[Onthebarricades] Ecological protests, Australia, Canada, NZ/Aotearoa, Apr-Aug 2008

[Andy]

ON THE BARRICADES:  Global Resistance Roundup, April-August 2008
https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/onthebarricades
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/



*  CANADA:  Tofield residents fight coal mine with campaign, music festival

*  NEW ZEALAND:  Poison left in park as part of protest

*  AUSTRALIA:  Kayaker reaches end of protest marathon

*  AUSTRALIA:  Kurnell residents protest pipeline, test drilling

*  AUSTRALIA:  Logging disrupted in Tasmania, again

*  AUSTRALIA:  Gunn mill protesters pack meeting

*  AUSTRALIA:  Vigil backs coal protesters in court

*  NEW ZEALAND:  Protest against crackdown on alternative medicines

*  AUSTRALIA:  Farmers protest water pipeline

*  AUSTRALIA:  Protests against cross-city tunnel plan

*  AUSTRALIA:  Sydney protest against desalination plant

*  NEW ZEALAND:  Protest at symposium

*  CANADA:  Police close road to herd cycling protesters

*  AUSTRALIA:  Protesters vow to halt Gunns' funding

*  CANADA:  Nude cycle protest in Ottawa, Vancouver; arrest of child at 
latter

*  AUSTRALIA:  Minister booed by dam protesters

*  AUSTRALIA:  Activists target coal conference

*  AUSTRALIA:  Forum urges action on climate change

*  AUSTRALIA:  Greenpeace occupy power station

*  CANADA:  Protest disrupts tree felling

*  AOTEAROA/NZ:  Protesters call off marina occupation "in good faith"

*  CANADA:  Anger at power line installation

*  AUSTRALIA:  Protests at park decimation for event

*  AUSTRALIA:  Protesters blockade coal terminal at port

*  AUSTRALIA:  Activists paint slogans on ships

*  AUSTRALIA:  Water pipeline protesters back off from farm after police 
threats

*  CANADA:  Greenpeace targets Alberta mine

*  AUSTRALIA:  Protesters mark "death" of Murray River

*  CANADA:  Protests at Saskatchewan legislature over oilsands auction

*  AUSTRALIA:  Tent protest against pulp mill


http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20080628/EDM_coal_080628/20080628/?hub=EdmontonHome

Residents near Tofield raise funds to fight proposed coal mine
Sonia Sunger, Updated: Sat Jun. 28 2008 17:34:47
ctvedmonton.ca
Oats and Notes to Stop Proposed Mine
Posted by mhudema on June 29, 2008
Dozens of residents who oppose a coal gasification project being proposed by 
Sherritt International and Epcor gathered at an outdoor festival south of 
Tofield on Saturday to raise awareness and money to fight the project.
"We're saying no we don't want this project," said Bill Sears whose 1,000 
acre farm is threatened by the project. "We don't want to see our yards 
destroyed, our farms destroyed, our homes destroyed."
The Sears family has farmed the same plot of land for generations and they 
say the thought of it turning into an open-pit coal mine is heart-wrenching.

The project is planned for a massive plot of land south of Tofield. It would 
take up 312 square kilometres of farmland, roughly half the size of 
Edmonton.
"It just boggles my mind that the government of Alberta and Sherritt would 
even consider tearing up that much farm land," said area resident May 
Korobko.
Critics of the project recently put up a billboard near Tofield which 
opposes the project. They hope money raised from the festival will help keep 
area residents informed about the project.
"A majority of the money will be for what we term as 'keeping the public up 
to speed' on things we feel they should know about," said critic Brian 
Schultz.
However, some people believe the project would revitalize the area with new 
jobs.
"I think the coal mine around here might do a lot of good," said Owen Jones.
Other's, like Bill Sears' family who've built a history on their land, see 
it as a short term gain that has the potential to create problems for the 
future.
"All of a sudden our future here is in question and that puts real stresses 
on us, especially for the next generation," said Sears.
If the project goes ahead, the coal from the mine would go to produce 
synthetic gas to power tar sands upgraders. Sherritt and Epcor say the land 
would be reclaimed after the 40-year project is complete.
If the project goes ahead landowners will be forced to sell their land 
outright or be relocated while the mining takes place.
With files from Scott Roberts
Music Festival Mobilizes Support to Stop Coal Project
Posted by mhudema on June 29, 2008

http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2008/06/29/6018311-sun.html

Sun, June 29, 2008
Sounds of protest
By GLENN KAUTH, SUN MEDIA
An annual Tofield music festival has morphed into a polite show of protest 
against a controversial coal project.
Owen Forster, a volunteer with the Wild Oats and Notes Music Festival, said 
the event will celebrate rural living.
"It's an opportunity for people to come out and see where their food comes 
from," said Forster, whose farm is under threat from the coal gasification 
project proposed by Sherritt International Corp.

During the three-day festival, farmer Brian Schultz will host 25 acts on his 
property near Tofield, 68 km east of Edmonton.
Schultz expected up to 1,000 people to show up yesterday and today for the 
event, whose proceeds will go to the Voice of Community and Land Society, an 
organization opposed to the Sherritt project.
Schultz declined to say how much he expected to raise from the event.
Instead, he said the goal is more about spreading awareness of Sherritt's 
proposal for a facility that will produce hydrogen for the upgraders planned 
for Fort Saskatchewan.
The development would involve a large strip mine that farmers fear would 
alter the character of Tofield by permanently displacing them from their 
land.
"We think that the higher use of the land in the long run is agriculture," 
said Schultz, who calls the project "very, very short-sighted and very, very 
invasive."
Opponents are particularly concerned that city-owned utility Epcor might be 
involved with Sherritt under a proposal to provide power, water and 
wastewater treatment facilities to the plant, called the Dodds-Roundhill 
coal gasification project.
"One of the things for the community is Epcor is involved, and a fair amount 
of water would be coming out of the North Saskatchewan River," said Forster.
But Epcor spokesman Mike Gibbs said the company's participation in 
Dodds-Roundhill is up in the air.
The move comes after Sherritt announced last month it was putting the 
project on hold as it investigates how government carbon-dioxide regulations 
might affect its plans.
"At this point, we're stopping our involvement with the project until 
Sherritt assesses the project," said Gibbs.
However, Sherritt said in a statement yesterday that, despite those 
developments, it is still pushing ahead with Dodds-Roundhill.
Copyright © 2008, Canoe Inc. All rights reserved.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10517617&ref=rss

Poison left as 1080 protest in park
2:43PM Saturday June 21, 2008
Protesters against the use of 1080 poison are believed to have dumped what 
appear to be 1080 pellets in Christchurch's Hagley Park.
The pellets were found this morning in an area of the park near Harper 
Avenue.
The protestors had written signs along the pathways warning of 1080 poison.
A Christchurch City Council spokeswoman said council staff recovered the 
poison and had put up warning signs.
"Council staff have checked the park and believe there are no other affected 
areas."
- NZPA

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23605779-1248,00.html?from=public_rss

Protest kayaker reaches dam site
April 27, 2008 03:52pm
Article from: AAP
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KAYAKER Steve Posselt's marathon trek up Queensland's Mary River reached 
it's symbolic zenith today when the environmental campaigner arrived at the 
site of the controversial Traveston dam.
Mr Posselt, flanked by a flotilla of about 90 kayaks, this morning arrived 
at Traveston Crossing, north of Brisbane, exactly two years after the State 
Government announced plans to construct a dam on the site.
The civil engineer set off from the Brisbane River on April 12, reached the 
mouth of the Mary yesterday and is now on his way back to Brisbane, where he 
is scheduled to arrive on May 10.
Along the way, he has tried to spread his message "Don't Murray the Mary" 
referring to the depleted Murray Darling river system, along which he 
completed a similar trek last year.
He said his journey up the Brisbane River made clear one didn't need to look 
as far as the Murray River to see the environmental impact of a dam.
Mr Posselt said parts of the Brisbane River were so overrun with weeds, it 
was impossible to find a way through with his kayak.
"The Brisbane River is an environmental catastrophe, I would have to say. 
There is no river in places, it flows underneath a foot-deep mat of 
hyacinth," he said.
"The Mary doesn't have that problem because the water hyacinth gets flushed 
out to sea. When a dam gets built that flushing will not occur and the Mary 
will disintegrate to the obscenity that they call the mid-Brisbane river."

