Eve Jeffery
I for one was beginning to think Bob Brown was wasting his time with the Stop Adani convoy. The plan is to leave Hobart for the Galilee Basin tomorrow, April 17.
I (stupidly) assumed, with the weight of science behind it, the argument against the Carmichael mine would see the venture stopped once and for all.
For starters, the name of the area is the clue – it’s the Galilee Basin – it’s a basin, it holds water. It encompasses the headwaters of seven major river basins and includes aquifers that are a part of the Great Artesian Basin. What could be simpler? We are the driest continent. There is precious water in the vicinity. Leave it alone.
Turns out I am a fool – foolish to believe that our leaders care about water. Or people. Or the future.
Two weeks ago the federal government gave permission for a groundwater management plan for the proposed Adani Carmichael coal mine. In effect, they gave the project the go ahead, the green light, the ol’ thumbs upperino. GOOD GOD!
Hands up who thinks this is a great idea? Look around – there aren’t many who think this is even a mildly ok idea, yet here we are, standing on the brink of disaster, not to even mention the nail in the coffin for the Great Barrier Reef – which will suffer under the burden of the coal ships passing through it and will die yet another death when that coal is burned.
In late 2018 and early 2019 CSIRO and Geoscience Australia (GA) wrote two reports for the federal government on specific questions on groundwater monitoring, management and modelling planned by Adani for its Carmichael mine proposal in central Queensland.
The CSIRO identified inadequacies in the plans
Speaking for the CSIRO, executive director for environment, energy and water, Dr Peter Mayfield said this advice was limited to answering discrete inquiries on whether elements of Adani’s proposed plans would be adequate to protect nationally significant environmental assets. Mayfield said the CSIRO identified inadequacies in the plans and were subsequently asked to review Adani’s response to the recommendations they made to address the issues raised, as summarised by the Department of the Environment and Energy. Adani had committed to address the modelling limitations identified by the CSIRO and GA review in a groundwater model re-run to be undertaken within two years.
CSIRO considered that this commitment satisfied its recommendations, while also acknowledging there were still some issues that need to be addressed in future approvals, particularly confirming the source of the ecologically-important Doongmabulla Springs.
Mayfield said the CSIRO has provided robust, peer-reviewed science on specific groundwater modelling-related questions about the plans.
CSIRO also reminds us its role is to provide scientific advice to inform approval processes, but it does not have any role in making approval decisions. One wonders if they approve.
Too bad – if they didn’t, maybe the project would still be gathering dust on a shelf.
Queensland’s environment minister, Leeanne Enoch says that the state government received the CSIRO and Geoscience Australia advice just half an hour before it was made public.
The Saturday Paper reported that the advice arrived in Brisbane by email at 10.51am. An updated version of Adani’s groundwater management plan arrived at 11.08am, the Melissa Price issued her media release, containing a web link to the advice, at 11.18am.
Lucky Adani just happened to be prepared for that.
Australia and Australians will be the ones to suffer
The really crappy part in this is that Australia and Australians will be the ones to suffer, and then Indians once they start choking on fumes from our coal. The federal environment minister Melissa Price will be long gone with a pocket full of money and a huge super fund from her time in parliament by the time the government is called to account for this heinous action. Maybe she just doesn’t like humans. Or the future.
What’s even more crappy is that Price’s announcement was made just a couple of days before ScoMo’s election announcement – then everyone packed up their mistress and lunch box and went home for the holidays while ‘caretakers’ hold the fort.
So, what to do?
Bob’s convoy leaves Tassie tomorrow. From there it will stop in Melbourne, Albury-Wodonga, Sydney and Coffs Harbour before arriving for a rally in Mullumbimby at the Showgrounds at 2pm on Easter Sunday. Meet them along the way, travel with them if your life allows it. The convoy plans to be in the Galilee area the following Sunday before taking another route back to Canberra to protest on May 5.
They don’t care that no one will be home. They will be heard.
For more information on the rally, visit: The Bob Brown Foundation website.
Bob Brown prepares for his Stop Adani convoy from Hobart to the Galilee Basin and he plans to leave Hobart tomorrow, April 17. He should watch out for the bears on the road.
Hi Eve
So WELL PUT!
I had read somewhere (please confirm or deny, if aware of the truth) that India has stockpiles of unused coal just sitting around……
If so, what’s going on?
Then onto BRISBANE.
Come down to join the 600+ person strong #StopAdani convoy as we rally in Queens Gardens and march to Adani’s Headquarters – to let our politicians know we will vote Adani out.
