Pandanus Magazine Dry Season 2014 Edition by Environment Centre

PANDANUS protecting nature

living sustainably

creating a climate for change

DRY SEASON 2014

A WIN FOR MUCKATY!

DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T $ILENCE OUR COMMUNITY: SAVE YOUR ENVIRONMENT CENTRE NT

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Ranger 3 Deeps No Nightcliff Island Ochre Green 2014 Speak Up for the Daly

PANDANUS

IN THIS ISSUE From the Director

From the Kampung

Community Solar

Nature Territory

Waste on Trial

Elizabeth River

Darwin’s Big Trees

Green Living

w Safe Climate

No Nightcliff Island

A win for Muckaty

THANK YOU ! The Environment Centre NT would like to thank everyone who supported and came along to the inaugural Ochre Green conference, workshops and awards. Read about it on page 9-10.

Environment Centre NT Director: Stuart Blanch Office Manager: Kate Presswell Manager, Policy: Anna Boustead Nuclear Free NT: Lauren Mellor Beyond Nuclear initiative: Natalie Wasley Shale-free Campaigner: Sue McKinnon Communications and Campaigns Advisor: Cat Beaton COOLmob Program Manager: Nina Bailey Smart Cooling in the Tropics, Manager: Jessica Stienborner Smart Cooling in the Tropics Project Officers: Michael Brand, Max Atkinson, Prue Barnard, Glenn Evans and Emily Hinds. Kimberley to Cape Coordinator: Dr Clare Taylor. Original Pandanus design: Hannah Seward, GreenKey Graphics. Layout: Cat Beaton

Environment Centre NT GPO Box 2120, Darwin, NT, 0801 Unit 3/98, Woods Street, Darwin. T 08 8981 1984 E admin@ecnt.org E COOLmob: coolmob@ecnt.org W www.ecnt.org www.kimberleytocape.net.au

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Printed on FSC certified paper from sustainable sources using vegetable inks.

Ochre Green

Top End Sea-Life

Nuke Free NT

Territory Stories

Muckaty on-air Did you see the Muckaty campaign on Channel 9 ? We were proud to hit the TV screens of thousands of homes across the Territory with the message about the proposed waste dump at Muckaty. Union groups, Health representatives, Traditional Owners and mums and dads got involved to make a 30 second ad about the highly contested Muckaty waste dump proposal. Many of our members and friends came to the Muckaty Fundraising Feast to help raise the money to show it on air. While the Muckaty nomination has been scrapped, this clip shows the range of voices who didn’t want the development to go ahead.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDcliZ_EHLY www.communityrun.org/petitions/dumpthe-muckaty-dump-its-time-for-responsibleradioactive-waste-management-1

Improved Container Deposit Scheme Welcomed! Environment Centre NT and the Australian Marine Conservation Society have welcomed the Northern Government’s announcement that legislation passed in May will secure an improved Container Deposit Scheme for the Northern Territory. Container deposit schemes assist to divert more waste from landfill and reduce plastic pollution in our seas.

Plastics kill our marine wildlife as they are readily mistaken for food by sea birds and marine turtles and can persist in our environment for a long time. The improved Container Deposit Scheme will make it more efficient and easier for existing depots to run and more depots to open, providing more opportunities for Territorians to recycle!

Cover images: Top: Nuclear Free Muckaty Rally in Tennant Creek, image by: Jagath Dheerasekara. Bottom: Emily Hinds at the Ochre Green conference. Image by Shankar Kasynathan.

1 Cert no. L2/0031.2012

From the Chair The Environment Centre NT is entering a period of great financial challenge. The Territory Government has announced that it will not provide further operational funding from 1 July 2015. On present figures this is a loss of $185,000 annually. In addition the Commonwealth Government has announced that it will stop its GVESHO grant of $50,000 a year for operational funding from 1 July 2014. The NT Government has announced similar cuts to the Arid Lands Environment Centre, Environmental Defenders Office and the Australian Marine Conservation Society. In contrast the NT Government’s recent budget announced a $23.8 million subsidy to the mining industry over the next four years, including $15.8 million for “resource exploration” and “promotion of the Territory as

By Tony Young

an exploration investment destination” and $8 million for “an accelerated collaborative program to assess the Territory’s shale gas potential and resources”. The funding cuts are clearly an ideological attack on the environment movement. They are intended to silence any criticism of the NT Government and its increasingly alarming environmental record on such things as water extraction and shale gas. Unless the Environment Centre can find alternative sources of funding it will be necessary to retrench staff not covered by existing program funding. The members of staff of the Environment Centre are a wonderful group: committed and expert. Between them they constitute an invaluable fund of environmental, scientific and policy

From the Director Save your Environment Centre NT! Your Environment Centre NT faces funding cuts of almost a quarter of a million dollars by the NT and Federal Governments, and we urge you to donate today so we can continue to be your strong voice for our amazing and precious environment. The day after NT Treasurer announced an increase in spending of around $300M in 2014/15 including over $23M in taxpayer subsidies to shale gas companies and miners, NTEPA Chair Dr Bill Freeland wrote to environment organisations stating they would cut operational funding of around $300,000 from July 2015. These cuts are a clear attack on the environment and the organisations which defend our amazing natural heritage. They are ideologically driven and designed to punish those who would put planet ahead of profit, hush those who fail to support the government’s ‘open for business’ agenda, and stifle legitimate debate in a modern democracy. But trying to silence dissent puts more

than just our organisation at risk. Who benefits from the environment? We all do. Business people. Pastoralists. Fishermen. Aboriginal communities. Tourism operators. Families. In fact, if you like to breathe clean air, drink unpolluted water, watch wildlife, catch barra, camp in a National Park, or just walk your dog along the beach, then you need the environment. It’s part of our Territory lifestyle. As the peak community sector environment organisation we’ve achieved a lot of outcomes in collaboration with many varied organisations, Indigenous traditional owners and communities over the past 30 years. We drove declaration of Kakadu National Park Stages 2 and 3, and Limmen National Park. Our COOLmob team helped literally tens of thousands of Territorians save on their power bills with energy savings tips and advice. Jabiluka uranium mine was stopped. A regulatory NT Environment Protection Authority was created, and the NT Fracking Inquiry established. Ludmilla Creek remains protected by community 2

knowledge. They have made an important Tony Young contribution to policy debate, community awareness and action for the environment over many years. The Environment Centre is considering ways of dealing with this new and hostile government landscape. We will need to attempt to secure more funding from private sources, including philanthropy. A decision has been made to employ a fundraiser but other avenues will also need to be pursued. Please renew your memberships and consider a regular donation. The ECNT has been a strong voice for the environment for the past 30 years. While we face financial challenges in the near future we will continue to speak for the environment long after this government is a footnote in Territory political history.

By Stuart Blanch power from the Arafura Harbour canal estate and Nightcliff Island. Over 100 households in Greater Darwin installed rooftop solar PV thanks to COOLmob’s bulk buy initiative. We produced a popular Field Guide to Weeds of Northern Australia that helps Indigenous Rangers, Park managers and pastoralists identify and control weeds. We stopped INPEX risking death and injury to Darwin Harbour’s dolphins from underwater blasting. And we’ve run lots of events to engage the community and raise awareness, such as Environmental Law Seminars, Sustainable Living Festivals, Sustainable House Days, not to mention public information events regarding fracking, Darwin Harbour, renewable energy, water management and invasive species. Ochre Green 2014 Territory Environment Conference, Workshops & Environment Awards Governments are trying to shut us up, so we are speaking up! This year we hosted our first environment conference, including bringing to Darwin a great line up of invited speakers from Melbourne, Katherine,

Maningrida, Alice Springs and Singapore. The event went really well as we advanced plans to see community solar in Darwin, talked about building a sustainability hub and networked with friends new and old about protecting the Territory Envionment. Read more about it on pages 9-10. We also proudly announced the Ochre Green Territory Environment Awards at the Deckchair cinema. With so many well deserving people in the Territory, it was difficult to choose. However, we think we found fitting recipients for each award. Ochre Green Territory Environment Award 2014 for Outstanding Achievement Award: Djok Traditional Owner Jeffrey Lee for adding Koongarra to Kakadu National Park. Lifetime Achievement Award: Yvonne Margarula, Senior Mirarr Traditional Owner for her long fight to keep uranium mining out of Kakadu National Park. Safe Climate Award: Northern Territory Airports for their solar arrays at Alice Springs Airport. Living Harbour Award: Donna Jackson for her advocacy to care for Darwin Harbour. Nature Territory Award: Protect Arnhem Land for stopping Paltar Petroleum from exploring for oil off Arnhem Land. Green Living Award: Darwin Garden Education Network for leadership in sustainable living through permaculture gardens. Young Environmental Advocate Award: Kylie Sambo, Muckaty Traditional Owner for her passionate campaign against the Muckaty waste dump. Fracking and shale gas The Inquiry into Hydraulic Fractuaring in the NT was established in response to significant concerns expressed by community members, pastoralists, Indigenous communities, farmers and fishers. The Don’t Frack the Territory

community campaign which we support has been raising awareness about the real risks and known impacts of hydraulic fracking for shale gas, and calling for a moratorium until the Inquiry is completed and recommendations implemented. Community fracking rallies and public meetings have been held in the Darwin rural area, Katherine, Pine Creek, Wagait, Alice Springs and Darwin in recent months. Over 80 people rallied at a Don’t Frack the Territory rally outside Parliament House on 14 May, with a petition signed by 1500 people submitted to the NT Legislative Assembly. The same day, around 70 people gathered at an event organised by Don’t Frack Katherine to ask Member for Katherine and Minister for Mines and Energy The Hon Willem Westra van Holthe MLA to place a moratorium on fracking. Unfortunately, comments in recent months by Chief Minister Adam Giles and the Minister that the shale gas industry need not worry about the Inquiry leave Territorians wondering if they will pay much heed to the Inquiry. Protect Arnhem Land goes to Canberra We accompanied four senior traditional owners from north Arnhem Land to Canberra in March to say ‘No Oil, No Gas’ in their ancestral land and sea estates. The Protect Arnhem Land delegation took a message stick which told their story about their mermaid dreaming and sawfish, and about the saltwater and freshwater being connected. They told senior politicians and public servants that oil and gas exploration risks their Country, including from acoustic sampling in the sea and fracking on the land. They fear what an oil spill would do to their mangroves, their mermaid dreaming, their sawfish, their water, and their sacred sites. They also called for sea rights and a heritage assessment so they can protect and celebrate their country, and decide what types of development should go ahead. The message stick is now on permanent display at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. It was a great trip, supported by PAL, Maningrida Progress Association, Australian Marine Conservation Society and the Environment Centre NT.

