Scientists around the world are losing trust in national governments' responses to global climate change and are calling for a peaceful rising up against governments which are failing to act proportionarely to the scale of the crisis

Scientists’ Declaration of Support for Non-Violent Direct Action Against Government Inaction Over the Climate and Ecological Emergency, October 2019:

THIS DECLARATION SETS OUT THE CURRENT SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS CONCERNING THE CLIMATE AND ECOLOGICAL EMERGENCY, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE NECESSITY FOR URGENT ACTION TO PREVENT FURTHER AND IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE HABITABILITY OF OUR PLANET. 

As scientists, we have dedicated our lives to the study and understanding of the world and our place in it. We declare that scientific evidence shows beyond any reasonable doubt that human-caused changes to the Earth’s land, sea and air are severely threatening the habitability of our planet. We further declare that overwhelming evidence shows that if global greenhouse gas emissions are not brought rapidly down to net zero and biodiversity loss is not halted, we risk catastrophic and irreversible damage to our planetary life-support systems, causing incalculable human suffering and many deaths. 

We note that despite the scientific community first sounding the alarm on human-caused global warming more than four decades ago, no action taken by governments thus far has been sufficient to halt the steep rise in greenhouse gas emissions, nor address the ever-worsening loss of biodiversity. Therefore, we call for immediate and decisive action by governments worldwide to rapidly reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to net zero, to prevent further biodiversity loss and to restore, to the fullest extent possible, the damage that has already been done. We further call upon governments to provide particular support to those who will be most affected by climate change and by the required transition to a sustainable economy. 

As scientists we have an obligation that extends beyond merely describing and understanding the natural world to taking an active part in helping to protect it. We note that the scientific community has already tried all conventional methods to draw attention to the crisis. We believe that the continued governmental inaction over the climate and ecological crisis now justifies peaceful and non-violent protest and direct action, even if this goes beyond the bounds of the current law. We therefore support those who are rising up peacefully against governments around the world that are failing to act proportionately to the scale of the crisis. We believe it is our moral duty to act now, and we urge other scientists to join us in helping to protect humanity’s only home. [my yellow highlighting]

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To show your support, please add your name to the list below and share with your colleagues. If you’d like to join us at the International Rebellion in London from October 7th (full list of global October Rebellions here), or to find out more, please join our Scientists for Extinction Rebellion Facebook group or email scientistsforxr@protonmail.com. 

Signatories: Signatures are invited from individuals holding a Master's Degree or more, in a field directly related to the sciences, or who work in a scientific field. 

Please note: the views of individuals signing this document do not necessarily represent those of the university or organisation they work for. 

