Northern Rivers Flood February-March 2022: going into little Coraki, est. population 1,930

Coraki, Northern NSW, as the flood waters recede, March 2022
IMAGE: The Daily Telegraph

The Sydney Morning Herald, 11 March 2022:

The real disaster has been the failed response, writes Cam Hollows.

I'd been covering the Catholic hospital in Lismore for the first couple of days of the floods. With many other doctors cut off, we'd been treating patients offloaded from boats.

When I heard that Ballina District Hospital was being evacuated to higher ground on March 1, I threw my medical kit in the back of a four-wheel drive.

I also dressed in my wetsuit and dive boots. I had my snorkel too. As I drove into Ballina, power failed as we were passing the Big Prawn.

It was scary. I knew if we couldn't cross from West Ballina, we would be spending the night evacuating people in floodwater in the dark.

But we got to the hospital. It was a long night, treating and moving Ballina patients in a relatively orderly way to a local school where the hospital was relocated.

That night I was just another pair of hands helping out.

It was also my 40th birthday.

As the floods worsened the next day, a colleague and I offered to volunteer at one of the two major evacuation centres in Lismore only to find they were well-staffed. Many of the volunteer medics there had lost their homes or clinics but kept working.

But there was no doctor left in Coraki, the local Bundjalong's people's word for the place. Everybody in the Northern Rivers knows that Coraki - which sits on the confluence of the Richmond and Wilson rivers in northern NSW - is where floods hit worse, as it's where four of the northern rivers meet.

More than 600 people and their pets had already spent a few days crammed into an evacuation centre. With no roads in or out, they'd been cut off from help or supplies for many days.

I hitched a ride there in a JetRanger helicopter. Knowing I was of little use without medical supplies, I signed out as much as I could think of from a local base hospital. And, with help from a medical student, packed it on the chopper.

Looking down from above, it was nothing but brown water and debris as far as the eye could see. It was like Vietnam's Mekong Delta but with fewer boats.

Where Coraki is located, everything was underwater. The water had severed the town in half. Some residents were trapped on islands.

I remember thinking, "We don't need the army. We need the navy."

It smelled worse than many of the more unfortunate places I have been where there is no sewage (I used to live in Papua New Guinea).

Septic tanks were overflowing. The irony is that Coraki is a town full of plumbers who could do little to help because they'd lost their tools in the floods.

Arriving at the evacuation centre in the Uniting Church, I found local nursing, fire and SES staff and volunteers dead on their feet but still functioning. Who knows how? Again, many volunteers there had lost their homes but not their spirits.

They were working in a room filled with human misery. As a medical student, I had spent three months in a trauma hospital in Vietnam. Needless to say, that was better equipped than Coraki last week.

For the next two days and nights, I only napped on a bed requisitioned from a "state of the art" health facility disabled by lack of power and planning.

Together, volunteers and I established a functioning resuscitation centre and a wound clinic.

We treated locals whose feet looked like bags of mince. We patched up rescuers so they could get back on boats. Oldies had run out of medicine. There were loads of sore tummies, and sick and scared kids.

Mental health was a challenge for all generations.

I reviewed a patient's arm that had been savaged by a kangaroo. Locals said they had treated a range of these injuries from roos that had panicked in rising waters.

Before I arrived, local nurses - many stranded from jobs in nearby towns - had triaged patients for medical evacuations, which we started loading onto helicopters.

The locals, including a NSW health nurse who had also been stranded from work, had been doing an outstanding job. But without additional help, it couldn't last.

Until I was relieved after a couple of days, we didn't see an additional NSW or Defence Force doctor or nurse.

I relied on locals and a Queensland optometrist who had been stranded on the island. The irony of a Dr Hollows working with an optometrist was not lost on anyone.

We also had to check on the 50-bed nursing room cut off at the other end of town.

It turned out to be lucky that I had taken my defibrillator with me. A team of locals used it to resuscitate a man who had a massive cardiac arrest in the lounge room of a house nearby. People rarely come back to life outside a hospital.

For the vast majority of my time in Coraki, communication was cut off, and rumours were flying everywhere, one of which turned out to be true. I worried when I heard there was a woman who was pregnant with a severe medical condition who had been sling-lifted to the evacuation centre to Coraki from her trapped home. We finally found her and organised to get her airlifted to safety.

