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 ecology.
1pm: Sapoty Brook is an electrical engineer orientated towards finding and providing transport solutions for an over-heating world. He has been marketing recycled motor scooters and developing a revolutionary kind of propulsion system. Sapoty wants more people to discover the benefits and joys of light electric vehicles.
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 from the contaminated area, the Gold Coast airport has been exposed as having similar contamination – yet no-one has been warned.
Come and find out the facts from the experts and hear about the recent senate inquiry into the Gold Coast Airport PFC contamination.
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 to set the future direction for the region and so far it fails to protect the environment and the incredible natural values of the North Coast.
We’ve created a submission guide to help you prepare a submission by June 2nd. Don’t miss this chance to have you say on the future of your community.
EDO NSW top 10 concerns with draft Biodiversity Conservation Bill 2016 and Local Land Services Amendment Bill
EDO Workshop: Draft Biodiversity Conservation Bill
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 Act, Threatened Species Conservation Act, the Nature Conservation Trust Act and parts of the National Parks & Wildlife Act.
The package will be on public exhibition for the next eight weeks, and submissions close on Tuesday 28 June 2016.
Tree planting at Cudgen Nature Reserve Sunday 15th May
WetlandCare Australia would like to invite the wider community to join them for a community tree planting day at Clothiers Creek Road near Cabarita Beach on the 15th of May to improve habitat for the Tweed coastal Koala population.
WetlandCare Australia is collaborating with project partners Friends of Cudgen Nature Reserve, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Tweed Shire Council and Friends of the Koala to repair over 1 ha of Koala habitat in the reserve. These crucial habitat restoration works will help to safeguard the threatened population of Koalas on the Tweed coast and reduce the decline of this iconic species within our region.
EDO Update on Protest Laws
This Fact Sheet describes changes made to protest laws in March 2016. It covers new aggravated trespass offences, expanded offences for interfering with a mine, and new police powers. The laws have not yet commenced.
Inquiry into water augmentation in rural and regional New South Wales
The NSW Legislative Council’s General Purpose Standing Committee No.5 is currently conducting an inquiry into water augmentation in rural and regional New South Wales.
The closing date for submissions is14 August 2016.
The inquiry will take place over 18 months, and the committee intends to hold public hearings across rural and regional New South Wales, following the closing date for submissions.
Renewables in agriculture workshop
Find out how your farm business can benefit from clean energy technologies to move water. Learn from industry experts and solar providers about selecting the right solar powered pump for your agricultural needs.
Speakers will explain what government incentives are available, top tips on energy efficient pumps and how to plan for future climate variability. Talk to local suppliers and hear about case studies from our region.
Friday 13 May 2016, 10am til 1pm, Tropical Fruit World, Duranbah. Bookings essential on 6670 2400 by 10 May.
CEC Fun Raiser Dinner
Do you want an inflatable aquatic ‘fun park’ in Jack Evans Boat Harbour?
This idea was proposed in late 2013 by Councillor Polglase and subsequently rejected by Councillors, 4 votes to 2.
Aquasplash fun park operators have now approached Tweed Shire Council about such a facility in Jack Evans Boat Harbour.
Aquasplash operates a business at Broadwater Parklands at Southport on the Gold Coast.
CEC has been contacted by members and wider community who are strongly opposed to such a facility in the Boat Harbour. Concerns raised include impacts on aquatic and terrestrial fauna and flora (including threatened species), noise, pollution, traffic and lack of parking, loss of public area for free activities such as swimming, proximity to residential buildings and loss of scenic amenity.
World Environment Day Festival – Sunday 19 June 2016 – Knox Park Murwillumbah
Come Join The Race To Make The World A Better Place!
FREE environmental celebration and educational community fun day.
With Live Music – Andrea Kirwin Band, Broadfoot
The Pitts Family Circus – Tasty Food – Environmental and Sustainable business stalls – Kids’ activities in the kids tent and workshop with Hoopla Circus – Enviro quest and prizes – Electric car demo, electric bicycles and solar trailer, composting and fermentation demo.
Speakers Room: Steve Harris, CEO of ENOVA: Australia’s first community owned renewable energy retailer – Kacey Clifford and Andrew Price from the Tyalgum Energy project – Nina Lucas from the Environmental Defenders Office on Biodiversity Protection Legislation – Michael Corke on Prioritising onground actions in Threatened Species Recovery projects – Greg Reid president of Tweed Climate Action Now on Options when the Gross Solar Feed-In Tariff ends.