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuId=28&ContentID=72432

Kayaker ends dam protest marathon
10th May 2008, 13:15 WST
Exhausted environmental campaigner Steve Posselt has completed a gruelling 
kayak marathon hoping for more support ... and a cold beer.
A crowd of wellwishers and onlookers cheered as Mr Posselt arrived back at 
Brisbane's West End jetty from a round-trip to Maryborough to protest 
against the building of the controversial Traveston Crossing Dam.
He set out on the 861-kilometre paddle on April 12 to raise awareness of the 
environmental consequences of damming the Mary River, near Gympie.
Supporters waved placards and shouted "Don't Murray the Mary", while Gubbi 
Gubbi senior elder Eve Fesl pleaded with the Queensland government to 
reconsider damming the home of her ancestors.
"Our whole history and culture will be washed out if that dam is built. But 
not only that, a number of threatened species could be wiped out," Dr Fesl 
said.
Mr Posselt, a civil engineer, last year completed a four-month journey along 
the Murray-Darling river system by kayak to heighten environmental 
awareness.
His latest journey was aimed at drawing attention to what he believes could 
turn out to be an environmental disaster.
"We have got to stop the dam because if we don't stop this dam our children 
and grandchildren would not forgive us," he told reporters.
"It's a shallow dam and I can't see anywhere where the sums have been done 
on greenhouse gas emissions.
"It looks like we may be going back into an el nino pattern so it won't be 
any good anyway."
Mr Posselt said he would like to meet federal Environment Minister Peter 
Garrett and the state government to discuss alternative options to the dam.
"I would like to explain what I have seen. I've been this industry since 
1971 and I've been to university for 10 years so I have a bit of an idea 
what is going on," he said.
"It's certainly touched my heartstrings and the fight is not over."
Mr Posselt admitted he was also looking forward to a bit of rest and a cold 
beer.
"A beer would be good - a beer would be excellent."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/22/2224032.htm

Kurnell residents protest pipeline, test drilling
Posted Tue Apr 22, 2008 12:00pm AEST
Map: Kurnell 2231
It is not yet known when construction will resume on Sydney's desalination 
pipeline at Kurnell.
A spokesman for Sydney Water says external experts are looking at results 
from yesterday's test drilling.
Federal Member for Cook Scott Morrison, who was at this morning's protest, 
says around 50 residents gathered at the site in a continuing protest 
against the construction of the pipeline, particularly the drilling.
Mr Morrison says residents were alarmed at yesterday's test drilling, which 
saw their houses shake, kettles falling off stoves, and windows rattling.
He says residents are also concerned about the environmental impacts the 
project is having, after the silt net collapsed, spilling debris into the 
bay.
He says despite Sydney Water's assurances of alternative accommodation 
yesterday, they are not satisfied.
"The protest was successful at stopping work on the site this morning and 
they were seeking assurances that the work on the site would continue to be 
shut down until their questions are answered," he said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/21/2222828.htm

Tas forest protesters stop logging
Posted Mon Apr 21, 2008 12:00pm AEST

A giant cardboard figure featuring the face of the Federal Climate Change 
Minister, Penny Wong, has been used in Tasmanian forests to highlight air 
pollution caused by regeneration burns. (Peter van der Pasch)
Map: Maydena 7140
A protester suspended in a tree-sit connected to forestry machinery has 
halted logging in Tasmania's Styx Valley.
The action is part of a protest against the logging of old growth forest at 
Mount Mueller.
Spokeswoman, Ula Majewski, says 11 protesters set up camp there early this 
morning.
"We would just like to broadcast the message that in this era of dangerous 
climate change it is completely unacceptable that Forestry Tasmania, the 
Tasmanian Government and the Rudd Government continue to endorse the logging 
and burning of our ancient forest," she said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/11/2271224.htm

Protesters stop logging in southern forest
Posted Wed Jun 11, 2008 12:24pm AEST
Updated Wed Jun 11, 2008 12:23pm AEST
Map: Geeveston 7116
Environmentalists have established a tree sit in the Weld Valley in southern 
Tasmania to protest at what they say is the construction of a new road.
Spokeswoman for the Huon Valley Environment Centre, Jenny Weber, says the 
Fletcher's Eddy area is under immediate threat from the new logging road and 
subsequent logging operations.
In a statement, Forestry Tasmania said the Weld Valley including access to 
Glovers Bluff remains accessible to the public.
Spokesman, Mike Farrow says Forestry Tasmania operates according the Forest 
Practices Code under the scrutiny of the Forest Practices Authority and has 
its operations certified under the independent and internationally 
recognised Australian Forestry Standard.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/06/25/1961616.htm

More anti-logging protests
Posted Mon Jun 25, 2007 6:31pm AEST
Map: Strathgordon 7139
Forest protesters have disrupted logging operations in an area west of the 
Upper Florentine Valley, known as the Wedge.
Ula Majewski from the group Still Wild Still Threatened, says about 15 
activists went into the area near Lake Gordon early this morning to protest 
against cable logging of the forest.
Representatives of the same group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) 
with Forestry Tasmania last month, ending a six-month blockade in the Upper 
Florentine Valley.
But Ms Majewski denies today's protest undermines the MOU.
"The Wedge is quite a different area. It's a different patch of forest which 
we believe is of World Heritage value and should be protected and not be 
subjected to industrial scale clearfellling," she said.
But Forestry Tasmania has dismissed today's action as a misguided stunt.
District Forest Manager Steve Whitley says he's disappointed a protest has 
taken place so soon after the MOU was signed.
"Even though it's a different area, it's certainly not keeping faith with 
the sort of approach we'd taken in the Upper Florentine."
Mr Whitely says Forestry will continue to honour the MOU.

 http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/06/21/1957316.htm

Anti mill protesters pack hall
Posted Thu Jun 21, 2007 5:47am AEST
Map: Hobart 7000
More than 1,100 people have demanded the Launceston City Council not back 
down on its previous concerns about Gunns' proposed pulp mill.
A public meeting in the Albert hall last night resolved that the council 
should oppose the pulp mill on the grounds of possible damage to air and 
water quality and residents' health.
There were speeches from more than a dozen people who had sent submissions 
to the council opposing the project.
The only words in favour of the mill were from the meeting chair Lyn Mason, 
who read a letter from Gunns.
"The project has been designed to ensure it meets the stringent 
environmental guidelines," the letter said.
One of the mill opponents, Jeremy Ball received a standing ovation when he 
called on the council to stick by its submission to the Resource Planning 
and Development Commission.
The council will consider decisions of the meeting next month.

http://www.greenleft.org.au/2008/751/38834

Vigil backs coal protesters

Niko Leka, Newcastle
17 May 2008

Thirty people held a Quaker-initiated vigil at the steps of Newcastle Local 
Courthouse on May 13 in support of the "Kooragang 16". The 16 faced charges 
for trespassing on the construction site of a new coal-loader being built in 
Newcastle.
Eleven of the activists will be required to do community service. The 
remaining five each were fined $70-$200 in court costs.

On July 10-15, the Camp for Climate action will be held at Kooragang, and 
will include protest actions targeting Newcastle's coal-export industry. 
Visit <http://www.climatecamp.org.au> for more information.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0805/S00452.htm

Protest On Parliament Against Medsafe's Witch Hunt
Wednesday, 28 May 2008, 9:58 am
Press Release: Health Freedom

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Tuesday 27th May

Protest On Parliament Against Medsafe's Witch Hunt
Consumers of Natural Health products rally at the steps of Parliament 
Thursday 12 noon to present a petition of over 7,000 signatures calling on 
the Minister of Health to stop Medsafe's witch hunt in the natural products 
industry.  Medsafe have been making demands of businesses to remove 
information from their websites that pertain to a recently broadened 
definition of therapeutic claims. According to Medsafe's recent 
interpretation of the 1981 Medicines Act it is now illegal to have research, 
clinical trials and testimonials on your website if they imply a therapeutic 
benefit for natural products. You may not even place links on your website 
to other sites with research, clinical trials or scientific studies relating 
to the ingredients in your products.
SEARCH NZ JOBS
Search Businesses FindA
For all your PROPERTY needs

Spokesperson for Health Freedom NZ, Nicola Grace says "this is nothing short 
of a gag order and needs to be stopped".  She will present the petition on 
behalf of consumers to Sue Kedgley as head of the Health Select committee. 
The petition also calls on the Ministry of Health to get back to the 
negotiating table with the natural health industry who have been working on 
an appropriate New Zealand based model of regulation.
At 12.15 MPs will come down to receive the petition and give a speech about 
this back lash by the Ministry of Health for not accepting the 
 "Anti-Vitamin" Bill last year.  The head of Medsafe, Stewart Jessamine 
stated on National Radio earlier in the year that "This is part of a 
campaign to educate people that the (1981) legislation isn't perfect and 
that we agree there is a need for new legislation in this area".
Sue Kedgley from the Greens, Rodney Hide from Act, Jackie Blue from 
National, and Gordon Copeland, who cast one of the deciding votes against 
the Bill when he became Independent from United Future will be available for 
interview by press at 12.15
The exact wording of the petition being presented is:
We, the undersigned, do respectfully call on the House to urge the 
Government to:
. STOP Medsafe's harassment of the natural products industry.
. BEGIN working with the natural products industry on a New Zealand 
regulatory model that will
regulate dietary supplements and natural remedies appropriately, and protect 
consumers at the same
time.
. LEGISLATE to remove natural products from Schedule 1 of the Medicines Act 
of 1981 because it is
inappropriate to regulate dietary supplements and natural products as if 
they were high risk
medicines.
. DEVELOP a separate classification and regulation for dietary supplements 
which allows properly justifiable claims to be made.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23802606-2862,00.html

