Climate Emergency Declaration Petition

Calling on the Australian Parliament to declare a climate emergency and to mobilise resources to restore a safe climate. http://climateemergencydeclaration.org/petition2/ Steve Posselt is a Northern Rivers man kayaking to Canberra where he will deliver the signatures on Feb 26.  More about Steve’s trip at http://districtbulletin.com.au/steve-posselt-climate-change-kayak/

Sky Scout – Drones Against Deforestation

A Wilderness Society crowdfunding campaign.  https://pozible.com/project/sky-scout   Australia is in the grips of a deforestation crisis.  In Qld alone, an area the size of the MCG is cleared every three minutes. Not so long ago, we had stronger state laws against devastating mass deforestation. But those laws recently came undone.  Deforestation typically takes place in…

Review of State Environmental Planning Policy 44 – Koala Habitat Protection

NSW Department of Planning and Environment proposes to amend this SEPP. Key changes in the proposed amended SEPP relate to the: definitions of koala habitat; list of tree species; list of councils; and development assessment process. Submissions can be made until 3 March 2017: using the online submission form; and by mail to: Director, Planning…

Conservation of Beach-nesting Birds: Volunteer Monitoring Workshop

24th January.  1.15pm – 3pm.  Field trip 3pm – 4.30pm. Pottsville Beach Neighbourhood Centre. Improving the conservation outlook for beach-nesting birds is incredibly challenging.  Volunteers make an amazing difference to the future of these species by monitoring breeding beaches, reporting and protecting nests, and educationg other beachusers. This workshop will focus on the methods used…

Have your say – Draft Coastal Management SEPP and Coastal Maps

  There is still time to have you say on protections for our sensitive coastal environments – the submission deadline has been extended until Friday 20 January 2017. The NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DOPE) is undertaking public consultation on a Draft Coastal Management State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) and Draft Coastal Mapping. The Coastal Management…

North Coast Energy Forum 2016 – It’s a wrap!

Welcome to the final NCEF newsletter for 2016, and for a while thereafter. First of all, a huge thank you to everyone involved in this year’s forum – the sponsors, speakers, organising committee, and of course all of you who attended. As with previous years we had over 100 people there, despite a paucity of…

Baird’s ‘koala extermination program’ condemned

Echonetdaily 21 November 2016 ‘Stand up for koalas or they won’t survive in the wild’ is the warning call from the North East Forest Alliance (NEFA). ‘The NSW Government is carrying out a koala extermination program. It really can’t be seen as anything else. It is gutting protections for koalas in all the relevant legislation’…

Solar citizens – Northern Rivers 100% Renewables Forum

Tuesday 29th November, 6:30-8:30 pm (doors open at 6pm).  Lismore City Hall, 1 Bounty St, Lismore, NSW.  RSVP here. This event is part of our 100% Renewables Roadshow, with forums in towns and cities across the country. It will feature a presentation of the Homegrown Power Plan — a comprehensive policy road map designed by…

Laws passed – Baird condemns wildlife to bulldozers

Premier Baird just gutted the land-clearing laws that have been saving the lives of thousands of native animals like koalas, pygmy possums and squirrel gliders every year. After several fiery hours of debate, it took just a few minutes for the final vote to seal the fate for our endangered wildlife. It’s a decision that…

Catalyst – The Anthropocene: a new age of humans

Human impacts on the way our planet functions have now become so extreme many scientists are claiming the Earth has shifted out of the Holocene state and into a new geological epoch. They’re calling it ‘The Anthropocene’, the new age of humans, because millions of years after we are gone, the scar of our existence…

The Bentley Effect – Regent Cinema – 18 November

When the coal seam gas industry staked aclaim on the Northern Rivers region of Australia, alarm bells rang out. A critical mass of people from all walks of life – activists, farmers, landowners, mums, dads, scientists, etc – organised themselves to rally against the unconventional gas invasion. Despite the enormous public opposition, the gas industry…

NSW Crown Land corruption to be referred to ICAC – I just signed this petition — will you?

sign the petition To: Premier Mike Baird & Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian 1. Bring about the immediate referral to the Independent Commission Against Corruption of the serious and systemic mismanagement of Crown land in NSW, including the cases of King Edward Park (Newcastle), Talus (Willoughby), Yasmar (Haberfield), Stuart Park (Wollongong) and Paddington Bowling Club. 2. Defer…

Liberal politician breaks ranks over land clearing

This morning the unimaginable has happened. A Liberal politician has broken ranks with his own party to raise serious concerns about Premier Baird’s new land clearing laws. Bruce Notley-Smith, Member of Parliament for Coogee said: “I am very concerned that these reforms could lead to further irreversible land degradation and endangerment of native wildlife habitat.” Bruce is…

NSW Climate Change Policy Framework released

The policy sets two aspirational objectives: Achieving net zero emissions by 2050. NSW being more resilient to a changing climate. The NSW government has also announced a $500 million funding package and released two draft climate change and energy savings documents for public consultation: Draft Climate Change Fund Strategic Plan A Plan to Save NSW…