Top - Bottom images: Ochre Green Award winner Jeffrey Lee. Photo by: Justin O’Brien, Ochre Green Award winners - Darwin Garden Education Network, Photo by:Cat Beaton. Kylie Sambo. Senior Mirarr Traditional Owner and Ochre Green Award Winner Yvonne Margarula. Photo by: Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation. Protect Arnhem Land representatives head to Canberra. Photo by: Stuart Blanch.

Safe Climate

Governments strip climate change measures but people power grows! By Anna Boustead, Manager, Policy and Nina Bailey, Manager, Sustainability. The release of the Australian Government’s budget signalled a huge backward step in Australia’s response to climate change, with the axing of renewable energy agencies, reneging of the promised Million Solar Roofs initiative and a 90% cut to funding on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Coupled with the attempt to repeal the emissions trading system and the current review of the Renewable Energy Target (which was reviewed just two years ago and recommended to be retained), it seems that Australia is once again taking a ‘head in the sand’ approach to carbon policy. The Australian Government will set up an Emissions Reduction Fund aimed at offsetting greenhouse gas emissions through promoting lowestcost options. This doesn’t account for offset programs providing biodiversity or social co-benefits such as Indigenous fire management, and it’s likely to cause negative outcomes such as the planting of monocultures rather than revegetation. The Northern Territory Government’s budget also spelt bad news for climate change, with no funding provided toward renewable energies. In comparison, the mining and oil and gas sector was rewarded with $23.8million, $8 million of which is directed toward supporting the shale gas industry to frack the Territory. Gas fired power stations received $20 million.

“At the conference we learned that consumers have a lot of power in the choices they make, whether that be through their choice of superannuation, bank or investment scheme. “More focus is being placed on good corporate citizenship and financiers are now placed under more scrutiny about whether their funds are used to support polluting industries such as oil and gas companies.” Sustainability Manager Nina Bailey said there was plenty that people could do to reduce their personal climate impact (see www.coolmob.org for some ideas) but importantly now is the time that people are coming together to take action at the community level, part of what Bill McKibben terms the ‘fossil fuel resistance’. “We’re seeing the rise of community renewables, huge appetite for community-funded solar and wind projects and people joining collaborative initiatives like Sustainable Neighbourhoods, coming together to share their resilience skills like backyard solar and harvesting local foods. We don’t have to wait for government leadership but we do have to keep pushing for it.”

“Our commitment to minimise environmental harm – whenever and however we can – includes our own operations, as well as the operations of the businesses we support through loans and investment,” “Specifically, the bank does not lend to companies for whom the core activity is the exploration, mining, manufacture or export of thermal coal or coal seam gas,” Marnie Baker, Bendigo Bank executive

Both budgets failed to account for the huge costs to be incurred by having to adapt to climate change, apart from the $2.5M needed to upgrade barrages at Mary River to protect freshwater wetlands from the impacts of sea level rise. All of this is disastrous for the environment, and stymying innovation in the renewables industry. Policy Manager Anna Boustead recently attended the Climate Action Network Australia conference in Sydney, where a groundswell is building for action on climate change in response to the lack of leadership shown by governments.

Over 500 people walked from Rapid Creek footbridge to Nightcliff pool on Darwin Climate Action Day 2013. Images: Sophie Edwards and Adrielle Drury.

No Nightcliff Island

No Nightcliff Island protest, March 26, 2014.

No Nightcliff Island By Stuart Blanch, Director.

“Will people come along? It’s the Australia Day public holiday” said Samantha Nowland, the Northern Campaigner for the Australian Marine Conservation Society. “Yes, they’ll come, but I don’t know how many”, I replied. It was the Friday before the Monday public holiday, just a week after we’d called a public meeting about the proposed Nightcliff Island. “What do we do if it buckets down? It is January.” She said. “Take umbrellas, we’re not cancelling” I replied, nervously. The New Year started with a small advert in the NT News by Darwin developer Halikos Group letting the community know they were undertaking ‘Geotechnical Works off Nightcliff’ between 25 and 30 January. The advertisement caught the eye of many Territorians, at least those not still on Christmas Holidays, more for what it omitted than what it said. There was no mention the drilling was part of their plans for their proposed artificial island. They even asked members of the public to keep clear of the barges doing the drilling, despite the area of Ludmilla Bay being drilled being zoned Public Open

Connect wit campaign on fah the cebook: www.facebook. ReclaimOurHar com/ bour

Space, with nearby mangroves zoned Conservation under the NT Planning Scheme.

politicians, conservative voters, scientists, and community environment group representatives.

Nor was there any public consultation, despite the NT Government issuing a five-year Crown lease over the public’s land in Ludmilla Bay, for a ridiculously small lease of $11,000 per year. The lease states

One after the other, people grabbed the microphone to have their say. Not one supported the proposal.

1. Prior to commencing any physical works or activities upon the Land the Lessee must:…. b. give public notice of, and consult and engage with stakeholders and the public in respect of, the activities the Lessee intends to undertake upon the Land prior to each period of activity upon the Land; … People had been calling us, furious, saying “This is Darwin, not Dubai”. We needn’t have worried about a good crowd turning up, or the rain. On the day of the public meeting on the rock shelf off Casuarina Drive in Nightcliff, near where the island was proposed to be built, well over 300 people turned out. There were locals from across the road, residents of nearby suburbs, Larrakia families with kids and dogs, Old Darwin folks, 5

There were strong emotions. Incredulity. Anger. There was frustration that neither a Halikos representative, Planning and Environment Minister Peter Chandler, or anyone from the NT Environment Protection Authority were present to talk and answer questions. Afterwards, people walked out on the beautiful Nightcliff sandflats to hear expert talks from mangrove scientist Carmen Walker from EcoScience NT and shorebird expert Gavin O’Brien. The event ended with people saying how relieved they were that so many turned out, particularly on a public holiday, to say ‘No’ to Nightcliff Island, or at least that they wanted to be properly consulted and given detailed information on the impacts of the development. It was an inspiring example of people power, of our community speaking up for their environment and lifestyle. And the rain held off. A few days later senior NT Government

No Nightcliff Island

Minister John Elferink stated publicly they were only ‘scraping a rock’ and did not have to consult, and that opponents of the land reclamation were ‘antidevelopment’. On 4 February, Chief Minister Adam Giles welcomed it on ABC radio as a bold vision, but noted it had a long way to go before it was approved. To date, Halikos have still refused to ‘consult and engage’ with the public despite the lease requiring them to do so. Their geotech investigations halted when locals walked close to the drilling barge in the middle of the night, forcing them to stop because the non-violent direct action triggered health and safety standards preventing drilling when people were within 100m. The drillers left and haven’t returned. With a dozen people on a roster willing to do the same if Halikos tries to drill again, their sampling appears doomed. In mid-March the company refused to meet a delegation of concerned community members, saying instead a company representative ‘will be more than happy to meet with the community members when it has determined whether or not we are proceeding with a proposal’. What the company fails to understand is that the community should be consulted before such a decision is made, not afterwards. On 26 March around 40 people ands James. ‘H20 cal Geoffler rallied peacefully outside the NT s, June 14. NightcliffIslloan d dd an pa CS d AM d, an Nightcliff y. Sam Nowl Parliament House, where locals th Jimm14 ts gathering. No illa Bay wi ary 20 sandfla g on Ludm nu kin Ja ya e Ka th : at m ks tto including Member for Nightcliff Top - Bon. Donna Jackson spea ’ sig Beaton. Natasha Fyles spoke against the plan. Off All images: Cat Members of the NT Government opposed or appeared to back away from supporting the island in the parliamentary debate later that afternoon, and many Territory Labor MLAs plus Independent Gerry Wood strongly opposing the idea. Well over 1,000 people have signed a petition opposing Nightcliff Island. And Halikos are still refusing to consult the public. 6

Muckaty WIN

! Y T A K C U M R O F A WIN pped.

mp plan scra du te as w r ea cl nu as e ad Territotory history is m

The Environment Centre NT welcomes news that the Northern Land Council and the Commonwealth Government has agreed not to act on the nomination to establish a nuclear waste dump on Aboriginal land at Muckaty. This decision is a historic win for Aboriginal land rights and for the protection of our environment from the threat of nuclear waste. It is a historic day for the rights of all Territorians to clean country and healthy communities and marks the end of a long struggle against the Federal Government nuclear waste plans. The withdrawal of the Muckaty decision today is met with great relief and is a long overdue admission of failure by the Federal Government in the handling of this complex and longstanding Territory issue. We congratulate the outstanding efforts of Muckaty Traditional Owners who have been on the front line for over eight years challenging the waste dump plan both in the community and the Federal Court. From one of the nation’s poorest and most remote regions the Muckaty community has successfully stood up and challenged the Federal Government’s cruel vision of their homeland as a dumping ground for the nation’s most dangerous and long-lived waste. We salute the inspiring leadership demonstrated by Muckaty elders and the younger generations who have fought so strongly for a nuclear-free future and to have voices heard. With Muckaty out of the firing line the Federal Government must now take the first steps towards a responsible approach to Australia’s radioactive waste problem and repeal the National Radioactive Waste Management Act. The establishment of an independent national commission to consider all options for radioactive waste management is the only way to ensure that no other community in Australia is forced to endure such a bitter struggle for justice. Since a Territory dump was first announced in 2005 the Environment Centre NT has been proud to campaign alongside Muckaty Traditional Owners, public health, trade union, faith and civil society groups to highlight the injustice of a process that seeks to silence affected communities, risk people’s health and our environment and extinguish Aboriginal culture and land rights. Australia has a shameful legacy of radioactive racism, from atomic testing on Aboriginal lands at Maralinga in the 50s and 60s, to the first Federal Government attempt to dump nuclear waste on Arkoona Station in the South Australian desert, a plan beaten by the determined efforts of the Kunkga Tjuta. The Muckaty win is further proof that the Federal Government can no longer hide from its responsibilities to deal with the radioactive legacy it has created by dumping it on communities it sees as voiceless. Today we thank Muckaty Traditional Owners for demonstrating with such persistence, good humour and strength that with the smallest of resources even the largest obstacles can be overcome. We look forward to working with our friends and allies in the Barkly and beyond for a nuclear-free Territory. Lauren Mellor, Cat Beaton and Nat Wasley on behalf of the Environment Centre NT. 7