Dr Emily Grossman, Science broadcaster and author, Ph.D. (Molecular Biology) University of Manchester, MA (Natural Sciences) University of Cambridge. Angela Saini, Science journalist and author, M.Eng Oxford University Professor William Steffen, Emeritus Professor at The Australian National University, Canberra and former executive director of the Australian National University (ANU) Climate Change Institute and the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme Professor Rich Pancost, Ph.D. Geosciences, Head of the School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol Professor Julia Steinberger, Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds Professor Valerie Nelson, Department of Sustainable Development, Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich Paul N. Pearson, Honorary Professor, School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University Professor Penny D. Sackett, Honorary Professor, Climate Change Institute, Australian National University Professor Simon Lewis, Dept Geography, University College London. Professor Ken Rice, Institute for Astronomy, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh Professor Corey Bradshaw, Matthew Flinders Fellow in Global Ecology, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia Professor Ian Foster, Environmental Science, University of Northampton, UK Professor Heidy M Mader, PhD Geophysics, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol Professor Danny Dorling, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, UK Dr John Marsham, Associate Professor, University of Leeds and the National Centre for Atmospheric Science, UK Professor Andy Challinor, Chair of Climate Impacts, University of Leeds Peter Belton, Professor Emeritus, School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia Marilyn Strathern, Emeritus Professor of Social Anthropology, Cambridge University, UK Uta Frith, Emeritus Professor of Cognitive Development, University College London, UK Dr John N. Griffin, Associate Professor, Biosciences, Swansea University Dr Alberto de la Fuente, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Civil Engineering Department, Universidad de Chile, Chile Dr Christelle Rochefort, Associate Professor, Sorbonne University, Paris Professor Diane Reay, University of Cambridge, UK Professor Ellen Euler, University of Applied Science Potsdam, Germany Professor Seralynne Vann, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, UK Professor Mark Humphries, School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, UK Emeritus Professor Michael Bassey, Nottingham Trent University Professor Randy McIntosh, Rotman Research Institute - Baycrest & Dept of Psychology, University of Toronto, Canada Professor Carole Parkes University of Winchester Emeritus Professor Peter Reason, University of Bath Emeritus Professor Ian Parker, University of Leicester, UK Professor Kate Jeffery, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London Professor Hugo Spiers, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London Professor Erica Burman, Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester, UK Professor Stephen J Ball, Distinguished Service Professor of Sociology of Education, University College London Dr. Elisa Thome Sena, Professor at the Multidisciplinary Department, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil Dr Annabel Smith PhD. Lecturer in Wildlife Management, University of Queensland Dr Elizabeth Boakes, PhD Conservation Biology, Centre for Biodiversity & Environment Research, University College London Dr Andrea Snelling PhD Palaeoclimate change researcher, University of Nottingham Dr Catalina Pimiento PhD, Postdoctoral fellow, Biosciences, Swansea University & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Dr. Salvador Pueyo, researcher in complexity and socio-ecological futures, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain Dr Michael Taylor, Department of Meteorology, University of Reading Dr Peter Spooner, Teaching Fellow, Department of Earth Sciences, UCL Dr. Rocio Perez Barrales, Senior Lecturer, University of Portsmouth, UK Dr Miklós Antal, Research Fellow in Ecological Economics, Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary Dr Keith Baker, Researcher in Energy Policy, Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland Dr James G Dyke, Assistant Director, Global Systems Institute, University of Exeter, UK Dr. Julien Lecourt, Senior Researcher, National Institute of Agriculture and Botany, EMR U Dr Wolfgang Knorr, Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Sciences, Lund University, Sweden Dr Scott Archer-Nicholls, Centre for Atmospheric Science, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Dr Aaron Thierry, Ph.D. Ecology, The University of Sheffield Dr Charlie Gardner, Ph.D. Biodiversity Management, University of Kent Dr Emily Griffiths, Ph.D. Ecology, University of Sheffield Sven M Schulte, Research Consultant, MA Environmental Security (UN-mandated University for Peace), MA Peace, Development, Security and Int. Conflict Transformation (UNESCO Chair for Peace Studies) Dr. Samuel Hawkins, Senior Researcher, Ph.D. Renewable Energy, Edinburgh University Dr Anass Barrahmoune, MSc Environmental Geomatics, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Morocco, PhD East Asian Studies, University of Sheffield Dr. Ruth H. Leeney, Natural History Museum, London and Bazaruto Archipelago National Park, Inhambane province, Mozambique. Dr. Christopher D. Coath, Senior Research Fellow, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol. Dr. Julia Sero, Lecturer in Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, UK Dr. Rebecca Summerfield, Ph.D. Coral Reef Health, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, UK Dr. Traci Birge, DSc. Agriculture & Forestry, University of Helsinki, Finland Dr Roland Wilhelm, Ph.D. Microbiology, Cornell University, USA Dr Helen Bates, Horticultural Research Scientist, NIAB EMR, East Malling, Kent Dr Freya Mitchison, Ph.D. Earth & Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University Dr Steffie Broer, EngD in Urban Sustainability and Resilience, Dept. of Environmental Engineering, UCL, UK. Dr. Seann McKibbin, PhD (Earth Science) Australian National University and Alexander von Humboldt (postdoctoral fellowship) Georg-August-Universität, Germany Dr Rachel Marshall, Lancaster University, PhD Soil Science at Aberdeen University Dr James Cole, School of Environment and Technology, University of Brighton Dr Joe Stewart, PhD Paleoceanography and Geochemistry, Senior Research Associate, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, UK Dr Beth Penrose, Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Australia. PhD Environmental Science, University of Nottingham, UK Dr. Charlotte F. Nellist, Plant Pathologist (Junior Group Leader), NIAB EMR, East Malling, Kent. Dr Claire Wordley, writer and activist, PhD. ecology from the University of Leeds. Dr Jessica Fisher, MRes Biodiversity Evolution Conservation UCL, PhD Biodiversity Management, University of Kent Dr. Nathan G. Phillips, Ph.D. Department of Earth & Environment, Boston University, USA Dr Andrew Fraass, Ph.D. Geosciences, Research Associate in Micropalaeontology, University of Bristol Dr Natalie Swan, PhD in Environmental Science, Lancaster University Dr Jennifer Rudd, Carbon Chemistry and Engineering, Swansea University, MChem, PhD, Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry Dr. Javier Juste, PhD. Bats’ Ecology and Evolution Group, Dpt of Evolutionary Ecology, Doñana Biological Station, CSIC; Seville, Spain Dr Mariana Carvalho, PhD Biology and Natural Resource Management, Birdlife International, UK Dr Victoria Herridge, PhD Evolutionary Biology, Broadcaster. Dr Emeliana Palk, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol Dr Charline Lormand, P.h.D. in Volcanology, Volcanic Risk Solutions, Massey University, New Zealand Dr Mikko Ijäs, Doctor of Arts. Associate Researcher of Human Evolutionary Biology. Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Finland. Dr Nicolas Kosoy. Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Montreal Dr Duane L. Bindschadler, PhD, Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Dr. Malika Virah-Sawmy, Geography Department, Humboldt Universitat zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany Dr Estefania Milla-Moreno, PhD, MSc, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Canada Dr. Marie-Josée Garand. Ph.D. Natural Resources. Environmental Technology. Collège Communautaire du Nouveau Brunswick. Canada. Dr Phil Platts, Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, UK Dr. Maria Caffrey, PhD Geography, Denver, Colorado Dr Laura Kehoe, PhD in Geography, University of Oxford, The Nature Conservancy, UK Dr Antti Alexander Kestilä, PhD Space Technology, Finnish Meteorological Institute, Finland. Dr Rupesh Paudyal, MSc University of London, PhD Plant Sciences, University of Leeds Dr David Costalago, PhD Marine Ecology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada Dr. Ji-Hyun Lee, PhD., Postdoctoral researcher, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA), Austria Dr Robert Alcock, PhD in Marine Ecology, University of Southampton. XR Edinburgh activist. Dr Christopher Butler, PhD. Former Oil Industry Geoscientist. Dr Thomas Martin, PhD Atmospheric Science, University of São Paulo, Brazil. Dr João Augusto Hackerott, PhD Atmospheric Science, University of São Paulo, Brazil Dr Daniel Turner, PhD (ecology), University of Southampton B.S. Victória Peli, Master's Student, Department of Atmospheric Science, University of São Paulo, Brazil Rachel Hasler, PhD Student, Soil microbiology - Environment and Agrifood Dept. Cranfield University, UK. Geraint Northwood, PhD student, Planetary Science, Imperial College London, UK Claudia Wyer, PhD Student, Life Sciences, Imperial College London, UK Galina Jönsson, PhD Student, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London I Gabriel Perez, PhD student, Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, MPhil University of São Paulo Maria Luiza de Carvalho Ferreira, MSc Physical, Chemical and Geological Oceanography, currently PhD student in Geology, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, UK Paul Ogbuigwe, PhD student in Animal Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand Stacey Hendriks, PhD Student in Animal Science, Massey University, New Zealand, MSc in Animal Science Matteo Luberti, PhD student, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, UK Chris Andrews, PhD Candidate in Animal Science, Massey University, New Zealand, MSc(Hons) in Zoology Florentine Dominique van Noppen, MSc Ecology, PhD Student Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, New Zealand Hilary Webb, PhD Student in Animal Science, Massey University, New Zealand, Hons degree in Natural Resource Management Jefim Vogel, PhD student, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, UK Sarah Tapscott, Ph.D Student in Volcanology, Massey University, New Zealand, MSc in Earth Science (Volcanology), University of Iceland Ailsa Naismith, PhD student in Earth Sciences, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol Jacques Krticka Carvalho, PhD student in Animal Science, Massey University, New Zealand, MSc in Soil Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul Emma Bird, PhD Student Palaeoanthropology, University of Kent, UK Joe Ravetz, Collaboratory for Urban Resilience, University of Manchester Susanne Repanelis, MSc Conservation Medicine (Veterinary Medicine) , currently Master student in Risk Prevention and Disaster Management, University of Vienna, AT Thomas Mackay-Smith, MSc Conservation Biology, PhD Student in Agroforestry, Massey University, New Zealand Larissa E. Gleason, MSc Conservation and Rural Development, University of Kent, UK Adam Roberts, MSc Conservation Biology, University of Kent, U.K Will Barker, PhD Student, Ecology and Global Change, School of Geography, University of Leeds. Paula García, MA, Sustainable International Development, Brandeis University Maureen W, Kinyanjui, Msc Conservation and Rural Development, University of Kent, U.K Tessa I. Ullmann, MSc Conservation and International Wildlife Trade, University of Kent, U.K. Fernando Avendano Veas, MSc Soil and Water Management, PhD Student Soil Sciences, Massey University, New Zealand. Catherine Pennington, Engineering Geologist, Landslide Specialist, MSc Engineering Geology Stuart Spray, MSc in Wildlife & Conservation Biology, Napier University, Edinburgh Thomas A. Worsdell, MSc Ethnobotany, University of Kent, U.K. Alberto Danese, Double MSc Energy Engineering, Universitat Politecnica de la Catalunya, Barcelona & KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm Floriane Millet, MSc Conservation and Tourism, Kent University, UK Andrea Vadillo Dieguez. MSc Environmental Agrobiology, University of the Basque Country. Technician in NIAB EMR, UK Penelope Chaney, MA, MSc, VetMB, Ecologist Mike Hynes, MSc Palaeobiology, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol Ariel Chiang, MSc Sustainable Building Technology, School of the Built Environment, The University of Nottingham, UK Guy Burger, BSc in Freshwater Fisheries Management, MSc in Conservation Biology. Director and Company Secretary at Greengap Ltd George Barda MA. Environment, Politics & Globalisation, King's College London Tatiana Suarez, M.Sc. Environmental Monitoring, Modelling and Management, King’s College London. B.Sc. Environmental Engineer. Gwili Gibbon, MSc in Conservation Biology, PhD Student in Biodiversity Management, University of Kent, UK Louise Masters, MSc Conservation Biology, University of Kent Brittney Vezina, MSc Conservation Biology, University of Kent Marcus Petz, MSc Mountain Forestry, University of Jyväskylä Sonja Willemse, MSc Environmental Technology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Monsuru Adebowale, School of Earth Sciences University of Bristol Dr Alexandra de Sousa, Ph.D. Bath Spa University Dr Robert Mok, Ph.D. University College London Dr Tobias Navarro Schröder, Ph.D., Norwegian University of Science and Technology Dr. Larch Maxey, LLB, MSc, Ph.D., Plymouth University Dr Lucky Tran, Ph.D. Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge Dr. Terry L. Rankin, Retired, Saint Cloud, FL USA Dr Kevin Allen, Ph.D. Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University Dr Darragh Duffy, Ph.D. Immunology, Department of Immunology, Institut Pasteur, Paris Dr Nikaïa Smith, Ph.D. Immunology, Department of Immunology, Institut Pasteur, Paris Alex Jelly, MSc Holistic Science, Schumacher College, Devon Dr. James Uther, Ph.D. Computer Science, The University of Sydney Dr Miles Thompson, Clinical Psychologist (DClinPsy) and Senior Lecturer in Psychology (PhD), Health and Applied Sciences, UWE Bristol. Dr Alba Llibre, PhD Immunology, Department of Immunology, Institut Pasteur, Paris Dr Susanne Hakenbeck, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge Dr Lukasz Pospieszny, Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Bristol Dr. Karen Cangialosi, Department of Biology, Keene State College, New Hampshire, USA Hope Bretscher, MSc in Science and Technology Studies, University of Edinburgh, and currently, a PhD student in Physics, University of Cambridge James Murray-White, Filmmaker, Cambridge, UK - MSc Centre for Human Ecology, Edinburgh Justine Courty, MSc Computing and Machine Learning, Imperial College London Matthew Shribman, MChem (Hons), University of Oxford. Science Communicator & Environmental Campaigner. Jennifer Worroll, Bioinformatics Scientist, MA Natural Sciences University of Cambridge, MSc University of Manchester Dr Aga Iwasiewicz-Wabnig, PhD in Physics. University of Cambridge, UK Bronagh McCoy, University of Cambridge. MSc. in Cognitive Neuroscience at Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Dr Hazel Newton, Ph.D. Electrochemistry, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne. Dr Claire Murphy Ph.D in Genetics and Immunology University College London, United Kingdom Dr