Residents Call for Another Round of Community Consultation On The Proposed Hunter Offshore Wind Farm

BY OLIVIA DILLON

The Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy says the Federal Government isn't doing enough to keep Hunter and Central Coast residents in the loop about a proposed local wind farm project. 

The almost 3,000 square kilometre Hunter Offshore Wind Zone extends from Port Stephens in the north to Norah Head in the south. 

It's possible turbines could be placed within 10 kilometres of the shore. 

Meeting with members of the Love Norah Head community group this week, Ted O'Brien was told the residents are concerned about the project's potential impacts on the local economy, marine environment, fishing industry and surfers. 

He says, community consultation needs to be properly carried out. 

"They want to be heard they want their questions answered," he said. 

"There was nothing put to me by the community that was unreasonable. No one was out there campaigning against action on climate change or the need for renewable energy sources; they were just going back to basics saying "If you're going to change our way of life, shouldn't we have a say?"

"I'll be making representations to the Minister and the government on their behalf, and we have to remember that it is local, regional communities that are on the frontline of Australia's energy transition, and their voice must be heard and listened to." 

Environmental Protestor Blocks Coal Train Line at Kooragang

BY OLIVIA DILLON 

An environmental activist is protesting in Newcastle this morning, blocking off trains at a vital rail bottleneck. 

The Blockade Australia protestor is suspended from a tri-pod above the trainline, blocking access to the Kooragang Island terminals at the Port of Newcastle. 

Zelda Grimshaw from Blockade Australia, says the organisation believes the entire network of systems Australia has in place to exploit and extract, including, but not limited to, coal, is a problem for the climate. 

"We're hoping to build a resistance movement that will continue to disrupt the destructive machine that is Australia, until we get a system in place that can sustain life," she said. 

Ms. Grimshaw says it's part of a coordinated action, aimed at ending climate destruction. 

"Our young person will be up there as long as she possibly can. She's in a very inaccessible position where she is, so I think it will take them a while to get her down." 

The protest has been reported to Newcastle police, and it's believed they are on the scene. 

Environment Minster to Face Federal Court Over Proposed Mount Pleasant Coal Mine Expansion

BY SHY-ANN ARKINSTALL 

The Environment Council of Central Queensland has announced today they are taking Australia's Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek to the Federal Court for failing to recognise the environmental impacts of proposed expansions to two mining projects.

Expansions were proposed for the Narrabi Underground Mine and the Mount Pleasant mine at Muswellbrook, which the group says would create long term environmental damage and fuel climate change.

MACH Energy plans to expand it's coal extraction rates at the Muswellbrook site to produce up to 21 million tonnes of coal each year, and wants to extend its operations until 2048. 

The move would make it the largest open cut mine in NSW. 

The ECoCQ says the Minister made key legal errors when she refused to accept the climate harm posed by the project. 

If the case is successful, it could mean all new coal and gas projects would need to be properly assessed for their climate risk. 

Image: Newcastle Herald

Greens make final pitch to Hunter voters ahead of election weekend

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Greens have made a last-minute pitch to Hunter voters, just days out from the Federal Election.

It's considered a real possibility the minor party could hold the balance of power from the crossbench, offering confidence and supply to the next Government in the case of a hung parliament.

The party's promising to address local issues including housing affordability, for dental to be included in medicare coverage, climate action, and a 10-year job-for-job guarantee scheme for coal workers through the energy transition.

Senate Candidate David Shoebridge says mining jobs won't stick around, and the major parties need to prepare today.

"It's remarkable that both other major parties seem to think that coal's future will go on indefinitely," Mr Shoebridge said.

"We know that's not true, and we need politics to be honest about this, but also ensure that coal-dependent communities and coal-dependent economies have not just a lifeline, but a prosperous post-coal future."

The party's pushing a six percent wealth tax on billionaires, as well as a crackdown on tax avoidance and subsidies for corporations, to help fund the policies.

Greens Senate Candidate David Shoebridge and Newcastle Candidate Charlotte McCabe.

Hunter farmers call for clearer commitment on net zero targets

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Farmers across the Hunter and Australia are calling on the next Federal Government to offer certainty the country will meet its net zero targets.

