Police said they charged 10 people with trespassing on business land, and those arrested had been taken to the Bowen watch house.
Queensland government to take over agricultural land for Adani coal mine rail line
Government resume land for Adani
A FARM group – partly backed by the Tim Flannery-led Climate Council – has hit out over the State Government resumption of agricultural land for the Adani rail line.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/palaszczuk-government-resume-emerald-farmland-for-adani-rail-link/n
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Townsville and Rockhampton councils could pay at least $31 million for Adani coalmine airstrip
Queensland councils to pay at least $31m for Adani coalmine airstrip
Townsville and Rockhampton councils may pay millions more if company’s bid to sew up deal with traditional owners fails, Guardian, Joshua Robertson, 20 Oct 17, Two local councils are paying $31m to build an airstrip for Adani’s Queenslandcoalmine – and could fork out millions more if the energy giant’s bid to sew up a deal with traditional owners hits a stumbling block.
Townsville and Rockhampton councils last week announced they would spend $15.5m each on the airport – hundreds of kilometres away – in a deal to secure Adani’s guarantee of 2,200 construction jobs for their residents.
And Townsville has agreed to pay up to $18.5m if the airport is shifted to a second location outside Wangan and Jagalingou land, where Adani’s right to build Australia’s largest coalmine is tied up in a drawn-out legal battle with a traditional owners group.
Rockhampton, which originally put up $20m for the airport in a bid to gain Adani’s guarantee, may also invest up to $18.5m but this has not been made clear.
Despite the Carmichael mine having broad support in both communities, there is some backlash to ratepayers providing infrastructure for a transnational corporation.
An online petition by a Townsville ratepayers group member, Peter Newey, calling for council to scrap its decision, has garnered about 3,700 signatures in a few days. Cathy O’Toole, the federal MP for Herbert in Townsville, has also flagged local concerns about “giving ratepayers’ money to a multinational”.
Councillors from both cities voted in favour of paying for the airport for Adani’s workforce in closed discussions of confidential reports, recorded in minutes that did not mention the company……….
Rockhampton councillors met on 26 September for a confidential discussion about “economic development opportunities” and an update from council’s general manager of “regional development and aviation”.
The minutes make no mention of Adani but note a confidential report contained information “for which a public discussion would be likely to prejudice the interests of the local government or someone else, or enable a person to gain a financial advantage”.
Councillors unanimously voted for their chief executive to “execute the terms sheets as discussed at the meeting” but did not put a figure on the cost to ratepayers.
Neither the Townsville mayor, Jenny Hill, nor the Rockhampton mayor, Margaret Strelow, responded to a request for comment. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/oct/20/adani-coalmine-queensland-councils-to-pay-at-least-31m-for-airstrip
Rockhampton’s Mayor Strelow misrepresents Wanganand Jagalingou
Mayor Strelow misrepresents Wanganand Jagalingou
‘Rockhampton Mayor Margaret Strelow’s
‘thanks’ to the the Wangan and Jagalingou people for ‘our support’ is disingenuous
and clearly misrepresents the position of the Traditional Owners
of the proposed Carmichael mine area.
‘We do not support a FIFO (fly in fly out) hub that allows
a mass of people who have no respect for our land to fly in
and destroy our country and culture, and fly out again.
‘The Wangan and Jagalingou Traditional Owners Council
don’t know who Mayor Strelow is talking to,
but it’s clearly not the W&J Applicant or the claim group or our families.
‘A majority of Wangan and Jagalingou families have
consistently rejected Adani’s sham ILUA for the mine.
Adani has no agreement with Traditional Owners
and an ILUA has not been registered.
The purported ILUA is subject to a Federal Court trial in March 2018.
‘Our court action in March will expose the underhanded way
in which our position on the mine is misrepresented by Adani,
and our supposed support was engineered.
‘We have provided evidence to the court of Adani’s bad faith and
we will pursue this constant misrepresentation of our people and
our position on the mine until we can demonstrate once and for all
we do not and never will support this coal mine
or any project or enterprise aligned to it. …’
To continue reading this excellent statement by Wangan and Jagalingou People go here:
wanganjagalingou.com.au/traditional-owners-do-not-support-rockhampton-fifo-hub
Tradiational land owners Wangan and Jagalingou (W&J) people at forefront of opposition to Adani coal mine
‘Opposition from traditional owners of the land
‘The Wangan and Jagalingou (W&J) people are the traditional owners of the land
on which the Adani group has proposed to build its mine and they argue
that if this mine was to be built on their homelands,
it would irreversibly destroy their customs, culture and heritage. …
‘The Wangan and Jagalingou Traditional Owners Family Council
is at the forefront of the tussle with the Adani group and
have taken the matter to the federal court of Australia.