I was very relieved when replacements arrived, former medical colleagues with whom I had shared many sick patients and night shifts in the past.

I got home on Saturday to find a letter from my six-year-old daughter, written while I was away. "Dad, don't want you to go." She wrote she was "wuryd".

I returned to Coraki last Tuesday, the ninth day of the flood. Apart from phone coverage which I had helped organise, no doctor had yet to visit the nursing home. Yet again, aged care had been forgotten.

Australia is a nation where battlers survive natural disasters. But the real disaster was the lack of planning and failed response from government. Our weather has changed, but it is clear our government hasn't kept up.

There are still plenty of people in Coraki - and other places heavily impacted by flooding - living in tents, shelters and cars. I can patch up wounds, but the mental health scars will remain long into the future.

Please be careful putting your hand in your pocket to help out, especially if you can't afford it. Instead, ask what the government has done with the money it has already taken from you in taxes.

Cam Hollows is a doctor in the Northern Rivers and a member of the Hollows Foundation, which his father Fred Hollows, an ophthalmologist, set up. It has restored sight to more than 2.5 million people and distributed 100 million doses of antibiotics for trachoma to prevent blindness. 

Ballina Hospital evacuation to higher ground at local high school
IMAGE: Daily Mail: Australia, 2 March 2022

Help Slow The Rate of Mindless Land Clearing in NSW: there is an open e-Petition on the NSW Parliament website to End Public Native Forest Logging. If you are a NSW resident, please consider signing

 

Logging truck in the Brooman State Forest less than a year after NSW 2019-20 bushfires destroyed more than 80 per cent of the Shoalhaven's bush. IMAGE: The Bush Telegraph, 12 October 2020.

NSW PARLIAMENT, retrieved 25 February 2022:

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY - Signing ePetition - End Public Native Forest Logging

To sign the ePetition, confirm you are a resident of New South Wales and enter your title, first name and last name. Once you click ‘submit’ you will have signed the ePetition and will be re-directed to the Legislative Assembly’s ‘ePetitions open for signature’ page

End Public Native Forest Logging

To the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly,

Public native forest logging is pushing iconic species like the koala, swift parrot and greater glider towards extinction.

The 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires burnt over 5 million hectares of forest and have left them more vulnerable to the impacts of logging. The Natural Resources Commission (NRC) and the Environmental Protection Agency have recommended that in bushfire affected areas logging should cease entirely or face tighter restrictions, as current logging practices may cause irreversible damage to ecosystems and wildlife.

Logging of public native forests is tax-payer subsidised. Forestry Corporation’s Hardwood Division has been operating at a significant loss for the past decade. In 2020/21 it ran at a loss of $20 million, with predictions that it will face losses of $15 million until 2024.

Reports also show our state forests can generate far more income through their protection than from logging, through recreation, tourism and carbon abatement.

The Western Australian and Victorian Governments have already committed to ending this industry and have developed transition plans to support affected workers and businesses.

The petitioners ask the Legislative Assembly to:

1. Develop a plan to transition the native forestry industry to 100% sustainable plantations by 2024.

2. In the interim, place a moratorium on public native forest logging until the regulatory framework reflects the recommendations of the leaked NRC report.

3. Immediately protect high-conservation value forests through gazettal in the National Parks estate.

4. Ban use of native forest materials as biomass fuel.

The petitioner of record is Ms Takesa Frank.

To sign the petition go to https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/la/pages/epetition-details.aspx?q=quge-8rdRlyn4PTcuMj_PA

This petition closes on 2 August 2022.

Please consider signing if you are a NSW resident.

