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Contents
CONVENOR’S & DIRECTORS’S MESSAGE 2-3 TOP TEN OUTCOMES AT A GLANCE 4 ABOUT US
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OUR SUPPORTERS AND PARTNERS THE YEAR IN REVIEW
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THE YEAR AHEAD
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COMMITEE MEMBERSHIP 18 PUBLIC EVENTS
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OUR PEOPLE
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SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 19 FINANCES
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Cover photo: Maria Island, Limmen
Inside Cover: CENTRE LimmenNT National Park - Now2011/2012 declared - David Hancock ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT
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Convenor’s & Director’s Message
The year 2011/12 was a key year for the Environment Centre NT and the globe. Forty years after the UN Conference on the Human Environment that was held in Stockholm in 1972 officially kicked off the global drive towards sustainable development, Australia and the Territory witnessed highs and lows on environmental performance. The financial year came to a close as world leaders gathered in Brazil for the Rio+20 Earth Summit to agree on new international agreements on sustainable development as the world marked the fortieth anniversary of the Stockholm Conference, and the twentieth anniversary of the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. The federal Parliament passed Australia’s first law to price carbon pollution, which commenced on 1 July 2012, and the Australian Government announced a national network of marine parks that will be the world’s largest. Great news! These reforms were long overdue, quite ambitious and worth celebrating, despite falling short on many fronts when it came to achieving science-based standards and implementing sound economic policy. In the Territory, our long campaigns led to a raft of good decisions by the Territory Government and big business. The government commenced the declaration process for Limmen National Park – 21 long years after it was first proposed – and Limmen Bight Marine Park – the first marine park to be declared in the Territory in three decades. Miners plus the Australian and Territory Governments heeded the strong opposition of Marra Traditional Owners, the Environment Centre NT and fishermen to plans to site heavy industry and a port on the remote and high conservation value Maria Island in the southwest Gulf of Carpentaria. They chose another port instead. We stood firm beside Marra as they exercised their rights to speak for Country and rights to self determination, and helped them to make their voices heard to decision makers.
Uranium miner Energy Resources of Australia dumped its plans for a controversial heap leach facility at Ranger Uranium Mine inside Kakadu National Park in the face of trenchant opposition from Mirarr Traditional Owners and the environment movement. We learnt that Australian uranium was in use at the reactors at the Daiichi nuclear power reactor in Fukushima, Japan. Djok Traditional Owner Jeffrey Lee gained World Heritage status for his ancestral lands at Koongarra, with the support of the Northern Land Council, that Kakadu National Park be expanded to include Koongarra. He ignored offers of royalties in exchange for letting miner AREVA mine the 14,000 tonne uranium deposit on his Country. Muckaty Traditional Owners continued to oppose a nuclear waste dump proposed for their freehold land near Tennant Creek. With support from ourselves and many others, they spoke to political leaders in Canberra and Darwin, challenging the nomination of the Muckaty site, contained in the discriminatory and authoritarian National Radioactive Waste Management Act in the Federal Court. Our staff conducted hundreds of home sustainability assessments through our COOLmob Sustainable Living Program. The COOLmob team also ran Sustainable House Day, started two exciting new partnerships with diverse organisations called Sustainable Apartments and Sustainable Neighbourhoods and began working with Red Cross on the Household Energy Savers Scheme. We ran the third Top End Sustainable Living Festival at the Botanic Gardens in Darwin, alongside the Tropical Garden Spectacular and coordinated Sustainability Week NT 2012. These events saw great speakers and experts come to Darwin to help businesses, households and governments with information and advice to help them do things more sustainably.
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We thank our many donors and supporters, particularly the Territory and Australian Governments, Power and Water Corporation, and a growing list of philanthropic trusts and foundations. We can’t do our work without your support.
Daly River - Julian Murphy
But the highs were matched by some very disappointing lows. The Territory Government failed to introduce a Native Vegetation Management Bill into the Territory Parliament in part due to opposition from Independent Gerry Wood. Without this new law, which Territory Labor promised to pass by mid 2010, the Parliament was unable to effectively control land clearing at a time when federal politicians from both major parties are again talking up major agricultural development to create a foodbowl in Northern Australia. Similarly, no new Living Rivers legislation was developed to protect iconic free-flowing rivers, such as the Daly and Mary, despite Territory Labor promising to do so in June 2005.
Get involved! Become a member, join our exciting new monthly giving program ‘Territory Defenders’, leave a living legacy to us in your will, or donate to one of the many campaigns and programs shown on our website. You can also follow us on Facebook or Twitter, volunteer in the office or at weekend market stalls, or write to your local Member of Parliament about a burning environmental issue. Thanks again to our members, donors and partners for working with us on our shared goals. Our office is located on Larrakia Country and we acknowledge the important work Larrakia Rangers do in managing land and sea in the Darwin region.
