Episode 2011 - 25: The Coal Seam Gas PR War & Coal Trains in the Upper Hunter.

Broadcast July 14th 2011  at 9-9.30am on 2SER radio 107.3 Sydney.
With Simon Unwin


Download here: Ep. 2011-25: Coal Seam Gas PR War & Coal Trains in the Upper Hunter

ABC News

First up this week we speak to Rosemary Nankivell, Liverpool Plains farmer and member of Caroona Coal Action Group, about the escalating PR battle between coal seam gas mining companies and the coalition of landholders, environmentalists and citizens who are concerned about the impact of the rapidly growing industry on their land.

We also talk to Jacinta Green from Sydney Residents Against Coal Seam Gas about whether 'natural gas' still means what you think it means.

And finally we hear from Upper Hunter Shire Council's general manager, Darryl Dutton. His town of Scone is daily cut in half by 1500 metre coal trains coming down from the coalfields - but there are no overpasses or tunnels for the train line, and when a train is coming through there's no way to get from one side of town to the other. What does this mean for daily life in Scone? What does it mean for the emergency services?

Ep. 101. Peoples Climate Conferences and Coal power + Water

First to air on 2ser: 22/04/2010
Presented by: Jess, James and Tessa

Ep. 101. Peoples Climate Conferences and Coal power + Water
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World Peoples Conference on Climate Change

This week the 'Worlds peoples conference on climate change and the rights of mother earth' is happening in Bolivia. We spoke with Naomi Hogan from Climate Action Newtown who is in Bolivia for the conference about who is there, whats happening and controversey over the Bolivian government trying to silence protesters. James Reports.

Vicotrian Coal Power and Water

Recently an advisory panel to the Victorian Water department strongly urged against allocating further state resouces to the coal industry. The Coalfired power stations wanted access to so-caled "unallocated water" in Blue Rock Dam - 20 billion litres a year worth.We spoke with Cam Walker from Friends of the Earth Australia about coal and water usage. Jess Reports.

Events
No New Coal Protest
Is happening today in Sydney.
Thursday April 22nd, 1pm-2pm
NSW Government Offices, Farrer Pl.

Tillegra Dam Protest
Friday 23rd April 12.45pm
Organised by the Save the Wiliams Coalition, there will be a "Human Gallery" as well as two dairy cows for the milking!! in Martin Place. So head along!!

Ep. 99 Muckaty dump site hearing in Darwin, Coal tanker oil spill on Great Barrier Reef and Renewables

Click to download: the third degree - Ep. 99 Muckaty dump site hearing in Darwin, Coal tanker oil spill on Great Barrier Reef and Renewables
Aired on 2SER 107.3 Sydney - April 8th 2010
Presenters: Libby King, James Hitchcock and Jessica Minshall

MUCKATY NDA
Next Monday the 12th of April there will be a hearing in Darwin, forming part of a senate inquiry by the legal and constitutional affairs committee into the new National Radioactive Waste Management Bill, tabled earlier this year in February.

On Saturday there was a community gathering in Tennant Creek and over 250 people rallied marched through the town, directing their anger at both Resources Minister Martin Ferguson and the Northern Land Council (NLC) - who they say overlooked them.

Featured in that report were Muckaty Traditional Owners Dianne Stokes of the Yapa Yapa group, Mark Lane from the Ngapa group and Bunny Naburula of the Milwayi Group, and the people featured who will be taking action were Yaelle Cas-by from the friends of the earth anti nuclear group in Melbourne and Angie Rozalie from the Australian Student Environment Network anti nuclear group in Sydney. There will also be actions across the country in Hobart, Alice Springs and Perth.

COAL TANKER OIL SPILL
The coal industry has even more environmental damage on its hands this week, with a coal tanker running aground on the Great Barrier Reef. Maritime safety authorities were left scrambling with clean-up efforts as two tonnes of heavy fuel oil seeped into the ocean in this restricted environmental zone.
Maritime groups and the Greens Party are blaming the Government for not doing enough to control foreign ships and say the industry needs tighter regulations. The Chinese carrier, named Shen Neng 1, veered 12 kilometres off course into the Marine Park, raising questions of how this could have happened.
2SER’s Jessica Bineth spoke to Larissa Waters, Spokesperson for the Greens and Paddy Crumlin, Secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia.

COAL EXPORTS AND THE SHENG NENG
Perhaps a greater threat to the reef is not the oil seeping from its sides, but the 65 000 tonnes of coal hidden below deck. Qld is currently the worlds biggest coal exporter, and the government is planning to double its capacity over the next 20 years.
The Third Degree's James Hitchcock spoke with Ellie Smith from the 6 Degrees Coal and Climate Collective.