Farmers protest plan to take water from Goulburn Murray
Jane Metlikovec
June 03, 2008 03:01pm
A CITY thoroughfare was brought to a standstill as protesters called for the 
Government to build a water pipeline from Tasmania.
More than 300 angry farmers and their trucks blocked Bourke St to protest 
the Government's north-south pipeline, which they say will drive them off 
the land.
The Government plans to send 75 billion litres of water a year from the 
northern food bowl district through the pipeline to Melbourne in 2010.
The farmers are outraged at the plan to take water from the Goulburn Murray 
irrigation system, which they say was signed off without community 
consultation.
Independent civil engineer Geoff Croker told the crowd a pipe from Tasmania 
would be more feasible.
The pipe would run 350km from Burnie in Tasmania, under the bass strait, and 
into Western Port Bay.
"It is not engineering magic, it is basic plumbing,'' Mr Croker said.
"Melbourne Water are quite capable of designing a pipeline from Tasmania.''
Mr Croker said he had sought meetings with both federal and state ministers 
to flag his pipe design, but had been knocked back.
Opposition leader Ted Baillieu was greeted with cheers from the crowd saying 
the north-south pipeline was a project which lacked common sense, labelling 
it "a dumb idea".
"Melbourne's reserves are at 30 per cent, the Eildon reserves are at 13 per 
cent. It makes no sense to steal from the 13 per cent to top up the 30 per 
cent,'' Mr Baillieu said.
Fourth-generation grower Christine Argiro, from Yelta near Mildura, said the 
pipeline would drive her off her 100 acres.
"We grow table and wine grapes and right now we have a zero per cent water 
allocation,'' Ms Argiro, 38, said.
"It makes me so angry that Melbourne will be taking our water that we need, 
even though the natural rainfall in Melbourne is much higher than what we 
get.
"Of course we will have to leave our land if we can't get any water.''
The north-south pipeline project is part of the government's $5 billion 
water strategy which includes a desalination plant on the south-east coast.
Premier John Brumby said the water from the food bowl district will be "new 
water'' created from savings made by fixing leaky irrigation infrastructure.
The remainder of the expected water savings, initially 225 gigalitres a 
year, are to be shared by farmers and the environment.
The federal government has also committed to funding a share of the project.
But critics doubt the State Government's projections, saying there is not 
enough water lost in the system, particularly during drought conditions, to 
make those savings.
A report last year revealed water would be drawn from existing projects and 
the Lake Eildon water quality reserve if the promised 75 gigalitres for 
Melbourne are not created by 2010/11.
Mr Brumby is spending the day in the western regional city of Ballarat.
Water Minister Tim Holding will be at parliament house, giving evidence to 
the public accounts and estimates committee.
-with AAP

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/03/2263383.htm

Pipeline protest travels to Melbourne
Posted Tue Jun 3, 2008 10:44am AEST
Updated Tue Jun 3, 2008 10:57am AEST

Protesters are gathering in Northern Victoria for a march on Parliament. 
(ABC TV)
Map: Melbourne 3000
Related Story: North-south pipeline protesters to march on Parliament
A convoy of about 500 vehicles is heading down the Hume Freeway for a a 
protest at State Parliament in Melbourne to oppose the north-south water 
pipeline.
The convoy is being led by lobby group Plug the Pipe, who argue the pipeline 
will damage food production in the Murray Darling Basin.
Plug the Pipe spokesman John Pattison says he expects hundreds of people to 
make the trip to Parliament House.
"We intend to put pressure on (Brumby) and his Ministers. To just say: look, 
Melbourne, we believe there are a lot of far better ways than taking water 
out of the dry Murray Darling catchment."
This morning Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu and National Party Leader Peter 
Ryan handed out pamphlets and milk at Melbourne's Parliament Station.
Mr Ryan said the pipeline was bad science, and will push up food prices, 
including that of milk.
"Here we are in the smart state and the best they can do is build a dirty 
great big 85 kilometre long garden hose and pipe water from a region that 
can't supply its own needs in to Melbourne. It is just a ridiculous 
proposition," he said.
Mr Baillieu said the pipeline was a panic announcement.
"The Auditor General said so, the CSIRO has said so, almost every expert 
I've spoken to in the water industry says this is a bad idea," he said.
But the Water Minister, Tim Holding, has defended the pipeline. He says it 
is in the best interest of all Victorians.
"Our irrigation systems in the state's north lose hundreds of billions of 
litres of water every year so we need to invest substantially to capture 
those water losses and the only way to do so is if we share that investment 
across the state," he said.
"We understand their scepticism around the (water) savings and that's why we 
have indicated that the savings will be verified and audited."
The $700-million pipeline will run from the Goulburn River to Sugarloaf 
Reservoir.
It has garnered a lot of opposition in country Victoria.
More than 1,000 members of the Victorian Country Women's Association (CWA) 
has publicly declared their opposition to the proposal.
The Murray-Darling Basin produces food for 73 per cent of Australia's 
population.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23756278-2862,00.html

Protests at cross-city tunnel plan
John Ferguson and Mary Bolling
May 26, 2008 12:00am
MORE than 200 people protested against plans for an east-west road tunnel, 
as the State Government debates dumping parts of the review that made the 
proposal.
Controversial transport academic Paul Mees told yesterday's Flemington rally 
that tunnel plans in the Eddington review failed cost-benefit analysis.
Mr Mees accused the State Government of "wasting more money than has ever 
been wasted before in the history of this state".
Rally organiser Gab Pretto said the tunnel would "create an urban traffic 
nightmare for five Melbourne suburbs".
Senior Labor figures have also expressed alarm at the cost, and growing 
internal unease at the potential fallout over plans to spend as much as $18 
billion on opening up the east and the west of the city.
Nervous inner-city MPs are concerned that Greens' support in key seats will 
grow together with a campaign of opposition against a tunnel linking the 
Eastern Freeway with the city's west.
The concern was on public show at the weekend when the party's ruling 
Right-wing grouping was forced to exercise its majority at Labor's state 
conference to kill off a push to dump Sir Rod Eddington's East-West Needs 
Assessment.
The Government is expected to report back before the end of the year on what 
aspects of the Eddington report it will choose to support.
Crucial to any decisions will be the amount of federal backing the Eddington 
agenda gets.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/06/26/1961950.htm

Protests planned over desalination plant
Posted Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:24am AEST
Updated Tue Jun 26, 2007 11:34am AEST

Sydneysiders walk to work in heavy rain in central Sydney. (ABC News Online: 
Caro Meldrum)
Map: Kurnell 2231
Related Story: Sydney desalination plant to double in size
Related Story: Gov desalination plan needs a rethink: council
Community action groups in southern Sydney have threatened large protests 
against the decision by the New South Wales Government to go ahead with the 
desalination plant in Kurnell.
The Government yesterday announced that a consortium had been awarded the 
tender to build and maintain the plant, which will be twice the originally 
planned size.
About 60 people took part in a meeting held last night by the Kurnell 
Progress Association, to discuss how they would respond to the announcement.
A spokeswoman for the group, Susan Davis, says residents are worried about 
the effect the plant will have on the environment.
"We're going to have to go through all of this pain and hardship and all the 
destruction in the bay for what?" she said.
"It doesn't matter how many times we've asked, how many objections we've 
made, the Government has still gone ahead and done this."
Ms Davis also says more research needs to be done on the plant's potential 
environmental impact.
"Put it on hold and then wait until you have done the proper environmental 
studies on everything. Not this rushed thing where you just give a few 
details here and there, but a really in depth discussion [is needed]."
The NSW member for Cronulla, Malcolm Kerr, says the protesters are doing the 
right thing.
"There is furious opposition. Kurnell is the birthplace of modern 
Australia," he said.
"However it's not only Kurnell residents who will be losers. Sydney 
residents will be losers."
"They stand to have a water bill that will go up $100, and this is an 
environmental and economic disaster."
Council says it's being ignored
Sutherland Shire Council has also reacted angrily to the announcement.
The council says it wrote to the Premier, Morris Iemma, asking him to take 
into account recent rainfalls and environmental studies before proceeding 
any further with the plant.
But Councillor Lorraine Kelly says there has been no reply, and they were 
all surprised by yesterday's announcement.
"Once again we've been kept in the dark," she said.
"The council was only notified by the media. We had no idea the plant or the 
tender had been assigned.
"I don't think the community will be very happy in view of dam levels going 
up. In fact I think they'll be pretty outraged."
Desalination is unnecessary
The opposition says the recent rainfall across Sydney negates the need for 
the desalination plant.
The Opposition Leader, Barry O'Farrell, says the Premier appears to be 
obsessed with the plan to open the plant.
"[He] ignored two months of record rainfall, and is still determined to put 
billions of dollars into this desalination plant," he said.
"The reality is [that] this desalination plant will still provide only a 
fraction of Sydney's ongoing water supply."
"It does nothing to increase the use of stormwater. It's just again an 
example of Morris Iemma's obsession with desalination."
Tender 'on the nose'
The Greens say the four companies awarded the contract all donate money to 
the NSW Labor Party.
The Greens MP, Lee Rhiannon, says she does not know why the contract was 
awarded to these companies, but she says it does raise questions about 
political donations.
"We don't know if there is any link with the donations that these companies 
give, but when you consider that large amounts of money are handed to a 
political party and then when that political party is in government [and] it 
makes decisions that benefit that company, we know that that's on the nose," 
she said.
"It certainly turns people off the democratic process and it's why it's time 
to ban corporate donations to political parties."
Government defends the tender process
Mr Iemma has dismissed the criticism by the Greens as nonsense.
"That's just rubbish. These contracts, these tenders are done at arms length 
from politicians and political parties [and] there are probity officers 
appointed," he said.
"New South Wales has a reputation for integrity that is beyond reproach when 
it comes to these sorts of matters."

