Welcome to the final Paperbark for 2016! This month, we are welcoming an intern – Elly Hanrahan, who is studying a Bachelor of Advanced Environmental Science and Global Challenges (Honours). Elly is already proving to be a strong member of our team and is doing great work helping out with campaigns.
In this issue: Mr Adani Visits Townsville – Townsville Port Expansion – Hinchinbrook Island National Park Management Plan – Queensland Environment Roundtable – Postcard Exhibition 2017 - and more!
News Updates
Mr Adani Visits Townsville
Adani is front and centre in the news right now, with an announcement that Mr Adani and the Queensland Premier will be in Townsville on Tuesday.
This is the best opportunity we will ever have to tell him directly that we don’t want his Carmichael mega-coal mine or the Abbot Point coal terminal that would devastate our Reef.
We have this one-off chance and need a big turn out to show him that Australians want him to build solar cities, not coal mines.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
- Come to our preparation session this Sunday afternoon 3-5pm at NQCC Office. More info.
- Show your support at our media event on Tuesday morning 8-9am. More info to come via email on Sunday.
- Volunteer to stick up posters over Townsville Monday evening/early Tuesday morning.
- Write to the paper either by text on 0416905531 or email [email protected]. Points to include could be:
- only 1464 direct and indirect jobs, not “tens of thousands” as the paper falsely claims.
- that we can have the Reef or coal (but we can’t have both).
- that our long-term jobs of the future are in renewable energy not in fossil fuels (and thank Adani for the great Queensland solar investment announcements lately).
Can you support NQCC? Please email us on [email protected]indicating what you can do. Now is more important than ever that we show there is community opposition to the Adani project.
Townsville Port Expansion
Thanks to everyone who responded to the AEIS submission period. We had over 300 submissions sent through NQCC, and 10,000 in total from supporters in the Australian Marine Conservation Society. We are not slowing down on this issue!
Keep writing letters to the paper and talking about the port expansion in your community. Great letters already published are keeping the momentum going, like these letters from Wendy and Katie.
Hinchinbrook Island National Park Management Plan
Protection for Hinchinbrook Island, a national park in Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, has been a long fought community campaign.
Now a Draft Hinchinbrook Island National Park Management Plan 2016 and Draft Visitor Strategy has been released for public comment.
The draft documents represent a new way of planning for visitation in national parks and this is the first plan of its type, making your comments of great importance. Our concerns include:
- the shift from protecting ‘places’ to managing ‘values’
- the proposal to drastically ramp up the visitor and tourist priorities in the management of the park
- no reference to condition assessment criteria or baseline data
The Alliance to Save Hinchinbrook has provided these comments..
Email submissions due by Sunday 4 December to [email protected]
Queensland Environment Roundtable
During 14-17 November, NQCC Coordinator Maree was in Brisbane for the Environment Round Table meetings. The Queensland network of conservation councils met with other state and national groups, to develop campaigns and share skills. The final two days were packed with meetings with the Minister for the Environment Dr Steven Miles and senior Departmental staff. NQCC took two briefs to Brisbane – the compliance failures within EHP on slow action to react to toxic pollution at Ben Lomond uranium mine, and our concerns about the Townsville Port expansion plans which contravene the Reef 2050 plan and endanger our local marine environment with massive dredging. Read more about our Port campaign and our Ben Lomond action.
Water Security in Townsville
The fourth and final part of our water security series about how climate change will affect our water security has now been published Guest contributor Malcolm Tattersall analyses rainfall and temperature data and what this means for our water supply in the short term (2030) and long term (2050).
Closure of coal fired power stations
This week, a Senate inquiry has recommended the Federal Government create a comprehensive energy transition plan to help with the orderly closure of our coal-powered plants. Read more: ABC News. NQCC made a submission to the Senate committee calling for a just transition away from coal. We firmly believe that it’s not a question of IF, it’s WHEN. We support an orderly, planned and just transition away from coal, not an unplanned, chaotic exit that will hurt workers the most. The longer we continue without a plan, the greater liability to Australia. You can read our contribution here.
Events
Aplin’s Weir community clean up
Help clean up rubbish with free use of kayaks and fish books and plants to give away.
WHEN: Saturday 3 December, 8-10:30am
WHERE: Weir Park, Annandale
Mundy Creek Landcare
Tomorrow is the final Mundy Creek landcare session for the year. Perfect time of year to enjoy birdlife on the site.
WHEN: Saturday 3 December, 4:30-6:30pm
WHERE: near the footbridge at Mundy Creek.
More information here.
Film Screening – ‘Theatre of Life’
The Food Rescue Initiative is a brilliant Townsville group that rescues perfectly edible food that would otherwise end up in landfill and redistributes surplus food to those in need in our community. They are screening the film “Theatre of Life”, a deeply moving documentary about life, food and waste.
WHEN: Wednesday 7 December, 6:30pm
WHERE: Event Cinemas, Townsville Central
Boomerang Bags
Our bag-making group is meeting for the last session for 2016 next Wednesday. We’ve made heaps of beautiful, enviro-friendly bags already. Come along if you’d like to learn to sew, contribute materials and be part of a lovely community sewing group.
WHEN: Wednesday 7 December, 3:30-5:30pm
WHERE: NQCC Office, 114 Boundary Street Railway Estate
ACF supporters meeting
NQCC is hosting a meet up for the Australian Conservation Foundation supporters in Townsville. Share your thoughts on the issues and opportunities facing your community when it comes to coal, climate change, renewables and the reef. Dinner provided.
WHEN: Thursday 8 December, 6-8pm
WHERE: NQCC Office, 114 Boundary Street Railway Estate.
General notices
Postcard Exhibition 2017 – Call for Artists
We are looking for artists interested in donating a postcard sized piece of artwork in any medium for our 2017 Postcard Exhibition. The exhibition will be held at Umbrella studios from the 27th of January, the artworks will be auctioned on the 3rd of March. Please express your interest by contacting us at [email protected].
EDONQ Law Reform Update
Read the Environmental Defenders Office NQ law reform update here.
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