‘The matter is up for hearing in March 2018 and is being seen
as the last legal hurdle in the way of the Carmichael coal mine. … ‘
‘Note: This is the first in a three-part series
that will examine how the Adani and Carmichael coal mine has divided the Australian public
and in the process, sparked fierce debate on issues such as
coal-based energy, energy financing, jobs and the rights of indigenous people.’
To continue reading this comprehensive overview go here:
thewire.in/188092/adanis-australia-story-whats-the-fuss-all-about
Greens Queensland campaign: Richard di Natale attacks Adani coal project
Richard di Natale targets Adani at Greens’ Queensland campaign launch https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/oct/07/greens-leader-targets-adani-queensland-campaign-launch
Leader attacks connection between lobbyists and politicians, saying democratic rules are ‘rigged’ in the state, Guardian, Gareth Hutchens and Katharine Murphy, 7 Oct 17 The Greens say they will offer Queensland voters a chance to clean up politics at the looming state election, and send a clear message that they don’t want the controversial Adani mine to proceed.
The federal Greens leader, Richard di Natale, will launch their campaign on Saturday with a speech declaring the state has a democratic deficit because of lobbying and political connections, with “a revolving door between politicians, their staff and the companies that profit from government decisions”.
Di Natale will declare that “the rules in Queensland are rigged”.
The Greens leader will criticise the practice of political staff from the major parties going on to work as corporate lobbyists, and point out that Adani’s lobbyists in Queensland, Next Level Strategic Services, also “act for property developers, gambling firms and Broadspectrum – the company running Manus and Nauru detention centres”.
Federal leaders from all parties have been highly attentive to Queensland in recent months, preparing the ground for when the Labor premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, fires the starting gun.
One Nation is likely to be the kingmaker, with neither Labor nor the LNP guaranteed to win the 47 seats required for power in the unicameral parliament.
The Greens will also be in fierce competition with Labor for inner Brisbane seats. The Adani project provides a major point of difference between the two parties, and one the Greens will run hard on, as they have done in Melbourne.
Di Natale on Saturday will zero in on Labor’s assistance for the project. “Despite Queensland Labor’s election promise not to give any public money to Adani, they ultimately were able to secure a loan from the Queensland government so Adani don’t have to pay coal royalties that would go towards vital public infrastructure, schools and hospitals.”
The Greens leader will say the company was assisted in securing support from the state government by lobbyists, who were in frequent contact with the state government in the lead up to the royalties decision.
“We still don’t know what is in this contract, because the Palaszczuk government refuses to release it,” the text of Di Natale’s speech says.
“But what we do know through Queensland’s lobbyist contact register is that Next Level lobbyists were in contact with the premier’s office and her chief of staff every single day in the lead-up to the royalties announcement.”
The Queensland lobbyists contact register shows Next Level had daily contact with senior members of the Queensland government from 25 May to 30 May, when the final decision was made.
“We also know that up until that point the premier had had only 10 appointments with lobbyists – six of them were with Adani’s handlers.”
Queensland’s $12 million Queensland climate change policy dragging on in implementation
Slow progress on key $12 million Queensland climate change policy, SMH, Tony Moore , 7 Oct 17, Progress appears slow on one of Labor’s key climate change policies to encourage coastal Queensland councils to formally adopt a 0.8-metre higher sea level to combat beach erosion and storm surge problems.
The state government cannot say how many of the 41 coastal councils in Queensland have formally adopted the higher sea level, despite two departments being given four days to answer.
However, funds from the $12 million set aside by the state government has now gone to 21 of the 41 oceanside councils to develop plans.
Gold Coast City Council last week formally adopted the higher sea level when they updated their Gold Coast City Plan last week, as part of Queensland’s Climate Adaption Strategy.
Fairfax Media believes Cairns and Townsville councils have adopted the 0.8-metre higher sea level but it remains unclear if Moreton Bay Regional Council has accepted the higher sea level.
Gold Coast City Council last week formally adopted the higher sea level when they updated their Gold Coast City Plan last week, as part of Queensland’s Climate Adaption Strategy.