Sadly, no network of marine parks was created in NT waters to protect representative samples of habitats across the Arafura and Timor Seas, and Gulf of Carpentaria, despite promises to do so by Territory Labor stretching back to 2001. Chief Minister Paul Henderson rejected our calls for an Independent Inquiry into unconventional shale gas and fracking. And the Territory Government failed to heed the wishes of thousands of Territorians, and implement its own promises, to pass stronger pollution control and environmental assessment laws. Large swathes of the long-proposed Limmen National Park were needlessly excised from the park to allow iron ore mining. And our petroleum and mining laws still trump national parks laws by allowing highly damaging shale gas, oil production and mining to occur in our National Parks.
Di Koser Convenor
Dr Stuart Blanch Director ENVIRONMENT CENTRE NT ANNUAL REPORT 2011/2012
Top Ten Outcomes at a glance 1 Declaration process commenced for Limmen National Park and Limmen Bight Marine Park.
5 Hosted our third Top End Sustainable Living Festival and coordinated Sustainability Week NT 2012.
2 ERA’s proposed uranium heap leach facility dumped.
6 Produced ‘Weeds of Northern Australia - A Field Guide’, with over 500 copies sold to date.
3 Proposed Muckaty nuclear waste dump looking increasingly unlikely to proceed as the Commonwealth applies for interim storage for waste earmarked for Muckaty to be stored at Lucas Heights in Sydney until 2020. 4 Helped hundreds of Territorians through our COOLmob Home Sustainability Assessments, hosting Sustainable House Day and providing advice on energy efficiency and renewable energy.
7 Helped Marra Traditional Owners to save Maria Island and remote coastlands from heavy industry. 8 Gained a three-year moratorium on highly damaging seabed mining in Territory waters. 9 9 Released an ambitious and practical blueprint for conserving and sustainably developing Darwin Harbour: ‘Our Living Harbour’.
Maria Island in Limmen Bight - David Hancock
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10 Grew exciting new partnerships to scope exporting solar power to Asia through an undersea cable.
Maria Island - Limmen - David Hancock
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About Us Who we are
The Environment Centre NT is the peak community environment sector organisation in the Northern Territory, Australia. The Environment Centre NT and predecessor organisations have been working to protect the environment since 1983.
• partnering on projects and campaigns with conservation and climate organisations, governments, Indigenous organisations, community groups, businesses, and landholders
Our mission
• raising community, government, business and industry awareness about environmental issues and assisting people to reduce their environmental impact
• protect and restore biodiversity, ecosystems and ecological processes
• supporting community members to participate in decision making processes and action
The Environment Centre NT works to
• foster sustainable living and development • cut greenhouse gas emissions and build renewable energy capacity
Our values
The Environment Centre NT achieves its mission through our:
• recognising the rights, aspirations, responsibilities and knowledge of the Territory’s Indigenous peoples • acknowledging that environmental issues have a social dimension
• commitment to protecting nature, living sustainably and creating a safe climate • passion and determination • support for the power of communities and individuals to drive change • independence from governments, political parties, business & industry, and donors • support for the rights and aspirations of the Territory’s Indigenous peoples to sustainable development • compassion and respect in dealing with others • professional advocacy and projects informed by science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge
How we work
The Environment Centre NT works by: • advocating for the improvement of environmental policies and performance of governments, landholders, business and industry • campaigning for pro-environment policy and funding commitments from all parties and candidates during election campaigns Bottlenose dolphin - Darwin harbour - Kindly donated
ENVIRONMENT CENTRE NT ANNUAL REPORT 2011/2012
Our Supporters and Partners We thank the following for their financial support:
Australian Government (Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities) Bjarne K Dahl Trust Boomerang Alliance Bowden McCormack Lawyers + Advisers Bruce and Ann McGregor Charles Darwin University City of Darwin Colin and Pam Brown Darwin International Airport Earth Welfare Foundation Environment Protection Authority Meat and Livestock Australia Members Mullum Trust Northern Territory Government (Department of the Chief Minister; Department of Environment, Natural Resources, The Arts and Sport and Community Benefit Fund) Nursery & Garden Industry NT Pew Environment Group Power and Water Corporation Purves Environmental Fund Society for Sustainability and Environmental Engineering, Engineers Australia (NT Division) Southern Gulf Catchments ‘Territory Defenders’, our monthly giving program Territory Natural Resource Management The Weed Society of Queensland The Wilderness Society Limmen National Park - David Hancock
