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Environment Victoria News Issue 34 Spring 2020 Communities leading the way PLUS Westernport Bay: Community stopping a new fossil fuel project
Environment Victoria News
Issue 34, Spring 2020
Design Ciara Denham & Cameron Wheatley
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Print Neo
Contributing writers River as
3 Victorian 4
Jono La Nauze, Greg Foyster, Laura climate action in
commodity or
Melville, Taegen Edwards, Nicholas the middle of a
Aberle, Tyler Rotche, Rai Miralles, Victor community?
Komarovsky, Lena Herrera Piekarski, pandemic
Sawsan Alfayadh
Editors Greg Foyster & Alex Merory
(03) 9341 8125
editor@environmentvictoria.org.au Energy 6 7
Subeditor Jenny Lee Efficiency, Hazelwood’s
Membership and supporter enquiries
a winning final chapter
(03) 9341 8100 solution
admin@environmentvictoria.org.au
Media enquiries
(03) 9341 8127
j.lanauze@environmentvictoria.org.au Building 8 Communities 10
Environment Victoria News is an opposition to leading change
Environment Victoria publication.
For more information, visit AGL’s dirty gas in the Latrobe
www.environmentvictoria.org.au terminal Valley
Authorised by J. La Nauze, CEO, Environment
Victoria, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton, VIC 3053
@EnviroVic
facebook.com/environmentvictoria
environment_victoria
Editorial In the Latrobe Valley, generations of This has been a year of challenges,
Jono La Nauze, workers have proudly powered the first with a bushfire disaster and then
state but everyone knows coal’s days a pandemic. The impacts will be with
Chief Executive Officer are numbered. We’re a proud partner us for decades. We can’t undo the
of Communities Leading Change, a damage, but we can make sure that
new alliance making sure the local we rebuild the economy and society
Someone asked me recently what
community, not corporate boardrooms, we need rather than reverting to the
inspires me about Environment
decides the Valley’s future beyond old one. It has been amazing to see the
Victoria’s campaigns. After twenty
coal. Environment Victoria community’s
years in the environment movement,
determination to achieve this.
my answer is the same: people linking Global energy giant Engie demolished
arms to protect their community and the Hazelwood smokestacks earlier The results are already showing. The
the places they love. this year, but that’s just the start of the Victorian government has announced
clean-up. We’re working with Friends it will shift the government to 100%
The people who love Westernport Bay
of Latrobe Water to make sure Engie renewable power, including all schools,
are in the thick of one such fight. AGL,
rehabilitates the old mine without hospitals and Melbourne’s train
Australia’s biggest polluter, wants to
draining local rivers. We’re also keeping network. Throughout this dark year,
construct a hulking gas import terminal
an eye on AGL and Energy Australia, the power of people and the spirit of
in the middle of an internationally
who will do everything they can to community have shone brightly. It is a
recognised wetland. They famously
avoid paying for a proper clean-up comfort and an inspiration to be here
asked the local community to “take one
when their mines close. with you all.
for the team”, but the community has
refused. In most of regional Victoria the latest
drought has broken, but the next
In August we broke the record for the
one is never far away. Communities
number of people participating in an
that depend on healthy rivers are
Environmental Effects Statement
suffering because of the short-term
process, with over 10,000 unique
thinking of Australia’s powerful
submissions. In coming months,
irrigation lobby. We’re changing that by
our team of lawyers, experts and
building a network of rural leaders who
passionate locals will put AGL on trial,
understand there are no jobs on a dead
and I’m confident we will win.
river.
2 ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA NEWS | ISSUE 34 | SPRING 2020 | environmentvictoria.org.au
River as commodity
or community?
The supply side is dictated by climate The core problem is how we value
Tyler Rotche, change. Water flows into the Murray water. Today, every thousand litres in
Healthy Rivers over the past twenty years are nearly every valley has a price tag, and new
Campaigner 50 percent lower than the twentieth- frontiers have opened for speculators
century average. Meanwhile, on the to grab the value of the water flowing
demand side, big irrigation industries by.
– enabled by free-market reforms – are
Irrigation rights used to be tied using more water.