Northern Rivers region fronting up for local frontline COVID-19 healthcare workers, paramedics & public hospital support staff

"We will buy meals from local businesses to be delivered to staff at Byron and Lismore Base hospitals. We won’t forget wards people, cleaners, those doing the testing, those on the phones and in admin. And we won’t forget night shift. This is also a way we can support local businesses. (Sadly, home-baked meals and treats are not possible due to food safety issues.) At Lismore, which is a very big hospital, we'll begin by taking meals into the Emergency Department, ICU and the COVID wards. We are organising donations of biscuits, teas, coffee, trail mix, chocolate, smoothies and juices to be put in tearooms (and regularly topped up) in these two hospitals....Depending on the amount raised and requests that come in from frontline workers, we will look for ways to offer other support to frontline workers outside their work environment." [Sarah Armstrong, Fundraising Organizer] 

This year five members of the Mullumbimby community decided to offer practical support during this particular COVID-19 surge to as many healthcare workers in the public hospital system, support staff who keep the system running and to paramedics who transport people to hospital. 

To that end a GoFundMe page was set up and in a matter of the first 16 days and 397 donations had raised $29,610 of a target of $50,000 to provide free hot and cold drinks, healthy snacks, biscuits and meals in the tearooms of Mullumbimby's local hospital Byron Central Hospital and Lismore Base Hospital the dedicated COVID-19 public hospital in the Northern NSW Local Health District. 

The Echo reports that organisers have provided their first delivery of meals to Byron Hospital, handing over dozens of pre-cooked dishes prepared by local vegan caterer, Yummify. Lismore Hospital will also receive their first shipment soon, with local business Mayfield Kitchen providing the meals.

Plans are underway to also allow paramedics on duty to access free coffee and snacks at selected cafes under this grassroots community scheme. 

Many local businesses and residents from across the region are throwing their weight behind this organised gesture of appreciation. 

If you would like to join in by making a small donation to "Front up for the frontline" this is the the link: www.bit.ly/3rrJo70. 

The organisers have stated "We’d love to do this for every hospital in our region but it’s a task too big for the six people working on this. We’re happy to offer guidance to anyone wanting to do the same for their local frontline workers."

 

VALE: Stan Mussared, educator, campaigner for ecological sustainability and environmental warrior

The Environmental Legacy of Stan Mussared

Stan Mussared with "The Earth Charter In Action"
Reweavers Dinner 2017
IMAGE: Lyn Hoskings

Stan Mussared, a Clarence Valley resident for 58 years and a highly respected teacher at Grafton High School for 31 years, died in December 2021. For the last three and a half decades of his life he also played a significant role in the conservation movement in the Clarence Valley.

Stan’s concern for a healthy natural environment developed from the values of his mother who instilled in him compassion and a respect for all life. This became a guiding principle in both his personal and community life.

Magda & Stan in their garden 2017
IMAGE: Lyn Hoskings

His commitment to ecological sustainability led to the long-term re-vegetation project on the Waterview Heights block he and his wife Magda moved to in 1973. At that time there were only two trees – a forest redgum and an ironbark - on the degraded four acre block. Transformed gradually through their determination and hard work, their block is now covered by a wonderful native forest which provides healthy habitat for a variety of wildlife - including koalas which have been visiting regularly since 2008.

Stan’s involvement in public environmental campaigning began when he joined a small group of dedicated people who formed the Clarence Valley Branch of the National Parks Association to save the Washpool rainforest from logging. From all accounts it was a very tense battle from mid-1980 with conservationists on one side and sawmillers and timber workers on the other. The conservationists’ determined campaign eventually led to the NSW Government’s decision to create the Washpool National Park which ensured this magnificent natural area was saved.

1988 brought another threat to the local environment – the Harris Daishowa proposal for a massive chemical pulp mill in the Clarence Valley. Despite government and local council support for the mill, community opposition grew quickly with the Clarence Valley Conservation Coalition (CVCC) being formed to fight the proposal. Members of the new group included Stan, the Washpool campaigners and many others. One of the campaign highlights - the March 1989 public meeting at South Grafton High School - was attended by 1,000 people. Stan was a major speaker presenting the economic and social costs of the proposal at this meeting and others around the area. Months later the strong community campaign paid off with Daishowa withdrawing its proposal. People power had beaten Daishowa.

Stan retired from teaching in 1993 – which gave him more time for other activities including environmental campaigning. Over the next 25 years he used his teaching expertise and organisational and communication skills to explain the importance of protecting the natural environment for the benefit of the community of life.