Now is the time to send a clear message that the people of Brisbane want action on climate change and that starts with stopping Adani’s mega coal mine.
WHEN: Monday 22nd of April, 1-2pm
WHERE: Rally at Queens Gardens (corner of George and Elizabeth Streets, Brisbane) and March to Adani Headquarters at 10 Eagle st
WHAT: Hear from Bob Brown, School Striker Sara McKoy, Geoff Cousins and Sailoto Liveti Pacific Climate Warrior from Tuvalu. March to Adani’s HQ to send a clear message, Australia wants to #StopAdani.
Yes, Eve. The whole of this bedtime story is sickening.
I’ll be meeting up with Bob, Lock The Gate, Stop Adani
& others. The Rally is well worth being part of.
Any project using carbon fuel should be stopped or efforts made to do so globally
I thought women were going to save us from this mess. Apparently I was wrong. The premier of NSW, a women, eliminates the Department of Environment a week after being re-elected. The premier of Queensland, a woman, is spruiking the Adani Mine like it is a God sent. And the federal minister for environment , a woman, has signed off on the unbelievable Adani groundwater plan for the Galilee Basin. Come on ladies, you are the ones to end the crazy.
Actually, the whole world and every creature in it will suffer the consequences of burning the coal from the Galilee Basin.
The ball is in the Queensland Labor government’s court. The federal government did not give the project the go-ahead. That is a fallacy of how the law works. The only interest the federal government has is under the EPBC Act (enacted under the Howard government in 1999). Planning permission rests with the state. A labor government. Direct your rage where it belongs.
But then I ask, Australian coal (except Victorian coal) has the highest carbon content (and therefore burns the cleanest) in the world. Taking Australian coal out of world supply will result in an increase in emissions, because demand will be fulfilled by dirtier suppliers. Sometimes there are factors that need to be weighed against each other.
I want this current government to know that they are collectively destroying the future for our children, the future of our wildlife and environment, the future of the Galilee Basin and wetlands, the future of the Great Barrier Reef, the future of this country. I want them to know that they will have blood on their hands. I want them to know that the Australian people will not forget this act of sabotage, and that with every means at our disposal, we will hold them accountable for their crimes.
Sad state of affairs when decent politicians have to come out of retirement to do the right thing.. because our current politicians see only money.. and not the social, environmental or health issues that affect australians.
BOB BROWN IS GETTING FROM Tasmania very quickly guess he is burning lots of carbon and Not walking.
HE WANTS THE Indians to go without coal.
Queenslanders to go without jobs and the benefits of the royalties the government spends on the voters.
Shall I drive my car to see Bob or save the planet by not going?.
Yes! Adani sits in the palm of the Queensland Labor Premier – that’s
why Shorten is minding his Ps & Qs. The whole situation’s sick! Let
us ‘let up’ knocking Bob Brown. The man is saying & doing what
Labor ought to have taken on but thought it’d lose the election if it
did. Go check the facts Keith. If the Convoy ‘burns a bit’ so what…
it’s nothing compared to the crap we’ll be selling to India even
though they don’t need coal for a year or so. As well, forget the
‘jobs for worker’s loss’. The alternatives employ more – don’t cause
sickening health issues – wreck wetlands – reef – the total world
environment. Move with the times & learn to protect our kids &
country’s future. The mess is, so many are blinded by the plight
of their own ”gold-bullion’ light.
Actually, the alternative is a whole lot of scientists boating round the reefs, not rowing either, and tourists flying in, boating, drinking our beer and scoffing our scallops. There are no feasible alternatives til we accept that a modern world has its costs, in every aspect. India is still a second world; industry means a chance. Or do we all throw away our mobiles and laptops, on the count of one, two … come on, Bob, you too …
Robot – the more ‘thinking & laptop-mobile phoneless tourists’ on foot
the better. And rowing – along with scientists – is healthy. No? I don’t
own a mobile phone anymore. After 2 weeks I chucked it in a drawer
because it does try to dictate life just like our pollies. I don’t think we
should allow anyone to screw our minds up just because they can.
Have a good day. Bulling the earth helps no-one.
Feet ‘n push bikes / tourists & scientists who’ve tossed their laptops
& buried mobile phones in cupboards. Sounds good. That’s what
I did. Yes… change can be good ‘n bad. Latest news! Aurizon who’d
silently partnered with Adani is chasing loot via the courts & a pop-up
German company wants to mine for copper in the Northern Rivers.
Dear, Dear. The earth’s being bullied yet again. I’ll leave you to find
out why the ‘latest senator’ has just bailed out.