Our rivers need a new approach.
to ownership of land, but in Communities who rely on healthy rivers
The Murray-Darling Basin Plan need to have a stronger say in how we
the past 30 years these rights was meant to bring irrigation to a manage them. So, in partnership with
have been “unbundled”. Water sustainable level while compensating our state conservation colleagues,
from one farm can now be farmers by buying back irrigation we’re developing a new long-term
entitlements. But in early September, strategy to support local leaders to
sent elsewhere, temporarily build the power we need to protect the
federal Water Minister Keith Pitt
or permanently. It became a announced the Morrison government Murray-Darling.
commodity that people could would take water buybacks off the Over the next few months, we’ll bring
trade, even if they didn’t live in table. people together to tell the story of
the Murray-Darling Basin. At the same time, Victorian Water water in their communities – a story
Minister Lisa Neville is pushing offset about how our communities depend on
Recently the price of water has projects that theoretically support fish rivers, and how we are responsible for
skyrocketed, and there have been and frogs while using less water. Rather the changing landscapes that sustain
allegations of speculation and secret than connecting river channels with life.
deals. When the Australian Competition floodplains, water would be pumped
and Consumer Commission stepped in into isolated wetlands. In a warped kind
to investigate, it found that the market of accounting, damage in one location
had outgrown its system of regulation. The river storytellers program
could be traded off against benefits to
At the same time, shifts in supply and begins on Wednesday 28 October.
wildlife somewhere else.
demand had led to high water prices. It will include training on pitching
stories to the media, writing opinion
pieces and using social media and
video.
If you live in the Murray-Darling
Basin, join us. At the end of the
program, you’ll have published
an opinion piece, media story or
social media video you’re proud of
– alongside a new network of river
storytellers in your area. Sign up at
envict.org/rivers-stories-2020
Our opinion pieces on the
Murray-Darling Basin plan and
how we can restore the Murray
to health were published in 150
regional papers across the
country.
ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA NEWS | ISSUE 34 | SPRING 2020 | environmentvictoria.org.au 3
Victorian climate
action in the middle
of a pandemic
Image credit: Doug Gimesy
Bushfire survivors were fronting up to We understand the Covid-19 crisis
Taegen Edwards, the Victorian parliament and featuring has consumed a lot of the state
in full-page newspaper ads calling government’s attention. And we are
Senior Campaigner for new state emissions targets in heartened to see they are listening to
line with giving us some chance of expert advice to guide their response.
limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees
and limiting the impact of summers to But we can’t afford to let one crisis
Leading institutions around overwhelm our response to another.
come.
the world are calling for Voices around the world are pointing
governments to make climate But the dramatic spread of coronavirus out that we don’t have to. We can
from mid-March brought a new tackle the need to support people,
solutions central to pandemic reason to worry. Leaders were swept businesses, jobs and livelihoods
recovery efforts. Although up in responding to the crisis, and it through the pandemic while tackling
the Andrews government has wasn’t until July that the Victorian the climate crisis. We can do this with
government confirmed it had missed jobs-rich decarbonisation programs to
deferred crucial climate policy its own deadline from the Victorian speed up the transition to renewable
decisions, it has taken some Climate Change Act to set 2030 energy, electrified industry and
positive steps, including a big targets. transport, sustainable agriculture and
so on.
boost to renewable energy. We have also seen delays to the
Environmental Protection Authority’s Together we’ve made sure the
The coming months will reveal review of the licences for Victoria’s Victorian government receives this
more about whether state three remaining brown coal power message. We’ve pulled together
policies will deliver the climate stations: Yallourn, Loy Yang A and Loy policy papers full of great ideas for
Yang B. The review, which started how Victoria can build back better.
action we urgently need. way back in 2017, could provide a Thousands of you called and sent
Just as the Coronavirus pandemic hit framework to limit emissions from personal messages to your MPs and
Victoria in March, Premier Andrews and these giant polluters and tighten key decision-makers over months,
his cabinet were due to make Victoria’s controls over the toxic cocktail of calling for jobs-rich climate solutions
biggest decision on climate action for a chemicals and particulate matter being to drive the Victorian government’s
decade, setting targets for the state’s pumped into the air and water of the pandemic response.
emissions reductions to 2030. Latrobe Valley.
For months they’d been hearing There have been backwards steps too.
calls for strong state climate action Between March and July, the Andrews
from thousands of community government lifted the ban on onshore
members, hundreds of businesses and conventional gas exploration (not
organisations, and leading voices from fracking) and gave the green light to
across business, union, investor and gas exploration off Victoria’s coast.
community groups.
The smell of smoke was still in the
air, and many Victorians had fresh
memories of a summer from hell.
4 ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA NEWS | ISSUE 34 | SPRING 2020 | environmentvictoria.org.au
9/27/2020 Environment Victoria | Build Back Better community survey
Minister for Climate Change,
Lily D’Ambrosio tweeted that
Hello! renewable energy would be
“at the heart of our Covid-19
recovery”.
My name is Jane and I live in Bendigo.
I've lived in the area for 20 years.
I hope you and your loved ones are safe and well during this time. I’m reaching out
because while the pandemic is ongoing, conversations are turning to our shared
recovery, and I want Bendigo to have our say.
I’m part of a community project run by Environment Victoria, a not-for-profit, and we
are surveying neighbourhoods across Victoria about how we can build back to a fairer
and more sustainable society.