Fun Raising Dinner
ISSUES – Gold Coast Airport Pty. Ltd. (GCA) Instrument Landing System (ILS) Preliminary Draft Major Development Plan (MDP)
INTRODUCTION
Federally-leased airports in Australia are required to produce a Master Plan (MP) every 5yrs. This is effectively a blueprint for the future coordinated development of an airport over a 20yr period, with an emphasis on the first 5yrs. It includes information relating to forecast growth, airport terminals and facilities, runways and incorporates an environmental strategy.
National Aviation Policy White Paper: This Paper was released by the Federal Government 16/12/09 and its objectives formed the basis for policy directions, and administration of regulation of aviation in Australia, which included; Reinforce the importance of minimising aviation’s negative impacts on the environment and communities. The goals included; A response approach is required to managing the environmental impacts of aviation.
Save Ballina’s Koalas & Treetops
Dear Friends of the Koala
The March issue of Treetops is already late and will be later still.
In part this is due to the critical stage of our campaign to persuade the Federal Minister for the Environment to reject the Ballina Koala Plan and determine against proceeding with the route chosen for Section 10 of the Pacific Highway Upgrade.
Here is a summary of our concerns with the Plan:
Concerns regarding data used in the Population Viability Analysis (PVA):
· The PVA uses an overly-optimistic estimation of the current koala population (236), at odds with that provided to the PVA author by the field study (196).
Draft North Coast Regional Plan
The consultation period is open until 2 June, 2016.
View the draft Plan and have your say by making a submission online during the consultation period at www.planning.nsw.gov.au/NorthCoast
Further consultation on NSW coastal reforms
Media release – 25 February 2016
Planning Minister Rob Stokes today announced a second stage of targeted consultation on the NSW Government’s coastal reforms, in response to valuable community feedback already obtained during the initial consultation phase.
Mr Stokes said that proposals for a new Coastal Management State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) had been on public exhibition since November last year and a full draft of the SEPP and corresponding maps would also be released separately for public comment in the coming months.
CEC submission to NSW coastal reforms
Caldera Environment Centre (CEC) has been established in Tweed Shire for the past 25 years to promote the protection of the environment. Tweed Shire has a highly diverse coastal area which over the past years has been the subject of CEC campaigns. A major campaign was the protection of the large Pottsville Wetlands which includes SEPP 14 wetlands with a successful outcome of over 200ha being transferred from private ownership to community land managed by Tweed Shire Council.
A CEC representative attended the Coastal Reforms presentation by OEH at Ballina and this month we were able to have the EDO facilitate a community workshop on the Coastal Reforms.
Public Meeting 14 March – Gold Coast Airport Expansion Plans
Environmental Volunteering Survey – Are you an environmental volunteer?
The NSW Environmental Trust is planning new initiatives to better support environmental volunteers and volunteer programs, but we need to know what is important to volunteers first. To discover this, the Trust is conducting a survey of environmental volunteers and we would really appreciate your participation so that we can include your views.
Who should do the survey?…. anyone who has done ANY kind of unpaid work (‘on-ground’, administrative or other support, advocacy, fundraising) that benefits the environment, with an organisation (government or non-government) or group, in the past 12 months.
Stand up for nature – sign the petition to stop Baird’s war on trees!
Our unique and beautiful natural heritage in NSW is in crisis. Without urgent action, many our species of native wildlife, including the iconic koala, will become extinct within our lifetime.
Without adopting new, sensitive approaches to land management, our farmers will find it harder than ever to provide food and fibre sustainably in the face of a hotter, drier climate.
Before the election, Premier Mike Baird committed to “enhancing the state’s biodiversity to benefit current and future generations”, but he is now caving into pressure from developers and a minority of landholders who want to weaken our nature protection laws.
NCC submission guide on NSW coastal reforms
Submissions close 29 February 2016. Here is the submission guide.
EDO workshop presentation: NSW Coastal Reforms
Read the EDO presentation here.
Draft Water Sharing Plan for the North Coast Coastal Sands Groundwater Sources
The draft Water Sharing Plan for the North Coast Coastal Sands Groundwater Sources includes proposed rules for protecting the environment, water extractions, managing licence holders’ water accounts, and water trading in the plan area.
The draft plan area comprises all coastal sand aquifers from the Queensland border to the Hawkesbury River.