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Our Supporters and Partners We thank the following organisations for partnering with us on a broad range of projects and events:
G J Wigg Plumbing
Arid Lands Environment Centre
In-Scape-Out
Australian Conservation Foundation
Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation
Australian Marine Conservation Society
Li-Anthawirriyarra Sea Rangers
Australian Nuclear Free Alliance
Marra Traditional Owners
Australian Wildlife Conservancy
McMahon Shoal Bay Mulch
Beyond Nuclear Initiative
Minerals Council of Australia (NT Division)
Boomerang Alliance
Mix 104.9 FM
Chamber of Commerce NT
Muckaty Traditional Owners
Charles Darwin University
Northern Land Council
Colemans Printing
NT Solar Solutions
Conservation Councils of Australia
NGI Nursery & Garden Industry
City of Darwin
Pew Environment Group
Darwin Garden Education Network
Plan NT
Deckchair Cinema Darwin
Power and Water Corporation
Department of Chief Minister, Northern Territory Government
Society for Sustainability and Environmental Engineering, Engineers Australia (NT Division)
Department of Environment, Natural Resources, The Arts and Sport, Northern Territory Government
Southern Cross Television
Dolphin Software Eco-Kinetics Environment Protection Authority Environmental Defenders Office (NT) Figleaf Pools Greenies Real Food
Corroborree Billabong - Hannah Seward
Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation and Mirarr Traditional Owners
The Mulch Pit The Nature Conservancy The Plantsmith The Wilderness Society Top End Transition Towns Total Environment Centre Warddeken Land Management WWF – Australia
ENVIRONMENT CENTRE NT ANNUAL REPORT 2011/2012
The Year in Review 1. Nature Territory We pushed our politicians to control land clearing, protect living rivers and safeguard sealife We partnered with other conservation organisations to urge Territory Labor and the Country Liberals to pass the Native Vegetation Management Bill to control land clearing, pass a new Living Rivers law to keep our rivers healthy, and safeguard sealife through a world class network of marine parks. We ran a strong community and media campaign that reached tens of thousands of Territorians, enabling them to demand their elected representatives do better on protecting our environment.
Limmen Bight Marine Park was proposed for declaration – our first marine park in three decades The Territory Government commenced the declaration process for creating Limmen Bight Marine Park. It will be the Territory’s second marine park, and the first new marine park to be declared in 30 years. The marine park will cover 88,000 hectares in the territorial waters of the southwest corner of the Gulf of Carpentaria, adjacent to the Limmen National Park and Marra Aboriginal Lands Trust. The marine park will help protect important dugong populations, coastal dolphins, sea turtles, and fish populations.
Seabed mining was put on hold under a threeyear moratorium Our team worked with the Anindilyakwa Land Council on Groote Eylandt, fishermen and scientists to highlight the large risks associated with seabed mining. Mining the seafloor has never occurred in the Territory, and areas being targeted for exploration contain important natural and cultural values. The Territory Government placed a three-year moratorium on exploring and mining the sea floor in March 2012 whilst the Environment Protection Authority and Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority conducted an investigation into the issue.
Li-Anthawirriyarra Sea Rangers - Limmen - David Hancock
The declaration process for Limmen National Park commenced – 21 years after being first proposed After two years hard work we were successful in getting the Territory Government to finally commence the declaration of Limmen National Park. At almost one million hectares it is one of the Territory’s largest National Parks. The park protects a diverse vegetation plus abundant wildlife, including many threatened species. The park will stretch from Maria Island in Limmen Bight through extensive coastal floodplains and rainforests, along large rivers and rocky outcrops, to dry spinifex country and spectacular weathered sandstone ‘Lost City’ formations.
We worked with Marra Traditional Owners to protect Maria Island from heavy industry When Marra Traditional Owners asked us to help them produce a petition for tabling in the NT and federal Parliaments asking Parliamentarians to oppose a buried iron ore slurry pipeline through their coastal lands and out to Maria Island, we got to it. Marra community leaders collected signatures across the southwest Gulf Country. One version was sent to Canberra with federal Member for Lingiari Warren Snowdon for lodging, while Marra people drove to Darwin in November to meet Territory Government Ministers at Parliament House. Ministers Karl Hampton, Malarnidirri McCarthy and Gerry McCarthy welcomed the Marra on the steps of Parliament and accepted the petition. That same day, the Board of Western
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The Year in Review cont... Desert Resources announced they had decided to export their iron ore through the existing port of Bing Bong instead of through a new port on Maria Island.