I’m sure you’ve seen that federal, state and local governments are working to revitalise
our economy and communities, so now is a great opportunity to have conversations
about what kind of society we want.
This survey will ask your opinion on ideas like creating jobs by looking after our local
green spaces and restoring nature, reducing energy bills for households through energy
efficiency and clean energy, and helping communities impacted by the summer
bushfires.
The survey is online to maintain physical distancing and it should take about 5 minutes
Thousands of you took part in online
of your time.
surveys about how Victoria can build
Do you want to have your say?
back better. These personalised flyers
were produced for surveying local
envict.org/community-survey
neighbourhoods.
Fill in your details at the end of the survey and I’ll invite you to an online community
meeting. Otherwise you can do the survey anonymously.
Thanks!
https://environmentvictoria.org.au/bbb-community-survey-print/?volname=Jane&volsub=Bendigo&intro=I%27ve lived in the area for 20 years. 1/2
In September the Andrews
government announced 600
megawatts of new clean energy
projects – that means every
hospital and school in the state as
well as Melbourne’s train network
and much more will all be powered
by clean wind and solar.
A renewables-led
recovery for Victoria?
Your efforts have had a big impact. In There is much more to be done, and
September, the Minister for Climate we’ll keep pushing for jobs-rich climate
Change, Lily D’Ambrosio, announced solutions to ensure Victoria’s response
the government was calling for 600 to the immediate crisis also helps us THANK YOU!
megawatts of new renewable energy deal with longer-term challenges and
projects - our schools, hospitals, future climate-fuelled disasters. Thank you to everyone who
metro trains and other government called on the government to put
operations will be all powered Ultimately, the test for the Victorian climate solutions at the centre
with renewable energy. She said, government is to follow expert advice. of Victoria’s economic recovery.
“Renewables will be at the heart of our In the pandemic, this has been the Thousands of you made calls, wrote
Covid recovery.” advice of epidemiologists. With the personal messages to your MPs and
climate crisis, it’s advice from climate donated to our “Build Back Better”
This is a fantastic sign. It’s another step scientists. When a decision on state campaign. Many more of you have
in the shift to clean energy that many climate targets is made – and it’s now been working with us and other
Victorians have worked towards for expected before the end of 2020 – it groups for years to promote clean
years. Thanks to everyone who took must drive action consistent with what energy.
action to help make this happen. climate scientists say will give us the Together we can build back better
best chance to avert catastrophic to create a fairer, more sustainable
It’s also a welcome contrast to the global heating. Victoria.
federal government’s disastrous
promotion of gas, which makes little Like all of you, we’ll be watching closely
sense for jobs and electricity prices, let and keeping the pressure up to get the
alone our climate. strongest climate policies we can from
the Victorian government in coming
months.
ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA NEWS | ISSUE 34 | SPRING 2020 | environmentvictoria.org.au 5
Energy efficiency,
a winning solution
Homes in Victoria have poor energy
performance, on average rating 1.8 stars
Nicholas Aberle, efficiency upgrades make for the homes/year), creating 430,000 jobs.
Campaigns perfect economic stimulus from the
COVID pandemic – in both urban and In terms of job creation, this is by far
Manager rural areas. the most significant stimulus measure
proposed, followed by the construction
Upgrading homes to use less energy of renewable energy projects.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic helps people save money on their
hit, an unprecedented energy bills which then allows them State and federal governments must
urgently commit to a transformative
consensus amongst non- to spend this money in other parts of
home energy efficiency retrofit
the economy, especially if they’ve lost
traditional allies has emerged income during the economic downturn. packages which would create much-
on the importance of making needed jobs and stimulate local
Research is now emerging industries, as well as make our homes
our homes and businesses demonstrating that home energy more comfortable, efficient and
more energy efficient. efficiency upgrades are one of the best sustainable.
Until recently, energy efficiency was ways governments can spend their
money to create jobs and kick-start A version of this article appeared as an
often relatively neglected by policy opinion piece in the Canberra times. As
makers who tended to focus on its our economy.
this Environment Victoria News goes
more glamorous cousin, renewable Beyond Zero Emissions’ recent to print, we are waiting to see if the
energy. report, the One Million Jobs Plan, Victorian government will announce
While the construction of new maps out a comprehensive home energy efficiency measures in the
renewable energy is vital to shift from energy efficiency program as by far state budget.
fossil fuels, ignoring energy efficiency the most effective and jobs-rich
will make our transition to net zero stimulus measure state and federal
emissions more costly and wasteful. governments could undertake to
steer us towards economic and
If we don’t reduce demand for energy environmental recovery. THANK YOU!
through efficiency, we could end up
The report proposes a five-year plan In recent months, with your help,
building new energy supply facilities
to provide deep energy efficiency we’ve surveyed real estate agents to
we don’t need. We need to address
retrofits to 2.5 million homes across highlight the utter lack of information
both at the same time. Home energy
Australia over five years (500,000 about the efficiency performance of
“
houses up for sale and rent.
