcoastcampaigners.
TheEnvironmentCentreNTwillbejoinedbytwonewstaffmembers,fillingthepositionsofPolicyOfficerandKimberlytoCapeprogrammanager.
TheEnvironmentCentre is lookingforward to hosting more events,continuing to campaign and lobbygovernment for the best for ourbeautifulTerritoryenvironment.
Things to look out for
Fukushima DelegationTheEnvironmentCentreNTalongwithotherNationalgroupswillhostadelegationfromJapanofpeopleaffectedbytheFukushimanucleardisaster.ComingtoDarwinwillbeafarmerfromtheIitatevillageintheFukushimaprefecturewhosefarmandlivestockwerecontaminatedfromthemeltdown.TherewillbeaspecialseminaratCharlesDarwinUniversityonThursdaythe14ofMarch.Moredetailstocome.
Things
to look
out for
in 2013
We’rekicking2013offwithamembershipdrive.Timetomakesureyourfriends,familyandworkplacearesignedup.MembershipisanimportantlevelofsupportfortheEnvironmentCentre’sadvocacyforacleaner,greenerandsaferNT.Newmemberscanfillouttheformbeloworjumponlineandclickon‘membership’.
Membership
Feb1, 2013
Feb15, 2013
CheckoutourFacebookpage:Environment Centre NT
Checkoutournewwebsite:www.ecnt.org
Out & About photos by Jess Abrahams and Hannah Seward
The Back Page
FollowingourrecentAGM,thenewBoardofthe
EnvironmentCentrehashitthegroundrunningin
anticipationofabig2013.We’llbereviewingour
StrategicPlanandtakingonsomenewstaffearly
inthenewyear.SeenhereatourDecembermeetingare(lefttoright)
JuanitaCroft,StuartBlanch,ChrisMcBride,AmyKimber,
JamesCourtney,DiKoser,MichellePipino,JustinTutty
andDebHall(absent:PamelaMillsandHannahSeward).Lastmonth,amotleycrewofECNTsupp
orters
tookournotorious7mtallinflatab
lenuclear
wastedrumoutonthe
harbour,highlighting
theintegralroleDarwin
Harbourwillplayfor
anyfuturenuclearmovements.
Exportofuraniumfromanynewm
inesin
statesthathaverecently
overturnedbanson
uraniumminingwouldprobablyre
lyonDarwin
Harbourasoneofonly
twointhecountry
alreadylicensedforthe
task.Wetooktheop-
portunitytogetphotos
withbannersforeach
ofthosestates,express
ingourconcerns
andsolidarity.