Maps produced by Geoscience Australia for the Australian government show localised flooding in three scenarios: a 50-centimetre sea level rise, an 80-centimetre rise and a 1.1-metre rise.
The Geoscience maps show a considerable flood impact on the Gold Coast’s northern suburbs and in the canal estates…….
Earlier this year Local Government Association president Mark Jamieson said more than 30 Queensland councils would be gradually affected by rising sea levels.
“More than half of Queensland’s 77 councils will be exposed to coastal hazards in the future,” Cr Jamieson said.
“It’s vital that local governments work together to assess risks and identify practical solutions that will help coastal communities prepare for serious issues such as storm tide flooding, coastal erosion and sea level rise.”
On Sunday evening, a Local Government Department spokeswoman said the department had provided funding to 20 of the 41 Queensland councils to begin planning how to cope with higher sea levels……http://www.smh.com.au/queensland/slow-progress-on-12-million-climate-change-beach-erosion-projects-20171008-p4ywcm.html
Australian and international scientists’ desperate race to save the great Barrier Reef
-
Scientists have become angry! #ClimateChange #Coral #StopAdani
The amazing biological fixes that could help save the Great Barrier Reef October John Pratt 3 Oct 2017
In just the past two years, up to half the coral on the Great Barrier Reef has died.
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Can We Save the Reef? #Catalyst #Science #StopAdani #ClimateChange
Off Australia’s northeast coast lies a wonder of the world; a living structure so big it can be seen from space, more intricate and complex than any city, and so diverse it hosts a third of all fish species in Australia. John Pratt 3 Oct 17
The Great Barrier Reef as we know it — 8,000 years old and home to thousands of marine species — is dying in our lifetime.
Can We Save the Reef?The epic story of Australian and international scientists who are racing to understand our greatest natural wonder, and employing bold new science to save it. VisitJohn
Queensland council saves $1.9m in grid costs from single Tesla Powerpack
A Queensland local government council has installed what is believed to be Australia’s first off-grid solar and battery storage system to use a Tesla Powerpack, to maintain local drinking water quality around the clock.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/queensland-council-saves-1-9m-grid-costs-single-tesla-powerpack-90623/
Market Forces list COMPANIES THAT COULD MAKE OR BREAK THE ADANI CARMICHAEL COAL PROJECT
THE ADANI LIST: COMPANIES THAT COULD MAKE OR BREAK THE CARMICHAEL COAL PROJECT Adani’s plans to dig up hundreds of millions of tonnes of dirty Galilee Basin coal are gargantuan, requiring input from a range of project partners. And every company that helps this nightmare become a reality would be partly responsible for the environmental and climate devastation the Carmichael project stands to inflict.
High risk companies, which have known links with Adani or the Carmichael project, are featured below [on original] . Hover over or tap on the company logos to learn how each is connected, [on original] and click to take action. Further down the page [on original] is a more comprehensive list of companies that may be involved, broken down by sector……….http://www.marketforces.org.au/info/key-issues/theadanilist/
Who We Are
‘Market Forcesbelieves that the banks, superannuation funds and governments
that have custody of our money should use it to protect not damage our environment.
‘Our work exposes the institutions that are financing environmentally destructive projects
and help Australians hold these institutions accountable.
‘We work with the community to prevent investment in projects
that would harm the environment and drive global warming.’
www.marketforces.org.au/about-us/
How We Work
‘Market Forces is proud to be an affiliate project of Friends of the Earth Australia
and a member of the BankTrack international network,
connecting us with passionate campaigners, environmental issue experts
and advocates of environmentally sustainable behaviour from the finance sector.’
Our Vision
‘Our vision is a future where institutions invest with a high degree of respect for the environment,
utilising our money to deliver solutions to major environmental issues, and
where the community holds to account the custodians of their money
to ensure it is used to benefit the environment.’
Adani Carmichael coal mine: Former Indian minister sounds alarm on Adani’s track record, mega-mine’s viability
~ Four Corners www.abc.net.au/4corners/ By Stephen Long, Wayne Harley and Mary Fallon www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-02/former-minister-sounds-alarm-on-adanis-track-record-in-india/9005596
‘India’s former environment minister Jairam Ramesh is “absolutely appalled”
by the Australian Government’s approval of the Adani Group’s massive coal mine in North Queensland,
which he says will threaten the survival of the Great Barrier Reef, “a common heritage of mankind”.