Set back distances from the boundary of National Parks estates has been identified as a specific Key Issue within the plan area.
FREE EDO WORKSHOP: How to Have Your Say: NSW Coastal Management reforms
Caldera Environment Centre will host a free EDO NSW workshop in Cabarita to explain the new draft framework for coastal management for NSW and how the community can have their say and respond to the reforms.
Late last year the NSW Government released the coastal management reforms package proposing new laws and significant changes to the way NSW coastal areas will be managed. A draft Coastal Management Bill, Explanation of Intended Effect from the proposed new Coastal Management State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP), and key elements of a draft coastal management manual are currently on public exhibition until 29 February 2016.
CEC response to Northern Councils E Zone Recommendations
Honourable Rob Stokes
Minister for Planning
office@stokes.minister.nsw.gov.au
14th December 2015
Northern Councils E Zones Recommendations
Dear Mr Stokes
Members of Caldera Environment Centre would like to submit their concerns in relation to the recommendations of the E Zone review of northern councils as they relate to Tweed Shire.
A recent public workshop on the recommendations was held by our group and the EDO at Murwillumbah. Those attending, approximately 40, overwhelming supported the implementation of E Zones in areas of native vegetation. This is a similar response to that at community consultation sessions during the period of the review. There have been very few issues against the implementation of E Zones in Tweed Shire.
Tweed water supply augmentation
At Council meeting on 10th December the following motion was passed on the casting vote of the Mayor.
Mayoral Minute Water Supply Augmentation
1. Based on the information currently available, Council adopts the raising of the wall of the Clarrie Hall Dam as the preferred option for future water security and proceeds with the planning approval and land acquisitions phase for the project.
2. Concurrently a comprehensive independent review of Council’s Water Supply-Demand options is undertaken as a matter of priority, to ascertain further consideration of the most ecologically sustainable, climate change resilient, cost effective and socially acceptable long term water management and augmentation options available. Such a review should include, but not be limited to, a full range of demand management, drought security and supply options.
EDO Briefing Note on E Zone Reforms
The Environmental Defenders Office has prepared a briefing note outlining the NSW Government’s changes to the way that councils can set land aside for environmental conservation and management in the Far North Coast of NSW, and the wider implications of these changes for the rest of the State.
After the EDO workshop about reforms to environmental zones
The Environmental Defenders Office visited Tweed on 24 November to explain recent changes to environmental zones in the North Coast. CEC is preparing a response to these state government reforms. Thank you to all the people who came along to the workshop and to those who contributed to supper. The workshop was very well attended. CEC has sent our thanks to the EDO for an excellent presentation.
For a copy of the presentation visit http://www.edonsw.org.au/past_workshop_materials
Links to further information:
Nature Conservation Council of NSW – Major changes to Coastal Protection Laws
NSW Planning Minister, Rob Stokes, has announced major changes to NSW coastal protection laws. Our assessment is that there are positive aspects to the reforms, which involve:
* Replacing the current Coastal Protection Act with a new Coastal Management Act
* Replacing the current NSW Coastal Policy with a new Coastal Manual
* Replacing existing State Environment Planning Policies (SEPP 14 – Coastal Wetlands, SEPP 26 – Littoral Rainforests and SEPP 71 – Coastal Management) with a new Coastal SEPP.
Legal Guides – EDO NSW
Plain English educational materials in a range of formats, explaining environmental law and policy and how the community can have their say in environmental law and policy decision-making processes. All publications are available free to the community. Access the guides here.
COUNCIL VOTES ON DAM ISSUES THIS THURS 19th 4pm at Council Chambers.
Yes we knew it could resurface and it’s not much warning!
Please come along & support the No Dam at Byrrill Creek cause.
The Council’s Staff Report recommends raising the Clarrie Hall Dam as the first choice. The report highlights the risks and expense of a dam at Byrrill Creek over the Clarrie Hall option. They have also looked at 2 pipeline options to link into SE QLD water- No sustainable solutions have been included as water supply options.
At present there is a 20 year Council moratorium on Byrrill Creek Dam (May 2012) but this can be overturned by a future Council.
GREEN VOICE on TPP
The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) threat
by Peter Whish-Wilson MP. From the NSW Greens quarterly Green Voice
The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is the biggest trade deal in Australia’s history and has been negotiated in total secrecy.