Together with conservation partners we helped achieve a network of federal marine parks in the Arafura and Timor Seas, and Gulf of Carpentaria Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke announced the boundaries of eight new marine reserves in the Arafura and Timor Seas, and Gulf of Carpentaria. It was a good first step. The announcement came after almost a decade of work by the Environment Centre NT and other conservation organisations to raise awareness and support a community campaign for a network of marine parks across Northern Australia. We worked with partners on ‘Twelve Tropical Sea Treasures: Underwater Icons of Northern Australia’, a report identifying areas and species of outstanding ecological value across the north requiring strong protection.
Produced, printed and sold over 500 copies of ‘Weeds of Northern Australia: a field guide’ Weeds are one of the greatest threats to the savannas, rainforests, wetlands and rivers of Northern Australia. We collaborated with many agencies and organisations to produce a field guide describing 150 of the north’s worst weeds. The guide is a great addition to your glove box, backpack or bookshelf. The guide contains expert descriptions, images, management methods and distribution maps for each species.
Marra people from Limmen at Parliament House
We raised awareness about the risks of onshore gas and fracking A new gas rush has seen the vast majority of the Territory’s land and sea being explored for oil and gas, or has exploration applications pending. Our team highlighted the risks to our landscapes, water supplies and carbon pollution from allowing an unconventional shale gas industry to develop. We championed an independent Inquiry into unconventional shale gas and fracking (or hydraulic fracturing) to Chief Minister Paul Henderson, and provided national media exposure about the very large risks to the Territory, including to rivers like the Daly as well as protected areas and sacred sites.
We developed partnerships to produce a field guide and app of Wildlife and Protected Areas of the Top End The Top End is a stronghold for many species of amazing, threatened, unique and endemic species of wildlife. Many visitors flock to our National Parks, such as Kakadu and Nitmiluk, to view them. That is why we started developing a partnership with other organisations to produce the first ever comprehensive field guide and smartphone app of wildlife and Protected Areas in Australia’s Top End. Funding has started to flow, and we will continue working with National Parks and wildlife agencies, field naturalists and eco-tourism businesses to secure funds.
Rubberbush a problem weed in the NT - Nicholas Smith ENVIRONMENT CENTRE NT ANNUAL REPORT 2011/2012
2. Green Living We helped thousands of Territorians live more sustainably COOLmob continued with our sustainable household assessments, auditing of non government schools and numerous public talks and visits to schools. Unfortunately our funding from PowerWater was reduced due to the funds going to welfare agencies. However we were awarded grants for Sustainable Neighbourhoods, Sustainable House Day 2011, Sustainable Apartments, Sustainable Apartments 2, Body Corporate Greenhouse Gas Emissions Savings, Carpooling development and Carpooling promotion. The COOLmob website and Facebook page were launched as well as the very well received ‘Greenhouse Friendly Design for the Tropics’ booklet. We delivered a workplace sustainability program to NTCOSS, progressed with the ‘Save at Work’ section of the website and began work on researching the carpooling data base. Worked with stakeholders to develop and refine auditing of Sustainable auditing of Apartments with possible body corporate savings of up to $62,000 over five years. We participated in ‘Super Tuesday’ and collaborated with City of Darwin to hold a Top End swap party. Our team travelled to Canberra for a low income household energy efficiency conference and began working with Red Cross on the Australian Government’s Household Energy Savers Scheme. We renegotiated the special offer for solar hot water and DTC Solar Panels, and continued to sell sustainable living items such as eco-switches and flush misers.
We hosted the third Top End Sustainable Living Festival (TESLF) We worked closely with the Nursery & Garden Industry NT to bring the Tropical Garden Spectacular and TESFL to the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens. Our third Top End Sustainable Living Festival provided a great opportunity to learn about sustainable living, get information and inspiration from speakers and exhibitors, and buy Top End Sustainable Living Festival - Hannah Seward
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The Year in Review Cont. some of the many greener goods and services on the market. The Festival is the largest of its kind in the Territory and Northern Australia. The two events attracted thousands of visitors over the weekend. We acknowledge the support of our major sponsors the NT Government, Power and Water Corporation, and City of Darwin. We also gratefully acknowledge sponsorship for the Festival from the EPA and Bowden McCormack Lawyers & Advisers.
Our staff and volunteers helped Territorians get first hand tips on energy efficiency and renewable energy for their homes by hosting Sustainable House Day Our COOLmob team worked with householders to open inspiring leading sustainable homes to the public in Jingili, Nightcliff, Bakewell, Bees Creek and Humpty Doo. Social diffusion of sustainable ideas was stimulated with ABC radio interviews, presentations by householders, COOLmob booklets, hardware displays, leaflets and the attendance of hundreds of people across Greater Darwin.
