NANNA KERRY JOINS GRAFTON NANNAS FOR KNIT-IN ON December 8

The Grafton Nannas were urged to get active again before the end of the year by that feisty, opinionated anti-gas campaigner, Nanna Kerry.  Her last outing with her compatriots was on June 30 in Lismore at the celebration of 10 years of nannering campaigning.  According to Nanna K it was well past time they took her to a knit-in outside the office of the Member for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis.

 

 

So the Nannas set up in the heat and enjoyed a short knit-in before heading off to lunch.  They were all disappointed that the local member did not venture out for a chat as they wanted to raise two very serious concerns with him.

The first was to say how horrified they were at the State Government's plans for a waste to energy incinerator at Casino.  They know that this will be grossly polluting and are astounded that the Government - after its experience with the local community during the Metgasco coal seam gas fiasco - thought that they could impose another polluting industry on the area.

The second was their concern about the gas pipeline from Santos' Narrabri Gas Project in the Pilliga to Newcastle which will pass through a prime agricultural area.

As Mr Gulaptis is retiring at the election in March next year, Nanna Kerry would have enjoyed meeting him again.  That is rather surprising as the last time she met him, he was far from complimentary to her.  However, despite this disappointment, she greatly enjoyed her interaction with her Grafton colleagues who showed her how much they enjoyed her company.

 

 

 

GRAFTON KNITTING NANNAS' AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL ELECTION WISH LIST

The Grafton Nannas' election wish list, which was published in the 

"Clarence Valley Independent" on May 4, is printed below.

 

The Grafton Loop of the Knitting Nannas Against Gas is hoping that the upcoming federal election will result in a parliament that deals effectively and in a cooperative manner with the major issues facing our nation.  We want a Government that is firmly focused on our long-term national interest.

The Nannas have quite an extensive wish-list for our next Government.  At the top of this list is effective government action on climate change.

We need to cut emissions much more drastically by 2030 to have any chance of limiting the disastrous impacts of climate change that we are now experiencing so regularly. 

As gas is as dirty a fossil fuel as coal, we want the folly of the “gas-led recovery” ditched and government subsidies (taxpayer grants!) to gas projects such as the Beetaloo Basin dropped pronto.  Instead of encouraging the development of new gas or coal projects or the expansion of existing ones, our government should be developing with industry a just transition plan for those workers whose jobs will be lost as the world decarbonises. 

Obviously it also needs to expedite the expansion of renewable energy and encourage the development of new renewable technologies.  But it should not waste any more money on that “pie in the sky” nonsense of carbon capture and storage so beloved of the fossil fuel dinosaurs.  And that’s just a few of our hopes on the climate front. 

Also close to the top of our list is the need for an effective federal integrity commission which has very sharp teeth.  In the interest of the health of our democracy, this body needs to be able to investigate public servants AND politicians and to hold open hearings.  We need a Government that is much more open to scrutiny and answerable to the community. 

And there’s more on our wish-list. We’d like to see reform of political donations laws, improvements to health, education, aged care, and unemployed support.  But I won’t enlarge on these matters now.

 

Leonie Blain 

On behalf of the Grafton Nannas

 

GRAFTON NANNAS' ACTIVITIES - KNIT-INS FROM APRIL TO NOVEMBER 2021

After beginning the year very quietly the Grafton Loop of the Knitting Nannas Against Gas and Greed have managed to hold a number of  knit-ins despite the wet weather and floods. 

The second 2021  knit-in was held on April 8 outside the Prince Street premises of our state member, Chris Gulaptis.  This dealt once again with the plight of koalas and the NSW Government’s failure to ensure their protection. Sadly Mr Gulaptis has been one of the prime movers in the National party for weakening koala protection.

 

 Nannas knitting for koalas outside the office of MP Chris Gulaptis April 8

 

 At the next knit-in on Thursday 22^nd April the Nannas joined in a community campaign – Fund Our Future Not Gas – in the lead-up to the 11^th May Federal Budget. 

Those participating in this campaign included Nannas from around the state, 350.org and GetUp.  The aim was to raise awareness about the folly of the federal government’s gas led recovery and highlight what budget money should be spent on to improve the lot of all Australians – not just the polluting fossil fuel companies which the Government plans to shower with largesse.

Surveying passers-by about budget funding (22 April)

 

Interested passers-by were asked what they thought should be in the budget.  Among the suggestions were improved funding for aged care, hospitals and health, education, the NDIS, public housing, Closing the Gap, the ABC, renewable energy, and climate action. 

The Nannas wrote to Kevin Hogan about these suggestions and other comments they received as well as calls for an effective Federal ICAC.

The Federal Budget did not take the issue of climate change seriously and was the focus of the next knit-in - also outside Mr Hogan's unattended Prince Street office - on May 27.

 

May 27 Knit-in

 

Following the May 27 meeting the Nannas  hibernated for over five months.

The climate crisis and the approaching federal election (likely to be held in March or May next year)  have stirred them into action again with a knit-in being held outside Hogan's office on November 18.

 

GRAFTON NANNAS START KNITTING AGAIN

After a long COVID-induced break the Grafton Loop of the Knitting Nannas Against Gas & Greed have started campaigning again.  On Thursday March 4 a group of refreshed Nannas set up outside the Prince Street office of our federal MP Kevin Hogan. It was great to catch up with Nannas Sarah and Deb as well as to welcome a new Nanna recruit. As usual it was  a lively social occasion with plenty of interesting conversation and laughs.

The theme for this knit-in was climate change. The Nannas are dismayed that the Federal Government, despite all the scientific evidence, is still failing to take effective action to reduce our carbon emissions. 