Muckaty WIN

Top-Bottom, L-R: Dianne Stokes and Bunny Naparula at the Muckaty Rally (Image: Cat Beaton) May 2013, A Muckaty Win press conference June 19, 2014 (Image: BNI), Darwin Rallies against the dump 2011 & 2012 (Image: ECNT). MUA table at Muckaty Fundraising dinner (Image: ECNT). Dianne Stokes talks in Tennent Creek, 2012 (Image: Cat Beaton) and Tennant communities rallies at Peko Park in 2012 (Image: Jagath Dheerasekera). Facing page: Women dance on the haulage road (Image: Jagath Dheerasekera)

Ochre Green

OCHRE GREEN 2014 Environment Conference Strong communities for a sustainable Territory Stokes Hill Wharf - 6 & 7 June, 2014 Over 100 people gathered together to learn about and network for our amazing Territory environment. With increasing climate change, ongoing environmental degradation and now impending funding cuts we must escalate our shared campaigns to protect our environment and strongly confront those who would destroy it. From Darwin to Alice, from Palmerston to Katherine, from Maningrida to Melbourne to Singapore, we called for our environment to be protected, respected, restored, and used in ecologically sustainable ways. We called on our political leaders to fund the important work done by the Environment Centre NT, Arid Lands Environment Centre, Environmental Defenders Office NT and Australian Marine

Conservation Society. We heard from 25 passionate, committed and amazing speakers about all the great things they are doing to protect and value our environment. We learnt much from them, we were inspired by them, and we were informed by them about how to take action for our environment. We say we have Just One Earth, where we want our communities to connect with their hearts to the land and sea, where we farm our heart. We were reminded that when we work together ‘with many skins’ we can achieve great things. We want a climate that’s safe for our kids, our health, Indigenous communities, our wildlife, our wetlands, the world’s largest tropical savanna, and amazing 9

shallow tropical seas. We value and recognise the first peoples of the Territory who continue to struggle to care for their land and sea, and who can teach mainstream society much about walking lightly on the Earth. Our planet faces a climate and ecological crisis, and we must act.

Ochre Green

We want the Australian and Territory Governments to take strong action - now - to rapidly cut greenhouse gas emissions to avoid dangerous climate change. We want to create our own solar future, and build our own community renewable energy plants, not stick with dirty gas or have a dangerous nuclear power future forced on us. We want clean water and healthy rivers, full of fish, supporting Indigenous communities and growing our food sustainably and locally. We want a healthy harbour not Nightcliff Island or damaging canal estates. We want our urban bushland protected and restored through networks of protected areas and land use zoning which are full of native vegetation and wildlife, not invaded by weeds and urban sprawl. We want more support for Indigenous Rangers and pastoralists to care for Country. We want respect for Country and the rights of Indigenous traditional owners and managers to protect their ancestral estates and Dreaming places from uranium mining and nuclear waste. We want governments to fund the operational needs of community groups to be a strong voice for the environment.

Left: Stuart introduces the Environment panel Q & A with Aunty Kathy Mills, Opposition leader Delia Lawrie, Dr Michael Fonda, Moderator Julia Christensen, Laurene Hull, Environment Minister Peter Chandler MLA and Craig Ingram from AFANT. Above: Ochre Green group photo.

overgrazing by cattle and feral animals. We want strong, modern and effective laws and regulatory institutions, not loopholes and a pro-development bias. And finally we want to keep working with Indigenous communities and organisations, businesses, governments, schools, and landholders to live sustainably, protect nature and create a safe climate.

Tay Lai-Hock from the Ground Up Initiative in Singapore.

And we will. This statement summarises key themes and issues aired at the conference, and was unanimously supported by participants. The Environment Centre NT acknowledges the Ochre Green sponsors - Gold Sponsor Bowden McCormack Lawyers and Advisors and our two Silver Sponsors - Country Solar NT and Quality Solar.

Nicole Pietch from the Arid Lands Environment Centre in Alice Springs.

We want to conserve, restore and sustainably develop Northern Australia, not a future of shale gas fields and polluting mines damaging our sensitive areas and creeks, or big dams killing our free-flowing rivers, or bulldozers flattening tens of thousands of hectares of tropical savanna, or our small mammals being driven to extinction by wildfires, weeds,

100 people attended the Ochre Green 2014 conference. All photos by: Shankar Kasynathan..

ners.

ty Traditional Ow

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Nature Territory Ochre Green

ONE PAGE POLICY - ROB

Images from the Ground Up Initiatives Kampung - sustainability hub. Photo: Cat Beaton.

Lessons from the Kampung for Darwin. By Nina Bailey, Manager, Sustainability. Sustainability hubs: showing the way to a sustainable tropical future At Ochre Green we ran a workshop on creating a sustainability hub, guest hosted by Tay Lai Hock from Ground Up Initiative in Singapore. Lai Hock had already made a dramatic impression on the Conference audience with his engaging and eloquent story of how he abandoned a life as corporate salesman to travel the world, reconnect with nature and himself, and start a new path of creating a real hub of sustainable practices in Singapore. His Ground-Up Initiative (GUI) is housed at the Sustainable Living Kampung – Kampung means ‘village’ in Malay, and Lai Hock is Village Chief. Actually, he’s changed the name of the place to 21st Century Kampung, to illustrate the centre’s blending of modern, technological, systems thinking with traditional ways of conservation, sustainable building design and connection to the land. Lai Hock’s story is very motivating, hearing that in just six years he has been able to take one small piece of land and create a thriving eco centre, where to get in free visitors must “get their hands dirty” and do some gardening, and where staff host training workshops for government bureaucrats, recycled material toy

making events for local children, and a dozen other activities which all pay for the centre to stay open. At our Conference workshop, we asked participants what they thought the role of a hub to be. “Example and inspiration”; “A comfortable, welcoming community space”; “Research and action”; “Collaboration and transformation”, were some of the responses. People mentioned places already thriving here, like Frillies in Nightcliff and Lakeside Community Garden, where people have been practicing sustainability and creating a space for diverse community members for years. ECNT has plans, plans to create a new centre – “showing by doing” as described by Stuart Blanch at the workshop. Partly this will be a work space, for ECNT and for other environment and social justice organisations, along co-sharing principles being demonstrated in the worldwide Hub phenomenon. Sustainably built, beautiful buildings to demonstrate best practice energy and water efficiency, recycled materials and low impact design. A place with gardens to grow food and provide green urban space, for wildlife and ecosystem preservation. A place built with local Indigenous partners, sharing history, culture and values and 11 15

helping provide connection to land and traditional knowledge. Perhaps a café or other food outlet to demonstrate, educate and nourish people with local food. This is the vision… One of the Chinese expressions Lai Hock shared, which has inspired GUI and which enchanted Conference participants, was just four Chinese characters which roughly translates as, creating a beautiful and natural space will result in elegant, graceful and good people with purpose. The result of these recent explorations into the creation of a sustainability hub for Darwin is a new group of people ready to be involved, to support ECNT and to share advice and expertise: if you’d like to be involved too please contact coolmob@ecnt.org.

e ve addresses th ound-Up Initiati Gr e . th an m th fro na Tay Lai Hock o: Shankar Kasy nference. Phot Ochre Green co

Safe Cimate

Community Solar By Nina Bailey, Manager, Sustainability. People’s power has green light: Darwin has more sunny days than any other capital city in Australia, so it’s smart to harness the power in all this sunshine, right? Despite cuts in government environment programs and regressive changes to renewable energy targets, the uptake of rooftop solar power is growing: about 2000 homes and 1000 businesses in Darwin have solar PVs, and ECNT has plans for Top End solar to go even bigger. There’s a movement taking off around the country, a renewable energy revolution, led by community groups who don’t want to wait for government to take action. The most well-established community renewable project is Hepburn Wind in Victoria, with two turbines installed on farmland in 2011 which now generate 4.1MW, enough energy for the 2,300 nearby homes in Daylesford and a return on investment for Hepburn Wind’s 2,000 co-operative member investors. We invited one of the leaders of Hepburn Wind, Taryn Lane from Embark, to our Ochre Green Conference to share her learnings and update us on the state of community renewables in Australia. “There’s currently about 70 community projects in development around the country, with about 45 of these now being built. About 30 of these are community solar projects, the rest are wind and biomass. In Darwin it makes complete sense to be running community solar. You can look at one

of two models: a shareholder model where the community becomes investors who gain a financial return once the project generates energy, or a donations model where people offer funding and any financial gain goes back into the host site [the owner of the rooftop with solar] or the host community organisation”. ECNT’s plan is to lead a pilot community solar project, of approximately 50kW, requiring about 300m2 of roof space for 200 solar panels. (To contrast, the average residential solar PV system is 4.5kW.)

Taryn Lane from Embark addresses the Ochre Green Conference. Photo by: Shankar Kasynathan.

At the Community Solar workshop there was a fantastically diverse group of people in attendance, with skills in the solar industry, renewable energy physics, accounting, filmmaking, community engagement and sustainability. We investigated possible options for community solar in Darwin, from brainstorming rooftop locations to asking questions of Country Solar NT staff about the technical requirements. There was very positive momentum and energy amongst the group, to get community solar up and running on a rooftop – and a pledge from ECNT Board chairman Tony Young that this project would be completed by Christmas this year (see the media coverage in NT News). Afterwards participants commented: “It no longer looks too hard. Thanks – it’ll be great to be part of some big changes for Darwin & beyond”, “Everything about Taryn was excellent. So pleased to be part of the inaugural “think tank” and “Bring it on!”

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To find register in community soyour interest lar in please contact Darwin Nina : coolmob @ecnt.org.

Alice Springs solar panels. Imagew: Stuart Blanch.

Northern Land Council protest over water allocation. Image: Northern Land Council.