RENEWABLES
All this talk about Renewable Energy can seem a little confusing. At the moment, the State Government’s target for renewable energy consumption sits at 20% by 2020.
But does this target reflect Australia’s capacity for the renewable energy generation? Would it be possible for our country to run completely on 100% renewable sources? And how would we realistically achieve this?
For answers, Katherine Lim spoke to Richard Corkish, Head of UNSW’s Photovoltaic and Renewable Engineering.

Ep 95. Alcoa and brown coal, River Red gums + Beyond Zero Emissions

Click to download: Alcoa and brown coal, River Red gums + Beyond Zero Emissions

Aired on 2ser 107.3 FM 11 March 2010

Alcoa

Aluminium smelting company Alcoa has signed an agreement with Loy Yang power stations to continue powering its aluminium smelters with brown coal until 2036.
They have shifted the company that they will source the energy from Hazlewood power station to Loy Yang. They will continue to consume the same level of energy that they do at the moment, 20% of the energy produced in the state, and they have locked themselves in to 26 more years of brown coal energy, rather than more sustainable sources.

Libby spoke with campaigns co-ordinator for Friends of the Earth, Cam Walker, and Victorian Greens MP Greg Barber.


Red Gum forest open to logging under NSW ‘protection plan’

Last week the NSW Government announced a plan to protect the River Red gum forests and wetlands along the Murray River. While the Government is saying that 107 000 hectares of larger forest area will be protected, as recommended by the Natural Resources Commission assessment – this figure is made up of some for now and some for
later.

Jess spoke with Jonathan La Nauze, Red Gum Campaign Coordinator with Friends of the Earth to understand the implications of allowing sections of forest marked for preservation to be logged for 5 years before receiving National Park preservation status in 2015.

For more information head to the cross-border campaign website of the NSW National parks association, and the Victorian National parks association.

Zero Carbon Australia 2020 plan

Last Month saw the release of a report called Zero Carbon Australia 2020. The report will form part of a broader plan produced by the ‘beyond zero emissions’ group, to map out how Australia could transition its current economy to a potentially zero carbon emissions one within ten years. James spoke Mathew Wright from Beyond Zero Emissions.

Events:

To Shoot and Elephant
The Sri Lanka Human Rights Project, together with The Coalition for
Justice and Peace in Palestine will be screening the groundbreaking
documentary - To Shoot an Elephant - filmed in Gaza during Israel's
'Operation Cast Lead' in 2008/2009.
This Tuesday 16th March, 6.30 pm – at the Auditorium, NSW Teachers
Federation, 27 Reservoir St, Surry Hills
Cost: Entry by donation
More Info: Brami - brami.jegan@usyd.edu.au
Proceeds will go towards CJPP’s advocacy projects and El-Wafa
Rehabilitation Hospital in Gaza. Donations to the hospital will go
through Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA.

Concert for Juarez
Sydney Action for Juarez has joined an initiative by Mexican group
Artivism, which has issued an international call for culture-based
activities in March to remember the victims of anti-woman violence and
brutality in Juarez.
Concert for Juarez is this Saturday night, the 13th March Eastside
Arts, Uniting Church, Paddington, at 7.30pm.
Tickets: $20/$15 concession

Australia’s Climate Action Summit
This weekend Australia’s Climate Action Summit will be held in Canberra.
Our governments are not providing real climate solutions. Whether it
is Rudd or Abbott's plan or Copenhagen we deserve better. This
three-day conference will look at strategy, policy and actions for the
grassroots climate movement.
There is a growing community movement in Australia that is building
people power for immediate action on climate change. Our vision is to
work together at emergency speed to restore in a just way a safe
climate in time for all people, all species and all generations.
Start Time: Saturday, 13 March 2010 at 09:00
End Time: Monday, 15 March 2010 at 18:00
Location: Australian National University, Canberra
For more information head to climatesummit.org.au

Presenters: Libby King, James Hitchcock and Jessica Minshall

Ep 92. Longwall Expansion, Leaking Ranger and China-First Coal

First aired on 2ser 18/02/2010

Ep 92. Longwall Expansion at Appin Colliery, Leaking Ranger and China-First Coal
Download here
Longwall Expansion at Appin











BHP-Billiton is proposing a massive expansion of its Appin longwall coal mine. The land is the pristine headwaters of the Georges River, however even though this enormous proposal will potentially impacts the who Georges River system, it has largely flown under the radar of its residents. The Third Degrees Kathrine Lim spoke with Sharon Cullis from the Georges River Environmental Alliance.
More info on Longwall mining see www.riverssos.com

Leaky Ranger
Last Tuesday, in a Senate Estimate Committee hearing, information came to light about the true extent of radioactive contamination at Ranger Uranium Mine. The regulatory body (the Office of the Supervising Scientist) admitted that water with over 5400 times the “safe” background level of radioactivity, is currently leaking into Kakadu national park.The Third Degress Hannah Walters spoke to WA Greens Senator Scott Ludlam, about the importance of holding the government to account in the senate estimate committe and recent Ranger mine findings.