We supported the Territory Government’s Cash for Containers and Plastic Bag Ban initiatives
Prof. Peter Newman speaks during Sustainability Week 2012
We hosted Sustainability Week NT 2012 In the month when world leaders were meeting in Brazil at the Rio+20 Earth Summit to agree on stronger efforts of sustainable development and greening the global economy, our small team of staff and volunteers coordinated the second Sustainability Week NT. The week saw many different events held by a range of organisations on diverse themes. The events included the Top End Sustainable Living Festival and Tropical Garden Spectacular, a very popular Schools Day, City of Darwin’s Climate Change Challenge, seminars by expert practitioners on ‘ReEnergising Cities’ and ‘Sustainable Transport in the Top End’, and City of Palmerston’s ‘Sustainability and Healthy Communities’ event. And to top it off, Power and Water Corporation held its annual Melaleuca Awards, which saw the Environment Centre NT and Nursery & Garden Industry NT recognised as winners of the crosscategory award for jointly hosting the Tropical Garden Spectacular and Top End Sustainable Living Festival in 2011!
Encouraging recycling and reducing waste going to landfill and into the natural environment are important. We supported the important reforms brought in by the Territory Government’s Cash for Containers scheme and its banning of the sale of lightweight, single use plastic bags. The plastic bag ban was widely supported by Territorians, and we hope has reduced the number of bags fouling our waterways, blowing into native vegetation, and choking sea turtles. Together with partner organisations and outraged Territorians we took on Coca Cola Amatil and other large packaging and bottling companies who tried to force the NT to drop Cash for Containers. They failed, and the Territory’s scheme has added momentum for a national container deposit scheme, or other state schemes, to be established.
3. Nuclear Free NT
Costa with schoolchildren during Sustainable Schools Day 2012 ENVIRONMENT CENTRE NT ANNUAL REPORT 2011/2012
3. Nuclear Free NT Energy Resources of Australia dropped plans for heap leaching uranium ore in Kakadu National Park The proposal by Ranger uranium mining company Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) to use an acid heap leach process at the Ranger uranium mine was scrapped on August 4, 2011. A statement by the company said their decision came from ‘uncertainty in regards to stakeholder support’. Acid heap leaching involves spraying acid onto piles of low-grade ore to separate and collect uranium. The process comes with a high contamination risk and has never been tested in our tropical conditions. Kakadu National Park was not the place to start. The Environment Centre NT hosted a series of public events, lobbied government, produced a short film, and produced a report ‘Mismanaging contaminated water – a summary of the 2010/11 wet season at Ranger Uranium Mine’. The decision was welcomed by the Mirarr Traditional Owners, whose land the Ranger Uranium mine lease is on, in a media release in August stated: “The company has listened to stakeholders and opted against the dangerous and untested use of acid leaching of uranium in a sensitive tropical environment. It is a rational decision that we welcome,” said the executive officer of the Gundjeihmi Corporation, Justin O’Brien.
Yvonne Margarula at Ranger Uranium Mine - Gundjeihmi Corporation
Ranger Uranium Mine in Kakadu - Hannah Seward
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The Year in Review Cont. Our team visited radiation refugees in Japan to see what Australia’s uranium did to Fukushima Following news that Australia’s uranium was present in the nuclear reactors at the Daiichi nuclear power plant at Fukushima. The Environment Centre NT’s Cat Beaton and Justin Tutty joined an Australian delegation to attend the Global Conference for a Nuclear Power Free World in Yokohama in January 2012. Cat and Justin presented to the conference that saw an attendance of 15,000 people. Justin visited the boundaries of the Fukushima exclusion zone and both he and Cat met with numerous Fukushima refugees. Cat and Justin travelled with Australian Nuclear Free Alliance (ANFA) co-chair Peter Watts to Hiroshima and met with the director of the Hiroshima Peace museum. The trip forged many great connections and educated people about Australia’s destructive uranium mining industry.
We worked with Muckaty Traditional Owners to oppose the Muckaty nuclear waste dump The Muckaty site remains hotly contested, not just by Traditional Owners on whose country the waste dump would be built, but also by a growing chorus of supporters from the NT government, trade unions, church, health and environment groups.
Justin Tutty at the Nuclear Free stall in Hiroshima - Justin Tutty
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) representatives have confirmed that the organisation has the capacity to manage the waste it produces onsite at the Lucas Heights reactor. On May 1st ANSTO announced it would apply for a license to store Australian waste returning from overseas, alongside the long-lived intermediate level waste currently stored at the facility. The time afforded by interim storage at Lucas Heights should be spent undertaking an inclusive and independent national commission that looks at all radioactive waste management options for Australia’s stockpiles of radioactive waste, rather than continuing the current divisive tactic of pursuing the contested Muckaty site.