Stan was also was involved in opposing the plan to divert water from the Nymboida River to provide the constantly growing Coffs Harbour with a long-term secure water supply. From the mid-1990s to the early 2000s this resulted in more campaigning, more meetings to attend and more speeches from Stan and others about the danger to the Clarence River system of this inter-catchment transfer of water when better alternatives were available. Despite strong campaigning from the CVCC, the Clarence Environment Centre and Valley Watch this proposal went ahead with the construction of the Shannon Creek Dam and a pipeline to Coffs Harbour.

Campaigns on a variety of environmental issues continued and Stan’s leadership role was vital. He was Vice President of the Conservation Coalition for many years and served as its President for 9 years from 2010.

One of his most significant achievements was the founding of the annual Re-Weavers of the Tapestry awards in 2006. These awards honour and publicise the environmental work of individuals and groups who have re-woven green threads of sustainability into the Earth’s Tapestry to repair its wholeness. Local conservationists recognised include John and Pat Edwards (Shannondale), Peter Wrightson (Ashby), Kay Jeffrey (Iluka), Barbara Fahey (Grafton) and Russell Jago (Ulmarra). Others from further afield who have been honoured include Ashley Love (Coffs Harbour), Carmel Flint (Armidale), Jim Tedder (Grassy Head), Dailan Pugh (Byron Bay) Celia Smith (Armidale), and the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital.

Over the years since he became an environmental campaigner Stan spoke strongly for the Earth Community through letters and articles in the local media, through membership of a range of local organisations as well as participation in Council and Government committees.

As a committed environmentalist Stan Mussared achieved a great deal in his 88 years. He was a wonderful advocate for the natural world and an inspiration to many people.

– Leonie Blain

Honorary Secretary, Clarence Valley Conservation Coalition.

Stan Mussared beside the Clarence River
IMAGE: supplied

e-Petition and vigorous, sustained community lobbying saw 200ha of NSW core koala habitat protected in the last month of 2021

 

147 The Ruins Way, Port Macquarie NSW
IMAGE: realestate.com.au

On 24 November 2021 an e-Petition signed by 24,970 NSW residents was presented in the NSW Legislative Assembly by Greens MLA Tamara Green.

“To the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly,

The coastal region of Port Macquarie Hastings LGA has one of the largest remnant populations of koalas in NSW. This was mapped as a koala hotspot for the NSW Koala Strategy 2018 by the Office of Environment and Heritage.

In the Port Macquarie LGA, most koala habitat lies within private land, outside protected areas such as National Parks. The koala population suffered huge casualties with the 2019 bushfires. The remaining unburnt core habitat around Lake Innes has become critical to sustain those individuals that survived the fires. An assessment by DPIE’s Biodiversity and Conservation Division concluded that post-fire, the urban population of koalas is now critical to Port Macquarie-Hastings Council LGA overall population if it has any hope of recovery. However, their habitat is shrinking rapidly because of ongoing land clearing for greenfield urban development.

147 Ruins Way, at 200ha, is the largest piece of privately-owned unburnt core koala habitat east of the Pacific Highway and is currently on the market for residential development. The property also provides habitat for numerous other threatened species including the critically endangered Swift Parrot and Regent Honeyeater, plus threatened forest owls, Square-tailed Kite, Little Lorikeet, Varied Sitella, Glossy-Black Cockatoo and Grey-headed Flying Fox.

We request that the NSW government purchase this land (e.g. with the $193 million set aside for koala population recovery) and protect it in perpetuity via a Nature Reserve or other secure, non-reversible tenure.”

On Christmas Eve, 24 December 2021 the NSW Minister for Environment and Heritage James Griffin formally responded that the former minister Matt Kean had purchased this vital koala habitat at 147 Ruins Way. The completed purchase from property developer Vilro Pty Ltd, being jointly funded by Koala Conservation Australia (KCA) and the NSW Government, with KCA supplying $3.5 million towards purchase cost and government the remainder believed to be in the vicinity of $7 million.

The e-petition is scheduled for debate on Thursday, 17 February 2022.