Till Sawala, PhD Physics, Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Finland Sarah Greenfield Clark, MSc Sustainability, Global Sustainability Institute, Anglia Ruskin University. Louisse Paola Mirabueno, PhD student, School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, UK Katja E. Isaksen MSc Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law, University of Glasgow. PhD student in Animal Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand Celine Posseme, PhD student, Department of Immunology, Institut Pasteur, Paris Dr Oscar Marcelo Lazo, PhD. UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, UK. Dr Robert Schmidt, Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, UK Xue Qi Soon, PhD student, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, New Zealand Jessica Liliana Campo Giraldo, PhD student in Molecular Biosciences, Universidad AndresBello, Chile. Dr. Annett Finger, Adjunct Research Fellow, Victoria University, Australia Emma Garnett, PhD Researcher, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom Alfredo Romero-Muñoz, Doctoral researcher, Humboldt-University Berlin, Germany Dr Lukas Daniel Klausner, Researcher, St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, Austria Dr Kilian Evang, Researcher, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany Dr Cristián Monaco, Researcher, University of Adelaide, Australia Joshua F. Robinson, PhD Candidate and Research Fellow, Soft Matter Physics, University of Bristol, United Kingdom Dr Grace Lindsay, Postdoctoral Fellow, University College London, United Kingdom Francesco Iannuzzelli, MSc Computer Science, Politecnico di Milano, Italy Dr. J. Kasmire, Research Fellow, University of Manchester, UK Sam Van Stroud, PhD Student in Physics, Data Science, University College London, UK Dr Alexander Vincent Penson, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York Dr Rebecca Rees, Associate Professor, Department of Social Science, University College London Mr Carl Thomas, PhD Student, Department of Physics, Imperial College London Pietro Salvi, PhD Student, Department of Physics, Imperial College Dr Julien Carponcy, PhD, MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unit, University of Oxford Dr Elizabeth Rowe, PhD Clinical Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol Dr Stuart Capstick, Research Fellow, Cardiff University, UK Dr Daniel Mietchen, Senior Scientist, School of Data Science, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States Dr Nicholas Beuret, lecturer, University of Essex Dr Francesco Turci, Research Associate in Theoretical Physics, University of Bristol Prof. John Russo, Associate Professor in Applied Mathematics, University of Bristol Dr Nariaki Sakai, Research Associate in Materials Physics, University of Bristol Irene Faiman, PhD Researcher, Department of Psychological Medicine, King’s College London Jonathan David Finn, PhD Student, School of Computing, University of Leeds Dr Fabio Leoni, Research Associate in Applied Mathematics, University of Bristol Dr Daniel Morse, Research Associate, Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol Dr Teresa Belton, Visiting Fellow, School of Education and Lifelong Learning, University of East Anglia Rachael Ward, MScR Physical Geography, School of Geography/Earth Sciences, University of Bristol Dr Oana Kubinyecz, PhD Epigenetics, Cambridge University Dominic Habgood-Coote, PhD student, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London Dr Chris Wymant, Senior Researcher, Big Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, UK Mary Langsdale, PhD student, School of Geography, King’s College London Thomas Nicholas, PhD student, York Plasma Institute, University of York, MPhys University of Oxford Dr Rachel Doherty, Senior Researcher, Physical Chemistry, Leiden University, Netherlands Dr Chris Langmead, Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Scientist William Dawson, MSc Psychology OU Dr William Stiles, Institute of Biological, Environmental & Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University Sarah Kelly, MSc Medical Entomology, research assistant, Life Sciences, Imperial College London, UK Dr Nico Kist (DPhil in HIV evolution, University of Oxford) Isabella Aberle, MSc Biodiversity and Conservation, Philipps-University Marburg, Germany Bernard McCarty: recovering Astrophysicist, practising Quantum Mechanic and Engineer (The University of Birmingham, UK). Alexandra Williams, MSc Global Health and Development, University College London Dr. Daniel Maskit (Ph.D., Computer Science, Caltech) Dr Adam Bozson, PhD Physics, University of London Dimitar Kostadinov, PhD, Research Associate, University College London, UK Dr Nils Y. Hammerla, PhD (Computer Science) Newcastle Uni Dr Rosie A Fisher. Global Climate Dynamics, Centre Européen de Recherche et de Formation Avancée en Calcul Scientifique, Toulouse, France. Leo Green, Consultant Mechanical Engineer, MEng Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol, UK Dr Sergio Gutierrez-Santos PhD, Visiting Research Fellow, Computer Science, Birbeck, University of London Alexander Morley DPhil, Neuroscience, University of Oxford Prof. Ian Masters, College of Engineering, Swansea University Dr. Marcos Francisco Perez, PhD (Biomedicine), Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain Dr. Jacopo Boni, PhD (Biomedicine), Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain Dr. Olga Dolgova, PhD (Genetics), Centro Nacional del Análisis Genómico (CNAG-CRG). Andrew Brown, DPhil student in Computer Vision, University of Oxford Ariadna Montero Blay, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain Dr. Rocco Mazzolini (Biomedicine), Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain Dr Ionas Erb (Mathematics), Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain Dr. Thomas Wilhelm, PhD (Biomedicine), Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain Dr. Xianghua Li, PhD (Biomedicine), Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain Cristina hidalgo, PhD (Biomedicine), Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain Dr. Cinta Pegueroles, PhD (Genetics), Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain . Chloe Hall, PhD Student, Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, UK . Violeta Beltran Sastre, Center for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain Dr David Clubb, PhD (Physics), Afallen, Wales Dr Milena Hasan, PhD, Immunology, Institut Pasteur, France Carme Arnan Ros (phD), Center for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain Dr. Jake D. Turner, PhD (Astronomy), Department of Astronomy, Cornell University Cesar Sierra, PhD Student, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain Thea Kozakis, Masters of Astrophysics, Carl Sagan Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA Jorge Herrero Vicente, PhD student, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain Julien Lagarde, Technician, M.Sc., Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain Vincent Needham, Scientist, JRM Lab, Physics Dept, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA Dana Nuccitelli, M.Sc. Physics, University of California at Davis, USA Dr Ryan MacDonald, PhD, Astronomy, University of Cambridge, MPhys, Physics, University of Oxford Dr Leo Swadling, Ph.D. Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, UK. Adam Williams, MSc Town Planning, University of Plymouth, UK. Dr Laura Dowsett, Ph.D. (Physiology) University of Glasgow, UK Dr. Sarah Offenburger, PhD (Biomedicine), Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain Peter Griffin, MEng, MRes, PhD candidate, Materials Sciences and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge Dr Karine Crozat, PhD in immunology, CIML, Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France Pete Alway, PhD Student, Loughborough University & England and Wales Cricket Board Dan Whitaker Msci, University of Cambridge, Department of Chemistry PhD Candidate Michael Jock MS Optics - private industry Will Mountford, MSc Science Communication, UWE UK Professor Judith E Smith, past Dean of Science at Salford and University of Technology Sydney Maruf Sarkar, MPhys, PhD Candidate, Materials Sciences and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge Livia Lacerda Mariano, Phd student, Institut Pasteur, France Dr Benjamin Vial, Postdoctoral fellow. Antennas and Electromagnetics, Queen Mary University of London, UK. Mike Madden, Ph.D. Candidate, Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina Barthelemy Caron, Ph.D .candidate, Imagine Institute, Paris, France Holly M. English, PhD student in Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin. MRes Bioscience, Swansea University. Dr Andrew L. Fanning, Marie Curie Research Fellow, Sustainability Research Institute, University of Leeds Professor Rich Pancost, Head of the School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol Dr Barbara Brayshay, Ph.D in Environmental Change, University of Sheffield, Living Maps Network, London Tony Warne, Senior Investigator Scientist, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK Larkin Sayre, MPhil in Energy Technologies, PhD candidate in Materials Science, University of Cambridge UK Dr Harriet Downey, Research Associate, University of Cambridge, PhD in Zoology University of Oxford Dr Judith Lock, School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, UK Eleonore Poli, Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy, University of Cambridge Dr Philip Webber, formerly University of London (Imperial College) & Leeds (School of Earth & Environment) Thomas Bedford MPhys, PhD Student, Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge Katie Christoffers, MSc Neuroscience, University of Oxford, UK Dr. Mike Bennison, PhD (Chemistry), Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge Patrick Taylor, PhD student, department of physics, University of Cambridge Dr. Benjamin Lang, PhD (Molecular Systems Biology), Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain Dr Pauline Audergon, Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for genomic Regulation(CRG) Bacelona, Spain Helen Bedford, Professor of Children’s Health, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health Mihaela Nemes, MRes Brain Science, UCL, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience Dr Anna-Lena Schaupp, Postdoctoral researcher, Immunology, University of Oxford Dr Jonathan Mackenzie, Research Fellow, University of the Arts London and University of Cambridge Maximilian Bloomfield MSci MEng, PhD student, Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge Dr Claire Asher, PhD (Genetics, Ecology & Evolution, University of Leeds), Freelance Science Journalist, London, UK Emeline Rougeaux, PhD Student, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London UK Dr Alistair Jennings, freelance science filmmaker, london, uk. Dr Matias Acosta, Fellow at the Center for Science and Policy, University of Cambridge, UK Prof Rachel Oliver, Professor of Materials Science, University of Cambridge Dr. Lorena Moscovich, Professor of Political Science, Universidad de San Andrés Dr Jim Rafferty, Research assistant and data scientist, Swansea University Medical School. Joonatan Laulainen, PhD Student, Department of Materials Science, University of Cambridge Dr Jenny Baker, EPSRC Fellow, College of Engineering, Swansea University. George Lewis, PhD Student, Department of Materials Science, University of Cambridge Pam DiBona, M.S. environmental scientist, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Neil Grant, PhD Student, Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment, Imperial College London Charlotte Phillips MSc., Research Assistant, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Dr Beth Breeze, Director, Centre for Philanthropy, University of Kent, UK Louise Johnson F.RGS MSc (Environmental Management, University of Surrey, 2002) Dr. Gareth Dale, Politics, Brunel University Michael Fielding, Emeritus Professor of Education UCL Institute of Education, London, UK Raquel Garcia Olivas, PhD (Biomedicine), Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain Dr Stuart Hodkinson, Associate Professor, School of Geography, University of Leeds, UK Dr Andrea Dimitracopoulos, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, UK Dr Lina Brand Correa, Research Fellow, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, UK Professor Neil Marriott, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Winchester Silvia Benito, PhD student in molecular biology, University of Cambridge, UK Bill McGuire, Professor Emeritus of Geophysical & Climate Hazards, UCL, UK Dr Miguel A Maestro, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain Professor Simon Jobson, Dean of the Faculty of Health & Wellbeing, University of Winchester, UK Professor Douglas Parker, Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science, University of Leeds Helen Spander, Professor of Mental Health Studies, University of Central Lancashire Dr Mia Gray, Dept of Geography, University of Cambridge Dr Mary Phillips, Reader in Organization Studies, University of Bristol Prof Wendy Hollway, Emeritus Professor of Psychology, Open University, UK Dr Andreas Vossler, Senior Lecturer, The Open University, UK Prof Lisa Isherwood, Eco- theologian, University of Wales Trinity St David Dr Simona Giordano, Reader in Bioethics, The University of Manchester Law School Professor Andrew Watterson, Public Health and Population Health Research Group, University of Stirling James Mckay, Centre Manager, EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Bioenergy at University of Leeds Rebecca Budgett, PhD Student in Molecular Pharmacology, University of Glasgow, MSc in Neuroscience and BSc in Human Sciences from UCL Professor Adrian Kendry, Economics, Security and Peacebuilding, University of Winchester Professor Andrew Samuels, University of Essex, UK Nicole Morgan, M.Sc. Biological Oceanography, Ph.D. Candidate Oceanography, Florida State University Dr Duncan McCollin, Senior Lecturer in Ecology, University of Northampton Dr Matt Watson, Senior Lecturer in Geography, University of Sheffield Andrew Simms, Research Associate, University of Sussex, Coordinator, Rapid Transition Alliance. Dr Haiko Ballieux, Senior Lecturer in Developmental Cognitive Science, University of Westminster Dr Rebekah Fraser, PhD Chemistry, Durham University Chris van Hoorn, PhD candidate, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Cambridge university. Jacqui Keenan, MSc Conservation & Biodiversity, University of Exeter Richard Clarke, Honorary Research Fellow, University of London Birkbeck College and Visiting Scholar, University of Westminster Sandra Cortijo, postdoc, SLCU, University of Cambridge Jorge E. Vinuales, Harold Samuel Professor of Law and Environmental Policy, University of Cambridge Dr Rasha Rezk, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge Bianca De Sanctis, MPhil computational biology, PhD student, Departments of Zoology and Genetics, University of Cambridge Lisa Heinke, PhD Candidate, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge Prof. Buzz Baum, Professor of Cell Biology, UCL, London Dr Suman Fernando, Emeritus Professor of Social Sciences in the School of Social Sciences, London Metropolitan University, London UK Paul Hoggett, Emeritus Professor of Social Policy, UWE, Bristol. Helen Spandler, Professor of Mental Health Studies, University of Central Lancashire Joshua M. Lawrence, PhD Candidate, Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge Professor Colin Davis, School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, UK Professor Jeremy J Baumberg, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, UK Dr Simon Sneddon, PhD Nuclear Power, University of Northampton Dave Hudson, MSc Conservation and Biodiversity, University of Exeter Joanne M. Santini, Professor of Microbiology, UCL Dr. Luzie U. Wingen, Dept. of Crop Genetics, John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK Dr Seamus A. Ward, MA, PhD, UCL Mick Cooper, D. Phil. Dr Alice