This morning Friends of the Earth and Residents from Jondaryan and Oakey called for the end of the Jondaryan coal dump with two people scaling New Hope's 30 metre high pile of coal and dropping a banner. After half an hour on top of the coal dump, the two were arrested and removed from the coal dump site.  

The coal dump is 1.5km from the town of Jondaryan and coal dust is contaminating the air and water of the locals. New Hope Coal recently applied for an expansion of what was supposed to be a 'temporary' coal dump.

Media Release 10 October 2012

The Victorian Wind Alliance was launched today, with organisers calling on Victorians who support wind energy to use town meetings and social media to make their voices heard.

Victorian Wind Alliance member, Taryn Lane of Hepburn Wind, said, ‘The Victorian Wind Alliance is being formed in response to a call from communities across the state who support more wind energy.

Ted Baillieu’s 2011 planning laws ban wind farms from large parts of Victoria, and just one objector can stop any wind turbine within 2km.

Wind farms create income for farmers and communities. They do not have pollution or health hazards like coal. They share benefits across large sections of the state. We could have new jobs in manufacturing, construction and maintenance here in Victoria if wind projects were allowed to go ahead.

The Federal Energy Minister Martin Ferguson has announced that the Government is walking away from its promise to shut down some of our dirtiest, oldest coal power stations. Hazelwood, long a target of campaigners in Victoria, was expected to be closed under the 'contract for closure' process.

Media Release 29 August 2012

Yesterday’s announcement by the government to cut the floor price for carbon represents another significant watering down of the environmental and democratic credibility of the scheme according to Friends of the Earth Australia, a leading environmental justice organisation.

“Greg Combet’s announcement represents a major cave in to the interests of polluting industries which have been calling for drastic cuts to the carbon tax,” said Gareth Bryant from Friends of the Earth Sydney.

COMMUNITY CONSULTATION, Brisbane
ALL WELCOME

Saturday 1 September, 9.30 – 3.30pm
Kurilpa Hall, 174 Boundary St, West End
Free event – light lunch will be served.

Our hoped for outcomes from the day are some clear directions for action and advocacy, particularly in relation to Australian government policy, but also in the public arena and in wider international forums.

Confirmed presenters to date

Peter Emberson

Chain Reaction is the national magazine of Friends of the Earth Australia. The latest edition has a feature on the campaigns against coal and coal seam gas (CSG).

Articles include:

RATCH-Australia Corporation propose building 68 wind turbines to generate up to 228 megawatts of zero-carbon electricity. The $350 million project would:

Generate enough electricity to power 80,000 homes annually.

RIO DE JANEIRO (BRAZIL) – On June 19, 2012, on the eve of a key United Nations Summit due to take place June 20-22 in Rio De Janeiro [1], Friends of the Earth International launched a new report exposing the increasing influence of major corporations and business lobby groups within the UN. [2]

“Governmental positions have been increasingly hijacked by narrow corporate interests linked to polluting industries and business sectors seeking to profit from the environment, the climate and the financial crises,” said Nnimmo Bassey, chair of Friends of the Earth International.