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0806/S00017.htm

Protest at Environment Day Business Symposium
Tuesday, 3 June 2008, 11:10 am
Press Release: Get Across Campaign

Press Release:
Members of the "Get Across" campaign will staging a peaceful protest at 
Helen Clark's arrival to the World Environment Day Business Symposium
Cycle Action chair, Bevan Woodward says "We want to see real commitment to 
meaningful "Kick the Carbon Habit" projects, such as the Auckland Harbour 
Bridge walk/cycle way, rather than seminars which risk becoming 
'talk-fests'."
"Get Across" campaign members will their banner outside the Business 
Symposium venue (RNZYS building at Westhaven) from at 8:45 am, Wed, June 4.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/Page/document/v5/content/subscribe?user_URL=http://www.theglobeandmail.com%2Fservlet%2Fstory%2FLAC.20080531.TORBRIEF%2FTPStory%2FTPNational%2F%3Fpage%3Drss%26id%3DGAM.20080531.TORBRIEF&ord=105781169&brand=theglobeandmail&force_login=true

Posted on 31/05/08
Gardiner closed as police herd cycling protesters
UNNATI GANDHI
About 250 cyclists rode onto the westbound Gardiner Expressway yesterday 
evening, forcing police to shut it down as they herded the cyclists off. 
Police said they received a call at 7:41 p.m. about the bicyclists merging 
onto the highway at Jameson Avenue.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/30/2260882.htm

Protesters vow to stop Gunns funding
Posted Fri May 30, 2008 5:27pm AEST

The ANZ has walked away from financing the mill. (ABC News: file photo)
Map: Launceston 7250
Groups opposed to the planned Gunns pulp mill are vowing to pressure 
overseas banks not to fund the controversial project.
Gunns chairman John Gay is looking for finance outside Australia, after the 
ANZ walked away from financing the $2 billion pulp mill.
The Wilderness Society and the Greens say the ANZ's decision sends a strong 
message to other banks.
The Wilderness Society's Geoff Law says other banks in Australia will not go 
near the project now.
"None of the other big four retail banks in Australia will touch the Gunns 
pulp mill with a barge pole," he said.
The Greens' Peg Putt says the mill is in trouble and it is less likely to go 
ahead now the bank has pulled out.
The Greens are vowing to lobby Australian and overseas banks not to fund the 
mill.
The lobby group Get Up is taking out full-page ads in local and national 
newspapers, warning off potential financiers.
Tasmanian Environment Minister Michelle O'Byrne says the pulp mill's future 
is in the hands of Gunns and its bankers.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080607/OTT_nude_bikers_080607/20080607?hub=Canada


Bikers in the buff protest oil dependency
Updated Sat. Jun. 7 2008 9:38 PM ET
ctvottawa.ca
Dozens of cheeky bike riders startled pedestrians and drivers in one of the 
Capital's busiest tourist spots Saturday as they rode their bikes naked to 
"expose" the issue of oil dependency.
About 75 cyclists rode through the ByWard Market as part of the annual World 
Naked Bike Rides that are held across Canada and 20 other countries.
The nude cyclists were protesting oil dependency, as well as the danger they 
feel riding their bikes on busy city streets.
Many spectators used their cell phones to photograph and video the event. 
Although there were many raised eyebrows, many people seemed to see the 
humour in the bike riders in the buff.
Most riders were careful to wear their helmets.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26370574/

Nude cyclists protest naked arrest in Canada
Police had hauled off man and his son during earlier group ride

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Naked cyclists converged on Vancouver's main 
police station Saturday to protest the arrest of a fellow cyclist who had 
taken his 3-year-old son on a nude ride earlier in the day.
Naked Bike Ride spokesman Conrad Schmidt said it all began when six squad 
cars and a paddy wagon showed up as the group of about 75 naked cyclists 
arrived along the city's English Bay.
Vancouver Police Constable Jana McGuinness told The Canadian Press that 
several bystanders had called police, concerned about the child's 
well-being. Police arrived and spoke with the man, who agreed that both he 
and his child would wear underwear during the ride.
But as he left to join the other riders, the man stripped his and his son's 
clothes off. Officers arrested him on the spot, citing public nudity laws.
Schmidt said the boy was in tears as police took him and his father away, 
and the arrest prompted the group to cycle through downtown Vancouver to the 
police station.
McGuinness said it appeared the man afterward regretted his actions.
"When they were leaving (the scene) it was under the understanding that 
perhaps he hadn't shown the best judgment; there were a number of people 
that took offense to the child being naked in the group and subjected to 
people's scrutiny," she said.
"It sounds like it's been a good lesson all around."

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,20797,23941035-3102,00.html?from=public_rss

Traveston Dam protesters boo Anna Bligh

June 30, 2008 12:00am
PREMIER Anna Bligh has vowed to push ahead with the Traveston Dam, despite 
being heckled by hundreds of protesters in Hervey Bay.
Arriving at the Fraser Coast for a community cabinet meeting, Ms Bligh was 
jeered by about 300 screaming anti-dam protesters demanding the Government 
reverse its decision to build the $1.7 billion dam.

Several uniformed and plain-clothes police escorted her inside the venue of 
the meeting at the Wide Bay Tafe as the crowd vented their rage.

Waving "Save the Mary" placards, the group also demanded she "Sack Andy 
Mac", a reference to Sustainability Minister and local MP Andrew McNamara, 
who they have accused of failing to represent their views.

However Ms Bligh yesterday said the Government remained committed to 
building the dam, provided it satisfied the environmental hurdles.

"If it passes the environmental tests, then this dam will go ahead," she 
said.

"I'm not going to shy away from this decision.

"It's a very important decision for the water security of Australia's 
fastest-growing area."

The final environmental impact statement on the dam is expected to be 
released within months.

Mr McNamara also fended off suggestions he was ignoring the wishes of the 
majority of his constituents.

"I always said I would support the Traveston Dam if the EIS stacks up," he 
said.

Ms Bligh also yesterday expressed sympathy for former minister Pat Purcell, 
whose son Daniel has been charged with drug trafficking and possession.

"The news that Daniel Purcell will be facing court on drug charges is very 
sad news," she said.

Purcell, 23, was arrested at a Fortitude Valley nightclub on Friday night.

If convicted he could face up to 25 years in jail.

http://www.greenleft.org.au/2008/756/39054

Protesters target coal criminals

Paul Benedek, Brisbane
20 June 2008

Fifteen activists calling for a rapid conversion to renewable energy 
protested at the $2600-a-head Queensland Coal Conference 08 on June 16.
The coal conference inside the plush Stamford Plaza was focused on 
"expanding exports" and dealing with "labour shortages". Meanwhile, outside, 
the People's Renewable Energy Conference 08 discussed the need to phase-out 
coal - the fossil fuel with the greatest impact on climate change.

Not everyone supported the protest, however. "Billionaires for coal" held up 
placards that read: "Dig coal, forget climate change", and "Clean coal keeps 
me rich!".

The protesters, from Resistance, Friends of the Earth, the Australian 
Student Environment Network, the Queensland Environment Action Network and 
the Socialist Alliance, vowed to continue to challenge the climate vandals.