It comes as the Coalition faces internal dissent on the issue, with Queensland Senator Matt Canavan insisting the party isn't committed to the 2050 goal.

It's understood, the Nationals senator has been reprimanded by his colleagues.

But Farmers for Climate Action remains concerned, it's a sign of the path to come.

Alistair Tulloch, a fifth-generation grape grower at Tulloch Wines in the Hunter Valley, says the confusion is disappointing.

"On the ground, the effect of climate climate on agriculture is just profound," Mr Tulloch said.

"Our ability to consistently grow the food, or in my case, the grapes that end up as wine on the table, or vegetables in the supermarket, or meat in the butchery.

"These are all things that are becoming more unpredictable."

It's believed a strong climate policy and switch to renewables could create around 30,000 jobs in regional Australia.

Mr Tulloch says a lack of action won't just mean losing current jobs, but losing a way of life.

"We've been here growing grapes for almost 200 years in the Hunter Valley, and we plan to be here for another 200 years," Mr Tulloch said.

"We want to see that reflected in the sustainability of our industry - if there's a threat to that sustainability, then we want to see it addressed."

Newcastle council unveils new truck in electric fleet

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Newcastle council has unveiled the very first truck in its new electric fleet on Tuesday morning.

The medium rigid Hino truck will take the place of a diesel vehicle used by the Parks and Recreation team.

It's estimated to reduce the City of Newcastle's carbon emissions by 20 tonnes a year.

Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen says it's important for the city to lead by example.

"This is a really important step, in terms of the real action that the city is taking to address climate change," Cr Clausen said.

"We're seeing more and more Novocastrians move to electric with their own passenger vehicles."

The move is part of a push to reduce carbon emissions from council vehicles by 100 percent over the next ten years.

Cr Clausen says sustainability is key to future-proofing Newcastle.

"Making available new electric trucks means that we're creating jobs, particularly locally," Cr Clausen said.

"In terms of the skills that are used to service electric vehicles and helping make it that much easier for other organisations, and for the general public, to adopt electric as well."

"This is a really significant win for the city."

Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen and the Parks and Recreation team.

Kurri Kurri gas plant given the green light after email mishap

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The controversial Kurri Kurri gas plant will go ahead, revealed after an email bungle on Monday afternoon.

Key stakeholders found out about the approval when they received an email from the planning portal in error on Monday afternoon.

The Planning Minister has since formally approved the project, ticking off the last hurdle. 

It's likely to be Rob Stokes' last action in the role, after the portfolio changed hands in the Cabinet's latest reshuffle. 

Gas Free Hunter Alliance's Fiona Lee says it's not a shock it's been announced in the days before Christmas.

"We know that the State Government's trying to hide this approval by announcing it when people are just distracted," Ms Lee said.

"They want to slip it under the radar, they know it's a really unpopular project."

Construction of the new plant is set to begin next year.

The Federal Government's pushed the project as a necessary complement to keep electricity supply stable and affordable.

But Ms Lee says it just doesn't add up with the State's net zero emissions targets.

"We'll continue to try and stop the gas plant from moving ahead, at every stage," Ms Lee said.

"We'll be launching a legal case and looking at every other avenue to have this ridiculous waste of public money stopped."

Image credit: infrastructurepipeline.org

Port Stephens Council Commits to Carbon Neutrality by 2025

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Port Stephens Council have made a commitment to become carbon neutral by 2025.

A notice of motion put forward by Mayor Ryan Palmer was endorsed at a council meeting on Tuesday evening.

A new roadmap involving measures to reduce emissions and energy consumption is also expected to be developed in the near future. 

Mayor Palmer says the city isn't immune to climate change.

"If there wasn't climate change, we wouldn't be getting all our calls and emails about roads that have potholes, because we've had more rain, we've got more rain coming, we've got more storms happening in the area," Mayor Palmer said.

"We can play our part here at Port Stephens Council, we do our bit to hopefully stabilize the effects of what is happening across the globe."

A number of initiatives have already been launched to help cut the Council's carbon footprint, including solar panels at libraries, community centres, and public facilities, as well as water-saving irrigation and LED lighting at Ferodale Netball Courts.