Conservation of Beach-nesting Birds Workshop

Tweed Heads, 20th October 2016 BirdLife Australia is holding a workshop where you can learn more about Australia’s Beach-nesting Birds (BNB), the threats they are facing across Australia and how these are being tacked.  There will also be opportunities for discussions across a broad range of topics relevant to the conservation of this unique suite…

2016 North Coast Energy Forum

Theme: “The local energy revolution: Solar plus batteries plus us”. Friday, 25 November, 2016 The North Coast Energy Forum was established in 2010 to drive the shift to a sustainable energy system for the NSW North Coast. Every year over 100 representatives of industry, government and the community come together to plan how to make this…

Magic for Mens Shed is the only one

Tweed Shire Council has approved the granting of a licence for the Men’s Shed at Black Rocks Sports fields. The granting of the licence is currently open for public comment, closing 20th October. The Lot 3 Centennial Drive location is a far more suitable location due to close proximity to the village centre and adjacent…

97% of Crown Land leases go to those in the know, says Auditor General

Media release  8 September 2016 The Baird Government is grossly mismanaging the Crown Land estate and the community is being frozen out of decision-making, according to a report from the NSW Auditor General into the Sale and lease of Crown land.  This report confirms what the Greens and members of the public have been saying for…

Home Expo – Living for the Future 2016

Saturday 3 September 2016 from 9am – 2pm, Seagulls Club, Gollan Drive, Tweed Heads West.  A one-stop-shop of local suppliers and inspirers with ideas and solutions for more sustainable living in the Tweed. The Expo aims to help people: save costs be energy and water efficient reuse resources and reduce waste enhance the local environment…

Cultivating Murder – global warming, land clearing and cold blooded murder.

Cultivating Murder is both a personal story of those affected by the murder of NSW environmental officer, Glen Turner in 2014 and an exploration of the wider political implications of the murder, in the context of proposed changes to Australia’s environmental protection laws. You may wish to pledge a contribution to help get the film finished and released. https://pozible.com/project/cultivating-murder-4

Focus on tiny homes in sustainable house design competition

Imagine a sustainable house that can bring the ability to live debt-free, with utility bills as low as $10 a month. It’s not just a dream – the tiny house movement is a reality more Australians are adopting as a means of achieving freedom from debt, minimal environmental impact, and the opportunity to live simply.…

Save our Tweed – No Runway Extension

The approval of the ILS has also secured an increase in the operational length of runway 14 unlawfully. MDP Table 2.1: ILS components – A localiser antenna located 300m from runway 14 end  (pg.15), currently 2,342m (Master Plan 2011, pg.85). However, the antenna is located 300m from just inside the airport southern boundary giving runway…

Parliamentary Inquiry into Crown Land

Public lands should be held on trust for the people of NSW; managed by the Government with management directed at identifying and protecting the diverse values of public lands. The NSW Government is proposing significant changes to the way Crown land is managed in NSW. The NSW Upper House is currently conducting an inquiry into…

Stand Up For Nature

Visit http://www.standupfornature/resources to read the submission guide and more information about the proposed changes to our conservation and biodiversity laws. Submissions will be accepted until 5pm on Tuesday 28 June 2016.

Festival Cancelled

Hi All It is unfortunate that we are cancelling Sunday’s Festival due to predicted heavy rain and possible floods for the Tweed Valley, yet again. On analysis of many weather predictions it is evident that the deluge will peak on Sunday with possible falls of up to 100mm. We are sorry for the inconvenience to…

World Environment Day Festival Program

  Late additions to the program: Midday:  Lui Weber is a Senior Botanist with Biodiversity Assessment and Management Pty Ltd, specialising in flora identification and management. Lui has worked in a wide range of bioregions and ecosystems across Australia, from rainforests to dry forests, grasslands and wetlands. Lui will talk about plant identification, evolution and…

Public Meeting – Gold Coast Airport PFC Land and Water Contamination

7 June 6pm – Come along and hear about possible contamination of groundwater, Tweed and Gold Coast waterways, fish and Bilinga bore water. Following the disturbing findings of Fiskville and Williamtown where towns have been put under a code red from PFC contamination and warned not to drink or use the water or eat produce…

NCC Submission Guide – Draft North Coast Regional Plan

Time is running out to have your say on future planning for the North Coast. From its stunning beaches to the scenic hinterland, and productive valleys to coastal shores, the North Coast is a vibrant landscape of thriving ecosystems and a unique place to live. Right now the NSW Government is developing a new plan…

Biodiversity Legislation Review – EDO NSW

The NSW Government has released its new draft Biodiversity Conservation Bill, a Local Land Services Amendment Bill, and information about proposed land clearing codes. The proposed law and policy package is a serious retrograde step as it involves removing many of NSW long-held environmental protections. The legislative package is designed to replace the Native Vegetation…