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuId=77&ContentID=83222

Time to act on climate change, forum told
7th July 2008, 14:00 WST
Australia needs to act immediately on climate change research if it is to 
avoid a severe impact on its economy and environment, Professor Ross Garnaut 
told a public forum in Perth today.
More than 200 people packed Perth Town Hall to hear Prof Garnaut address his 
draft report on climate change, which was released on Friday.
Professor Garnaut called for bold decisions to be made by the current 
Australian government and warned that it was already too late to avoid the 
costs of climate change.
"Australia needs to do something now. That's why we call this a diabolical 
policy problem," Professor Garnaut said.
"When you look at the daily debate we've had over the last couple of days, 
it sometimes suggests that this issue is too hard for national policy 
making," he said.
"Over the next few years Australia and the world will make fateful decisions 
and afterwards will know whether the issue was too hard."
Professor Garnaut said that Australian history showed governments that made 
bold decisions in the national interest were respected and rewarded in 
subsequent polls.
He said the 2010 timetable was demanding on administrative grounds and would 
be hard work for the officials who would have to deliver it.
"I don't think there is any reason to put back the date simply because it's 
going to be hard.
"It's very important that we do this right. This is a big change and a big 
structural adjustment for Australia.
"If we botch the implementation, then there will be risks. The key to 
getting this right is to careful work through all the implementation issues 
to base it on clear principles, and that's what we have done in this 
 report."
Professor Garnaut said the report struck a good balance between the costs of 
climate change and the cost of mitigation.
He called for an international agreement for each country to make a 
commitment on climate change research, and recommended Australia's 
contribution be $3billion per year.
His thoughts were backed by WA Sustainable Energy Association CEO Dr Ray 
Wills, who said the 2010 timetable was easily achievable.
"We've been well prepared for this for a long time," Dr Wills said.
"In terms of the costs, Garnaut is talking about $3 or $4 billion a year 
which is really quite small change.
"If we look at that compared to the tax cuts we're about to receive, we're 
about to receive eight billion tax cuts this year.
"The naysayers are saying at the moment this is going to break the economy. 
But the numbers we're talking about are really quite small."
Former Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell said it was important 
Australia took leadership on the issue of an emissions trading scheme.
"The introduction of an emissions trading scheme is vital to Australia's 
future and future of the world," Mr Campbell said.
"It is appropriate to take some leadership here. It is imperative we get the 
policy right and I think this sort of widespread consultation makes getting 
the policy right more likely.
"There has been discussion about emissions trading scheme for a long time 
now and getting it in on time is incredibly important both economically and 
environmentally. But getting it right is incredibly important.
"It is in our advantage to get a trading scheme sooner rather than later 
because if Australians can understand how a carbon constrained world and how 
carbon pricing and dating works, we'll be a generation ahead of most of the 
rest of the world."
Earlier today members of campaigners group Make Poverty History rallied 
outside the city's Town Hall ahead of Professor Garnaut's forum.
Make Poverty History spokesman Paddy Cullen said there were many good 
elements to Professor Garnaut's report and he supported Professor Garnaut's 
belief that Australia should help its pacific neighbours deal with climate 
change.
"We're trying to make a point to the government that it's not enough just to 
mitigate the pollution from Australia, there are people suffering all around 
the world," Mr Cullen said.
"The pollution that's been caused by the rich countries is affecting the 
poorer countries the most so we really have a responsibility to help poorer 
countries adapt to climate change."
PERTH
JAYNE RICKARD
for nearly 10 years due to environmental concerns.

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411366/1887655

Protest at Australia power plant
Jul 3, 2008 8:28 PM

Protesters chained themselves to a coal conveyor at one of Australia's 
largest power stations on Thursday in a protest against climate policies 
ahead of a major report on emissions trading.
Greenpeace said the dawn protest by 27 activists at the Eraring Power 
Station north of Sydney was the latest in an ongoing campaign to reduce 
Australia's carbon emissions.
Police rescuers cut the chains from 12 protesters to free them from the 
conveyor belt. A police spokeswoman said 27 people would face a range of 
trespass charges.
"Renewable energy is the future and it's bright," protester and retired coal 
miner Graham Brown said in a Greenpeace statement.
The state-owned Eraring Power Station, which has a generating capacity of 
2,640 megawatts, said it reduced output as a safety measure during the 
protest, but did not shut down, and resumed normal output by late morning.
The protest came a day before the Australian government's key adviser on 
climate change, prominent economist Ross Garnaut, releases a report on 
carbon trading, which is due to start in Australia in 2010.
His report is expected to recommend a cap-and-trade scheme, to cover as much 
of Australia's economy as possible, which experts say will make it one of 
the world's most comprehensive trading regimes.
But another prominent economist and central bank board member Warwick 
McKibbin on Thursday warned the government to avoid firm targets and 
timetables for cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
McKibbin said unforeseen events, such as the rise in oil prices or increased 
demand from Asia for beef and dairy products, could make it impossible for 
countries to meet their targets and would then undermine global efforts to 
cut emissions.
Instead, McKibbin, from the Australian National University, and Peter 
Wilcoxen from Syracuse University in the United States, propose a hybrid 
system of a fixed supply of long-term carbon permits, and an flexible supply 
of annual permits.
"A hybrid policy with a modest annual permit price would generate larger 
investment incentives than a more draconian, but less credible emissions 
target imposed by a system of targets and timetables," McKibbin said in a 
speech on Thursday.
Australia is responsible for about 1.5% of global carbon emissions, but is 
one of the highest per-capita polluters because of the nation's position as 
the world's biggest coal exporter and its heavy reliance on fossil fuels for 
energy.
Australia emits 28.1 tonnes of carbon per person, due to reliance on coal 
for electricity, down from 32.6 tonnes in 1990.

http://networks.org/?src=abcau:2008:07:03:2293102

Police arrest 27 Greenpeace protesters
Posted Thu Jul 3, 2008 10:30am AEST
Map: Eraring 2264
Police have arrested 27 Greenpeace activists during a protest at the Eraring 
power station, south of Newcastle.
The protesters went into the site just after 5:00am (AEDT) and locked 
themselves onto coal conveyors.
The move forced the power station to reduce its output as a safety 
precaution.
Senior Constable Tony Tamplin says the protest was conducted peacefully.
"Twenty-seven intruders have now been located by police and security 
officers inside the power station's grounds and have placed in custody. 
Twelves of those intruders have chained themselves to the machinery," he 
said.
"Once released, all 27 will be brought to Newcastle Police Station where a 
determination made in relation to the charges."

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24010443-1248,00.html?from=public_rss

15 arrests after smokestack protest
By David Barbeler
July 12, 2008 08:29pm
Article from: AAP
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THREE Sydney-based Greenpeace activists protesting against coal-fired power 
have been charged by police after spending a cold 34 hours atop a 140m high 
smokestack west of Brisbane.
A fourth female member of the group, 24, from Edinburgh, Scotland has also 
been charged.
All four activists were charged with two counts of wilful damage, unlawfully 
climbing a structure and trespass.
The activist's vigil took place on Swanbank Power Station, west of Brisbane 
and ended around 3.30pm today.
The campaigners were arguing the power station was a major greenhouse 
polluter and that Queensland urgently needed to cut greenhouse gas emissions 
by going solar.
Despite the arrests, Greenpeace campaigner Jason Collins said the operation 
had been very successful.
"We wanted to get out a strong message about going solar," Mr Collins said.
"Queensland being the sunshine state should be taking advantage of the shift 
to go towards solar energy."
This morning two of the men abseiled down the side of the smokestack and 
painted "go solar".
Nine other protesters who broke into the station around 5.30am (AEST) 
yesterday have also been arrested and charged.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said while she encouraged Greenpeace 
protesters to make their point, she wanted them to do so in a way that did 
not endangers themselves or others.
"I understand why people from Greenpeace are feeling passionately about this 
issue," Ms Bligh said.
"I would certainly re-assure them that our Government is investing more than 
has ever been invested in Queensland in renewable energy, particularly solar 
as well as putting into research to make coal a much cleaner low emission 
fuel.
"I welcome public debate on the issue of climate change and while I think 
the people from Greenpeace have a legitimate point to make, making it in a 
way that endangers their lives and puts the safety of workers at risk is 
something I don't welcome."
However, Mr Collins defended Greenpeace's protesting methods, arguing they 
had taken safe measures.
"All of our activists that were involved in the action over the last two 
days had industrial rope access training, so they knew what they were doing 
up there and were very safe," he said.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2008/07/04/chebucto-arrests.html?ref=rss

Protesters arrested as tree felled on Chebucto Road
Last Updated: Friday, July 4, 2008 | 6:13 PM AT Comments59Recommend40
CBC News
Police arrested six people Friday after protesters climbed trees to prevent 
the start of a contentious road expansion in Halifax.
The four men and two women face charges ranging from mischief to obstructing 
police to assaulting a police officer, police said.
About 60 protesters gathered on Chebucto Road as workers with chainsaws 
prepared to cut down trees, the first step in widening the road.
Police officers pushed back the crowd to keep everyone away from falling 
tree limbs.
Halifax police arrested several people at the protest on Chebucto Road. 
(CBC)
Some people cried and others yelled as a grinder chopped up branches.
It took about 20 minutes to take down the first tree. Workers say they will 
be back Monday to cut down the remaining six trees.
The plan to widen Chebucto Road calls for a third lane to allow for an extra 
300 cars every hour, a development the municipality says will ease traffic 
coming off the nearby Armdale roundabout.
The expansion, approved by Halifax regional council, has been fiercely 
opposed by some local residents and their supporters.
On Wednesday, opponents called for a seven-day moratorium on construction, 
however, the municipality said work would go ahead as planned.
Police said the six people arrested would be released once they determined 
individual charges.
None of them live in the neighbourhood affected by the street widening, 
police said.