Public outrage at water management decisions By Stuart Blanch, Director and Anna Boustead, Manager, Policy. The NT Government’s water management policies have sparked outrage amongst farmers, Indigenous leaders, scientists, fishers and environmental groups. The government has made it clear that it will not back down on its ill conceived decisions - to over allocate the Daly (Oolloo aquifer) and fully allocate the Tindall (Mataranka) aquifer, which feeds the Roper River – despite protests by Indigenous leaders, serious concerns that our rivers and springs will be sucked dry and increasing public disquiet about the way in which very large water licences were handed out with poor consultation. These decisions are not based on best available science, did not follow an equitable process, ignore the previous water allocation planning process and fail to comply with the National Water Initiative, which the NT has signed up to. And in the meantime, the Department of Land Resource Management has also been considering other sources of water it could potentially exploit in the same manner, without consultation. Rivers and springs are the lifeblood of the Territory, none more so than the perennial Daly and Roper systems in the Top End. Water is precious, and it is already being used. To keep rivers healthy. To grow barra and turtles. To maintain Indigenous cultural sites and stories. To drink. To support popular swimming holes and iconic Territory destinataions. To help farmers grow food.

The ‘open for business’ dogma of the NT Government and their desire to to ‘develop the north’ blindly and at all costs has driven the government to give away all available water for development in the Daly and Roper regions without following proper water planning processes. This means our rivers and springs will suffer the consequences of low flow – reducing fish stocks, water quality, biodiversity and water for wildlife, as well as threatening important cultural sites and iconic tourist destinations such as Mataranka’s springs. As we know, the Daly and Roper Rivers are no Magic Pudding.

Sawfish, which relies upon connectivity between freshwater and estuary. Commercial and recreational fisheries will also suffer dramatically. The latest scientific studies show that the abundance of barramundi, prawns and mud crabs will be reduced by any reduction in river flows, on a one to one basis. A reduction in flows will also reduce the amount of food sources available from the rivers and floodplains, including freshwater turtles, barramundi and sooty grunter which many people depend upon to feed their families. The Controller of Water Resources in the NT Government, Rod Applegate, states annual announced water allocations would be reduced during dry years to avoid impacts on these rivers, other users and downstream communities. This is naïve and risks over-extracting water from these rivers.

The NT Government has failed to finalise water plans before water licences are issued, convene water management committees to find consensus amongst river stakeholders, establish caps on water Barra catch on the Daly. Image: Samantha Nowland. use based on sound science, or provide any water allocation for future economic development by Indigenous communities. During dry times irrigators need water, particularly to water permanent The NT Government is a signatory to the crops, and the history of the Murray National Water Initiative, but ignores its Darling Basin shows the demands from fundamental outcomes. irrigators for water during such times very often comes at the expense of In using rainfall data for only the last river health. 30 years rather the past 100 years to project future flows, the NT Government A loss of flow further endangers is cynically manipulating computer threatened species such as the hydrologic models to give them the Gouldian Finch, which rely upon answer they want, namely there’s more the dry season refuges provided by water to extract. It’s the oldest trick in waterholes, as well as the Largetoothed 13

Nature Territory the book. In fact, reports by both the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO state the climate is changing, the weather is variable, and we don’t know if it is going to get wetter, or drier, in the next 10 years. Mr Applegate has also stated that market mechanisms will manage future demand for water. As a water market emerges when systems are either fully or over-allocated, it will mean that only those who can afford to pay the big dollars will be able to buy water licences. Where does this leave local farmers and Indigenous land owners? The NT Government key decision makers aren’t likely to be around to face the music when the rivers run dry, but the rest of us will be. Importantly for farmers, the reliability of access to water will fall to low levels during dry times as water use increases in the next decade. Already licences are being granted with reliabilities of less than 15%. How can this sustain an agricultural business? At Ngukurr, the drinking water supplying over 1000 residents could be affected considerably by the granting of 19GL in water extraction licences from the Tindall aquifer. The Roper River would cease to flow in 13 of 30 years, and for between 10 and 90 days for 9 of these years. Aquifer flows into Rainbow Springs and the Thermal Pool would fall by up to 8%, and up to 21% into Bitter Springs in Elsey National Park. These impacts would be higher if the full 100 years of data were used. And the water extraction licences recently granted will reduce flow into the Katherine River, which flows out of Nitmiluk National Park, by 13-30% depending on the predicted amount of natural flow. It is important to remember that none of this extraction includes future water use by mining or petroleum companies. We know that there are large exploration licences already over that region and that fracking activities require a large amount of water, which begs the question, where will this water come from? Meanwhile the NT Government

continues to refuse to provide Strategic Indigenous Reserves, which has seen nearly all the available water issued to nonIndigenous people, prompting accusations by Indigenous leaders and the Northern Land Council of water discrimination. It is possible that in NLC protest over water allocation. Imag future years water e: NLC licences may be deemed by courts as He stated that all landholders have an a property right, hence limiting further equal opportunity to apply to receive the power of water managers to cut water, although it would appear that extraction during dry times without the odds are not stacked in their favour. compensating irrigators with taxpayers’ money. This is what led to creation of the The granting of very large water National Water Initiative and agreement licences to Country Liberal Party by governments to buy water back from members – Tina MacFarlane in the irrigators to provide environmental water Roper (5,600ML) and Peter Maley allocations to stressed rivers. It cost in the Daly (11,877ML) – whilst the taxpayers $13 Billion nationally. water management processes are so poor reveal the need for a Northern The Environment Centre NT worked Territory Corruption and Misconduct with the Environmental Defenders Commission to ensure transparency Office (NT) to object to the granting of and accountability in water policy, and 18 water licences for the Tindall Aquifer provide an independent watchdog – Mataranka (Roper River catchment) to impartially investigate allegations. and 21 licences from the Oolloo Aquifer The MacFarlanes are now preparing to (Daly River catchment). We further seek subdivide and sell their land and water Ministerial Reviews of the decision by the and will make windfall profits, despite Minister for Land Resource Management, promising they would use the water to Hon Willem Westra van Holthe, who is also grow crops. Water has been at the core the Member for Katherine. of the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption’s investigations of We’ve been working with the Amateur late. Will we see a future NT corruption Fishermens Association NT, North watchdog investigate water decisions Australian Indigenous Land and Sea in the Territory? Management Alliance and Northern Land Council to raise awareness within the NT Government and NT Farmers Association of the major impacts and risks that flow from these decisions. To date, the NT Government has steadfastly refused to respond meaningfully to our concerns. The recent water forum held in Katherine designed to allow the NT Government to finally explain its change in water policy over the past 18 months to local irrigators, land holders and interest groups only raised more questions than answers. Indigenous leaders protested loudly outside the forum as Water Minister Westra van Holthe once again reiterated that a Strategic Indigenous Reserve would be ‘reviewed’ in two years – long after water extraction licences have been allocated.

One positive is that sandalwood company Tropical Forestry Services may withdraw – at least temporarily – two massive water licences (over 21GL) for the Oolloo aquifer in the face of strong opposition. Granting of these licences would have raised water extractions to 33% above the agreed cap. We’ll continue to talk with TFS in order to convince them to permanently abandon the planned application, although they currently retain two other water licences for 21.5GL, over one third of the total amount of water available for development from the Oolloo aquifer. We continue to seek legal advice on these matters and to work with the community to encourage the NT Government to reverse these senseless decisions which hurt local landholders and threaten our rivers and springs.

Nature Territory Nature Territory

The Daly River, ECNT Image library.

Water extraction by proposed sandalwood plantations threatens the Daly. By Anna Boustead, Manager, Policy. In the lead up to the Blain bi-election in April, Environment Centre NT and The Wilderness Society launched a short campaign to urge voters to ask candidates to assure the health of the Daly and other rivers. Off the back of controversial decisions made by the Department of Land Resources Management last year and the latest water licences approved by the Department, the Daly River is now very much at risk from too much water being extracted from aquifers. The campaign called on the NT Government to put in place a 12 month moratorium on water licensing to allow for water management processes to be sensibly reviewed, in response to yet another massive water extraction licence application for the Daly region Tropical Forestry Systems (TFS), a company which claims to be both ‘sustainable’ and ‘ethical’, applied to take a total of up to 43.1 billion litres (43.1 GL) of groundwater each year to grow sandalwood in the Daly region, over 14 times the amount of water currently being taken out.

TFS were successful in obtaining licences on several properties for up to 21,500 million litres, which is equal to, according to the governments own statements, over one-third of the total amount of water able to be extracted without causing significant environmental harm. However the latest application, for 21,600 million litres from the northern zone of the Oolloo aquifer to irrigate 2,700ha of sandalwood plantation, remains outstanding. In media reports, Environment Centre NT Director Dr Stuart Blanch questioned how this development could be sustainable or fair for the environment or the Daly and Katherine communities given the enormous amount of water the company had applied to extract.

well as the health of the river and populations of fish species such as barra. Environment Centre NT objected to these water application licence applications and with assistance from the Environmental Defender’s Office NT has since appealed to the Minister to reverse the NT Water Controller’s decision to grant 46.5GL of water licences above the agreed cap without a water allocation plan in place. The NT Water Controller is yet to make a decision on whether it will grant these latest applications. For further information website: www.ecnt.org

visit

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And Northern Campaigner at The Wilderness Society, Gavan McFadzean, highlighted that a large-scale sandalwood plantation will have a big impact on the landscape and take out a massive amount of water from the system at the expense of local farmers, fishers and Traditional Owners, as

The Daly River, ECNT image library.

Safe Climate

Roundtable reportback By Dr Clare Taylor, Kimberley to Cape Co-ordinator.

