What a rollercoaster of a month that was! We hope that you are getting some well earned rest and prioritising self-care after the ups and downs of the election, whether you were actively campaigning, supporting others who were, or watching on from a safe distance. 

We are optimistic about what the election result means for the future of democracy, diversity and climate action. At the same time, we recognise that the hardest work is ahead of us if we are to mitigate the climate and extinction crises before it is too late.

If you aren't already, please consider becoming an NQCC member or a monthly donor. We need your support now more than ever.

In this edition:

• National Reconciliation Week
  • NQCC update
  • JCU Mabo Lecture
  • Mabo Day Festival
  • GBRMPA's "Managing Sea Country" Webinar
  • Uluru Statement From the Heart
• NQCC Updates:
  
  • Election Activities
  • Townsville Climate Rally
  • Strand Night Market
  • Cotters Market
  • Pimlico Careers Expo 
• Coming up:
  • Eco Fiesta
  • June Green Drinks
• Recommended Resources: 
  
  • "What Regions Need on the Path to Net Zero"
  • Psychology for a Safe Climate
• Some Good News
  • Yellow Crazy Ants funding
  • Hells Gates Dam delayed

RECONCILIATION WEEK

It's National Reconciliation Week, and this year's theme is "Be Brave. Make Change."

Over the past few years, NQCC's staff and management committee have been challenging ourselves to prioritise cultural understanding and First Nations partnerships, as the voice for the environment on the stolen lands of this region's first people. 

Internally, we have:

• formed a First Nations Partnerships subcommittee (watch our video here);
• committed to growing our connection with First Nations Peoples of our region and furthering our understanding of their unique relationship to Country;
• signed onto the Uluru Statement From the Heart; and
• started our journey towards developing a Reconciliation Action Plan.

We have a lot to learn in this space, but we are committed to "being brave and making change". If you would like to join our First Nations Partnerships subcommittee or contribute in other ways, please get in touch.

Reconciliation Week Activities:

• Register to attend Stan Grant's delivery of JCU's Mabo Lecture (marking the 30th anniversary of the Mabo decision)
• Check out the Mabo Day Festival at Riverway
• Watch the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority's Reef in Focus Webinar: Managing Sea Country
• Read/listen to and share the Uluru Statement From the Heart

NQCC UPDATES

Election Activities

In the lead-up to the election, we endeavoured to catch up with as many local candidates as possible, with conversations at local markets, community events and online. In our interactions, we pushed for ambitious action on climate change and discussed a range of other regional environmental issues.

At our Townsville Climate Rally, we were delighted to be joined by five local candidates from across the political spectrum! We pride ourselves on our non-partisanship and ability to communicate and collaborate with all political parties for better outcomes for North Queensland's environment. We look forward to working closely on relevant regional environmental matters with North Queensland's newly elected/re-elected federal MPs.

Townsville Climate Rally

We'd love to give a very warm THANK YOU to everyone who came along or supported our Townsville Climate Rally! With over 70 attendees and six wonderful guest presenters, we were reminded of the importance of sharing our stories, celebrating diversity and connecting with our community. A rundown of the event (including photos and links to videos of the presentations!) is available on our blog.  

Community Events

Below are some snapshots of our community activities over the past month...

Chatting to visitors and candidates about climate as a top election issue at the Strand Night Market...

Encouraging locals to "Vote Climate" and promoting our Townsville Climate Rally at Cotters Market...

Talking to students at Pimlico State High School's Careers Expo about the advantages of working and volunteering in the not-for-profit sector. [Photo credit: Pimlico SHS]

COMING UP

Eco Fiesta

We will be at Eco Fiesta this Sunday in Anderson Gardens, and we'd love you to come by and say hello! We will be populating our "Sustainability Tree" with fabric leaves featuring ideas from locals about what our community and local Council could do to better protect nature and be more sustainable! We plan to present these ideas to Townsville City Council as a community vision of sustainability.

We will also be selling our NQCC t-shirts that just arrived this week! Designed in consultation with our Climate Action Townsville Group, these shirts look and feel great and carry a positive and powerful message!

Stop by our Eco Fiesta stall and pick one up for $40 - or $35 for NQCC members!

Green Drinks

The next Green Drinks will be held at Grill'd in South Townsville from 6pm on Friday 17 June. Here, we can discuss all things "green" - or anything we like, really!

To receive reminders and updates, sign up to our Green Drinks mailing list here and consider joining our Green Drinks Facebook group!

Other Upcoming Events

• Crystal will be joining representatives from Queensland's environment movement in Brisbane at the Environment Minister's Roundtable from 6-10 June.
• Members will be invited to join us for a Members Event later this month (date TBC). Become a member here and keep an eye on your inbox for more information!
• The End of Financial Year is quickly approaching! Donations over $2 are tax-deductible - and greatly appreciated! Donate here.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Amanda Cahill: What Regions Need on the Path to Net Zero

The politics around energy and climate change polarised Australians during the 2019 election. But a lot has changed since then, with increasing numbers of regional and rural Australians understanding that the energy system is changing and that now is the time to act to take advantage of the many economic opportunities on offer.

The What Regions Need on the Path to Net Zero Emissions report delves into what 500 regional leaders from across industry, government, unions, environment groups, education institutions, and First Nations organisations say they need to manage change in energy sector.

Psychology for a Safe Climate

Psychology for a Safe Climate (PSC) is a not-for-profit organisation founded in 2010 in Melbourne, Australia, to foster emotional engagement with climate change. PSC was founded in response to the lack of individual and community commitment to address the climate emergency.

Their purpose is to contribute psychological understanding and support within the community, helping people face the difficult climate reality. They aim to build people’s capacity to respond constructively to climate change by promoting and strengthening mental health and wellbeing.

We need to care for ourselves if we are to care effectively for the natural world. Visit their website to explore their resources if you think they might be useful to you or someone you care about.

SOME GOOD NEWS

Thanks to the powerful campaigning of the Invasive Species Council, there is finally some good news for the eradication program of Townsville's Yellow Crazy Ants. Thank you to everyone who backed this campaign!

It looks like the environmentally-destructive Hells Gates Dam has been put on the back-burner by the new Federal Government. This is a huge relief, but many other projects still threaten the Burdekin Basin, and we won't stop fighting to protect it.

Thank you for helping us stand up for our climate and nature. We think you're amazing.

Yours naturally,

Crystal and Tiff
North Queensland Conservation Council