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=140910

Pic: NZ Herald
Protestors call off occupation "in good faith"
18/07/2008 13:06:56
Protesters have called off their occupation of the site of a planned marina 
at Whangamata in the Coromandel
Maori, surfers and boaties occupied the site for 18 days in protest at the 
development of a $20 million, 205-berth marina. The project has been a 
15-year battle by the Whangamata Marina Society.
Protest spokesman Nathan Kennedy says they have been given an undertaking 
that Environment Minister Trevor Mallard will conduct an audit of the 
project.
"We'll all be moving off, we're vacating completely and taking the tents 
away. The site will be left exactly as it was when we came here. We'll take 
a holding position in good faith while we await the response from Trevor 
Mallard."
Mr Kennedy says they have not ruled out reoccupying the land.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/07/14/bc-tsawwassen-power-line-arrest.html?ref=rss

Man arrested at Tsawwassen power line protest
Last Updated: Monday, July 14, 2008 | 7:15 PM ET
A Tsawwassen man was arrested on Monday morning after angry residents 
confronted BC Transmission Corporation workers who showed up to finish 
erecting a pole for a power line.
When crews first arrived at the work site in the suburb south of Vancouver, 
dozens of residents were blocking their access to the construction site. 
After being asked by police to move, all but one of the protesters moved 
outside a fence erected around the site by the BCTC.
The male protester who refused to leave remained perched on top of the 
roughly three-metre-high concrete base built for the new power pole.
The man climbed down after police read him a court order, issued by a judge 
last month, which was intended to stop protesters from blocking the 
construction site.
As the man was being led away, he bent down and pulled out a survey marker. 
Police then arrested him and put him in handcuffs. It was not immediately 
known whether the man was charged with anything following his arrest.
Last week, a B.C. Supreme Court judge warned residents for a second time not 
to interfere with the power line construction, after BCTC lawyers said 
protesters continued to obstruct the installation of new poles, despite the 
judge's earlier court order.
Tina Ryan, the owner of the property where crews were installing the new 
power pole on Monday, told CBC News most of the protesters don't want to 
break the law, but they consider the planned power line to be a health risk 
to area residents.
"No one wants to go to jail at this point . The point of all these people 
here today is to show them that we are not going to back down . We are going 
to do everything we can within the law to stop this project," Ryan said.
BCTC has said it needs to upgrade the power line - which runs through 
several residential properties along a 50-year-old right-of-way - to meet 
increased demands for power from customers on Vancouver Island.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world-youth-day/pilgrims-progress-through-park-protest/2008/07/17/1216163011078.html

Pilgrims progress through park protest
The park on Parkham Street in Surry Hills.
Photo: Peter Rae
Arjun Ramachandran
July 17, 2008 - 2:15PM
A handful of angry Surry Hills residents  have been forced from a park 
being cleared for the pilgrimage walk this weekend.
World Youth Day organisers, with help from police, are clearing plants from 
the park at Parkham Street in Surry Hills - including trimming the branches 
of a macadamia nut tree -  to build a two-metre wide ramp over the park for 
pilgrims to walk across on their way to Randwick racecourse.
But residents have resisted the move, saying it is over the top and will 
damage the treasured five- by 10-metre park.
A handful of locals are still standing by after being moved out of the park 
when WorkCover inspectors arrived at 1.30pm
"They're now cutting down great big hunks off our beloved macadamia nut 
tree. I feel pretty ashamed of our state at the moment,''  said Lyn Cessna, 
who lives in a terrace right next to the park.
Police told the residents that the roped-off construction area was an 
authorised work zone.
One officer warned the residents that WorkCover could fine the residents for 
being inside  the zone.
After clearing a rose bush and other plants, the World Youth Day workers 
reached an impasse about 9am when five residents refused to move.
"We are not for this ridiculous private party and we don't want this ramp," 
said Ms Cessna.
"This [macadamia] tree was planted in memory of an elderly lady that died 
about 17 years ago. It has great significance for people here in memory of 
that lady."
A World Youth Day worker, who did not wished to be named, said the ramp was 
necessary to allow 50,000 people to pass through the street on Saturday and 
90,000 on Sunday.
It was not deemed feasible for the crowd to split and walk along a two-metre 
wide path on either side of the park.
But Surry Hills resident Angela Wawn said the street regularly handled large 
crowds when there were matches at the nearby cricket and football stadiums.
"But somehow these fit young people [World Youth Day pilgrims] can't be 
trusted to divide into two lines [and walk around the park]," she said.
The residents were also supported by Cr Chris Harris and Greens MP Sylvia 
Hale.
"They're pretty upset about the fact that their backyard is being invaded by 
this authority called the World Youth Day authority for no real purpose," 
said Cr Harris.
Ms Hale said she was concerned about "the spiralling of cost of World Youth 
Day".
"The fact is this is obviously  going to be quite an expensive exercise to 
facilitate one afternoon of walking down one laneway and walking back 
again."

The World Youth Day worker said that the park would be restored to its 
current state after the event.
"Everything is being reinstated to exactly how you saw it two hours ago. All 
these plants will be repotted [and the branches will grow back]."

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24013123-1242,00.html?from=public_rss

37 arrests at climate change protest
July 13, 2008 04:56pm
Article from: AAP
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NSW police have arrested 37 protesters who chained themselves to a train and 
rail tracks at the world's biggest coal export port in Newcastle to protest 
against climate change.
About 1000 people today joined a march to the Carrington coal terminal at 
Newcastle Port where about 100 protesters scaled or cut through fences to 
enter the rail corridor, bringing the busy coal terminal to a standstill.
Friends of the Earth Australia spokesman Damien Lawson said up to 50 of the 
protesters then chained themselves onto rail tracks and a train, or sat on 
top of the train, stopping production.
By 2.30pm (AEST) 37 protesters had been arrested for a range of offences, 
police said.
Mr Lawson said industrial cutting equipment had to be used to cut the 
protesters from the train and tracks.
The protest was still continuing in spite of the arrests, with another three 
activists climbing on top of the train shortly before 4pm.
"The protest has been a fantastic success," said Mr Lawson, who was himself 
arrested.
"We said we would shut down the rail lines into the world's biggest coal 
port and we did.
"We've had an enormous economic impact on the coal industry today and sent a 
message world wide about the need for urgent action on climate change."
Organisers claim the action would have cost the mining companies at least 
$1.3 million.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=adTmg_p1DWcc&refer=home

Newcastle Port Coal Ship Loading Halted by Protesters (Update3)
By Jesse Riseborough

July 14 (Bloomberg) -- Coal ship loading at the largest terminal at 
Australia's Newcastle port, the world's biggest export harbor for the fuel, 
was temporarily halted after protesters chained themselves to a conveyor as 
part of a six-day campaign.
Loading of thermal coal at the Kooragang Terminal was halted between 6:00 
a.m. and about 8:30 a.m. local time because of safety concerns, Graham 
Davidson, general manager of Port Waratah Coal Services Pty, operator of the 
two coal terminals, said today by phone. Operations have returned to normal, 
he said.
Thermal coal prices from Newcastle have more than doubled this year on 
increased demand from Asian utilities and as rail and port bottlenecks in 
Australia and South Africa curb supplies. Australia is the world's biggest 
coal exporter and Xstrata Plc and Rio Tinto Group are among companies that 
ship through the port.
``Newcastle is the key thermal coal port in Australia so this market, like 
oil, is very sensitive to supply issues,'' Mark Pervan, senior commodity 
analyst at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd., said today. ``We will 
see prices bounce'' on any prolonged disruptions caused by the protests, he 
said.
The price of coal from Newcastle, a benchmark for Asia, fell for the first 
time in 12 weeks, dropping 3.5 percent to $188 a metric ton in the week 
ended July 11, according to the globalCOAL NEWC Index.
Climate Change
Coal exports are Australia's biggest contribution to global warming, 
according to the Web site of the six-day Camp for Climate Action protesting 
against the use of the fuel. The nation generates more than 80 percent of 
its electricity from the fuel.
Protesters yesterday temporarily blocked three trains scheduled to deliver 
20,000 metric tons of coal to the Carrington terminal at Newcastle. Rail 
deliveries to the terminal resumed at about 4:30 a.m. today, Davidson said. 
The Kooragang terminal is the larger of two terminals at the port with 
annual capacity of 77 million metric tons, he said.
The five protesters that chained themselves to the Kooragang conveyor were 
arrested by police and have now been released, Joanne Ferris, a spokeswoman 
for the protester's group, said today by phone. The protest shut down the 
terminal until about 11:00 a.m. as police were required to search the site 
for remaining protesters, she said.
Chain Disruption
``We effectively disrupted the coal chain for about five hours,'' Ferris, a 
spokeswoman for Camp for Climate Action, said from the camp at Newcastle.
A total of 40 protesters were arrested yesterday with as many as 1,000 
demonstrators involved in the protests, the group said yesterday. Port 
Waratah is not aware of any further protests planned today, Davidson said.
Newcastle shipped 84.8 million metric tons of coal last year, up 6.3 percent 
from a year earlier, and export capacity is set to rise to 140 million tons 
a year after 2010.
Mining companies including Xstrata, the world's largest exporter, won a 125 
percent increase in annual contract prices in the year that started April 1 
to $125 a ton. The price may rise to a record next year of $150 a ton 
because of continuing supply constraints, Goldman Sachs JBWere Pty said in a 
July 11 report. said in a July 11 report.
``We believe coal is now emulating oil,'' said analysts led by 
Melbourne-based Malcolm Southwood, who predict the price will be settled at 
$140 a ton in 2010 and 2011. ``In a world of limited spare capacity and 
sluggish supply growth, prices are rising to ration demand down to the 
levels of available supply.''
Crude oil has gained 50 percent this year as the sliding dollar and falling 
U.S. equities prompted investors to buy commodities. The contract price for 
thermal coal may rise to $180 a ton next year, Macquarie Group Ltd. analysts 
said in a separate report today.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24088057-1248,00.html?from=public_rss