147 The Ruins Way, Port Macquarie NSW
IMAGE: Yahoo! News

Northern Rivers couple Pat and John Edwards inducted into the Allen Strom Hall of Fame at the Nature Conservation Council’s 2021 NSW Environment Awards

 

Clarence Valley Independent, 10 November 2021:

John and Pat Edwards were inducted into the Allen Strom Hall of Fame at the Nature Conservation Council’s NSW Environment Awards over the weekend. Image: Contributed

Clarence Valley environmental defenders John and Pat Edwards were inducted into the Allen Strom Hall of Fame at the Nature Conservation Council’s NSW Environment Awards.

The awards, which were conducted via a Zoom meeting on Saturday November 6, “celebrate the outstanding commitment and achievement of campaigners, grassroots environmentalists and conservation groups across the state”.

“The Nature Conservation Council’s hall of fame was established in memory of the late Allen Strom’s untiring dedication to conservation and education in NSW,” the conservation council’s website states.

“Individuals for this award have been actively involved in the conservation movement for many years, have made a constant and invaluable contribution to the environment and have displayed qualities of integrity, reliability and commitment.”

Mr Edwards said he was honoured that he and his wife, Pat, were inducted into the hall of fame, however, he was a little shy about the attention.

“I always find these things embarrassing,” he said, “I’d rather be off in a corner doing my own thing, Pat is much the same.

“We do the things we do because we believe in them.

“We have five lovely grandchildren who deserve to experience a world like the one we grew up in – one of the things our generation has done is stuff it up for them; so whatever we can do to conserve nature is worth doing.”

Mr Edwards has been one of the people integral in conducting the Clarence Catchment Alliance’s ‘No Mines Clarence Valley’ campaign.....

Read the full article here.

Do you know that in the NSW Parliament, the upper house ventilation system has been upgraded to ensure 8 exchanges of fresh air every hour on the advice of health experts. Our school kids get told to open a window. Want to change that? Then take a moment to sign this official e-Petition to Parliament

"An excellent COVID-19 safety plan has been developed for parliament that includes rapid antigen testing, mask-wearing, social distancing and upgraded ventilation systems. A strictly limited number of members would be permitted in the chamber and there will be remote online participation of members. As the opposition Whip in the Upper House, I have spent time examining the plan in great detail, and it is among the strictest set of work practices in our state’s workplaces." [Mark Buttigeig MLC, in The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 September 2021]

When it comes to a complete suite of COVID-19 pandemic health response measures across the entire population, first the Berejiklian and now the Perrottet, NSW governments have rarely been proactive unless pushed.

If the world we live in had attained true equality and equity our children would be having their schools fitted out with high quality ventilation systems, but they are not.

This e-petition set out below has yet to reach the 10,000 signature target which would mean it will be considered by the NSW Parliament.

The SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant Outbreak & COVID-19 infection spread generally are far from over.

Please sign for the sake of kindergarten, primary & high school students across the state.

This petition is not the complete answer but it is a good start. Bringing community concerns right into the Legislative Assembly, where history through Hansard makes every single one of the current 93 members accountable. Make people power count!

NSW Parliament e-Petition with close date 21 October 2021:

Signing ePetition 

To sign the ePetition, confirm you are a resident of New South Wales and enter your title, first name and last name. Once you click ‘submit’ you will have signed the ePetition and will be re-directed to the Legislative Assembly’s ‘ePetitions open for signature’ page 

Covid-19 safety measures in schools: ventilation & air filtration 

To the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly, 

 We call upon the NSW government to take immediate action to ensure adequate ventilation is installed and maintained in Primary Schools. The current measures undertaken by the Department of Education to ensure windows and doors are able to be opened is not sufficient.

 

Covid-19 is an airborne disease. Ventilation, along with vaccination and vital covid-safe steps, are essential to keep children safe. Children under 12 years of age are not currently eligible for vaccination, so adequate ventilation in Primary Schools is a priority. 

 OzSAGE, a network of public health experts, believes ventilation in classrooms is a key requirement for the safe lifting of restrictions in NSW. Their stance is supported by both the CDC in the USA and the ECDC across Europe. 

 In the NSW Parliament, the upper house ventilation system has been upgraded to ensure eight exchanges of fresh air every hour on the advice of health experts. Our children should be afforded the same protection as our elected officials. 