Building partnerships through the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance
Traditional Owners at Muckaty with the Nuclear Free NT waste barrel Jagath Dheerasekara
The Australian Nuclear Free Alliance is an Aboriginal led alliance which has been running for 15 years. ANFA aims to educate, support and resist the nuclear industry in Australia. Cat Beaton is a committee member and is involved with the organising of meetings, media responses and support throughout the year on behalf of the Environment Centre NT.
ENVIRONMENT CENTRE NT ANNUAL REPORT 2011/2012
4. Safe climate We contributed to drafting the NT Green Energy Taskforce’s reports on renewable energy Director Stuart Blanch was a member of the NT Green Energy Taskforce that wrote two reports for the Territory Government on replacing diesel with solar power in remote communities, and achieving the federal Renewable Energy Target of 20% by 2020. Our contribution ensured the latter included a recommendation that direct NT Government funding, or other forms of support, were likely necessary if no large scale solar power plants were being built in the Territory by 2015.
We developed partnerships to scope selling solar power to Asia with a cable from Darwin to Indonesia
In an exciting partnership we commenced seeking funds with a range of researchers and engineering organisations to scope the key challenges and needs for exporting solar power to Asia through a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) subsea cable. We sought funding from a range of government research agencies and philanthropists, plus raised awareness through providing national media commentary on the opportunities for such a game-changing piece of green infrastructure. Together with Charles Darwin University’s Centre for Renewable Energy, CSIRO Energy Transformed Flagship and the Society for Sustainability and Environmental Engineering we sought funds to conduct a pre-feasibility study into the engineering and energy economics challenges of the project.
NT beach -14 Stuart Blanch
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The Year in Review Cont. 5. Living Harbour We released ‘Our Living Harbour’ as a blueprint for sustainably developing Darwin Harbour Our Policy Officer Dr Melanie Bradley collaborated with sustainability policy expert Juanita Croft to produce a blueprint for conserving and sustainably developing Darwin Harbour. At 40 pages and containing 29 recommendations, it proposes a range of strong, legally binding and effective measures for ensuring the natural, cultural, social and economic values of the Harbour are maintained and restored.
AUGUST 2011 www.ecnt.org
OUR LIVING HARBOUR:
Priority Actions For Protecting, Valuing and Celebrating the Darwin Harbour Region
We helped residents in northern Darwin speak out in support of protecting Muirhead’s bushland from the bulldozers We supported the Friends of Muirhead Reserve to speak up in favour of keeping their 30 hectares of local urban bushland as a free and valuable asset for the community of the northern suburbs of Darwin in the face of DHA/Investa’s plans to bulldoze it all for new housing. The Friends mounted a strong and vocal campaign to let the developers and politicians know that the bushland was valuable and loved.
Melanie Bradley Juanita Croft Our Living Harbour Report 2011
Save Muirhead Reserve public meeting - Stuart Blanch ENVIRONMENT CENTRE NT ANNUAL REPORT 2011/2012
The Year Ahead
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Our priorities for 2012-13 are ambitious and sorely needed to protect and restore the Territory’s amazing natural places and wildlife, help Territory households and businesses be sustainable, and play our part in rapidly cutting carbon pollution. With the support of our members, donors and partners we will: • Produce a new strategic plan • Work with the new Territory Government to implement priority environmental needs, including establishing a new EPA • Start a multi-million dollar energy efficiency pilot for low income homes in Greater Darwin • Contribute to Plans of Management for Limmen Bight Marine Park and Limmen National Park • Consult partners on re-focusing and broadening the appeal of the Top End Sustainable Living Festival • Start a Sustainable Streets and Sustainable Apartments project through our COOLmob program • Start a Protected Areas Association of the NT, together with other foundation partners. • Host the first ever comprehensive Protected Areas Forum for the Northern Territory • Work with Indigenous Traditional Owners to oppose the nuclear fuel chain, including uranium mining on Mirarr lands, storage of nuclear waste at Muckaty, and transport of yellowcake • Start a community awareness campaign to help Territorians know about the risks of oil and gas exploration and production on the land and in near-shore waters • Scope an Australia-Asia Electricity Link to export renewable energy to support lowcarbon growth in the developing economies of Asia • Produce a Field Guide of Wildlife and Protected Areas in Australia’s Top End • Co-host the Environmental Practice, Policy & Law Seminar Series in Darwin • Harbour Watch