China-First Coal
Any announcement of a 70 billion dollar coal export deal where 30 million tonnes of coal each year, for the next 20 years, would be shipped from Queensland soil to power stations in China – should create its own confusion. However when Clive Palmer and his company Resourcehouse behind this ‘China First’ project misnamed the Chinese company involved, and that company – China Power International Holding – denied any binding nature of the deal and called it a ‘framework’ only, confusion regarding contractual arrangements got in the way of confusion about how a project such as this could go ahead in the first place. The proposed thermal coal mine site is in the Galilee Basin, near Alpha in Central West Queensland. The Third Degrees Jess Minshall spoke with Bradley Smith, Campaigner with Friends of the Earth Brisbane’s Six Degrees campaign to get an understanding of what impact such an export deal would have.

Events
Longwall exhibition opening
Thursday 18th Feb. 6pm-8pm, ESP Gallery
228 Illawarra Rd, Marrickville, NSW
A sculpture, video and sound installation reflecting the devastation that longwall coal mining is causing and the ongoing impacts of coal as a major contributor to climate change. Opening night will see a guest speaker talk about the destruction of longwall coal mining and outlines ways you can all help. Runs until March 7th more info

Helping Haiti
This Thursday day night, the Sydney Latin American Film Festival in partnership with the Cervantes Institute & Uncommon Productions present "Helping Haiti", a two-night screening of the multi award-winning documentary ‘The Price of Sugar’. 100% of funds raised will be donated to: Infante Sano’s Help Hispaniola program.
Its on Thursday and Friday night at 645pm,
the Cervantes Institute 22-24 City Rd Chippendale.

Ep. 79 Tamil Refugees and More

Show aired in 2SER 05/11/09

Hosts: James and Tessa

Ep. 79 Tamil Refugees, CSIRO silenced, Water and Coal in Lithgo
Download here

In this Weeks episode we here from Refugees who have been staging a protest on a boat off Merack in Indonesia. We hear from Nick Hollins about the CSIRO covering up dissent over the ETS. Coal and Water in Lithgo, and an update on the situation in Honduras thanks to Real Wolrd Radio.

Ep. 66 Tillegra Dam, Abbot Point Coal Terminal + Camping to Copenhagen Part II

Aired on 2SER 107.3FM 6 August 2009

Click to Download: Ep. 66 Tillegra Dam, Abbot Point Coal Terminal + Camping to Copenhagen Part II

Tillegra Dam

There is a controversial and sudden plan brewing to build a dam on the upper Williams River in the Dugong Shire, in the Northern Hunter region of NSW. The 3rd Degree spoke to Sally Corbet from the No Tillegra Dam Group about politiking and the impact a dam would have on the local community, and we asked Monique Retamal from the Institute for Sustainable Futures whether there needs to be a new dam at all.

Abbot Point Coal Port

Operations at the Xstrata-owned Abbot Point coal export terminal south of Townsville in Queensland were halted in Tuesday by a Greenpeace blockade. The blockade coincided with a Pacific speaking tour raising the issue of the effect of climate change on Pacific Islands. Lagi Toribau is a Greenpeace campaigner from Fiji and was onboard the Esperanza just a few metres away from the action. He spoke to the third degree’s Libby King.

Camping to Copenhagen Part II

The 3rd Degree's Rebecca Pearse is back with Part II of the 12 Part series, Camping to Copenhagen, exploring the emerging climate justice movement across the globe. This week she catches up with Rebecca Hubacker from Climate Camp Swizerland and Bordile Singh from Climate Camp Denmark.

Presented by James Hitchcock and Tessa Dowdell

Ep 22. Climate Emergency and more

Download this week's podcast:
Ep 22. Climate emergency, Garnuat and NGO dialogue and Gunnedah Coal Conference.