 We are asking for a state-wide ventilation plan to include: 

• Carbon dioxide monitors to be installed in classrooms 

• Air purification devices (including HEPA filters) to be distributed 

 • Funding for shade sails to increase outdoor learning spaces and make it easier for classes to be conducted outdoors 

 With Kindy and Stage 1 children returning to classrooms on the 25th October 2021, we implore you to take urgent action to ensure our children’s health and safety.

To sign online go to:

https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/la/Pages/ePetition-details.aspx?q=rpEwNg2UB9+LpW1NhPZzdA==

BACKGROUND

"COVIDSAFE Plan to support the sittings of the Legislative Council (LC)" at:

https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/tp/files/80383/COVIDSAFE%20Plan%20to%20support%20the%20sittings%20of%20the%20Legislative%20Council%20-%20%20%209%20September%202021.pdf

Echoes of Northern New South Wales' past and a timely reminder of its present potential to resist bad government policy

The Echo, on 7 October 2021, reminding the Northern Rivers region from Clarence Valley right up to Tweed on the New South Wales-Queensland border that our combined voices followed up with action are powerful:

Ian Cohen surfing the nose of
a nuclear armed warship
Photo: Robert Pearce

Following the Nuclear Disarmament Party’s close loss with front man Peter Garrett in 1984, nuclear issues were at the forefront of people’s minds. We extended our influence far beyond our Shire. The pending arrival of nuclear armed warships sent the local region into overdrive. Benny Zable from Nimbin rolled out his ‘radioactive’ barrels for street theatre. Dean Jefferys based in Brunswick Heads came with his ultralight, Hoss (Ian Hoskens) of Main Arm with his megaphone voice and me with my surfboard. 

September 1986 heralded the arrival of the largest assembly of international ships in Sydney Harbour’s history. Many were nuclear armed. 

Our north coast contingent was vital to the success of the protest actions. Driven by a reckless, but heartfelt, desire to impact on the nuclear arms race and send a direct message to US President Ronald Reagan and USSR’s Yuri Andropov. 

The mad concept of surfing the nose of a nuclear armed warship was mine, but Sydney Morning Herald photographer, Robert Pearce, from a media barge directly in front of myself and the warship, captured the image of a vulnerable surfer hanging onto the nose of a nuclear armed destroyer that went global.

Dean backed it up with a paint bomb delivered from his ultralight. It missed, (fortunately it was water based paint). He was more accurate several days later delivering a bouquet of flowers from the air into a missile silo as the HMS Illustrious departed. Dean landed himself in jail.

Channon local, Ian Gaillard, worked with the anti-nuclear vessel Pacific Peacemaker and crewed it on the long haul through the Pacific to confront the launch of the world’s largest nuclear submarine in Seattle. They travelled through the Pacific garnering local support along the way.

During the 1980s Jim Mitsos had moved to Byron and bought up most of what is now Suffolk Park. A Communist developer, creating real affordable housing he was also a tireless anti-nuclear campaigner promoting the concept of Nuclear Free Zone signs in Byron that spread to councils throughout NSW. He laid the groundwork of awareness for follow up actions. Perhaps we need those signs again?

Ian Cohen surfing the nose of a nuclear armed
warship. Photos Robert Pearce

In 1995 I was the first Green elected to NSW Parliament. With the efficient support of Byron’s future mayor, Jan Barham, I spent the first break organising an international contingent of politicians to be part of a flotilla of ships to descend on Papeete (Tahiti) and support islanders in their opposition to upcoming nuclear tests at Moruroa. We learnt much about the global phenomenon ‘Ships of Shame’ where seafarers are abused and exploited, the impossibility of chartering a flotilla, and decided to fly 30 Australian politicians over to Papeete.

Meetings under the palms with President Oscar Temaru, inspired, along with marches and forums in Papeete, the contingent of politicians including Richard Jones MLC, another Byron Shire local, who met with the French Ambassador to deliver thousands of petitions.

Greenpeace had other ideas for a small crew. A private boat was organised to transport an international selection of politicians to Moruroa 1,150km away. In my last interview before our departure I was informed that the French had announced a $150,000 fine and 12 months in jail for anyone entering the exclusion zone.