Kimberley to Cape, working with the Australian Minerals Council NT, Australian Conservation Foundation, Charles Darwin University, Territory NRM, Northern Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance, Regional Development Australia and others, hosted a two day Northern Australian Futures Roundtable in Darwin on May 7 and 8, focusing on land and sea futures. The event was attended by over 80 people from around 50 different organisations representing agricultural, tourism, pastoral, Indigenous, NRM, finance, mining, oil/gas, conservation, research and government sectors. Speakers included Joe Morrison (Northern Land Council), Kevin Mulvahil (AACo), Drew Wagner (Minerals Council), Harvey Locke (global leader in landscape scale conservation), Kate Andrews (NRM), John Woinarski (PEW) and Michael Douglas (CDU) as keynote and signpost presenters. Andrew Campbell (CDU) chaired the first session. Participants identified elements needed to achieve a successful future for Northern Australia as: o a long term shared vision for the future o a long term planning approach and collaborative decisionmaking o an economy that is environmentally sustainable, diverse, resilient, equitable and based on world-leading industry practices o greater recognition of, respect for, and collaboration with, Indigenous people as land owners/managers o recognition that cultural, social, environmental and economic benefits are interrelated, and that healthy country helps ensure healthy people and healthy economies

These outputs aligned with the Roundtable guiding principles. Key recommendations identified included: -Establish a policy framework for large developments to ensure that enduring values (social, cultural, economic, environmental) are maintained -Embed this in a strategic development/ conservation land use planning process based on good data and good science -Build respectful relationships with Indigenous people by recognising their rights, land ownership, needs and aspirations and through effective two way communication processes and career pathways -Progress a landscape scale initiative around the vision “ensure that the world’s largest tropical savanna and rivers region retains its outstanding biodiversity values and its vital Indigenous cultures, and supports healthy communities, from the Kimberley to Cape York”

Participants described the Roundtable as “energising”, “collaborative” and “inspiring”

-Recognise that safeguarding catchmentmarine connections is fundamental to a successful future for Northern Australia -Progress beyond the food bowl concept; capitalise on development in existing sectors (eg cattle and horticulture), focus on multiple benefits and high value products with low environmental footprint -Maintain what’s unique about the north and market this. Final messages are being collated and will be presented to government and non-government processes related to Northern Australia as well as used by many participants in their own work. The KtC Adivory group is now considering next steps in the evolution of Kimberley to Cape which will likely include the establishment of a network and identification of further mechanisms to progress key recommendations. Top - Bottom images. Dr Clare Taylor, Kimberley to Cape, Anindilyakwa Land & Sea Management and Dhimurru Rangers, Harvey Locke, Yellowstonw to Yukon and meeting room. Images: Michael Douglas.

Top End Sea-life

Photo credit: Xanthe Rivett , photo taken Nhulunbuy NT.

Keep Territory Seas Mining Free By Samantha Nowland, Australian Marine Conservation Society

The remote waters of the Northern Territory are a shallow water haven for sea life. The diversity of habitats in the NT is truly extraordinary. Coastal mangrove forests provide nurseries for many species of fish and crustaceans, and constantly filter our water, keeping it clean and full of oxygen. Colourful coral reefs in Darwin Harbour, the Cobourg Peninsula, and along the Arnhem coastline provide homes for hundreds of coral and fish species and provide feeding grounds for sharks and big fish like snapper and groper. The NT has some of Earth’s highest concentrations of threatened dugongs which feed on the region’s plentiful seagrass meadows. And six of the world’s seven species of sea turtles inhabit the Territory’s waters including the Flatback, Green, Hawksbill, and Olive Ridley turtles which nest on sandy

beaches throughout the Territory. But the Territory’s sea life is under threat from big resource companies eyeing off our coastline for oil, gas and seabed mining projects.

Exploration means oceans of noise for our marine life. ‘Seismic testing’ sends sound waves through the seabed, searching for oil, gas and minerals. Sound waves can exceed 200dB (1 million times the safe level for humans). These underwater arrays of air guns are louder than a jackhammer, in fact louder than a jumbo jet taking off! Our tropical sea life faces not only seismic testing but increased shipping, risk of oil spills and coastal development on an industrial scale.

Photo credit: Xanthe Rivett , photo taken Nhulunbuy NT.

Over 90% of the Territory’s coastline is covered by petroleum exploration applications or approvals, despite these waters including areas of conservation significance. Photo: Xanthe Rivett , photo taken Nhulunbuy NT.

Top End Sealifr

Seabed mining is also a threat, with the current moratorium ending in 2015. Seabed mining is a significant and unprecedented threat to Top End sea life. It amounts to strip mining the sea floor. It can cause a wide range of environmental problems through altering the existing physical, chemical and biological balance of marine ecosystems. It destroys marine life and fish habitat. Visit keepterritoryseasminingfree. org for more information and to take action against marine mining in the Top End. Like us on Facebook facebook. com/topendsealife to keep up to date on the latest campaign news.

NT sealife profiles: cast your eyes on some of the wonderful sealife living in top end waters.

Naked Nudi’s Nudibranchs are wild and wonderful sea slugs, which can be found in every ocean of the world and are abundant in Darwin Harbour. Their Latin name literally means ‘naked gill’, which (in some of them at least) can be seen as the tree-like structures extending from their back. Nudi’s ‘swing both ways’ and are hermaphrodites, born with both male and female sexual organs, which are generally on the right side of the body in the neck region! Over 200 million years of evolution, nudibranchs have developed amazing survival systems, including chemical and biological weaponry, vibrant colouration, camouflage and the ability to swim away from predators. Photo credit: Samantha Nowland (photo taken on the Bellbird Wreck)

Amazing Manta’s The word ‘manta’ is Spanish for ‘blanket’ and describes the manta ray (Manta alfredi) very well. Among the largest of all fishes, these elegant marine creatures can grow up to 9m wide and weigh up to two tonnes! At birth manta pups are about 1.2 m and weigh about 45 kg. Unlike other rays, mantas have no venomous spike in their tails and are harmless filter-feeders, feeding on zooplankton (tiny animals) and the occasional small fish. Despite their huge size, manta rays glide gracefully through the ocean and often fly up out of the water, flipping and somersaulting several times before landing with a loud slap. These acrobatics might be a way of attracting mates, or maybe just good fun! Photo credit: © Project Manta

Top End Sea-life

Northern Nemo Our ‘Top End clown fish’ looks just like a black and white version of ‘Nemo’. Unique to our tropical seas, the Northern Nemo (Amphiprion ocellaris) is a rare variety of clown fish. Also known as anemone fish, these little beauties make their homes among the stinging tentacles of anemones, from which they are immune due to their protective mucus layer. Anemone fish are protected from hungry predatory fish and, as payment for rent, they drive off intruders and keep their hosts clean from parasites. Clownfish live in groups within an anemone, with one dominant female and many smaller breeding males. If something happens to the female in a group of clownfish, the largest male of the group will switch his sex to become the new dominant female. The change is irreversible.

Photo credit: Jeffrey Lavoie (Photo taken in Darwin Harbour)

Photo credit: Jeffrey Lavoie (photo taken in Darwin Harbour)

Shy Snubbies Australia’s Snubfin Photo credit: Xanthe Rivett , photo taken NhulunbuyDolphin NT.

Started writing the first Field Guide to Wildlife of the Top End to help Territorians and visitors identify and observe 600 species of wildlife.

(Orcaella heinsohni), known as ‘snubbies’ are one of Australia’s only two native dolphins, and are unique to northern Australia. Unlike most dolphins, they have a very blunt, round head and a stubby dorsal fin. These marine mammals were only described as a separate species in 2005. ‘Snubbies’ live in small groups near the coast in the murky waters of tidal creeks and mangrove systems. When feeding, snubfin dolphins spit jets of water into the air, presumably to disorientate their prey. It is estimated that less than 10,000 of these dolphins are left in the oceans today!

Photo credit: Christy Harrington Murdoch University

Christmas Tree worms Christmas tree worms (Spirobranchus giganteus) really do look like brightly coloured tiny Christmas trees. These worms actually live in tubes, which are anchored in burrows that they bore into live coral in tropical seas. Once Christmas tree worms find a place they like, they tend to settle down. The multi-coloured spirals that make up the ‘Christmas tree’ are actually specialized mouth parts. Each spiral is composed of feather-like tentacles that are used for breathing and capturing tiny prey. Christmas tree worms are very shy and will rapidly retract into their burrows at the slightest touch or passing shadow, but will slowly re-emerge shortly after, to continue their colourful filter feeding.

Photo credit: Xanthe Rivett (photo taken Nhulunbuy NT)

Top End Sealife

Colourful Crays The Painted Cray (Panulirus versicolor) or painted rock lobster is native to Australia and occurs all over the Top End. They can grow up to 40 cm long, with males usually growing larger than females. Unlike most lobsters, these beautiful crayfish have no claws, however they are dangerously armed with two frontal horns and numerous spines! Their colorful camouflage helps them hide from predators and blend into the tropical reefs in which they live. Painted Crays are nocturnal and solitary. During they day they hide in small caves and crevices in reefs at depths up to 15m. At night they leave their hiding holes and hunt for live fish and invertebrates or discarded carrion. Photo credit: Xanthe Rivett. Photo taken Nhulunbuy NT

Top End Sawfish Sawfish (family Pristidae) are actually modified rays with a shark-like body and gill slits on their under-side. Sawfish get their name from their saw-like rostrum, which is covered with electro-sensitive pores to detect their prey hiding in the sand or sediment of the sea floor. Their rostrum also serves as a digging tool, a weapon to stun and kill prey, and a defense against predators such as sharks. The ‘teeth’ protruding from the rostrum are not real teeth, but modified tooth-like structures called denticles. The NT is home to four species of sawfish, most of which are vulnerable to extinction. Our waters provide a safe haven for the survival of this group of unusual and wonderful fish.

Photo credit: Peter Kyne

Mermaids in our Midst

Photo credit: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

Have you seen a dugong in Darwin Harbour? Dugongs (Dugong dugon) are shy, elusive marine mammals that spend their entire lives at sea. Their scientific family name Sirenia refers to the sirens of ancient Greek Mythology as they were often mistaken for mermaids by early European explorers. Dugongs have similar life spans to us, living to around 70 years of age. Dugongs don’t bear young until at least seven years old, and only then every 3-6 years. This makes dugongs vulnerable to impacts on their population. Dugongs depend almost entirely on sea grass for food and eat up to 55kg a day! Although Darwin is the only known location where they also graze on algae and other plants that grow on shallow rocky reefs. In the Top End we can see dugongs when out on Darwin Harbour, mostly around Channel Island and Elizabeth River estuary. Have you seen one lately?

Nuclear Free NT

Shut down Ranger 3 Deeps: End the threat of uranium mining in Kakadu. By Lauren Mellor, Nuclear Free NT Campaigner. Rio Tinto’s Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) has been mining uranium on Mirarr land under a noconsent lease at the Ranger mine for three decades. The mine is surrounded by the World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park. But time is running out for the company, with ERA’s current mining approval requiring an end to mining and mineral processing in 2021, to be followed by a mandated five year rehabilitation period. License conditions include a requirement to rehabilitate the project area to a condition that would allow the site to be re- incorporated into the surrounding Kakadu National Park. In 30 years of mining there have been over 200 documented leaks, spills and breaches of license conditions at Ranger and waste and water management continue to pose significant challenges. A series of management and systems failures at Ranger over the last 12 months has resulted in significant public and regulatory scrutiny of the mine’s operations and a suspension of processing operations. In November 2013 the employee theft of a vehicle from the mine’s controlled

processing area through an existing hole in the security fence sparked an investigation into lax regulation at the Ranger mine, followed by the discovery of four abandoned uranium transport drums in Darwin’s rural area. In March community concerns were again raised by the revelation that ERA were transporting uranium ore samples in unsecured drums on the back of a utility vehicle on the Arnhem Highway. In December 2013 the Ranger mine experienced a serious industrial accident with the collapse of a uranium leach tank releasing over a million litres of highly acidic and radioactive slurry. The contaminant spilled over failed containment bunds and entered the mine’s stormwater drainage system sparking public outrage and raising serious questions over the lack of effective mining regulation in the Territory.