Aired on 2ser 25th Sept 2008
- This week's guest is Tessa Dowdell, Sydney climateer (or climate activist) talks about the climate emergency week of action, the importance of taking action over the next few months and a new COAL-TURE jamming project. If you have any ideas for COAL-TURE jams please send them through to the3rddegree [at] 2ser.com

-Nick Hollins follows his story from two weeks ago regarding Garnuat's interim targets. After much criticism from environmental NGOs, Garnuat has responded. Damien Lawson, climate justice coordinator from Friends of the Earth Australia gives us the low down.

-Another story we caught up with this week was that of the Gunnedah basin and the opposition to the expansion of coal mining in the region. This week saw protesters gather outside the Gunnedah coal conference. The third degree's Robin King spoke with the Greens MP Lee Rhiannon at the conference.

Presenters: James Hitchcock and Libby King

Events:
Climate Emergency Rally
Protest outside offices of Xstrata Coal!1 Macquarie Place Sydney CBD (off Loftus St, near Circular Quay) 5pm Thursday October 2nd It's a climate emergency! Melting of the Arctic sea ice may be complete by the northern summer of 2010. We must urgently decarbonise our economy to radically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and existing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Xtrata, NSW’s biggest coal exporter, is about to start work on the Mangoola mine in the Hunter Valley. The call for renewables is more urgent than ever!

Ep 18. International Carbon Trading and more

Click to download podcast:

Ep 18. International Carbon trading, coal expansion in Gunnedah Basin, Food Crisis and MyPower cycling team.

This week:
-Damien Lawson, climate justice coordinator from Friends of the Earth joined us in the studio to talk about international carbon, why its not going to help us reduce emissions and its effects on developing nations under the kyoto protocol clean energy mechanism. There will be film screening happeing on tuesday on the topic 'The Carbon Connection' (see below for details).
Click here to make a submission to the governments Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. Rising Tide Australia have a form letter to help out here. Submissions are due to 10th September.

-Our 'Burning Issue' of the week is the coal exploration and expansion of the Gunnedah plains regions. The China Shenhua Energy group was last week given rights to explore land adjacent to BHPbillitons licesne area in Caroona. Jessica Minshall talked with Tim Duddy from the Caroona Coal Action Group about the expansion and taing direct action.

-A global food crisis is threatening humainity. The cost of staple foods has risen by an estimated 83% over the past three years, and there are many factors contributing to the price surge. These include finaical speculation, the use of grain for bio-fuels, and the ising demand for food combined with eclining agricultural yields. The 3rd Degree's Nick Holins spoke with Julian Cribb, Ajunct Professor of Science Communication at UTS, to get his view on the crisis, and what Australia should be doing about it.

-My power is one of many groups cycling around Australia right now to promote sustainability, They're in the Northern Territory at the moment. The 3rd Degree's Andy Smal caught up with Mareki from the MyPower team after their visit to Mataranka Primary School.

This weeks Hot Events:
Public Forum: Green jobs for a greener Hunter – What are the Prospects?Presented by Lake Macquarie Climate Action and Climate Action NewcastleThursday 28th August, 730pm, St Albans Church, Charlestown.

Film Screening: The Carbon Connection – the story of two communities, one in Brasil and on Scotland, linked by carbon trading. Presented by Friends of the Earth Sydney. Tuesday 2nd September, 630pm, Brown St Community Hall, Newtown Library.

And two fantastic fundraisers to support climate camp arestes: -

FauxBQ – Friends of the Earth Sydney are hosting a FauxBQ, a feast of fake meat!Come along for a protein rush and a beer. Camperdown Park, Newtown, 2-6pm. $5 a plate, if its wet call Holly 0417 682 541

Presenters: Libby King and James Hitchcock

Ep 14. Caroona Coal Blockade and Green Jobs

Hello peeps! hope your well thanks to Libby and Jess for the great stories this week!

Caroona Coal Blockade
Gunnedah plains and surrounding area is currently home to a large part of NSW agricultural sector. Mining companies however have seen past the fertile soils to the large coal deposits in the area. When Bhp-Billiton came to explore coal deposits on farming properties in the town of Caroona, local residents have gone about blockading the properties from exploration. Libby speaks to farmer and property owner Tim Duddy about potential coal exploration on his land and its effects on underground aquifers.
Download here

Green Collar Jobs
Jess talks with Phil Freeman from ACF about the potential for green collar jobs in Australia.
Download here

Just a reminder that this Wednesday, the 6th August is Hiroshima Day, marking the 63rd Anniversary since the bomb was dropped, 140,000 people in Hiroshima and 80,000 in Nagasaki were killed by the end of 1945 and many more afterwards as a result of the bombing. There are currently still over 37 000 nuclear weapons in the world.