Activists arrested over paint protest
July 28, 2008 10:37am
Article from: AAP
ENVIRONMENTAL group Greenpeace says nine of its activists have been arrested 
after painting slogans on about 20 ships queuing at a central Queensland 
port in protest against Australia's coal exports.
Campaigner Simon Roz said activists in inflatable boats had painted messages 
including "Rudd Exporting CO2", "Barrier Reef Gone", "Ice Caps Gone" and 
"Stop Coal Expansion" on ships queuing at Hay Point, near Mackay.
The protest began about 6am (AEST) today and continued until a police boat 
arrived abotu 9.30am.
Mr Roz said three of the boats had been intercepted and nine activists 
arrested.
He said the action was intended to draw attention to the environmental 
concerns linked to Australia's growing coal export industry
"The action was all about trying to highlight the contradiction between 
Prime Minister (Kevin) Rudd and Premier (Anna) Bligh's stated intention to 
urgently reduce greenhouse pollution while presiding over a doubling of 
Australia's coal exports," he said.
"Greenhouse pollution doesn't know any borders so coal burnt anywhere will 
be destroying pristine environments all around the globe including the Great 
Barrier Reef and the Murray Darling."

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24064231-2862,00.html

Water pipeline protesters back down on entering Premier Brumby's farm
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Staff writers with AAP
July 23, 2008 03:56pm
ANTI-pipeline protesters are claiming a moral victory following their 
aborted plans to invade Premier John Brumby's family farm.
About 30 protesters were set to storm Mr Brumby's country property, near 
Bendigo, this morning in opposition to a planned pipeline to pump water from 
the state's north to Melbourne.
But they backed down when threatened with arrest, amid pressure from Mr 
Brumby's distressed wife and on advice from his political rivals.
Plug the Pipe chairman Ken Pattison said the stunt was a "major win" for the 
group, who were law-abiding citizens and had listened to the voice of 
disapproval.
"The point was made, we didn't have to carry it any further to get the point 
across," Mr Pattison said.
"We were advised by people from all walks of life that to go onto the 
property was going too far. We listened to that advice. We are not radical 
ratbags, we're concerned about the environmental health of our rivers.
"We believe we have got our message across and the security and the privacy 
of the Premier and his family have not been impinged."
The protesters planned the stunt because they claim Government workers are 
illegally entering properties along the planned route of the pipeline.
Mr Pattison said Mr Brumby now knew how that intrusion felt and landowners 
expected the same right to privacy as the Premier did.
Mr Brumby dismissed the argument, saying there was a long-standing process 
for laying infrastructure, including gas and electricity pipelines.
The protesters apologised to the Premier's wife, Rosemary McKenzie, who 
expressed fears for her safety amid demonstrators' plans to enter the farm.
Ms McKenzie, who often stays at the farm alone, got up at 6am this morning 
to move sheep for fear they would be attacked by protesters planning to 
invade the property at 11am.

Mr Brumby said his wife had a sleepless night after learning yesterday the 
protesters planned to invade their property.
When asked about Ms McKenzie's fears, Mr Pattison said: "I do apologise for 
that".

"His wife is actually a local girl.

"The target is the Premier of the state."
The protesters called off the protest after speaking with police outside a 
pub in Ravenswood, near Bendigo, where they had planned to organise a 
convoy.
Plug the Pipe spokeswoman Jan Beer stood on the back of a ute and told the 
crowd: "John Brumby is not worth getting arrested for".
She refused to apologise to the Premier, and said the fear and disbelief 
expressed by his wife was what the protesters - landowners from country 
Victoria - had been feeling for the past 10 months about the pipeline to be 
built from the state's north to Melbourne.
The demonstrators said they hoped they wouldn't lose support because of 
their actions, and hoped people would understand the issue and not focus on 
the planned farm protest.
Mr Brumby today said his wife had been intimidated and disturbed by the 
protesters plans.

"I take exception to people coming over the fence, I take exception to 
people trespassing on private property, and I take exception to people 
intimidating my wife," he told 3AW Radio.

Mr Brumby read from a statement from Ms McKenzie that said she was at the 
property several times a week, often alone, and the proposed action directly 
affected her privacy, her right to peaceful enjoyment, and "quite possibly" 
her safety.
"It certainly disturbs my peace of mind," she said.
Ms McKenzie said the action would bring the level of public debate in 
Victoria to a new low.
"It means that henceforth, the private spaces of politicians, their homes, 
their gardens, their farms, the places they go with their families will 
never be places of private sanctuary again.

"Anyone with a gripe with the government will now have a precedent for 
taking their dissent to private spaces in a way that impinges directly and 
deeply on the lives of politician's families."
When asked whether the protesters' plan was "crossing a line", Victoria 
Police deputy commissioner Keiran Walshe said: "Well, I think it is".
"They certainly don't have the right to cross into any person's property," 
he told 3AW.
Ms Beer said the water pipeline was the premier's fault and the protesters 
planned to enter his paddocks so he knew how it felt to have his property 
and privacy invaded.
One anti-pipeline protester 'Sally' told 3AW Mr Brumby should listen to the 
country people.
"He came up here and he never listened to what we said," she said.

"Now we've no water and he wants to take it to Melbourne. Go and dig a 
bloody big dam."
Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu said entering the farm was the wrong thing to 
do and as far as he was concerned politicians' families and properties were 
off limits.

http://www.financialpost.com/reports/oil-watch/story.html?id=677523

Greenpeace says oil sands mine targeted by protesters
Reuters  Published: Thursday, July 24, 2008

CALGARY -- Protesters blocked a pipe to a waste-water pond at an Alberta oil 
sands mine operated by Syncrude Canada Ltd Thursday and demanded a halt to 
rising production that critics say is devastating the region's environment, 
Greenpeace said Thursday.
Greenpeace said in a release that 10 activists put a cap on the pipe at the 
Aurora North mine at Syncrude's project site near Fort McMurray in northern 
Alberta.
Protesters also raised a banner that read "World's Dirtiest Oil: Stop the 
Tar Sands," and put a skull-and-crossbones flag atop yet another pipe into 
the tailings pond.
The environmental group is calling for the Alberta government to stop 
approving new projects to exploit the region's oil sands, which hold the 
biggest petroleum reserves outside the Middle East.
Oil companies are expected to spend more than $100 billion to nearly triple 
production from the region -- to more than 3 million barrels day -- by 2015.
"It's time for the government to step in and start saying no to these 
companies and to put the brakes on development," said Mike Hudema, a tar 
sands campaigner at Greenpeace.
The tailings pond at the mine owned by Syncrude, the biggest oil sands 
producer, focused global attention on the environmental costs of producing 
the region's tarry bitumen deposits when 500 ducks died after landing on the 
pond earlier this year.
Heavy metals and other toxins are a byproduct when the tarry bitumen is 
separated out from oil sands using water, which is sent to settle in 
waste-water, or tailing, ponds.
Alberta regulators plan to tighten rules for the toxic ponds, requiring 
developers of oil-sands projects to prepare operations and abandonment plans 
for the ponds and submit them for the regulator will review.
It would also force companies to file schedules for pond construction, use, 
closure and other milestones with regulators, or face penalties if the rules 
are broken.
However Greenpeace is also calling rules requiring the clean up of existing 
tailings ponds and stiffer penalties for environmental infractions.
Syncrude could not immediately reached for comment.
Syncrude is a joint venture owned by Canadian Oil Sands Trust, Imperial Oil 
Ltd, Petro-Canada , ConocoPhillips, Nexen Inc., Nippon Oil Corp. unit Mocal 
Energy Ltd. and Murphy Oil Corp.