ERA’S PUSH FOR PROFITS PUTS NUCLEAR SAFETY AND SECURITY AT RISK The history of incidents and failures at the Ranger mine reflects a disturbing trend in the wider uranium sector. Australia’s uranium industry is a minor contributor to employment and the economy, but a major source of domestic and international risk. The latest

failure at Ranger is yet another warning that the sector is long overdue for an independent inquiry into its effects on the environment, health, safety and security. A 2003 Senate Inquiry into uranium mining found the sector was characterised by ‘a pattern of under-performance and noncompliance’ and concluded that changes in the uranium sector were necessary in order to protect the environment and its inhabitants from ‘serious or irreversible damage’. In the decade since the inquiry little has changed. Very few of the report’s recommendations have been implemented at Ranger and a culture of regulatory complacency pervades the mines operations, resulting in the increased frequency and severity of safety and security breaches and contamination incidents. Public attention and stakeholder anger following the December 2013 leach tank collapse saw the Commonwealth temporarily suspend mineral processing at the mine. An investigative taskforce comprising the NT Department of Mines and Energy, NT Worksafe, the Department of Industry and the Office of the Supervising Scientist and, belatedly, the Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation, representing Mirarr Traditional Owners, was established to review the cause of the incident and recommend improvements to monitoring,

Nuclear Free NT

Images: ‘Ranger Danger’ Rally at ERA office. Image: Cat Beaton. Above: Collapsed leach tank at Ranger Uranium Mine, Dec 2013, Image: Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation.

maintenance and corporate governance arrangements. However a joint Commonwealth/ Northern Territory Government decision on World Environment Day in June to approve the restart of commercial processing, prior to the finalisation and public release of the Investigative Taskforce’s findings, highlights the ongoing deficiencies in regulation, and the lack of transparency by both ERA and NT and Federal regulators who routinely confuse ERA’s commercial interests with the public interest. The financial impact of the leach tank failure and subsequent minesite equipment and infrastructure repair bill, combined with a six month processing suspension have added a significant cost-burden to an already struggling operation. ERA are expected to announce a half-yearly loss of approximately $120 million on top of consecutive losses of over $450 million since 2011. Blame for the recent losses has been attributed to commercial shut-downs, the axing of a controversial planned Heap Leach Facility for the treatment of low grade uranium oxide and capital expenditure on process water treatment and the R3D underground

decline. In reality ERA’s problems are far more pervasive.

RANGER 3 DEEPS – A RETURN TO PROFITABILITY OR JUST MORE RISK? ERA hopes that its proposed Ranger 3 Deeps (R3D) underground mine will be the start of a new chapter. If approved, the Ranger 3 Deeps project would add unnecessary and unacceptable cost, complexity and time to the overall rehabilitation of ERA’s Ranger operation. Time, money and public opinion are against ERA. Even by the company’s most optimistic predictions production at R 3 Deeps would not begin until late 2015, leaving less than five years for mining before the expiration of the mineral lease. Any approval to progress the 3 Deeps proposal would inevitably increase the severity and frequency of accidents at Ranger and put workers, local communities and the environment at unacceptable risk. Market factors and the global drive away from uranium and nuclear power will heavily influence the decision over 3 Deeps, with the slump in uranium prices

in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster signalling the shutdown of uranium projects around the world including the 2012 decision by BHP Billiton to shelve the expansion of Olympic Dam and the cessation of production at the Honeymoon mine in South Australia. But keeping public attention on the history of mine-site and management failures at Ranger and ensuring that the NT and Federal Governments force ERA and Rio Tinto to meet rehabilitation costs will be key to stopping the proposed Ranger 3 Deeps and ending uranium mining in the Northern Territory for good. A sustainable economic and environmental future for the Northern Territory should be based on renewables, not radioactivity. There has never been a more urgent time, or better opportunity, to close the door on this contaminating trade and ensure that Ranger is retired, the project area is rehabilitated and the Ranger project area is returned to Kakadu

Read a copy of the ECNT ’s recent report ‘Reconsidering Ranger, a brief on the social, environmental and economic cost of uranium mining in Kakadu’ http://www.ecnt.org /re

ports

Nuclear Free NT

Nuking Aboriginal Land Rights:

How radioactive waste management laws entrench radioactive racism in Australia.

By Lauren Mellor, Nuclear Free NT Campaigner. On June 19, 2014 news became public that the Northern Land Council and Commonwealth Government had agreed not to act on the nomination to establish a nuclear waste dump on Aboriginal land at Muckaty. Many of our readers will be familiar with this story. Whilst relief has crossed the Territory knowing that the plan has been scrapped there are many elements of the Muckaty story that should be analysed for any potential future dumping sites in Australia. We must insure that people know the Muckaty story and that their huge efforts are never forgotten. The Muckaty Traditional Owners held a longstanding challenge to the nomination of their homeland, 120kms north of Tennant Creek, as the site for Australia’s first national radioactive waste dump and had begun legal proceeding in the Federal Court when the case was dropped. Over the last eight years a strong and determined community campaign led by Muckaty Traditional Owners, supported by peak local and national environment, public health, trade union and civil society groups, has worked to ensure that the Territory dump plan has been held off, with key concerns over the risk of transport incidents, emergency services capabilities and impacts on the environment front and centre of the national debate. The Federal Court challenge, initiated three years ago by Muckaty Traditional Owners opposed to the dump has been key to ensuring that a Federal Government timeframe to have the dump up and running by 2015 have been successfully scuttled and the community will have the opportunity to defend their objection in court. The Muckaty trial was expected to examine key questions of ownership, consultation and consent but also test the validity of legislation enabling site selection for a national radioactive waste repository. The Muckaty nomination was made by the Northern Land Council under the former-Howard government’s Commonwealth Radioactive Waste Management Act (CRWMA) which provided the Federal Government with sweeping powers to foist a national

radioactive waste facility upon the Northern Territory. The CRWMA gave powers to override NT legislation that prohibits the imposition of nuclear dumps and limited the application of federal environment protection legislation and Aboriginal heritage protection legislation during the site selection phase. The Rudd-Labor government repealed the CRWMA and scrapped the original three site nominations but retained many of the draconian provisions in its replacement National Radioactive Waste Management Act (2012). Judicial review and procedural fairness rights have been reinstated for future nominations but not Muckaty, which remained the only site being considered. The Central Land Council says the Government is pursuing “an approach characterised by the desire to find a politically expedient solution, contempt for state and Territory laws, and disregard for decision making processes enshrined in the Land Rights Act.” Radioactive Racism and the Muckaty Dump Plan The Muckaty Land Trust was handed back to Warlmanpa people in 1993 under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976, following many years of struggle and a lengthy determination. Many Traditional Owners who celebrated at the hand-back ceremony were a part of the Federal Court challenge to once again fight for recognition of their rights to country at Muckaty, this time to protect the land from becoming the nation’s nuclear dumping ground. The Muckaty nomination was made at a time when the then Federal Howard Government was flagging significant cuts and an overhaul of Aboriginal Land Councils which they viewed as an impediment to mining, gas and other interests. With support from the Northern Land Council, amendments were made to the CRWMA which gave special provisions to Land Councils to nominate Aboriginal land as potential sites for the waste dump. The Commonwealth deal involved an offer of $12 million to be held in trust for roads, housing and educational scholarships, linking the provision of basic services for one of Australia’s most impoverished regions to consent for establishing a nuclear waste 23

Muckaty Traditional Owner Penelope Phillips.

dump in a deal that many civil society groups have condemned as fundamentally racist and unfair. “To bargain with Traditional Owners for money that is used to pay for essential services, which should come from the same public revenues as they do for all other Australians, is a complete scam. (This is) a shameful, immoral manoeuvre by short-term, results-orientated political pragmatists.” -Uniting Church, Nightcliff

In the opening week of the trial, Justice Anthony North made clear the difference between law and justice, saying his final decision could not in any way be based on the morality of putting a nuclear waste dump at Muckaty; “I’m not sitting here looking at the moral arguments, if I was I would have an easy answer”. Despite the strong contestation to the nomination by Muckaty Traditional Owners in court and at public meetings, rallies and events around the country, the Federal Government has written themselves a sizeable legal loophole in regards to consultation and informed consent. Muckaty Traditional Owners were however prepared if the site was declared valid to step up efforts to work for the overturning of the NRWMA and block the construction of a national waste dump at Muckaty, or at any other site in the Territory. In the words of 86 year old Muckaty elder Bunny Nabarula, “If they send the waste to Muckaty, we’ll block the trucks with our bodies and stop them”. An Alternative Approach With the Muckaty now off the table, the Environment Centre NT alongside peak national environment, public health and trade union groups continue to call for the establishment of an independent national commission to consider all options for radioactive waste management.

Nuclear Free NT

Elizabeth River ’No Dam Cruise’ L-R: Donna Jackson, Lloyd Beck, Craig Ingram and Samantha Nowland. Image: Stuart Blanch.

Elizabeth River protected from damming. Again. By Stuart Blanch, Director.

The storm broke as we turned off Tiger Brennan Drive into Berrimah Road, towards Palmerston. Over the Elizabeth River, clouds hung dark and low. The ABC TV crew called, delayed by the downpour, and wondering if the storm would blow over. It wasn’t the only storm brewing over the river. In the dying says of December last year, when Territorians were on holidays or out of town or watching the cricket, the NT Planning Commission released ‘Towards a Darwin Region Land Use Plan’. The plan proposed damming the Elizabeth River. The dam would back up the river and flood the Elizabeth valley. A brand new Lake Elizabeth would create waterfront living for a new Weddell City, and kill biting midges. It was deja vu. Almost a decade and a half ago, the CLP Government of the day proposed to dam the river. Fifteen thousand people signed a petition opposing the dam. Public outrage grew. Larrakia, the Environment Centre, fishers and Litchfield Mayor Gerry Wood formed an alliance to oppose the crazy plan. Finally, the Government buckled, blinked and dropped the plan, declaring the Elizabeth River dam dead.

