Antinuclear

University of Newcastle linked with coal industry – but it’s time for the Hunter Valley to go renewable energy

The Greens understand the challenges ahead and have acted responsibly
in negotiating a $10billion clean energy investment fund. This is the
closest we have in Australia to a sovereign wealth fund, to use some
of the considerable wealth we have generated now and invest it in the
future of our children and our communities.

The Hunter has long been a hub of renewable energy innovation and
entrepreneurship. A transition to a clean, renewable energy economy
promises to revitalise Australian manufacturing and create thousands
of new jobs in many rural and regional communities, including the
Hunter’s coal communities.

But we need to shift subsidies away from fossil fuels and towards
renewables if we are to do this.

The writers of Monday’s opinion piece were obviously not aware the
University of Newcastle had commercial links with coalmining.

Renewable energy Hunter’s best future
http://www.theherald.com.au/story/1296245/opinion-renewable-energy-hunters-best-future/?cs=308
By CATE FAEHRMANN, 14 Feb 13,  PEOPLE are rightly sick and tired of the childish
mud-slinging that now plagues Australian politics. So how about a bit
of honesty and even some vision for the future of the Hunter?

Readers would have been left scratching their heads this
week about why a pro-vice-chancellor (Professor Scott Holmes) and
researcher (Sam Bright) at the University of Newcastle would both
misrepresent the energy and mining policies of the Greens and
undermine his own institution’s research program to reduce reliance on
fossil fuels.

The Hunter’s coal communities are proud communities. Over more than a
century, the workers and their families of Cessnock, Muswellbrook,
Maitland and Singleton have created a booming economy for their
communities and for the Hunter.

Along the way, our knowledge about the impacts of coalmining has grown
and we now know that there are significant health and environmental
issues involved, not the least being the insidious clouds of coal dust
now blanketing communities and the very real, worldwide challenge to
reduce greenhouse pollution.

Tackling climate change means our dependency on coal as an export
earner and as a domestic fuel will have to be phased out over the next
few decades, rather than ramped up.

This will mean necessary changes for the whole national economy, and
for coal-affected regions such as the Hunter. The challenges
associated with this change are significant, but not insurmountable.

The Greens understand the challenges ahead and have acted responsibly
in negotiating a $10billion clean energy investment fund. This is the
closest we have in Australia to a sovereign wealth fund, to use some
of the considerable wealth we have generated now and invest it in the
future of our children and our communities.

The Greens’ mining policy starts with the statement that the Greens
want “a robust economy built on diverse sectors and not reliant on any
one sector for its prosperity”.

The Hunter has long been a hub of renewable energy innovation and
entrepreneurship. A transition to a clean, renewable energy economy
promises to revitalise Australian manufacturing and create thousands
of new jobs in many rural and regional communities, including the
Hunter’s coal communities.

But we need to shift subsidies away from fossil fuels and towards
renewables if we are to do this. The future of Hunter communities is
in the balance. A just transition to a secure renewable energy economy
is required. Any transition must also be about fairness and justice
for workers, their families and their communities.

Research by the Centre of Full Employment and Equity at University of
Newcastle has identified a net gain of between 10,000 to 15,000 new
jobs if the six coal-fired power stations in the Hunter were phased
out and local energy needs were met by renewable energy.

Labor and the Coalition have allowed the unfettered expansion of both
coal and gas in the Hunter region to fuel conflict in communities as
local farmers and landholders defend their land and water. Labor and
the Coalition have also ignored the climate impacts and refused to
enforce environmental standards to protect air and water quality. The
backlash in the community is justifiable.

This week it was reported that Anglo American has opposed a
significant new $14million tourism development in the Hunter’s wine
region because its proposed Drayton South Coal Mine expansion plans to
drop large volumes of dust on the property.

The mine’s lawyers said the tourism facility was ‘‘not in the public
interest due to potential air quality effects from the Drayton mine’’.
Far from being able to co-exist with other industries, this coalmining
is pushing tourism and agriculture out of the region.

The massive new T4 coal terminal proposed for Newcastle would increase
coal exports by 50per cent. It presents an unacceptable risk to air
quality and community health in the mining areas, along the rail line
and in Newcastle itself.

Surveys by the local community show 90per cent of Newcastle residents
oppose another coal terminal at the port. The community wants a
diversified port that can create economic opportunities outside of the
coal and mining industries. Yet the government is not listening.
However we know who they are listening to, as was the government
before this lot. The current ICAC hearings have highlighted the
obscene levels of influence that the mining industry has over the
political process. Surely it’s time for the community’s voice to be
heard over the roar of the gross self-interest of the mining giants.
Before too much is lost.

The Greens will support national laws that will protect communities,
productive agricultural land and water, and the environment. We have
demonstrated over this term of federal Parliament that we can work
with the government and independent MPs to respond to the major
challenge of climate change. We will do the same to ensure the undue
influence of the mining industry is brought into check in NSW.

The writers of Monday’s opinion piece were obviously not aware the
University of Newcastle had commercial links with coalmining.

I’ve been to the Boggabri blockade and the activists  power their
laptops with mobile solar panels.

Cate Faehrmann is a Greens NSW MLC and federal Senate candidate.

February 14, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | energy, New South Wales