Few people have had access to the draft agreement. Large corporations have been able to see portions of the text and lobby to make changes, while the public and most people within government have been shut out. If it was not for a few leaked documents we would not know what is going on.Probably the most controversial aspect is the provision that would allow foreign investors to sue any level of government if their profits are reduced by any Australian law or policy. The Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) risks our labour, public health and environmental standards. These clauses are already included in many operating trade agreements and by corporations, and governments have been sued by corporations. In Canada the Quebec government is being sued by the US Lone Pine energy company because it was required to suspend its gas fracking operations to conduct an environmental study.
Grants Available for Caring for the land
Minister Joyce has announced the opening of the National Landcare Programme Sustainable Agriculture Small Grants Round 2015-16 (Small Grants Round).
Grants of between $5 500 and $55 000 (GST inclusive) are available for projects that will achieve the objectives of the programme. The programme objectives are:
- increase the capacity and knowledge of farmers and fishers to productively and sustainably manage Australia’s natural resources
- the adoption of appropriate management practices that will increase the production or improve product quality while maintaining or enhancing the natural resource base.
Examples of activities that may be eligible include:
- field days, workshops, conferences
- demonstration events
- training or skill development sessions
- community information or education sessions
- development of decision-making tools
- development of new information channels within the current knowledge system
- conducting surveys.
Applications close 2pm Monday 7 December 2015.
Further information about the programme including grant guidelines are available at:
http://www.nrm.gov.au/national/sustainable-agriculture-small-grants
‘Travelogue of the Tweed’ screening as part of Tweed River Festival
See rare footage of Tweed’s early days
1923 film ‘Travelogue of the Tweed’ screening as part of Tweed River Festival
Rare moving images of the Tweed River and surrounding districts will be shown at a special screening of the historic film Travelogue of the Tweed 1923 at Murwillumbah ’s Regent Cinema on Wednesday 28 October. The movie, made available through the National Film Archive, is being shown as part of Tweed River Festival celebrations and shows footage from the early days of the valley ’s European history.
World Climate Change Rally
Tweed elects its first Greens mayor
Luis Feliu
Tweed shire has its first Greens mayor after Cr Katie Milne’s name was drawn out of a box in a surprise election ballot last night.
Cr Milne’s luck was sealed when a tied 3-3 vote with factional opponent Cr Warren Polglase had to be split by council’s returning officer Neil Baldwin drawing a piece of paper with her name on it from a plastic tub.
The packed public gallery at the council meeting erupted in cheers at the result.
It’s not the first time the lucky-dip method has been used to determine the yearly mayoral vote, with Cr Polglase now having lost the top job that way four times over the many years he’s served as councillor and National Party warrior.
Northern Rivers Guardians and the Environmental Protection act
Scott Sledge, Lois Levey and Greg Reid (Photo and article from Tweed Daily News)
ENVIRONMENTAL group the Northern Rivers Guardians have called for local residents to unite against the Federal Government’s proposed change to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
The changes would repeal an ability for individuals, communities and environmental groups to challenge environmentally damaging projects, leaving only those “directly affected”, such as landholders, able to challenge a decision in court.
What Every Environmentalist Needs To Know about Capitalism
A Citizen’s Guide to Capitalism and the Environment
by Fred Magdoff and John Bellamy Foster
There is a growing consensus that the planet is heading toward environmental catastrophe: climate change, ocean acidification, ozone depletion, global freshwater use, loss of biodiversity, and chemical pollution all threaten our future unless we act. What is less clear is how humanity should respond. The contemporary environmental movement is the site of many competing plans and prescriptions, and composed of a diverse set of actors, from militant activists to corporate chief executives.
CEC on Geo-Engineering, Fluoride, EMR, nano-particles etc
The Caldera Environment Centre
The CEC is a serious environmental organisation and is concerned with tangible environmental issues such as land-clearance, illegal development, and enforcement of environmental regulation. The current energy being devoted to issues such as geo-engineering, chem-trails, fluoride and other conspiracy theories is not something we support in any way at all. The CEC was embarrassed to learn that our latest World Environment Day event we had people promoting these ideas, they were not invited and applied under false pretences and will be excluded from future events.
Time to get the economics of environment right
Ross Gittins
You get the feeling Tony Abbott doesn’t lie awake at night worrying about what our economic activity is doing to our natural environment.
In which case, those of us who do care about ecological sustainability – including many Coalition voters and, in all probability, Abbott’s successor, whether Liberal or Labor – will have a lot of catching up to do.