If you’re looking for consensus - broad-based The resulting report gained media
coverage and helped push for energy
support for something - I’ve not seen anything efficiency disclosures at point of sale.
like what we’re seeing in terms of support for And in September we ran home energy
investment in energy efficiency. efficiency webinars attended by more
than 500 people to engage more
Cassandra Goldie, CEO of the Australian Council of Social Services Victorians in this important issue.
6 ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA NEWS | ISSUE 34 | SPRING 2020 | environmentvictoria.org.au
Hazelwood’s smoke stacks were
demolished in May this year.
Hazelwood’s final chapter
calling on the French president by filling it with up to 740 billion litres
Greg Foyster, to retire Hazelwood. The French of water, raising further questions.
Media and Content government was majority shareholder How long would it take to fill? Is that
in Hazelwood’s owner Engie, so they a responsible use of the Latrobe
Manager had a big say in its future. Thousands Valley’s precious water resources,
of Victorians signed the postcards, especially in drought? Would the ‘lake’
Winter 2020 marked the but the team needed to get them to be swimmable, or poisonous? How
France. stable are the mine’s walls, and would
final chapter for Hazelwood, a collapse cause a mini-tsunami into
Enter Jean-Baptiste Renaud, a
previously the oldest and leading French TV journalist. He
Morwell?
dirtiest power station in came to Australia to film a story about Recently Gippsland residents have
Australia. In May the owner Hazelwood, interviewed Environment formed a coalition called Friends
was fined nearly $2 million in Victoria Campaigns Manager Nicholas of Latrobe Water (FLoW), calling
Aberle, and took a bag of postcards for greater scrutiny of this “pit lake
the Victorian Supreme Court home with him. The postcards were solution” and raising concerns about
over the 2014 Hazelwood mine then handed over to the French the clean-up of the site. So while
fire, and a few weeks later Climate and Energy Minister Ségolène one chapter has closed, the story of
Royal on national television. Hazelwood’s impact is far from over.
the iconic smokestacks were
demolished. Doig writes:
Now a new book on the topic – As Royal started reading a postcard,
previously suppressed due to the court her smile froze. She kept reading,
case – has been released. nodding grimly. Royal had just been
pranked, on French national television.
In intimate and eye-opening detail, She told Lucet that she had spoken
Tom Doig’s Hazelwood spells out the to Engie about Hazelwood before the
decades of poor decisions, negligence show.
and lack of maintenance that led to
this environmental disaster. Members ‘I don’t want to pre-empt a closure,’ Royal
of the local community emerge as said, ‘but I think Engie will disengage from
heroes, telling harrowing stories of that process [of operating Hazelwood]…
the health impacts and becoming Engie made that commitment to me. So
politically active to hold the company I’m announcing it now.’
and government to account. The following day the CEO of Engie
The book also reveals the role told a French Senate committee they
Environment Victoria played in the were “studying all possible scenarios,
closure. including closure”. This was news to
everyone in the Latrobe Valley, writes
On 5 August 2015, just three months Doig.
before the Paris climate summit,
the Environment Victoria team In the epilogue, the book mentions the
brainstormed a ‘postcard petition’ plan to rehabilitate Hazelwood mine
READ THE BOOK!
Pick it up from your local
bookstore or visit envict.org/
HazelwoodBook
ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA NEWS | ISSUE 34 | SPRING 2020 | environmentvictoria.org.au 7
Image credit: Lisa Schonberg
Building opposition to
AGL’s dirty gas terminal
Though we couldn’t gather in person, the deadline ticked over, we had
supporters across the Bay made signs mobilised more than 10,000 people
opposing the project for their front to make submissions against AGL’s
yards and community spaces. We also proposal. This is five times the previous
created and shared art on social media record for community opposition in a
Victor Komarovsky, to make it clear AGL doesn’t have a Victorian government environmental
Community Organizer, and social licence to proceed with this assessment process.
project.