Halfway there an international news broadcast announced the French had detonated the first bomb in the series on Moruroa. The little boat continued on course, without deviation, as we sailed into the eye of the global nuclear storm. That was the last French nuclear test in the Pacific.

Times change, but some things regarding the nuclear industry and international political posturing remain the same.

Our PM, Scott Morrison, struts the world stage, vilifies China (some of it deserved), but in the process is locking in Australia’s subservience to US foreign policy while guaranteeing increased US troop access and US spy stations on Australian territory for the future. Add to this the crippling cost of procurement of nuclear powered subs and the possible return of Donald Trump to ‘guide’ our nation into the future.

This sabre rattling at an external enemy will allow Morrison some catch up in the polls while the ALP is wedged. The huge crime here is to make a decision without debate in the Federal Parliament. An external enemy worked for Thatcher (Falklands War). In Australia we had weapons of mass destruction touted in Iraq while George W Bush labelled Howard a ‘Man of Steel’ for sending our young soldiers to war.

Whilst recognising the repressive political leadership in Bejing, there is a better road to peace through diplomacy, and when necessary, trade sanctions.

In the depth of the Cold War nuclear capable warships, either conventional or nuclear powered, did not cruise the world’s oceans unarmed and race back to San Diego or Hawaii in an emergency to load. In the 1980s their mantra was; ‘We neither confirm or deny these ships have nuclear weapons on board’. Today, nuclear weapons have been removed from surface ships. They are still on nuclear submarines. Just what arsenal will Australia obediently accept when it hires or purchases US submarines?

In 1975 there were 6,191 US nuclear weapons afloat. Arms control agreements have reduced the number of weapons deployed at sea to 1,000 in 2015.

Morrison’s recent ‘All the way with USA’ is cementing increased US control over future Australian Foreign Policy. We do not benefit from this association. In fact, we as a nation are making ourselves a target.

As for their vulnerability in port, we need to look no further than 9/11 in New York, the US heartland.

Another win for local community in the Battle for the Bylong Valley, NSW

 

Locals opposed the development of a the mine.(ABC News: Liv Casben)

The fight to stop a multinational mining company from devouring the Bylong Valley in New South Wales began way back in 2010.

By 2015 Korean energy giant KEPCO held 7,385 hectares of freehold land in the valley for its proposed thermal coal mine.

In 2017 that landholding had grown to more than 13,000 hectares of Bylong Valley land. At that time the entire mining project was expected by KEPCO to directly impact/”disturb” est. 2,874.7 hectares within the 700 sq. km Bylong River catchment area.

IMAGE: The Land, 1 August 2017

Good agricultural land was being subsumed by this proposed mine and vital water resources threatened.

The Bylong Valley community and its supporters have fought on through a number of jurisdictions for the last ten years.

This is the latest legal success farmers & other residents from the area have achieved…….

On 14 September 2021 the NSW Supreme Court, Court of Appeal dismissed the KEPCO Bylong Australia Pty Ltd appeal of a Land and Environment Court of NSW judgment.

KEPCO was unsuccessful with respect to each of the five ground of appeal against the primary judge’s dismissal of its challenge to the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) decision and was ordered to pay the costs of the active respondent, Bylong Valley Protection Alliance Inc.

KEPCO can of course seek special permission to appeal to the High Court of Australia and, it seems likely that mindlessly pro-mining NSW Deputy Premier & Nationals MLA for Monaro John Barilaro will encourage such an action.

However, this 14 September Court of Appeal judgment was unanimous and that gives cause for comfort.

ABC News, 14 September 2021, excerpt:

Bylong Valley Protection Alliance (BVPA) president Phillip Kennedy hopes the decision will allow the community to rebuild itself.

"I'd really like to see this valley that's been purchased by Kepco under the pretense of a proposed coal mine 10 years ago when they started [to be given back]," he said.

"We would like to ask the South Korean government to release that land back, to allow the mums and dads and the farmers of Australia to come here and to bring it back to what it once was."

The appeal zeroed in on the interpretation of parts of environmental policy and whether or not the IPC's refusal was legally sound.

But today's verdict backed the IPC's judgement that the project would cause "long lasting environmental, agricultural and heritage impacts"….

Bylong Valley, NSW
IMAGE: ABC News, 17 April 2019