The market isn’t capable of ensuring we don’t stuff the environment and thereby stuff the economy.
This looks like being true of our excessive contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions. But it also applies to the more mundane problems of protecting and restoring our degraded land, water systems and native flora and fauna.
A Win for The Environment in Hague Court
Marjan Minnesma, Director of Dutch NGO Urgenda.
Just under a month ago, Marjan Minnesma stood weeping with joy in a Dutch courtroom, as three judges handed her and nearly 900 co-plaintiffs a resounding victory in their battle to force the Netherlands government to adopt more stringent climate action targets.
Now she is in Australia with a simple message: the courts might be able to deliver citizens what intransigent politics cannot.
Her legal victory is garnering interest around the globe, with “a wide variety of people in Australia contacting me for help”, she says.
Objection to Repeal of North Coast Regional Environmental Plan
Hi everyone,
DoPE are proposing on getting rid of the North Coast Regional Environmental Plan (1988), apparently because it requires a variety of environmental values to be protected in environmental zones in Local Environmental Plans. This is part of their plan to stop far north coast Councils from implementing their environment zones. It would be great if some others made submissions.
Submissions due 09/07/2015 and can be made online at: http://planspolicies.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=6839
The Trans-Pacific Partnership : A Free Trade Agreement?
21.06.2015 Author: James ONeill
New Eastern Outlook
The Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP) currently nearing its final stages of negotiation purports to be about increasing trade and economic co-operation among its twelve negotiating parties. These twelve countries include the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Significantly, it does not include China.
The agreement is being negotiated in conditions of extraordinary secrecy. Only recently have selected members of each countries legislatures been permitted to see the drafts. They have been taken to a secure room for that purpose. No copies can be taken. No notes may be made. They are sworn to secrecy about what they have seen, and to remain silent for a minimum of four years.
Reduce Energy Use in the Home
By Andy Yeomans (from his presentation at the W.E.D Festival June 7 2015)
Whilst renewable power generation and storage are rapidly becoming cheaper in dollar terms, they still require significant resources. We should not be wasting any resource so energy efficiency is still very important.
Two main aspects of this are:
Lighting & Appliance Efficiency and
Passive Solar Design or what I prefer to think of as ‘working with nature for building comfort’.
The TTP [TPP] and TTIP Trade Agreements: “A Dystopian Future in which Corporations Rather Than Elected Governments Call the Shots”
By Eric Zuesse
Global Research, May 06, 2015
The Obama-proposed international-trade deals, if passed into law, will lead to “a dystopian future in which corporations and not democratically elected governments call the shots,” says Alfred De Zayas, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on Promotion of a Democratic and Equitable International Order.
These two mammoth trade-pacts, one (TTIP) for Atlantic nations, and the other (TTP) [TPP. ed] for Pacific nations excluding China (since Obama is against China), would transfer regulations of corporations to corporations themselves, and away from democratically elected governments. Regulation of working conditions and of the environment, as well as of product-safety including toxic foods and poisonous air and other consumer issues, would be placed into the hands of panels whose members will be appointed by large international corporations. Their decisions will remove the power of democratically elected governments to control these things. “Red tape” that’s imposed by elected national governments would be eliminated — replaced by the international mega-corporate version.
World Environment Day Festival 2015
The Caldera Environment Centre (CEC) is pleased to announce that their Green Energy and waste wise event will highlight the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
“International Year of the Soil”.
The CEC with support from Tweed Shire Council will run an environmentally affirming Family Fun Day in Knox Park, Murwillumbah on Sunday 7 June, from 10:00am – 3:00pm.
Entertainment on the day will include live music from:
Bunya – a seven-piece Bellingen group who create a uniquely spiced fusion of world music, roots, blues, global percussion, and dance inducing world drum rhythms.
Danish climate contrarian Bjorn Lomborg’s “Consensus Centre”
The University of Western Australia announced last Friday that it would no longer house
Danish climate contrarian Bjorn Lomborg’s “Consensus Centre” – a fantastic outcome for science.
Unfortunately, Lomborg’s Centre is still trying to establish itself in Australia, and this is deeply troubling. We’re concerned that the Centre would be focused on spreading misinformation presented as fact. This article http://www.climatecouncil.org.au/the-low-down-on-lomborg outlines those concerns and we invite you to share it with your networks.