Rai Miralles, Campaigner Why we don’t need more polluting gas
10,000 submissions against AGL’s gas
terminal Gas is a polluting fossil fuel. Instead
of allowing energy giants to lock in
Even in lockdown, communities In July, AGL took the next step, new supplies of gas, Victoria should
have come together to stop submitting 11,000 pages of technical be phasing out our use of gas. Over
AGL’s proposed gas terminal in reports, which formed the company’s the past year we’ve been pointing out
beautiful Westernport Bay. Environment Effects Statement. We to the Victorian government that we
built alliances with environmental can use electrification and energy
Hundreds rallied online and we helped and community organisations around efficiency to eliminate the need to
10,000 people to make submissions Westernport Bay, who collaborated to pursue new sources of gas.
to the Victorian government’s review, critique and respond to these
environmental assessment of AGL’s documents. We commissioned energy efficiency
dirty project. experts Northmore Gordon to
To help the volunteers deal with this produce an influential report on how
Holding AGL to account complex technical information, we the Victorian government can plan a
ran a series of submission-writing transition away from gas. We organised
Through local organising and workshops attended by hundreds of briefings to share the report’s findings
coordinated work on social media people. We also built a submission tool with state bureaucrats, local council
we supported the Westernport Bay that automatically turned people’s staff, energy industry people, and allies
community to demonstrate that responses to an eight-question survey from environment groups.
AGL does not have a social licence into a full, unique submission. When
to build a gas import terminal in an
internationally recognised wetland
sanctuary.
Save Westernport, our campaign
partners, ran market stalls nearly
every weekend last summer to inform
local people and visitors about AGL’s
polluting plans. More than 5000 people
pledged to boycott AGL if it perseveres
with the project. We held our first ever
virtual AGL Day of Action, which was
attended by hundreds of people. We
supported thousands of community
members to hold AGL to account on
social media, made phone and email
complaints, and helped the energy
giant’s customers to switch to more
ethical energy providers. We contacted
AGL staff to complete a survey about
their views on the project and apply
internal pressure on AGL to abandon it.
Hundreds of people joined online rallies against AGL’s gas import terminal.
8 ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA NEWS | ISSUE 34 | SPRING 2020 | environmentvictoria.org.au
More than 10,000 Victorians created
submissions against AGL’s dirty gas
plan.
Yard signs have been popping up near Westernport Bay in a colourful
demonstration of community opposition.
While some commentators continue one of our best opportunities to expose
to view gas through a supply-only the true impacts of AGL’s dangerous
lens, our efforts have started to shift gas plan on Westernport’s precious
the debate by showing that reducing wetlands. THANK YOU!
demand is a cleaner and smarter Thank you to everyone who has
solution than finding new gas supplies. Our team of experts have found
that AGL’s Environment Effects donated, volunteered and taken
The fight isn’t over Statement downplays the project’s action to stop AGL’s polluting gas
impact, using inadequate preliminary terminal! And an extra special
Thanks to everyone who’s helped us studies, far-fetched comparisons, thanks to the local groups like Save
get this far by making submissions, and plain omission of risks – some Westernport fighting to stop this
rallying online and donating the of them catastrophic. Together with polluting fossil fuel project on their
resources that make this work our allies Save Westernport, the doorstep.
possible. It’s amazing to see how many Victorian National Parks Association,
people love Westernport Bay and will We’re getting down to the wire,
Environmental Justice Australia and but together, we can make sure
stand up to protect this unique wetland volunteers from across Victoria, we
sanctuary. Westernport Bay remains a sanctuary
will fight tooth and nail to ensure AGL for the wildlife and the people who live
But the fight is far from over. It’s critical is subject to one of the most rigorous near or visit this special place, now
we keep up the momentum you’ve environmental impact assessments on and into the future.
helped build. record.
The upcoming public hearings are our
next opportunity to stop AGL before it
brings in the heavy machinery. This is
Our report demonstrating Victoria can
meet its gas needs through reducing
demand for gas is changing the
conversation.
ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA NEWS | ISSUE 34 | SPRING 2020 | environmentvictoria.org.au 9
A safe climate
Communities leading change
to reducing carbon emissions. Even a
relatively small average temperature
increase could have devastating
impacts. And so, I found myself
wrestling with the conflicting notions
of worrying about current and future
jobs while not being able to escape
that there was no point worrying about
having a job if the planet dies because
we didn’t reduce our carbon footprint
in time. So what to do. . . . ?
I started to wonder about the
opportunities for the Latrobe Valley
that could come with a planned energy
transition. Investing in renewable
energy and low emissions projects
could create more jobs than a
business-as-usual scenario. Locally I
became aware of organisations such
Coal power station worker Steve Murcott. Image credit: Esther Lloyd as the Latrobe Valley Community
Power Hub, farmers doing great
work reducing emissions and other
Coal power station worker Latrobe Valley. After we were married commercial businesses uptaking
and our attention turned to raising
Steve Murcott is part of a a family, we decided to settle in the
renewables and other smart
conversation about building innovations.