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/07/25/10589/

Published on Friday, July 25, 2008 by Environmental News Service
Greenpeace Activists Arrested Protesting Oil Sands in Northern Alberta
FORT MCMURRAY, Alberta, Canada - Eleven Greenpeace activists entered 
Syncrude's Aurora North Tar Sands facility north of Fort McMurray today, 
erecting a banner that transformed the opening of a tailings pond pipe into 
the "mouth" of a giant skull, spewing toxic sludge. Shortly after 8:00 am, 
two Greenpeaceers blocked the pipe by shutting down the valve before 
chaining and locking themselves to the control box.
Two other activists hung a banner reading "World's Dirtiest Oil: Stop the 
Tar Sands," on the bank of the tailings pond.
Before they could completely block the second pipe, Syncrude security took 
the 11 activists into custody and handed them over to the Royal Canadian 
Mounted Police. Charges are pending against all the demonstrators.
Syncrude confirms that the Greenpeace activists entered the Aurora site 
today without permission. The company believes they gained access by 
breaking through a locked gate.
The protestors were "escorted to another area on the site to ensure their 
safety," the company said in a statement, adding that there were no 
environmental impacts or operational upsets as a result of the incident.
"We are thankful no one was hurt," said Syncrude President and CEO Tom 
Katinas. "While we encourage debate and dialogue about the environmental 
impacts of oil sands development, we do expect it to be conducted in a 
lawful and professional manner."
"The action of the protestors put themselves at risk of injury given their 
unfamiliarity with the operations of a large and complex industrial site," 
Katinas said.
"Big oil companies are pillaging Alberta's natural resources, robbing 
freshwater from the Athabasca River to make giant lakes of toxic sludge that 
are killing wildlife and poisoning local communities," said Mike Hudema, a 
tar sands campaigner with Greenpeace.
"Today we brought our message to the perpetrators of this environmental 
crime with a clear message to put the brakes on the tar sands," Hudema said.
The tar sands use more water than any other Alberta user. Current projects 
are licensed to remove more than 450 million cubic meters of water from the 
Athabasca River each year, about two and a half times the amount of water 
used by the city of Calgary each year.
After use, the water is so contaminated with toxic chemicals that it is 
stored in toxic tailings ponds so large that they can be seen from space.
With today's demonstration, the Greenpeacers targeted the same sludgy 
six-square-kilometer tailings pond where 500 ducks drowned in April, despite 
environmental regulations that require Syncrude to have wildlife deterrents 
in place.
"We take a lot of pride in having systems in place to prevent birds from 
landing on settling basins and storage ponds," Syncrude's Katinas said at 
the time. "So we're very saddened and sorry that this occurred."
It was the first time a large flock of birds landed on a settling basin in 
Syncrude's 30 years of operation, Katinas said.
Syncrude uses propane-fired noisemakers to deter birds from entering the 
settling ponds and they had already been deployed on all other ponds by 
April 28, the date the birds died. But Syncrude says extreme winter weather 
conditions had delayed the deployment of the noisemakers on the Aurora 
Settling Basin.
After an investigation, Alberta is still deciding whether or not to charge 
Syncrude under the province's environmental laws.
The Syncrude tar sands facility lies about five hours drive north of 
Edmonton, Alberta. (Photo courtesy Dominion Blog)
Greenpeace says tar sands pollution also has been associated with embryonic 
deformity and death of fish in the Athabasca River.
The tar sands are taking their toll on the health of the area's human 
residents too, Greenpeace and indigenous leaders believe.
Elevated levels of rare cancers have been reported in the First Nation 
community of Fort Chipewyan, downstream of the tar sands production site. 
Elders in the community of some 1,200 people say residents fell ill after 
production started near their homes on the southwestern end of Lake 
Athabasca.
In May, the Alberta Cancer Board and Health Canada promised a 
"comprehensive" study into the high incidences of colon, liver, blood and 
bile-duct cancers reported in Fort Chipewyan.
"For dozens of Alberta communities, the Athabasca River is their lifeline 
and when it is threatened, the health and the way of life of those 
communities is put at risk," said Greenpeace Tar Sands Campaigner Heather 
Milton-Lightening.
"Our activists feel that the risk these communities face daily is far more 
significant than the risk we took today," she said. "If the government 
refuses to stand up for their rights, we will."
Tar sands production contributes to global warming, the activists believe. 
Greenpeace said today that greenhouse gases from the tar sands are roughly 
equal to the emissions of all the cars on the road in Canada.
Boreal forests, wetlands and wildlife are being wiped out by the tar sands, 
the campaigners warn. "An area the size of Vancouver Island has already been 
devastated for tar sands oil. If current runaway development is allowed to 
proceed unchecked, an area as big as the state of Florida could be 
destroyed," the group said today in a statement.
Greenpeace is calling for no new approvals for tar sands projects as a first 
step. They group also wants assurances that no new tailings ponds will be 
built or existing ponds expanded, and that all existing ponds will be 
cleaned up and reclaimed.
Finally, the activists say stiffer penalties should be implemented for oil 
companies that fail to meet environmental regulations.
The Syncrude Project is a joint venture operated by Syncrude Canada Ltd. and 
owned by Canadian Oil Sands Limited, ConocoPhillips Oilsands Partnership II, 
Imperial Oil Resources, Mocal Energy Limited, Murphy Oil Company Ltd., Nexen 
Oil Sands Partnership, and Petro-Canada Oil and Gas.
Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2008

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/10/2330257.htm

Protesters mark 'death of Murray'
Posted Sun Aug 10, 2008 12:24pm AEST
Updated Sun Aug 10, 2008 12:36pm AEST

The protesters marked 'the death' of the Murray River. (ABC News)
Map: Goolwa 5214
Related Story: States shouldn't have veto power over Murray-Darling: Greens
Thousands of people have taken part in a protest at Goolwa south of Adelaide 
to demonstrate about the state of the lower lakes.
The protesters observed a two-minute silence to mark the death of the Murray 
River.
Protesters say the town of Goolwa at the base of the Murray is facing an 
environmental and social disaster and needs at least 250 gigalitres released 
downstream immediately to buy it more time and give it a chance of 
surviving.
Faces in the crowd of several thousand included South Australian Opposition 
Leader Martin Hamilton-Smith, independent Senator Nick Xenophon and Greens 
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.
The crowd booed Premier Mike Rann and water ministers Karlene Maywald and 
Penny Wong for declining invitations to speak.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan/story/2008/08/11/oilsands-protesters.html?ref=rss

Oilsands bidding draws protesters to legislature
Last Updated: Monday, August 11, 2008 | 5:59 PM CT Comments10Recommend8
CBC News
Protesters opposed to oilsands development picketed the Saskatchewan 
legislature on Monday. (Stefani Langenegger/CBC)
Protesters were outside the Saskatchewan legislature Monday, a day when the 
province was accepting bids on its oilsands land.
"This is a very sad day for me," said Larissa Shasko, a member of the Green 
Party.
"I cannot . stand idly by while this Saskatchewan government puts this 
province for sale to the oil and gas corporations."
The province has had record land sales so far this year, with oil companies 
offering millions of dollars to explore for oil and gas.
To a lesser but growing extent, companies have also been searching for 
oilsands, with hundreds of thousands of hectares in Saskatchewan up for 
bids.
The protesters argue that extracting oil from oilsands requires enormous 
amounts of energy and will make it harder to meet climate change goals.
Some of the Alberta oilsands have been stripmining operations, but 
Saskatchewan Energy Minister Bill Boyd said that won't be the case in 
Saskatchewan.
Under the kind of "in situ" mining proposed for northern Saskatchewan, steam 
would be injected deep into the ground to liquify the oilsands enough to 
transport it through pipelines, the industry has proposed.
"We feel that this will be no more intrusive than a conventional oil field," 
Boyd said. "Therefore, we think it's being done in a very responsible 
fashion."
Longtime Saskatchewan environmentalists such as Jim Elliot aren't so sure.
"Most tar sands will still need water, will still need energy, will still 
need natural gas to heat the stuff up," Elliot said.
Elliot wants a moratorium on oilsands development until a full environmental 
assessment can be done; the provincial government says that's not necessary.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/australian-news/4932539

Tent protest against pulp mill
ABC - August 19, 2008, 7:31 pm
Anti-pulp mill campaigners have set up a tent outside parliament in 
Launceston.
Tasmanians Against the Pulp Mill (TAP) says the tent will stay in City Park 
for the two weeks of the parliamentary sitting.
Parliament has moved from Hobart while renovations are done on Parliament<br 
clear="none"/>House.
TAP spokesman, Tony Saddington, says the tent it will give people access to 
information on the proposed pulp mill and will highlight section 11 of the 
project's assessment act.
He said the section prohibits anyone from claiming damages against Gunns.
"If you own a farm, property or business or a normal householder and suffer 
adverse effects from Gunns pulp mill you've got no common law claim."
Mr Saddington says TAP has been told by lawyers the section is without 
precedent.