‘Mr Ramesh, an elder statesman of India’s opposition Congress Party,
also said the Federal Government and Queensland Government have failed to do adequate due diligence
on Adani Group’s environmental and financial conduct in India before granting environmental approvals and mining licenses. …
‘”You’re giving a tax break to a project that is actually going to have adverse environmental consequences, which will have multiplying effects on weather patterns in the region, across the world. I find it bizarre,” he said. …
Adani coal ‘will be too expensive for Indian market’
‘Australian politicians have argued India needs the coal from Adani’s Carmichael mine
in North Queensland to lift millions of India’s poor out of “energy poverty”.
‘But another respected Indian observer, the former head of India’s Ministry of Power, E.A.S Sarma, dismissed that as false and misguided. …
‘”We cannot afford that, it is so expensive. My assessment is it will not be possible for the Indian market
to absorb Adani coal.” … ‘
Great Barrier Reef: Queensland Labor may break election vow and allow coal ship loading
Labor vowed to ban ‘trans-shipping’ in reef waters after UN’s scientific body raised concerns about proposal in 2014, Guardian, Joshua Robertson, 23 Sept 17, The Queensland Labor government has flagged breaking a 2015 election promise by allowing the loading of coal ships at sea in the Great Barrier Reef marine park.
Labor vowed to ban so-called “trans-shipping” in reef waters after the United Nations’ peak scientific body raised concerns about a proposal off Hay Point near Mackay in 2014.
But the Palaszczuk government on Friday released a proposal that would allow trans-shipping off Hay Point and three other “priority ports”, including Adani’s Abbot Point…….https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/sep/23/great-barrier-reef-queensland-labor-may-break-election-vow-and-allow-coal-ship-loading
Anti-Adani protesters arrested outside Abbot Point coal terminal near Bowen
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-19/anti-adani-protestors-arrested-bowen/8959752 ABC North Qld
Updated Police say they have arrested 10 protesters who were blockading the road to the Abbot Point coal terminal near Bowen in central Queensland.
About 50 people, including members of anti-Adani group Front Line Action on Coal, held banners and voiced their concerns at plans to develop the Carmichael coal mine facility in the north of the Galilee Basin in central Queensland.
Whitsundays Police inspector Steve O’Connell said it was unfortunate arrests had to be made, but he was happy with the overall peaceful nature of the protest.
Bowen resident of 50 years, Elvyn Smith, attended the protest because she had concerns about the environmental impact of the proposed mine.
“At this time with climate change and the knowledge we have on that, that it is not a good time to be opening a large coal mine,” Ms Smith said.
“With the extreme weather events that have been happening, coal is the thing that is fuelling this.
“I am here for future generations to protect this great place that we have.”
Local councillor Mike Brunker said the protesters did not represent the views of local residents who opposed the protest.
“Finally now we see a bit of light at the end of the tunnel, and now we come and see this sort of rubbish. People are sick of it,” Cr Brunker said.
Security ramped up at water reservoir
Whitsundays Mayor Andrew Wilcox said the council was taking extra measures to protect the Bowen water supply after activists hung a banner on the town’s reservoir.
Cr Wilcox said the council was not taking any risks.
“We’re taking extra precautions now. We are just making sure we’re doing more patrols,” Cr Wilcox said.
“At the end of the day it’s already all secured, but we’re just doing that and we’re also putting some cameras around the place.
“And then if we do catch some of these people, we hope that they face the long arm of the law.
Liberal National Party member would consider taxpayer funding for private coal-fired power station.
Coal-fired pledge for Qld
Queensland LNP leader would consider diverting taxpayer funds from renewable energy into a privately built coal-fired power station.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/wed-invest-in-coalfired-plant-says-queensland-lnp-leader/news-story/20cff6c0ad81b8d6a85ef6ecb8d4c212
Anti Adani coal project- action is seriously hotting up in Queensland
Anti-Adani protesters promise week-long action against Queensland mine https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/qld-adani-protesters-promise-week-long-action-20170916-p4yvy9.html 16 September 2017
Australia’s coastal communities already vulnerable to climate change
Flooding proved how vulnerable Coast is to climate change, Sunshine Coast Daily, Bill Hoffman | 26th Aug 2017 THE Sunshine Coast received a taste Monday night of the future normal for low-lying coastal communities everywhere when, in the middle of a drought-like winter, water flooded through storm water outlets and over the top of revetment walls and onto key streets across the region.