Reid, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, UK Prof. Del Loewenthal, Department of Psychology, University of Roehampton, UK Andrew Simms, Research Associate, Centre for Global Political Economy, University of Sussex Prof Paul Routledge university of Leeds Nina Richardson PGCE Science, MA Society, Science and Nature, BSc Hons. Combined Sciences Brittany Trew, PhD Candidate, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter Raichael Lock, PhD, Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester. Duncan Scholtes CEng, MEng University of Cambridge. Electrified Powertrain Engineer. Dr Ian Willis, Reader in Glaciology, Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge Dr Michael Littledyke, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia Dr Rupert Read, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom. Daniel K Swan, MEng Renewable Energy Systems Technology, C.R.E.S.T (Centre For Renewable Energy Systems Technology), Loughborough University Dr Philip Mousley (PhD Condensed matter physics), Post Doctoral Research Associate, Diamond Light Source Synchrotron, UK Dr Judith Thornton, Low Carbon Manager, IBERS, Aberystwyth University, UK. Dr Teresa Del Bianco, Postdoctoral Researcher, Centre of Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck University of London, UK Elli Rivers, Research Associate in avian ecology, MSc Biodiversity Conservation, Bournemouth University. Giulia Calignano, PhD candidate, University of Trento. Professor Rick Stafford, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Bournemouth University, UK Bruce Greetham, MMath, Cambridge University Dr Gregory Carslaw, PhD Psychology, University of Birmingham Dr Jere Koskela, Assistant Professor, Department of Statistics, University of Warwick Dr Carys Bennett, School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester, UK Alex Bradley, PhD Candidate, Mathematics Institute, University of Oxford Prof David Leys, Professor in Structural Biology, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, UK Susannah McLaren, MPhil, PhD candidate, University of Cambridge Oliver Pocknell BSc Natural Sciences, University of Bath, Teacher of Physics and Chemistry (Secondary) Matthew Charles, MSc Meteorology and Climatology, PGR student at the University of East Anglia Dr Anna-Lena Schaupp, Postdoctoral researcher in immunology, University of Oxford, UK Dr Marco Spartera, Cardiologist and Clinical Research Fellow, University of Oxford, UK Professor James Bullock, Ecologist at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Professor Seralynne Vann, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, UK Professor Luca Borger, Chair in Ecology and Biodiversity & Co-Director Centre for Biomathematics, Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, UK Jonas Van der Slycken, PhD Candidate in Ecological Economics, Ghent University, Belgium Jonny Saunders, MS Psychology, PhD student Systems Neuroscience, University of Oregon, USA Professor Simon Schultz, Director, Centre for Neurotechnology, Imperial College London. Dr Carmel Howe, Research Associate, Imperial College London, UK Dr Tim Chen, Senior Lecturer, Centre of AI, University of Technology Sydney. Paul Dumble MSc CWRM CEnv, Independent specialist waste & environment, Melrose Scotland Professor Steven Dakin, Head, School of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of Auckland Dr. Tyler J. Kohler, Postdoctoral Research Associate, EPFL, Switzerland Matthew Henry, PhD Candidate in Climate Science, McGill University, Canada Dr. Heather Short, Professor of Geosciences, John Abbott College, Canada Kenneth Miller, Professor of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA Dr Pia Benaud, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Geography, University of Exeter, UK Dr. Abid Hussaini, Assistant Professor of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA Dr. Jenny Smith-Wymant, Health Engagement Officer, Peterborough, UK Dr. Chethan Pandarinath, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Neurosurgery, Emory University and Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA, USA Dr. Torkel Hafting, Professor in Physiology, University of Oslo, Norway Dr. Henry H. Adam, retired professional physical chemist, Bedfordshire, England. Hector Pollitt, Cambridge Econometrics, UK. David Barns, PhD student, School of Chemical & Process Engineering, University of Leeds, UK Sarah Warren, MSc in Conservation, UCL Dr. Janne M. Korhonen, Researcher, climate mitigation, Turku School of Economics, Finland Dr. Kirsikka Kaipainen, Postdoctoral Researcher, Tampere University, Finland Dr Sophie Haslett, Postdoctoral Researcher in Atmospheric Science, Stockholm University, Sweden Dr Aet Annist, Senior Researcher in Social Anthropology, University of Tartu, Estonia Professor Andy Dobson, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 Dr Eeva Houtbeckers, Postdoctoral researcher, postgrowth working life studies, Aalto University, Finland Professor Adam Aron, PhD, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California San Diego. Dr. Robert Kraus Jr., Ph.D., Los Alamos National Laboratory (retired) Franco La Zia, Ph.D candidate, Physics, Royal Holloway University of London Annabel Hindmarsh, BSc Zoology, University of East Anglia. MSc Oceanography, University of Southampton Thomas E. Smith, B.S. Astronomy. Studied solar system planetary atmos. et.al. With Hubble. STScI. USA. Sarah E. Moore, BSc Biology, MS student in Biology, Indiana State University, USA Dr Christian Engelbrekt, PhD, Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark Dr. Paula T. Kuokkanen, Postdoctoral researcher, Neuroscience, Institute for theoretical Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany Dr. Patti Frazer Lock, Ph.D. mathematics and statistics, St. Lawrence University Dr David B. Reiss, Ph.D. Theoretical Physics Ryan McCabe, PhD Candidate Planetary Science, Hampton University, Hampton, VA, USA Dr. Jason E. Ybarra, Ph.D. Astronomy, Assistant Professor of Physics, Bridgewater College, Bridgewater, VA, USA Mihkel Kangur, PhD, Ecology, Senior researcher of Ecology, Associated Professor of Sustainable Development, TallinnUniversity, Estonia Dr Sander van der Linden, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, UK and Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Environmental Psychology Lowell Andrew R. Iporac, Ph.D Candidate, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA Laura Sirot, Ph.D., Department of Biology, The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio Mark Dobday, P.G. MA Geology Adam Francis Smith, MSc (Wildlife Ecology and Management), Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. Jessie Joachim B.S. (Biology), MPH (Master of Public Health) candidate 2020, Vallejo, CA USA Alice Vislova B.S. (Ecology, Evolution and Behavior), Ph.D (Oceanography) candidate 2020, Honolulu, HI USA Dr. Leah Gottlieb, Ph.D. (Chemistry) University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Marine Krzisch, Ph.D. (neurobiology), Cambridge, MA Bineh Ndefru, Ph.D Student, Materials Science and Engineering, University of California-Los Angeles, USA Dr. Benjamin Neimark, Ph.D. (Human Geography) Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster, UK Sophia Chan, PhD Candidate, Chemical Engineering, Columbia University Dr. Janne Hirvonen, (Energy technology), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aalto University, Finland Kevin Shi, PhD Candidate, Computer Science, Columbia University Tomo Saric, M.D., Ph.D., Group Leader, Center for Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany Clair Brown, PhD, Prof of Economics, University of California, Berkeley Leticia Avilés, PhD, Dept of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Keith Pezzoli, PhD, Bioregional Center for Sustainability Science, Planning and Design. University of California, San Diego, USA. Dion Amago Whitehead, PhD Bielefeld University, Germany Professor Gail Whiteman, PhD (Management), Rubin Chair in Sustainability, Lancaster University, UK