‘Fracking’ well heads and access tracks in QLD - Jeremey Buckingham
• Commence a three-year assessment of eucalypt conservation hotspots and needs across Northern Australia, as part of the Kimberley to Cape initiative Committee membership Our staff participated in a large number of committees through the year to advocate for the environment, support strong government initiatives, and confront unsustainable proposals by government and industry: Australian Government • Alligator Rivers Region Advisory Committee Northern Territory Government • Darwin Harbour Advisory Committee • Daly River Management Advisory Committee • Howard East Aquifer Management Advisory Committee • Weed Advisory Committee • Territory Eco-link Stakeholder Reference Group • Mt Todd Reference Committee • Rum Jungle Reference Group Local Government • CIty of Darwin Climate Change and Environment Advisory Committee • City of Darwin Parking Advisory Committee
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Committee Membership Public events Our staff hosted and participated in many public events and talks: • Third Top End Sustainable Living Festival on 2-3 June at the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens, in conjunction with the Tropical Garden Spectacular. • Sustainability Week NT 2012, which saw hundreds of people from many different organisations celebrate sustainable living through a range of events in Greater Darwin. • ‘Muckaty Waste Dump’ public meeting for 100 people, Crowne Plaza, Darwin. • ‘Face to Face with Fukushima’ film and update on radioactive contamination. • ‘Music for Muckaty’ music fundraiser at HappyYess. Two hundred people came to support and help raise funds for the Nuclear Free Campaign at the Environment Centre NT. • Various public events celebrating Sealife in the Top End, including mangrove walks and sea turtle sandcastle fun days. • Public demonstration outside Parliament House in Darwin to oppose Muckaty waste dump, with Muckaty Traditional Owners, and representatives of unions, environment organisations and Indigenous communities. • ‘Sustainable House Day’ where hundreds of people across greater Darwin visited homes opened voluntarily by their owners to show visitors sustainability aspects of their homes.
Women from Muckaty at Parliament House - Mel Bradley
Our people Corporate Governance: The Environment Centre NT is an incorporated Association established under the Association Act (NT) and governed by a Board established under a Constitution. Board Members Members of the Board are elected by our members. Board members in 2011/12 were: Amy Kimber Deb Hall (from May 2012) Dianne Koser, Chair Hannah Seward Jacqueline Doherty (till November 2011) Jo Kieboom (till February 2012) Justin Tutty (from February 2012) Kate Boyd Michelle Pipino (from November 2011) Pamela Mills Pia Harkness (till December 2011)
Darwin locals on the East Point Mangrove Walk - Hannah Seward ENVIRONMENT CENTRE NT ANNUAL REPORT 2011/2012
Our staff Dr Stuart Blanch, Director (till 15 June 2012) Juanita Croft, Policy Officer (till May 2012) Cat Beaton, Nuclear Free NT Campaigner Jess Abrahams, Northern Marine Campaigner Lisa Peters, Office Manager Mereki Garnett, Top End Sustainable Living Festival Manager Robin Knox, COOLmob Program Manager Michael Cauce (till August 2011), COOLmob Project Officer and Auditor Bridget Edmunds, COOLmob Sustainability Officer and Auditor (from August 2011) Adrielle Drury COOLmob Audit Manager / Officer and Auditor Mary Bowe, COOLmob Auditor (till August 2011) Steve Beagley; COOLmob Senior Auditor and Consultant Mel Bradley Policy Officer (till 2 August 2011)
One of the series of Environmental Practice, Policy & Law Seminars
Our regular dedicated volunteers Chris Mc Bride Di Koser Emma Burkitt Jan Schneider Peter Robson Jo Parish
Stuart Blanch, Pamela Mills, Jess Abrahams and Di Koser at the launch of Weeds of Northern Australia - A Field Guide
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Sustainability Report Sustainability Report As a membership based community sector environment organisation, the Environment Centre NT is always conscious of assessing, reducing and offsetting our environmental impact. Our staff, ably led by our experienced COOLmob household sustainability assessors, identified opportunities for reducing energy use and cutting power bills. These were then put into practice, including purchasing energy efficient appliances, opening windows for passive cooling and using personal fans for individual workstations instead of air conditioning when practicable, setting air conditioning temperature at 28 degrees, setting computers and printers onto power save mode and using eco switches to turn off standby power when an appliance is not required. Our staff spend most of the year working in passively cooled offices, hence cutting energy use for air conditioning. We buy GreenPower from Power and Water Corporation to make our electricity carbon neutral. Carbon pollution from our flights are offset, and staff ride bikes or walk to meetings when practical.