Valley to be close to her family. The
a vision for the future of the Latrobe Valley also promised good Globally I could see that the world was
work for a young engineer due to changing, and I worried that if we didn’t
Latrobe Valley. take a proactive role in the energy
the presence of large industry. After
I grew up in a quiet region of South several years working as a design transition, then new infrastructure
Gippsland with clear skies and engineer, I took up an opportunity for and opportunities would be built
clean, fresh water. My days between a secondment at the Loy Yang B Power elsewhere. And the Latrobe Valley will
schooling were spent going from one Station. suffer as a result. I looked for a path
farm job to the next and playing with forward, and I found Communities
farm and native animals as pets. I grew The workers at the power station were Leading Change.
to be very connected to the natural intelligent and friendly members of the
local community, and I really enjoyed The program equipped me with a
world and the land around me.
getting to know them. In 2016, I took suite of leadership tools and skills to
At times the environment could be up a secondment to the Hazelwood facilitate conversations on transition
harsh. I remember living through Power Station as a project manager. and climate change. I made many
severe drought on the farm, which However, in November that same year, friends and network connections
meant limited showers and baths as Hazelwood announced its closure, and that I never expected. I hope to use
the preservation of water was required I found myself locked out of the job these skills I developed to break down
for survival. I remember being envious market for some time. the taboo and awkwardness around
visiting my friends who lived in built- conversations relating to the changes
up regional centres and were allowed The closure of Hazelwood was a our world is undergoing. Despite the
to have deep baths at the end of the wakeup call for me. I began to connect great work many people are doing,
day - although I was also somewhat the dots between the closure dates for there is no coordinated plan of action
perplexed as to why they would want to the remaining power stations, the Paris for a ‘just energy transition’ for the
waste so much water! agreement, and Victorian Government Latrobe Valley.
policy on renewables. It hit me that the
The practical mindset that growing power industry currently underpins Yet I think one of the superpowers
up on a farm provides, combined the Latrobe Valley economy, and I country-folk have is their ability to
with a desire to make better farm worried that the closure of the industry come together in times of challenge.
machinery, led me to study mechanical would have a devastating impact on We are facing huge challenges and
engineering. During this time, it was the Valley. It worried me that I would changes, but I believe we can come
necessary to live in the city, but I see businesses close, house prices together to develop an action plan for
couldn’t wait to escape back to the plummet, and the jobs for us and our our energy transition.
countryside once my studies were kids disappear entirely.
This excerpt was first published in
completed.
At the same time, I understood why Gippslandia. Find more local profiles at
My wife was born and bred in the the world was and is still committed Gippslandia.com
10 ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA NEWS | ISSUE 34 | SPRING 2020 | environmentvictoria.org.auin the Latrobe Valley
Laura Melville, filled their pits with water after they A vision for the Valley’s future
closed, we’d be talking about 3000GL, beyond coal
Latrobe Valley roughly six times the volume of Sydney
Organiser Harbour. There are also concerns about Communities Leading Change is
how taking water from the Latrobe another organisation providing
River could affect cultural sites, opportunities for Valley communities
downstream users, the environment to discuss what the future looks like as
It’s vitally important to our we adapt to a changing climate and a
and the Ramsar-listed Gippsland Lakes.
climate that coal power future beyond coal.
stations close as soon During their brief existence, FLoW has
already built local coalitions to shift the CLC will host a free webinar on
as possible, but it’s also narrative about freshwater being used Sunday 18 October for people across
important how that happens. for mine rehabilitation, and has pushed Gippsland. Guest speakers include
the EPA to launch an investigation into Jen Natoli from E tū, New Zealand’s
We’re building relationships across the largest private sector union, which has
groundwater contamination from coal
Latrobe Valley to foster a fast and fair been involved in transition planning
ash at Hazelwood.
transition. Here are two groups who are for Taranaki, a region previously
building a vision for a future beyond Fortunately, the Latrobe Valley dependent on offshore oil and gas, and
coal and ensuring that the mines are Regional Rehabilitation Strategy Dan Coleman from Hunter Renewal,
rehabilitated to benefit health, the released in July reconfirmed that fresh a project bringing together local
community and local environment. water from the Latrobe River system is people, businesses and organisations
not the best option, and mine operators to envision a diverse, resilient and
Making sure coal companies clean have been asked to come up with thriving future for the Hunter Valley.
up their mess alternatives.
If you live in the Latrobe Valley
As the Latrobe Valley transitions
or Gippsland please join us!
away from coal, what happens to the
Eventbrite link via tinyurl.com/
mines as the power stations close has
OurVoicesOurFutureEvent
become a focus of the companies,
community and state government.
Friends of Latrobe Water (FLoW) was
launched in April this year and grew
out of community concerns about the
potential impact of mine rehabilitation
on water sources including the Latrobe
River and Gippsland Lakes. FLoW
argues that rehabilitated mines need
to leave a positive legacy in the Latrobe Friends of Latrobe
Valley and for Victoria more broadly. Water have successfully
Ensuring the best outcome is crucial to publicised the issues of
ensuring a just transition for our region. mine rehabilitation and
To date, there has a been a lot of talk water use.
about filling the pits with water and
turning them into lakes. But water in a
drying climate is a precious resource.