By mid-morning on 14 October 2019 there were at least 459 signatories to this open letter.

Clarence River water raiders still meeting opposition to their plans

The Daily Examiner, 12 October 2019:

In a not-so-strange coincidence it was the mayor of Tenterfield who had a starring role in the origins of the Not a Drop campaign in 2006.

In words eerily similar to those being heard today, the then Mayor of Tenterfield, Keith Pickstone, said “We are in a drastic situation so anything has to be looked at, whether it be damming or diverting.”

But while it was Mr Pickstone who was front and centre at the launch of Not a Drop on December 16, 2006, Peter Ellem, The Daily Examiner editor at the time, explained he wasn’t the catalyst.

“It was (Malcolm) Turnbull’s intervention in it, it was the federal intervention.”

At the time Malcolm Turnbull, parliamentary secretary for Water and then Minister for Water and Environment, commissioned a study into the feasibility of the Northern Rivers sharing water with a drought ravaged south-east Queensland.

The resurrection of the Clarence River diversion at a federal level prompted The Daily Examiner to run a campaign Mr Ellem says was “one of the more high-profile” campaigns run during his time there.

Having researched the many diversion schemes which had come before, Mr Ellem said “it just didn’t seem right” that our river system should be “violated” to patch up other river systems.

In his editorial launching the campaign – printed opposite – he outlined clearly why the paper was taking a stand.

This stood in stark contrast to the Examiner’s interventions back before 1969 and Mr Ellem put that down to a change in the way the community understood environmental issues and scrutinised people in public life.

“It was a very different time.

“The environment didn’t rate a mention and the science would not have been developed to a great degree back then.”

Mr Ellem looks back on that time with pride and says you can still see the odd Not a Drop bumper sticker on the back of a ute.

“It tapped into a very strong public sentiment which remains solid. My view is there is only a very small minority of people who entertain the idea (of diversion).”

Water 101 in Australia: where catchment rainfall is 600mm per year or less a large in-river dam will not fill with water

Geraldine Doogue's ABC Radio Saturday Extra interview with Professor Quentin Grafton, water economist, ANU and UNESCO Chair in Water Economics and Transboundary Water Governance on why the political call for more large in-river dams is misguided and only creating problems for the future.

Prof. Grafton asserts that any dams built in an area where the rainfall is 600mm per year or less will not fill with water. 

Click on: 
https://abcmedia.akamaized.net/rn/podcast/2019/10/sea_20191005_0730.mp3 (14:42mins)

Annual Rainfall 

According to Water NSW published data:

Section of Maryland River, NSW
Google Earth

Maryland River catchment annual rainfall graph/plot is not available or does not exist.

Section of Aberfoyle River, NSW
Google Earth

Aberfoyle River catchment average annual rainfall was less than 600mm in six (6) out of last twenty-one (21) years and less than est. 670mm for another three (3) of those twenty-one years.

Section of the Mole River, NSW
Google Earth

Mole River catchment annual rainfall was less than 600mm in thirteeen (13) of the last eighteen (18) years.

"The right to peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy and must not be thrown away for political expediency."

The Daily Examiner, letter to the editor, 9 October 2019, p.13:

Amend or reject

PEOPLE will face more time in jail for peaceful protest than for grievous bodily harm if the government’s Right to Farm Bill becomes law.

The bill provides for three-year prison terms for protesters while the penalty for permanently or seriously disfiguring another person is a maximum of two years. Is this really the sort of society the Coalition government wants us to become?

Under this proposal people as diverse as Wallaby great David Pocock and the knitting nannas could go to jail for making their point peacefully and democratically.