But the damage was done. The CLP lost government the August 2001 election, with the dam plan blamed in part for the unexpected defeat. Fast forward thirteen years. The April 2014 bi-election for the Palmerston seat of Blain drew closer and the CLP Government had not distanced itself from the rehashed Elizabeth River dam plan. We knew it was time to pull together an alliance to stop the dam madness. Again. We called Independent Gerry Wood, now Member for Nelson. “I’m in”. So was Larrakia woman and passionate advocate Donna Jackson. “It’s outrageous”. She had presented petitions with thousands of signatures to the NT Government all those years ago. AFANT’s Craig Ingram was keen, noting barra don’t climb dams. And Adelaide River local and former professional crabber Lloyd Beck offered his boat to get us out on the river. He was incensed about the dam, “crazy” he said.

Dams kill rivers. If the river was dammed near the Channel Island Road bridge, the mangroves upstream would die. No tides, no mangroves. Fish and crabs would not be able to move along the river. Dolphins and threatened sea turtles that live in the estuary of the Elizabeth River would be harmed. Candidates for the Blain bi-election from across the political spectrum lined up to oppose the dam. The poll was close, and the votes of fishers, greenies and Indigenous people would count. The ABC 7.30 NT story ran on 21 March, watched by thousands. “No dam” was the strong united message. The Government jumped. The next day, Minister the Lands, Planning and Environment Peter Chandler released a statement “No dam for Elizabeth River”. And the Chief Minister Facebooked “Just watched ABC. I’ll be clear. Elizabeth River will not be dammed.” The storm had passed. The plan had worked. The dam was dead. Again.

The ABC was keen to cover it. Again. The goal? Bring together the old alliance to stop the dam – again – this time by pressuring the NT Government to reject the NT Planning Commission’s proposal. 24

Mangroves on the Elizabeth River. Image: Stuart Blanch.

Darwin’s very big trees, with Strider.

Environment Centre NT board member Strider talks about his knowledge on Darwin’s big old trees. S: There are few trees around Darwin that survived the 1897 cyclone. There is one on the corner of Girraween Road and Bastin Road, which is a Ghost Gum, it’s very big with a cylindrical trunk. I call them very big trees, they are big now and I suspect that they were mostly that size when the European invasion started here. It is changes in fire management that are the reason that the trees don’t grow so big anymore.

Could you estimate a age of these trees? I could have a go at it, but the important thing to note is that they are probably as big today as they were in 1869 – they were already big. I think the minimum age for those trees would be 600 -1000 years old and wouldn’t be surprised if some of the trees were 2000 years old. I think the trees are much older than people are even able to imagine.

How have you come to these estimations? It was originally pointed out to me by a land surveyer when I was a junior chainman when I first left school that the trees around Livingston airfield Wooleybutt and Stringybark were all the same size, even aged and it was explained to me that they were all dated from the 1897 cyclone – so they are all the same age – so you look at them and see that’s how much of a tree you get for the years between now and 1897 and they are much smaller than those very old trees. The trees that survive a cyclone existed before the cyclone as thin flexible saplings, so they are flexible enough to survive a cyclone. They also survive the very hot fire that follows the cyclone – fuelled by all the branches that come down in a cyclone, so you get this phenomenon of trees of a certain age forming a cohort in a forest. The other cohort you can see is from the Second World-War. You look at the end

of the airfields, like the one at Livingston the trees were cleared at the end of the airfield for incoming and outgoing plane clearance. The trees that have grown back give you another known age.

I think the trees are much older than people are even able to imagine.’

‘

And why are these trees so important? The trend is that the trees are getting smaller and smaller as time goes by and I think that reflects changes in the net primary productivity of the ecosystem given our rain fall. If we had a temperate climate forest here you would expect the forest to fix about 22 tonnes of carbon per hectare per year, net primary productivity – its been measured in recent times at 11 tonnes, half of what you would expect. Because it is not a temperate forest, but a tropical forest we should probably have more than 22 – so there is a bit of evidence to suggest that the productivity has been cut in half. When you look at the diameter of the big tree at Bastin Road, compared with the diameter of the other ghost gums, it’s twice as big. So the suggestion that in rough terms the net primary productivity been cut in half – there seems to be evidence to support that. I think is due to changes in the fire regime and it reflects the fact that the living communities in the soil that recycle the nutrients to make them available to the trees again have been starved because their food is taken away by fire. The soil communities populations fall, become disorganised and are unable to conduct the recycling tasks to supply the nutrients to make the trees grow to full size. The worrying thing about that is that it appears that the productivity is in freefall. Half of the productivity has already been lost and the next question is how low would it go? You’re looking at a situation similar to the open ocean where there is no effective recycling of heavy metals and primary productivity could fall to 800 kilo per hectare per year, which is a long way down from 22 tonnes. If we don’t do something to arrest it we are going to be left with a very poor landscape.

Above image and right image: Strider at the Old Host Gum on the corner of Bastin and Girraween Road. Photo by: Stuart Blanch.

What do you suggest we do? The answer is in fire management – we must stop starving the organisms that live in the soil and restore their ability to make plant available nutrients again.

What would like to see happen for these trees? I think it is a good idea people know about these trees especially the one on the corner of Girraween and Bastin Road – because it could go tomorrow from a bush fire or lightning strike – its future’s not secure and people need to go and have a look, make the pilgrimage and assimilate the lesson.

Nature Territory Climate Change

‘I think it is a good idea people know about these trees especially the one on the corner of Girraween and Bastin Road – because it could go tomorrow from a bush fire or lightning strike – its future’s not secure’

Check out Strider TEDx talk online: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN-cFsG-gmw

Secret Trade Deal Threatens Rights By Tony Young What is the Trans-Pacific Partnership? The TPP is a “free” trade deal currently being negotiated by Australia with Brunei, Chile, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam. The negotiations began under the previous Labor government and are continuing under the Coalition. The negotiations have been conducted in secret and publicly available information is very limited, although industry lobbyists have been given wide access1. In 2013 Wikileaks leaked a draft of the positions of the countries on intellectual property showing that, on that subject at least, they still remain far apart. Negotiations are continuing. Why should we be worried about the TPP? The negotiations are being conducted in secret and the Australian government has not publicly revealed its position on many of the important aspects of the TPP. Public knowledge about the TPP is based on leaked drafts and statements made by the parties. How might the TPP affect our rights?The leaked drafts of the TPP provide for investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS). This is a mechanism to allow a foreign corporation to sue the Australian

government or other governments claiming “indirect expropriation” because of any law or government policy, including for environmental or consumer protection, which reduces the value of its investment. An example of how ISDS works is the claim for compensation being pursued by Philip Morris under the Australia-Hong Kong Bilateral Investment Treaty over Australia’s tobacco plain packaging legislation. An American corporation, Lone Pine Resources, has sued the Canadian government under the ISDS provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement for $250 million over a fracking moratorium in Québec. Even if these claims fail they can have a “chilling” effect on domestic environmental and consumer protection legislation and cost the Australian taxpayer millions of dollars to defend. Food labelling laws might also be threatened. A Malaysian official has said that the elimination of food labelling laws, requiring labelling of palm oil for example, is one of that country’s objectives2. Copyright and patent law may also be radically affected. The US is reportedly pushing for criminalisation of even minor breaches of copyright or patents including potential imprisonment for such things as downloading movies or music3. The US is also pushing for a ban on parallel imports of copyright products which would 26

prevent Australians buying products cheaply overseas and shipping them here4. Pharmaceutical companies are pushing for provisions that would allow extensions of patents for small changes in formulations or delivery, such as changing from tablet to a capsule. This could dramatically increase the cost of medicines and limit the production of cheaper generic medicines. Médecins Sans Frontières is campaigning against the TPP for this reason5. What can be done? Australian Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson has introduced a private member’s bill, the Trade and Foreign Investment (Protecting the Public Interest) Bill 2014, which seeks to prevent the Australian government agreeing to ISDS provisions. The bill is before a Senate committee. The ECNT has made a submission in support of the bill6. Agreement on the TPP appears to be some way off so it is not too late to let our federal politicians know your concerns and seek an assurance that the public interest will be protected, including rejection of any ISDS provisions in the TPP. References: 1. Choice Online, Trans-Pacific Partnership Secretly Trading Away Rights, http://www.choice.com.au/reviews-and-tests/ money/shopping-and-legal/legal/trans-pacific-partnership-secretlytrading-away-rights/page.aspx, accessed 23.5.201 2.Ibid.3.Kim Weatherall (Associate Professor of Law, Sydney University), An Analysis of Enforcement Provisions of the TPP, http://works.bepress. com/kimweatherall/27/, accessed 23.5.2014.4.Choice Online, Trans-Pacific Partnership Secretly Trading Away Rights.5.Ibid.6.ECNT website, http://www.ecnt.org/submissions (to be posted).

Green Living

COOLmob is a community based project of the Environment Centre NT. COOLmob aims to help people reduce their CO2 emissions through their activities which include household energy audits, television advertisements, publications, campaigns, media events and activities.

Top End Sustainability News The new Smart Cooling in the Tropics team is now in place, hard at work and enjoying setting up this ambitious new project. We’ll be spending the next two years working with our partners Melaleuca Refugee Centre, Carers NT, COTA NT, Yilli Housing and Charles Darwin University to reach out to 480 low income households. We’ll deliver home energy audits and collect quantitative and qualitative data to find out how these people from various backgrounds (seniors, urban Indigenous, refugee, carers and care recipients) use energy and respond to Smart Cooling’s activities. This project is supported by the Federal Government Department of Industry. COOLmob is now looking at community solar as the next step in sustainable living. Done what you can in your home? Next, help fund community renewables. There’s a movement around Australia, from Hepburn Wind in Victoria to solar panels on Territory school roofs – to make the most of the renewable energy sources we’re blessed with, and we intend to get community solar up and running in Darwin. The Blackout and stories of noenergy resilience

bush. Denise’s Bakewell home was featured in Sustainable House Day 2012, and used just a third of the national average of electricity. She explains its low energy consumption: “Pola seals on windows and a solar attic fan were two ways in which we reduced heat and therefore power consumption. We didn’t have airconditioning, but on hot nights would sleep with an ice pack like the ones used in coolers. There were onecooler nights and two-cooler nights. “While we have neither Pola seal or an attic solar fan in our new bush home, it does have high ceilings and good air flow, and wide verandahs. And we use our trusty ice-packs! “One good thing about living without air-conditioning is that I am relatively acclimatised to the heat and humidity. All should try to acclimatise because there is no guarantee we won’t have such blackouts in the future. It may also be that power is so expensive that few can afford air-conditioning.” Susan Wills of Nightcliff writes: “This time around, I settled my youngest out on the balcony where he could catch the breeze and get back to sleep, did a short meditation to settle myself, the rest of the family were fine.