CO2 emissions demo - Hannah Seward
We use double-sided printing on 100% recycled printer paper, and print on the back of used paper. All materials recycled through standard office services were collected and recycled. Non-meat kitchen scraps were collected and buried in the garden beds around our office. Where possible, low impact products were purchased for the office, including phosphorusfree natural dishwashing liquids and organic Fair Trade coffee. In the longer term and funds permitting, we are seeking a permanent office space where we can install a solar hotwater heater and rooftop solar panels, create permaculture and native gardens, and provide disabled access. Another goal is to purchase an electric vehicle to use carbon-free travel by charging the car with 100% GreenPower.
Adrielle Drury, Steve Beagley, Bridget Edmunds and Robin Knox at the launch of Green house Friendly Design for the Tropics.
ENVIRONMENT CENTRE NT ANNUAL REPORT 2011/2012
Mangroves at East Point - Stuart Blanch
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Income & Expenditure
Financial Statements In 2011/12 the Environment Centre NT secured income of $997,771. Achieving an income of almost $1M has been a target of the Board for several years, and it represents a milestone for the organisation. It was a great achievement and reflected our commitment to diversifying our income, particularly through grants from philanthropic trusts and donations.
We invested $852,040 into protecting the environment and supporting sustainable living across the Northern Territory. We are very grateful for the support of our partners, donors and members during 2011/12. We achieved an operating surplus of $145,731, equating to 14.6% of income, and a net surplus of $159 when unexpended grants brought forward are accounted for. This represented a major achievement to reduce costs and increase income compared to 2010/11. We have net assets of $163, 394. Our liabilities are principally unexpended grants, which will be acquitted in 2012/13. We made significant progress towards reducing our reliance on government funding, which fell from 50.2% in 2010/11 to 44.5% in 2011/12. This represents strong progress towards our target of ensuring no income source contributes more than 40% of the total. Corporations contributed 16.1% of income, particularly the Power and Water Corporation which sponsors our COOLmob Sustainable Living Program. We invested approximately one-third of our income into Conservation Advocacy and Policy (34.7%), and another one-third into Sustainable Living Programs (mainly COOLmob). Communications and fundraising accounted for 11.1% and 2.4% of expenditure respectively. The costs of running the office and administering the Environment Centre NT accounted for 17.2% of expenditure. Our COOLmob Sustainable Living Program is out largest program. In 2011/12 we invested over $220,000 in a broad range of programs, and employed five staff and contractors to deliver the program. Funding for the position was provided almost totally by the Power and Water Corporation, and operational and project grants from the Northern Territory Government. The graphs shown overleaf summarise income and expenditure in a format designed to aid interpretation. Accordingly, some information may vary to information shown in the audited financial statements provided. Annual Report 2011/12 DRAFT version 3 Environment Centre NT 21
ENVIRONMENT CENTRE NT ANNUAL REPORT 2011/2012
Annual Report 2011/12
DRAFT version 3
Environment Centre NT
22
Income & Expenditure
Income 2011/12 $997,771
Government Grants 44.5% Government Grants
44.5%
Corporate Sponsorship 16.1% Corporate Sponsorship 16.1% Trusts && Foundations 11.8% Trusts Founda6ons
11.8%
Supporters 9.8% Supporters
9.8%
Fee for Contracts 10.0% 10.0% Fee for Service service contracts Merchandise 2.7% Merchandise
2.7%
Other 5.1% Other
5.1%
Expenditure 2011/12 $852,040 Conservation Advocacy & Policy 34.7% Conserva)on Advocacy and Policy 34.7% Sustainable Living Programs 32.9% Sustainable Living Programs
32.9%
Communications 11.1% Communica)ons
11.1%
Fundraising 2.4% Fundraising
2.4%
Administration & Office 17.2% Administra)on and Office
17.2%
Other 1.8% Other
1.8%
22
23
Environment Centre Northern Territory Incorporated Financial Statements for the year ended 30th June 2012
Contents
Page
STATEMENT BY THE COMMITTEE 21 INDEPENDENT AUDIT REPORT 22 BALANCE SHEET INCOME & EXPENDITURE
23 24-27
NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE ACCOUNTS 28
Statement by the Committee
ENVIRONMENT CENTRE NT ANNUAL REPORT 2011/2012
Independent Auditor’s Report
24
25
Balance Sheet
ENVIRONMENT CENTRE NT ANNUAL REPORT 2011/2012
Mertens Water monitor - Hannah Seward
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27
Income & Expenditure
Annual Report 2011/12
DRAFT version 3
Environment Centre NT
25
ENVIRONMENT CENTRE NT ANNUAL REPORT 2011/2012
Notes to and forming part of the Accounts
28