If all three Latrobe Valley mines
ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA NEWS | ISSUE 34 | SPRING 2020 | environmentvictoria.org.au 11SAFE
CLIMATE
Stopping Victoria’s
ecosystem decline
better or worse. The chart below Where people saw it getting worse,
Nicholas Aberle, paints a grim picture of observable they mostly identified reduced
Campaigns deterioration. water flows in rivers, new industrial
Manager developments, vegetation
Those who felt that the
removal, encroaching urbanisation
condition was improving, mostly
and logging.
Our supporter-driven identified the following reasons:
assessment provides a community-led revegetation, Many of you agreed we need
clean-ups or removing invasive a range of solutions: better
valuable contribution to an species; reduction in local legal protection, more funding
important inquiry. industrial activity; upgrades to for revegetation programs,
Report after report reminds us facilities to improve amenity invasive species management,
Victoria’s ecosystems are in and/or accessibility; and good stop inappropriate industrial
decline. The government’s 2018 maintenance by Parks Victoria developments, greater
State of the Environment report rangers. involvement of Traditional
was the latest in this sequence. A Owners in land management, and
new parliamentary inquiry, called
by the Victorian Greens, is looking
into what can be done to reverse
this trend.
To inform our submission, we
surveyed you, our supporters,
on how you think Victoria’s
natural environment is changing
and what should be done about
it. We received an incredible
1400 responses, enabling us to
provide the Inquiry with a state-
wide snapshot of concerns and
solutions.
We asked you to think about a
particular part of our natural
environment and tell us whether
you think its condition is getting
12 ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA NEWS | ISSUE 34 | SPRING 2020 | environmentvictoria.org.auImage credit: Doug Gimesy
climate adaptation plans. Parks “Our wilderness and natural areas are precious and
Victoria and the Department of
Environment, Land, Water and once they are destroyed there is a cascading effect on
Planning were seen to need more other systems.”
funding and powers.
Inquiry hearings are expected “We need to protect the uniqueness of our stunning
later in 2020 and it is due to land, fauna and flora for future generations.”
report in April 2021. This is an
excellent opportunity to get
commitments from the Andrews “We must immediately stop interfering with any
government to scale up its efforts remaining old growth forests. They must be preserved
in environmental protection and
nature restoration. at all costs.”
Here are a few of the many
statements from the survey we “It would be so wonderful to see our native animals
included in our submission: return to these places where they have disappeared.
We need strong protection for them. Once they are
gone there is no way to get them back.”
“After the catastrophic bushfires, many flora and
fauna species which were threatened are now
endangered. We must do all we can to protect them
and help them recover.”
“Forest protection, management and restoration must
be planned with the legitimate & funded involvement of
Aboriginal custodians.”
ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA NEWS | ISSUE 34 | SPRING 2020 | environmentvictoria.org.au 13Meg Montague
Forever Green:
Planting seeds of hope
Lena Herrera While the impact of the pandemic becoming a more sustainable and just
Piekarski, is devastating for many, Meg has society. Be it by living more sustainably,
witnessed the power of communities taking collective action, getting
Key Relationships banding together and responding involved in your local government
Manager collectively to an emergency. “It’s activities or by leaving a gift in your
time for building a better Victoria, with Will, we all need to focus and support
strong climate action, social justice, the next generation.
We spoke to Meg Montague, healthy rivers and protected old
about how people in growth forest!” She has decided to leave a gift in her
communities give her hope for Will to Environment Victoria, as a seed
Meg is deeply concerned about of hope. “I wanted to make sure the
the future and why she has left climate change. “If we do not act now little I had would go towards the next
a gift to Environment Victoria and cut our dependency on fossil fuel, generation and protect our gorgeous
in her Will. there will be no forest, flora or fauna state.”
to safeguard in the future. I am deeply
Before lockdown Meg was already Dr Meg Montague is a policy, research
distressed at the federal government’s
part of a thriving local neighbourhood and evaluation expert, a passionate
inaction on climate change and false
community, championing sustainable gardener and born community
belief that gas can be a transition fuel.”
living. Over the years they bulk bought organiser. She is on the board of
water tanks, solar panels, did energy But she’s hopeful that communities 3000acres, Foodbank Victoria and
audits and planted native gardens can lead the way on climate change and HANZA, and is a member of her
around the local station and on their a more sustainable Victoria. Her local council’s environment reference
nature strips. Now, during Covid, they council Darebin for example declared a group, several choirs, and has been an
have grown even closer, exchanging climate emergency in 2019. Environment Victoria supporter since
seeds, vegetables, gardening tools and the 1970s. She received the Darebin’s
tips and are looking out for each other. Meg believes we all have a role to play council Sustainable House and Garden
in protecting our environment and award in 2014.