This was the first time the Grafton Nannas have held a morning knit-in and it was a great success.   Prince Street was very busy and the Nannas enjoyed chatting to many passers-by  and were pleased at the positive feedback received from many of them. The Nannas were also delighted that one of the passers-by was Emma Pritchard, the Grafton-based journalist of "The Independent" who asked about our activities and took a photo of the group.

 A serious Nanna discussion

The Nannas also discussed their latest letter to Mr Hogan which highlighted their concern about the Federal Government's lacklustre performance on climate change.  One of the key points made in this letter was the  concern for today's young people who will inherit a world which is set to be irretrievably damaged by the selfishness and folly of the current Federal Government.

This was emailed to Mr Hogan later that day.  The Nannas will be very interested in his reply - if indeed we do receive a response from him.

 

GRAFTON NANNAS APPALLED AT NARRABRI GAS PROJECT APPROVAL

The Grafton Nannas expressed their concerns about this very damaging project in a letter to the local media including "The Clarence Valley Independent" and "North Coast Voices".  The letter is reprinted below:

 

NARRABRI GAS PROJECT DECISION

The Grafton Knitting Nannas Against Gas are appalled at the decision of the NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC), a NSW Government agency, to give Santos approval to develop an 850 well gasfield in the Pilliga Forest and surrounding farmland near Narrabri. 

For years there has been strong opposition to this enormous project – both in the immediate area and further afield. 

The Gomeroi people are concerned about the threat to aboriginal heritage; farmers fear the impact of the project on local aquifers and the recharge zone of the Great Artesian Basin; and some opponents are worried about the safe disposal of the saline water produced as the gas is extracted. 

As the gasfield expands,   clearing for roads, pipeline routes, well surrounds and ponds for produced water in the ecologically important Pilliga Forest, the largest temperate woodland in NSW, will cause devastating  fragmentation of natural habitat creating problems for many local fauna species - including threatened species such as Black-striped Wallabies, Koalas and Eastern Pygmy-possums. 

While the Grafton Knitting Nannas oppose this damaging project because of the impacts on the local area, they are also very concerned about its impacts beyond the north-west of the state. 

At a time when Australia needs to urgently reduce its carbon emissions, we have mindless governments pushing for expansion of a dirty fossil fuel industry and its emissions and indulging in porkies about the necessity for this expansion.   

Politicians obsessed with fossil fuels claim more gas is needed to reduce the price of gas for domestic consumption and say gas will super-charge the economy after COVID, provide huge numbers of jobs and act as a transition fuel as we move to a clean economy.  

The Nannas are appalled that the three man panel of the IPC has ignored the local concerns and the climate issues and has accepted the dubious economic claims of Santos and the politicians. 

We agree with those opposing this disastrous development.   We say, “This fight is not over yet.”

    The Grafton Knitting Nannas against Gas

ARE PROPERTY DEVELOPERS MORE IMPORTANT THAN PREVENTING THE EXTINCTION OF KOALAS ?

This was the question that the Grafton Loop of the Knitting Nannas Against Gas and Greed had for their State MP, Chris Gulaptis, Member for Clarence. 

Grafton Nannas and several supporters (and one very active Jack Russell pup) met outside Mr Gulaptis' electorate office in Prince Street, Grafton, on Thursday 17th September.  This gathering, the first for many months, occurred because the Nannas were appalled at the shenanagins of the NSW Nationals over the relatively new Koala State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP).  

 

Grafton Nannas outside the office of C Gulaptis MP

This knit-in was a completely new Nanna experience  as we were meeting according to COVID restrictions - limited numbers, social distancing and, for those who were able to wear masks, with face masks. All of this made communicating with each other rather challenging - particularly for those of us who are becoming hard of hearing.  And our increased volume  meant we were noisier than usual.

We presented  the office with a letter to Mr Gulaptis which explained our concerns about his position and that of his party.  The text of the letter is below:

 

State Environmental Planning Policy (Koala Habitat Protection) 2019 

Over the many years that we Nannas have been around, we have witnessed some weird performances from politicians but the NSW Nationals’ “drama” of last week really “takes the cake”.  The members of the Grafton Loop of the Knitting Nannas Against Gas and Greed are appalled at what you and your colleagues have done and are continuing to do.  

We are amazed to hear that you “love Koalas like every other Australian”. You’ve certainly got a very strange way of showing this recently-revealed affection. 

The Nannas are well aware that since 2012, when the Nationals came into government, they have been pressuring their coalition partners to weaken biodiversity protection.  This has resulted in significant weakening of both native vegetation legislation and State Forest logging regulations.  These changes have had serious impacts on biodiversity - including on koalas.

Koalas have suffered from a range of impacts in recent years including climate induced drought and bushfires as well as dog attack, car strike and disease.  But the major cause of their decline is habitat loss.  Your party, Mr Gulaptis, has had a big role in recent years in ensuring that habitat loss is accelerating.

So now we have you and your colleagues paying lip-service to the need to protect koalas while you are undermining a recent change to koala policy. 

And why are you doing this? It seems that all the hoo-ha is about property developers who are worried they might have difficulty is pursuing their plans for rural subdivisions or residential development on urban outskirts because they will need to put in development applications to councils.  This will then trigger the SEPP. 

Surprisingly the Nannas do not consider the desires of property developers to make what they would no doubt call “an honest quid”  should outweigh the protection of koalas which are on track to extinction in NSW by 2050 unless really effective measures are put in place to protect them and their habitat.

Are property developers more important than preventing the extinction of koalas?