The cause wasn’t an intense east coast low, a cyclone or intense rain event normally associated with flooding of low-lying areas across the region. If it had occurred during daylight, particularly at peak hour, Mooloolaba would have been left grid-locked and Bradman Avenue, Maroochydore, reduced to one-lane along the river.
Twin Waters residents would have seen water up into the parks and footpaths along Twin Waters Drive and the river spilling into bushland for more than 100 metres along Nojoor Road.
At Caloundra the vulnerability of Tay and Maloja Avenues at Bulcock Beach would have been fully exposed.
What occurred required no more than a couple of days of strong southerly winds blowing up the NSW and Victorian coasts to set off the Ekman Transport Effect which lifted the Highest Astronomical Tide for the season at Mooloolaba from 2.03metres by additional 0.4 of a metre.
While for many the resulting impact of that degree of sea level rise went largely unnoticed, scientists at the University of the Sunshine Coast and hydrologists took note.
They are in agreement that Monday night’s short-term increase in sea levels afforded a glimpse of the future impact of the best-case 0.8 metre permanent rise now locked in by 2100 because of climate change.
The Ekman Transport Effect refers to the shift leftward that occurs when sustained winds blow in a consistent direction over the ocean moving the top 30m layer of water. The resultant upwelling is most likely to occur along New South Wales, south-east Queensland and the Bonney Coast (South Australia) coastlines.
Professor Tim Smith, director of the University of the Sunshine Coast Sustainability Research Centre, says the region has received a wake-up call in terms of what it needs to prepare for. “We are pretty lucky it was not combined with other things to intensify the situation like a low-pressure system or a high-intensity rainfall event or it would have been a much more devastating outcome,” Prof Smith said.
“We have to think about the design and placement of infrastructure and assets. We can’t continually defend and protect ad finitum. “Alternative adaptation strategies will be needed.”
He says the options are limited. The first is to try to protect assets without changing their location. Professor Smith said the approach was the emphasis of local authorities across Australia who don’t want to change but preferred to protect investments made in calm weather 40 years ago.He said the problem was that the environment was not static and could not be controlled.
The second strategy was to accept there were going to be impacts and to retrofit existing settlement and infrastructure to experience less damage. “You could raise houses to protect from periodic impacts if you were willing to live with them,” Prof Smith said.
The other option was to retreat in the process relocating settlement and assets out of harm’s way. “That’s a taboo subject, he said. “People don’t want to talk about it but eventually we will need to have a serious discussion.”
Hilo in Hawaii, Grantham in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley and Twin Rivers in New Zealand all provide limited examples of communities that have bitten the bullet and shifted their communities out of harm’s way.
“We can’t keep building walls higher and higher,” Prof Smith said. “The longer we leave it the more difficult it will become. The sooner we act the better.” He says the danger of protecting assets is that the protection gives confidence to put more in harm’s way, doubling the risk.
He takes issue with the failure of governments to be explicit about the planning time horizons of capital spending. If it’s 20 years it doesn’t matter. Longer than that may become problematic. What won’t cut it is a piecemeal response to climate change…… https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/how-flooding-provided-a-window-to-the-future/3216185/
1.This month
For international news go to https://nuclear-news.net/
of the week
Wangan and Jagalingou people – Stop Adani destroying our land and culture
South Australia Nuclear Waste Dump Industry Cover Up of Massive Radiation from Fukushima
The Dangerous Case Of Donald Trump’: 27 Psychiatrists Assess | The Last Word | MSNBC
Anderson Cooper Completely Wrecks Trump By Exposing His Lies After Latest Speech
EVENTS
more info at Action Australia
2 December – Adelaide – Don’t Dump on South Australia Rally http://dontdumponsa.net/
WRITE TO YOUR U.N. AMBASSADOR
National Radioactive Waste Management Facility:Nominations sought for Kimba Consultative Committee Details on how to apply are at www.radioactivewaste.gov.au. Media Contact: 0438 619 987
PETITIONS
STOP ADANI DESTROYING OUR LAND AND CULTURE http://wanganjagalingou.com.au/our-fight/
We, the Wangan and Jagalingou people, are the Traditional Owners of the land in Queensland’s Galilee Basin. Corporate conglomerate, Adani, wants to use our ancestral lands for their Carmichael coal mine.
Sign the Petition – No Dump! 
Don’t Nuke the Climate – we want 1000 (yes, thousand!) organisations to sign this petition that wilL be handed over to the UNFCCC during COP23 in Bonn, Germany, November 2017.