Leaving a future gift to Environment Victoria in your Will is an exceptional legacy for future
Victorians who will inherit this beautiful state from us. It’s a simple change when you next review
your Will. The wording below is a guide for your solicitor or trustee:
“I give to Environment Victoria Inc. (ABN: 84 495 053 605) of Level 2, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton, Vic,
3053 for the purpose of safeguarding Victoria’s environment [the residue [or….%] of the residue of
my estate] or [....% of my estate] or [the sum of $....] or [specified property….] free of all debts, duties
or taxes and declare that the receipt of an authorised officer shall be a sufficient discharge for my
executor(s).”
To find out more, contact our Key Relationships Manager, Lena Herrera Piekarski, on 9341 8108 or
l.herrera@environmentvictoria.org.au
14 ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA NEWS | ISSUE 34 | SPRING 2020 | environmentvictoria.org.auDear Jono, I want to join the team protecting our wetland
sanctuary of Westernport Bay in the next crucial months.
PLEASE MAKE THIS A DONATION BY CREDIT CARD:
(All donations over $2 are tax detuctable)
$50 $100 $250 $1000 Your choice $
Please make this a monthly donation
Please find enclosed Cheque or Money Order (payable to Environment Victoria Inc.)
Or please debit my credit card: Visa Mastercard Amex
Cardholders name: Expiry _ _ /_ _ Signature
Card number
Please send me info about how I can make a gift to Environment Victoria in my Will
Are your personal details correct on your letter? Are you moving soon? Please update your personal information if
neccessary
PERSONAL DETAILS
Title: First name: Last name:
Address:
Suburb: State: Postcode:
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Mobile: Home:
Please complete this form, cut off this page and return it to Reply Paid 12575, A’Beckett Street, Melbourne, VIC 8006 or
visit www.environmentvictoria.org.au and make your donation online. Thank you for your generosity!
Personal information is collected to process donations, issue tax receipts and keep you updated about our work. Please contact us at the address below if you wish to limit the
use of your personal information or stop receiving direct marketing material from Environment Victoria. Our privacy policy is available at environmentvictoria.org.au/privacy
and outlines how you can access or correct your personal information, who we disclose your personal information to (including overseas recipients) and how you can lodge a
complaint .
Please tick if you do NOT want to receive communications from other organisations. Occasionally we allow like-minded organisations to contact you with information that
may be of interest to you, including organisations outside Australia. Those organisations allow us to do the same and this way we can reach more people with vital information.Image credit: Doug Gimesy
Join us at the Environment Victoria
AGM and training workshops
We’re doing our AGM a little differently this year. Do you want to recruit and engage more
volunteers? Have a bigger impact in the media? Run online events during COVID19? Fundraise
with few resources? Or are you simply wondering what the government is up to on climate or
nature, and looking for an insider briefing?
Sign up to attend our online AGM and training workshops. The workshops will be free for
all members and member groups. envict.org/2020-AGM
Who’s who at Environment Victoria
Chief Executive Officer Network Organiser Fundraising Director REGULAR VOLUNTEERS
Jono La Nauze Lavanya Pant Jonathan Storey
Data Support Officer Fundraising Officer Environment Victoria would like
CAMPAIGNS & Chante Bock Heather Bruer to thank our amazing crew of
regular volunteers, who are now too
PROGRAMS Communications Key Relationships numerous to mention.
Managers Manager
Campaign Manager
Alex Merory Lena Herrera Piekarski
Nicholas Aberle
Media and Content Database Officer
Healthy Rivers
Campaigner
Manager Karly Roolker TALK TO US
Greg Foyster Phone: (03) 9341 8100
Tyler Rotche
Communications BOARD Email: admin@environmentvictoria.org.au
Senior Campaigner President
Co-ordinator
Taegen Edwards Emma Humann
Cameron Wheatley
Campaigner PO Box 12575
Digital Campaigner Vice-President A’Beckett Street, Victoria, 8006
Rai Miralles
Sawsan Alfayadh Tim Watts
Sustainable Homes
OPERATIONS Tabatha Fulker www.environmentvictoria.org.au
Project & Policy Officer
James Conlan Finance Manager Elaine Montegriffo
Community Organising Kate Rogers Ralf Thesing
Program Manager Accounts Officer Paul Bailey
Emma Horsburgh Jing Lu Paul Brown
Latrobe Valley Organiser Administration Support
Laura Melville Tim Lo Surdo
Officers
Community Organiser Conor Costello
Angela Nicopoulos
Victor Komarovsky Fiona Ames Marina Lou
Office Manager
Cate HoyleYou can also read