You’ll likely remember back in March there was a day where the power was out, from anywhere from 9 to 14 hours. The NT News called it the ‘Dark Ages’ and there was widespread panic and anger as people across the Top End protested at how difficult it is to live here without a constant supply of electricity, mostly for air-conditioning. But not everyone was in a panic. Some of our COOLmob community found ways to stay comfortable. Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow recently moved from Bakewell to the 13

By Nina Bailey

“Last time we had a major blackout we had invited fifty guests for an Indian feast and ‘slide show’ of our recent trip. They were due at 6pm and power went down at 4:30pm, not to return until 1am. It was the best night ever, people rallying with tea light candles and torches in the kitchen, cooking fragrant curries on gas camping stoves and throughout the house other people chattering to the quiet sounds of the night in their spangly Indian fancy dress. Faces golden lit, conversations rich, and food fully tasted.” For me, I stayed home to work out on our cool balcony, drinking lots of water and fanning myself with a hand-fan. Smart Cooling Project Officer Mick Brand’s reflection on the day is “just that is was really nice and still, and quiet, and a good opportunity to reflect on how lucky we are to have energy to do a lot of our work for us. The fact is that it is still actually cheap in real terms.” Finally, it’s a difficult time for sustainability with many government cuts to initiatives and grants we’ve described here in Pandanus. Please keep doing what you can, at home and in your community (support our community solar initiative!) and keep lobbying our governments to do better.

Green Living

COOLmob

If you would like to receive our email NEWSLETTER send your email address to : coolmob@ecnt.org. The free newsletter is full of exciting sustainable living tips, gadgets and news. COOLmob now has a Facebook page! Please search for us and stay in the sustainability loop.

New COOLmob team! COOLmob new team member to join Al Gore climate training

L-R: Glenn Evans, Maxine Atkinson, Prue Barnard, Nina Bailey, Jessica Steinborner, Mick Brand and Emily Hinds. Jessica Steinborner is the new Smart Cooling Project Manager – Jessica has extensive experience in energy efficiency from leading Zero Carbon Moreland (Moreland Solar Cities) and other projects at MEFL (Melbourne). She leads a talented team of Project Officers: Maxine Atkinson, Prue Barnard, Michael Brand, Glenn Evans and Emily Hinds. Max has worked in international development and education in NT Indigenous communities. Prue re-joins ECNT – she was AMCS Marine Campaigner here for many years – and has strong community engagement skills. Mick has extensive research experience from years working at Charles Darwin University delivering environmental research with Indigenous communities and loads of sustainability experience. Glenn has just joined us from Melbourne, where he’s been leading the Education for Sustainability work at one of Australia’s finest environmental community centres, CERES. Emily is highly trained in a number of environmental areas: carbon accounting, horticulture, sustainability and has excellent technical knowledge of household energy efficiency. 28

We’re proud to announce Smart Cooling Project Officer Mick Brand has been selected for Al Gore’s Climate Reality Leadership Corps Training. Mick will be joining a top group from all around the country in Melbourne at the end of June. The training will cover latest climate science, best practices in public speaking and connecting with audiences, leadership skills and approaches to community outreach. Mick is seeking to learn more about “the latest understandings of how to deliver the changes in behaviour and practical onground solutions that other people around the world are applying.” A great opportunity for Mick, and a fantastic asset to COOLmob. Mick joins current (Prue Barnard) and previous (Robin Knox) COOLmob staff to have been chosen for this training program. Congratulations! Stay tuned for how you can book Mick for a post-training presentation in July.

Territory stories

Make your

thical e , e r u t n e v d next a

By Rob Woods and Tracey Ditterich And for those of you on a shoestring budget the best news of all … they are Not for Profit!

New style of touring company ‘Ethical Adventures’ has started operation in the Top End as of May this year. Founders Rob Woods and Tracey Ditterich have brought together their life passions of environmental education / conservation and adventure to give something that takes the travel experience to the next level. They maintain that tourism activities are unique in that you have so many people from all walks of life, color, creed and disposition all having fun, comfortable and open to new ideas or at the least less hostile to old ones. So why not use those opportunities to reconnect people with the natural world and make them aware of what is happening in it? Rob maintains that “our tours are not just about going, seeing, hearing some stories, taking some great photos or getting bragging rights with your friends but also about how these locations / systems work and what threatens their existence. Because at the end of the day there are some pretty scary things going on in Australia which will have a direct impact on people’s lifestyle choices in the near future.

What better place to talk about the impacts of damming rivers than when you are enjoying the very spot which will be under threat if development goes ahead! Why not chat about climate change when you are driving across a landscape only barely above current sea levels! Why not check out ‘rehabilitated’ mining sites to get an idea of the sincerity of that industries commitment to doing the right thing! Everything is on the table when you hop inside their 5 seater super comfy van and head off on a trip. You know you will be looked after as they include homemade treats and the best ingredients they can find for their gourmet lunches.

Their commitment to community extends also to voluntary work at the Territory Wildlife Park and other on the ground conservation efforts in and around Darwin. They have also dedicated 10 seats a year on their ‘Litchfield’s Gold’ Day Trip with all proceeds to go to the Environment Centre NT. Tickets sell for $169 each. Contact the ECNT for those tickets on 08 8981 1984. So check out these guys at www. ethicaladventures.com or give them a call 04 8844 2269 and definitely get on one of their tours!

Rob and Trac e have been wonderful volu nteers and friend s to the ECNT an d we thank them for donating thes e trips to us! -Ed

Territory Nuclear Free Alliance

May 2014 saw the first meeting of the Territory Nuclear Free Alliance (TNFA) at the Juno Ranch in Tennant Creek. This two day meeting saw a strong delegation come together to discuss nuclear projects in the Territory. On the agenda was fighting the Muckaty waste dump, uranium mining at Ranger, rehabilitation at Rum Jungle and the exploration and mining of rare earths. With over 50 people this meeting is sure to become an important yearly event. Image: Cat Beaton Top image: Penelope Phillips,Muckaty Traditional Owner. Middle: The meeting at Juno Ranch near Tennant Creek. Below: Dr Michael Fonda, Public Health Association Australia, NT Branch. Photos by: Cat Beaton.

False Killer Whales

Territory’s Own False Killer Whales False killer whales in Northern Territory waters have become the first in Australia to be tagged with satellite transmitters! As part of a collaborative project between the Northern Territory Government’s Department of Land Resource Management and Parks and Wildlife, four false killer whales in Cobourg Marine Park have had satellite transmitters attached for the first time in Australia. False killer whales are a large, rare dolphin (4-6 m) that live in tropical and sub-tropical ocean waters. They often occur in large groups of 10 – 50 individuals and are highly social animals. The satellite information from these animals will provide for the first time information on movements and habitat use of these unusual and difficult to study dolphins. This information will not only expand on our understanding of false killer whales in Northern Territory waters but globally as well and will underpin management strategies for the conservation of this rare species in NT waters. Photo credit: Alan Withers, photo taken Cobourg marine Park NT. Written by: Carol Palmer, Senior Scientist - Marine Megafauna, Marine Ecosystems, Separtment of Lands Resource Management. You can download a copy of PANDANUS Magazine from our website:

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and in the roles of Pr ry of involvement in esident, Treasurer, Na the environment and in cities and bush co mmunities across the socia tional Board rep and Vic No rican safaris from Na e Pres at the YWCA sin l justice movements – being invo rth er n Te rri to ry. Her work experience irobi when living in Ke ce 2008.Kate is prou range nya. Kate was most re dly Darwin born , CDU Students Asso cently employed as th s from assisting sales in a Palmerston ho ciation, and Sporting mebrew store to d e Executive Officer for Group engagement. ertaking a Masters of Kate holds a Busines CDU Amenities Limite Sustainability. She is s De d with oversight o committed to and ins onally and across the pired by the values of gree, is a recent graduate from the AICD globe. Company Directors YWCA Darwin, and de eply admires the wo rk undertaken by YW

Boulter Road land clearing! In early April 2014 the Rapid Creek Landcare Group was devastated to find over four hectares of beautiful, mature native vegetation cleared. The clearing happened at 1 Boulter Road, on the corner of Amy Johnson Avenue and Boulter Road, and is allegedly illegal. The block is in the headwaters of the Rapid Creek catchment. It was covered with native vegetation ranging from a paperbark wetland on the western end, through fringing transitional communities, to a mature eucalypt woodland on the eastern end. All that is left is the wetland and some of the transitional vegetation on the western end. The rest is bare dirt. Well over four hectares of the block’s 7.4 hectares have been cleared. 1 Boulter Road is zoned Community Purposes. Under this zoning a permit from the Development Consent Authority is required to clear the vegetation. This clearing was carried out without a permit. Machinery was still present on site when the clearing was noticed.

This indicated more vegetation was to be cleared. The Landcare Group notified the Department of Lands Planning and the Environment. The Department investigated and have ordered the clearing to stop. ABC radio and the NT News provided media coverage of the issue. Under the Planning Act the Minister for Lands Planning and the Environment or the Development Consent Authority can prosecute the owner and anyone else involved in the clearing. The maximum fine is $144,000 and remediation can be ordered. The Landcare Group was pleased to learn that the Development Consent Authority intends to prosecute the owner, and any contractors involved. The group will be monitoring the situation closely.

Kate Presswell has recently joined ECNT as Office Manager. She has a history of involvement in the environment and social justice movements – being involved in early Transition Town activities and in the roles of President, Treasurer, National Board rep and Vice Pres at the YWCA since 2008. Kate is proudly Darwin born and was raised in cities and bush communities across the Northern Territory. Her work experience includes designing East African safaris from Nairobi when living in Kenya. Kate holds a Business Degree, is a recent graduate from the AICD Company Directors Course, and is undertaking a Masters of Sustainability.

The Rapid Creek Landcare Group greatly appreciated the support provided by the Environmental Defenders Office (NT) and the Environment Centre NT as this issue developed.

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