Mayor Palmer said the Council still had a a long way to go to hit net zero.

"We need to make sure that we do the right thing, not only for our generation but future generations," Mayor Palmer said.

"But it will come at a cost, so we need to get the staff to go away and to calculate where we are producing carbon, what effect that is having, and how we can actually achieve carbon neutrality."

Solar panels on Port Stephens Council’s Administration Building in Raymond Terrace.

New Data Shows Hunter Submerged By 2100

BY DAKOTA TAIT

New climate models suggest parts of the Hunter could be be hip-deep in the ocean by the end of the century, with rising sea levels putting the region at risk. 

The Coastal Risk Australia modelling, developed in conjunction with FrontierSI and NGIS Australia, is based on the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change's latest data on ice sheet melting. 

Significant areas of Carrington, Wickham, Maryville and Tighes Hill are likely to be washed out if a predicted 84cm rise in global sea levels occurs by 2100.

Lake Macquarie suburbs such as Boolaroo, Blackalls Park and Warners Bay could also be flooded if trends continue.

Modelling a worst case scenario, it's projected that sea levels could rise as much as two metres.

Hunter's Coal Industry Soul-Searching After United Nations Climate Change Report

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Hunter's coal industry has been forced to do some serious soul-searching this week, after the release of a United Nations report calling for the end of fossil fuel usage amidst a "code red for humanity".

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found that billions of people would soon be at risk due to greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and a prospective global temperature increase of 1.5 degrees by 2040.

Despite the findings, the Federal Government have maintained they will continue to support the fossil fuel sector to meet a rising coal demand in coming decades.

Shortland MP and Shadow Minister Assisting for Climate Change Pat Conroy says the report should be a "wake-up call". 

"It's very sober reading, it's depressing quite frankly," Mr Conroy said.

"But the good news is that the report makes it very clear that it's not too late for humans to arrest this global warming, and arrest and avoid the worst impacts of climate change."

"There is still hope, but it needs the world to take a concerted action to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions."

The Opposition has faced its own internal strife about climate change policy, with Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon playing down the country's contributions to global emissions, and Paterson MP Meryl Swanson calling for a measured approach to preserve local jobs.

But Mr Conroy says the lack of action isn't just bad for the environment, but a poor business decision too. 

"We're missing out on these huge economic opportunities of the new industries that are being created to help decarbonise the world," Mr Conroy said.

"We're missing out on electric vehicle manufacturing, battery manufacturing on a significant scale, and all the other industries."

"There's a huge economic opportunity if we take action on climate change, and a huge cost if we don't."

$5-Million Spark For Newcastle Company to Improve Electricity System

BY EL FITCHETT

A Newcastle based company and industry leader in energy management software has secured a $5 million dollar investment which will spark new opportunities for renewable energy use around the globe.

The $5 million dollar boost comes courtesy of South Korean company Q CELLS, which is an industry leader in solar technology.

"We're approaching a time when we will have high levels of solar energy and batteries in the grid, and our software enables them to be coordinated to work smoothly with the electricity system," said SwitchDin CEO, Dr Andrew Mears.

SwitchDin is the first Australian software company in which Q CELLS has ever invested.

"Our investment in SwitchDin reflects our ambition to deliver a total clean energy solution together with a partner that has a proven track record which we believe will bring confidence to our customers," said CEO of Q CELLS, Hee Cheul Kim.

The funding will fast track the development of SwitchDin's technology, as well as opening up more international opportunities for the Newcastle-based company to work on projects between energy utilities and manufacturers.

"We are leading this new digital energy field in Australia. Australia is pretty much the test market for the world for this type of stuff," Dr Andrew Mears said.

"Newcastle's a great place to be building a technology company like ours. It's resource and manufacturing background, the Port of Newcastle, the Defence Hub, we're all part of the same technology eco-system emerging in Newcastle."

Hunter Climate Summit Demands Action

By MEGHAN RICHARDSON

The Hunter's biggest climate meeting was held at the University of Newcastle's Wollotuka Institute on Friday. 

More than one hundred community members met alongside local scientific, policy and activist experts to discuss the effects of climate change and explore possible solutions.