Ep 13. Direct Action + Ride Planet Earth

Well the studio was brimming with folks this week!

Climate Camp Monday - Taking Direct Action
We talk with Libby and special guest Kathryn who both took direct action on the decentralised day of action a climate camp, shutting down a coal loader at kooragang. They share their experience, demystify what it means to get arrested, and fill us in on what to wear if locking yourself to industrial coal infrastructure.
Download here

Ride Planet Earth
We talked with Kim, who is launching the Ride Planet Earth project next week in Sydney. Kim is riding from Brisbane to Denmark visiting places effected by climate change and often ignored by the international community. Kim will be collecting a video petition along the way to deliver to the UN Copenhagen conference in '09. Check the awesome website here.
Download here

Random Fact Of the Week
Tim reveals the worlds most polluting man, resposible for inventing both leaded petrol and cfc's.
Download here


Events
Ride Planet Earth Launch
7pm, Thursday 31st July 2008 at The Excelsior Hotel, 64 Forveaux St Surry Hills, Sydney
The launch includes presentations on climate justice, the Video Petition Booth, and performers.
The line-up includes; CJ Shaw, Annie M and Ninjas With Attitude, and DJ Tim Mac
There is a $5 cover charge with all proceeds going to organisations assisting those most affected by Climate Change including projects helping Climate Refugees.


Hiroshima Day Rally
Sat 2 August
12.30pm, rally at Town Hall Square. Organised by the Hiroshima Day Committee.
Speakers: John Kaye (Greens MLC), John Hallam (People for Nuclear Disarmament Nuclear Flashpoints Project) and Jessica Morrison, (ICAN).

Ep 12. Climate Camp - Coal Bloackade

Climate Camp report back Sunday - Coal blockade
James, Libby and special guest Kathryn report back on the Camp for Climate Action, which happened in Newcastle last weekend, including live recordings from the mass action day on Sunday
Download here

Stay tuned next week for the second part of our climate camp report back.

In the mean time check out these videos from the camp (thanks to the awesome media collective at the camp!):





This week we also talked about the governments green paper for an emissions trading scheme, or as they are now calling it, Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.

We also had a chat about a report released by Make Poverty History, Australian Action on Climate Change: a guide for Garnaut and Government.

Ep 9. George Monbiot of climate change and direct action

hey radio friends, this week we had a fantastic chat with Adam Wolfenden from Afftinet. Adam gave us a fantastic overview of world trade, G8, experiences at large actions and protests and more, unfortunetly are equipment had a nap and we don't have a recording of that...sorry!

Ep 9. George Monbiot on climate change and direct action
We do have however a recording from a forum held recently called, Curing Australias Coal Addiction. George Monbiot joined the forum via video link from Wales, to tell us about climate change, direct actions and what we can do to create a positive future.
Download coming soon

In the mean time check it out in both auditory and visual inspirationess!

Ep 6. Coal: a miners perspective

Greetings climate freaks!
This week we brought you a recording from a forum held at Sydney Uni, updated you on world environment, introduced the Students of Sustainability conference and had a bit of a chin-wag over the latest climate change news.

Coal, a miners perspective
Peter Kennedy and Graham Brown, two coal miners from the Hunter Valley, talk at a lunch time Forum organised by the Sydney Uni Enviro Collective. They share their views and knowledge on the coal industry, the big companies behind the mines, where the unions are on the issue, climate camp and the future of coal. (40 mins)
Download here

Check out:
Students of Sustainability conference: (from the website) SoS '08 will be held at the University of Newcastle, from the 5th - 9th July, with camping close by. Students, community and Indigenous activists, academics, public intellectuals, environmental educators, social change agents of all stripes and from all over Australia will come and participate in a range of educational, practical and participatory forums and workshops. SoS is about imparting the inspiration, tools, motivation and education required for participants to inspire and educate others when they return to their own communities.

and also

Camp for Climate Action: Also happening in Newcastle, 10th-15th July, 5 days of inspiring workshops and direct action.

Ep. 3 Newcastle coal + more

Last week we gave a run down and brief analysis of the budget, update from the permablitz project we talked about a few weeks ago, an interview from nick (which you can find in the previous post), some feedback from the Bangladeshi speaking tour hosted by Aid/Watch and we heard a recording from the Climate Change and the Law Forum, which happened at the Sydney Uni Law building, last Wednesday, hosted by Camp for Climate Action.

You can download that recording below:

Pete Gray (Rising Tide) - On coal, Newcastle and climate camp

Find more information about Camp for Climate Action (climate camp).
We will be covering the lead up to this event in more detail of the next few months.