The summit offered a chance for local voices that are not usually represented to be heard, with leaders from community groups like local businesses, First Nations, emergency services, LGBTQIA groups, the media and many more.

Keynote speaker for the event, Greg Mullins, said the focus of the summit was taking local action.

"We're working out what can be done about climate change and not taking 'no' as an answer from our national government."

Mr Mullins, the former NSW Commissioner for Fire and Rescue, said he has firsthand experience with the effect of global warming.

"I've been fighting fires since 1972," said Mr Mullins, who has worked in Newcastle, California, Spain and France.

"Look, worldwide the bush-fire problem is getting worse, but particularly here in Australia. We're getting longer fire seasons, and overlapping fire seasons with other states that's stopping us sharing resources." Mr Mullins noted.

"It's all driven by climate change so we must take action now."

The summit addressed the impacts of climate change on vulnerable people in the Hunter and members discussed a short term plan for climate action moving forward.

Image MJF Productions

Hunter Mine Proposal Linked to Paris Agreement

BY LILLY HAINES

Australia's climate change commitments made under the Paris Agreement could be linked to requirements of a NSW coal mine for the first time, following proposed conditions for the United Wambo mine expansion near Singleton.

The NSW Independent Planning Commission is calling for public comment on expansion conditions of consent for the Wambo Mine, requiring the project to ensure "all practical measures" are taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in countries where its coal is exported.

The commission is proposing the joint venture Glencore/Peabody project prepares an export management plan linking the sale of Hunter coal to countries with policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.

Countries receiving exports include Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

The Paris Agreement was signed by more than 170 countries and calls for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts requiring countries to achieve zero net emissions as soon as possible after 2050.

The agreement has an international goal to hold global warming to "well below 2° C" and to work towards limiting the temperature increase to 1.5 ° C above pre-industrial levels.

The proposed Wambo condition comes after the NSW Land and Environment Court's rejection of the Rocky Hill open-cut mine project in Gloucester Valley last February.

Chief Judge Brian Preston's landmark decision was the first NSW coal mine refusal made considering the unacceptable impact of greenhouse gas emissions and the likely contribution to climate change.

NSW Coordinator for Lock the Gate Alliance Georgina Woods said she welcomed the commission signalling its support for the Paris Agreement as a key framework for the management of new coal mines in NSW.

"This means we are recognising the global context of our industry and making that a part of how mines are considered, approved and managed in NSW," she said.

Ms Woods urges people to make public comment submissions to the commission before August 9.

"There is  a lot of conversation to be had in the Hunter about the role our coal export industry plays in global climate change," said Georgina Woods.

"We need have a conversation about how we can best address [climate change] while also making sure the region is diversifying its economy to provide jobs and prosperity in the long run, while the countries that buy coal from us are transforming their own energy systems to more renewable sources."

Part of the United Wambo mine complex near Singleton. Image: The Newcastle Herald

No Appeal for Rocky Hill Coal Mine

BY ALICE PEART.

Mining company Gloucester Resources have confirmed they will not be appealing the decision by  NSW Land and Environment Court in February this year which rejected the proposal for an open-cut mine in the Gloucester Valley.

The company released a short statement saying the Rocky Hill coal mine will not proceed.

Chief Judge Brian Preston's decision earlier this year became a landmark ruling when he took into consideration the unacceptable impact of greenhouse gas emissions and their likely contribution to climate change. A first for Australia.

Significantly the ruling rejected the argument of 'market substitution' which has been frequently used by mining companies, such as Adani, to counter environmental concerns.

Market substitution argues that if a given company does not mine and sell coal, someone else will.

Preston's ruling however claimed "the market substitution argument is..flawed" particularly in the context of global movement against climate change.

The community group Gloucester Groundswell, who campaigned against the proposed mine for a decade, have received the news with "a big smile" according to their chairperson Julie Lyford.

Their fight however is not yet over with Gloucester Resources stating they will continue to carry out further assessment of its current exploration licences in the area.

Ms Lyford says Groundswell will now petition the NSW Government to get rid of the licenses which were apart of the Rocky Hill proposal and refrain from approving any new coal mines or expansion of coal mines in the Gloucester Valley.