The government claims these dangerous laws are needed to protect farmers from trespassers, but the law already has those safeguards. The irony is that farmers may have the most to lose.

Farmers have led campaigns to save the Pilliga and the Bentley region from coal seam gas and the Hunter, Bylong Valley, Gloucester Valley and the Liverpool Plains from coal.

The right to peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy and must not be thrown away for political expediency.

History tells us that when governments erode the civil liberties of any group, they erode them for us all. This bill must be amended or rejected.

Chris Gambian, Chief Executive, NSW Nature Conservation Council

BACKGROUND

Parliament of New South Wales, Legislative Review Committee, Review Digest, 24 September 2019:

"The Bill significantly increases the maximum penalty for the offence of aggravated unlawful entry on inclosed lands from $5,500 to $13,200 and/or imprisonment for 12 months. The potential penalties rise to $22,000 or three years imprisonment if the offender is accompanied by two or more persons or if s/he does anything to put the safety of any person at serious risk. Large increases in penalties can result in excessive punishment where the penalty is not proportionate to the offence. However, the Committee acknowledges that the penalty increase is designed to better reflect the severity of the offences as well as the impact such offences have on farmers and primary production activities. It is also to account for the risks caused by trespassing on agricultural land and interfering with agricultural equipment and infrastructure.....

The Bill introduces a new offence that applies to those who incite or direct trespass without committing trespass themselves, which could attract a maximum penalty of 12 months imprisonment. The Committee notes that the creation of new offences impacts upon the rights and liberties of persons as previously lawful conduct becomes unlawful. " 

Meet the 53 Islands of the Clarence River in coastal New South Wales

https://videopress.com/v/suSOuDPF at https://53islandsclarence.com/

What if privatisation of Centrelink pension/benefit/allowance cash transfer delivery ends in tears?

It is increasingly evident that Australian Prime Minister and Liberal MP for Cook Scott Morrison eventually intends to place all Centrelink clients on the Indue Limited Cashless Debit Card.

Apparently this policy change comes under the heading of either 'tough love' or 'compassionate conservatism' - whichever term Liberal and Nationals MPs and senators think sounds good at the time - when in reality it is establishing yet another market for poverty profiteers*.

In all the pious and poisonous spin being uttered by those making war on the poor and vulnerable, there has been little said about any government guarantee covering the millions Centrelink regularly deposits with Indue Limited.

What happens to the mandated 80 per cent of a Centrelink client's welfare payment held on the Cashless Debit Card if Indue ceases to trade, trades while insolvent or is placed under administration? 

How many corporate debtors would take precedence over welfare recipients in the distribution of whatever assets Indue had left if it declares bankruptcy?

Would sole parents, the unemployed, students, disability and age pensioners or other recipients ever get back any of the money which has been forcibly retained on these debit cards?

Notes

* See: Bielefeld, Dr. S, Griffith University Law School (2018), Technologising the poor: Cashless Debit Card trials expanding despite no credible evidence regarding positive outcomes  

Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Government and Indue Limited still haven't ironed the bugs out of the punitive cashless debit card scheme

The Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Government's Indue Limited cashless debit card trial began three and a half years ago in March 2016 and still neither Centrelink nor Indue have ironed the bugs out of this debit card scheme.

In the current total debit card trial population, 1 in 12 people on the have applied to come off this card by 31 July 2019.

There are reportedly 6,000 people on the cashless debit card trial in regional southern Queensland and some are speaking up.....

ABC News, 8 October 2019:

...some of the people taking part in the trial feel the cashless debit card places unreasonable restrictions on their spending and can even make it more difficult to save.

They said they could no longer buy second-hand goods online, often don't have enough cash for cheaper supermarket food, and the debit card restricts payments to money owing on credit accounts.

"It's definitely made things a lot harder, I've found it harder to budget," Childers resident and single mother Hannah Leacy told 7.30.

"I'm losing out on interest that I could potentially be building up in my savings account if I'd been able to transfer that."

She feels she is being penalised for something she hasn't done.

"I got my first job at Domino's when I was 13, and I've had a job ever since," she said.

"I've been independent up until now, and now at 34, I'm now deemed to be incapable of making appropriate choices, financially.".......

People forced onto the cashless welfare card as part of a trial in the Bundaberg-Hervey Bay area of Queensland say they feel stigmatised and humiliated by the Federal Government.

"I feel like in the Government's eyes I'm a lesser person. In the public's eyes it's much, much worse," Kerryn Griffis told 7.30.

"What have I ever done for the government to treat me this way? To treat thousands of other people this way?

"We've been branded as drug addicts and alcoholics and gamblers and dole bludgers.

"Most of us are just doing the best we can to get by.".....

But for Ms Griffis, the trial feels like a punishment.

"If my partner was to quarantine some of my money and tell me where and when I can't spend it, tell me it's for my own good … people would be screaming financial abuse," she said.

"Why is it OK for the Government to do it?"

It takes all kinds........

Seen as a post on Twitter.......

John from ACT (age unknown) appears to like writing letters. He obviously dislikes "greenies', "lefties", talk of climate change which he finds "boring", as well as having it in for daylightsaving.

Quote of the Week

"Also last week, Social Services Minister Anne Ruston made the extraordinary claim that raising the Newstart payment would only benefit drug dealers and publicans. The denigration of the poor by the Morrison Government and its supporters shows no sign of easing. Indeed, this past week indicates an escalation in Government propaganda, designed to provoke increasing public hostility and resentment towards the most vulnerable people in our society. There are powerful people both in and outside of government, with platforms provided by various media, whose goal is to humiliate, denigrate and destroy others on the sole basis that they are receiving Newstart."  [Jennifer Wilson writing in Independent Australia, 4 October 2019]

Tweet of the Week

Planning law in NSW:

1. Independent Commission rejects a coal mine because it doesn’t stack up environmentally or economically

2. Minerals Council tells Govt to overhaul the system

3. NSW Government proposes changes to the law and orders a review of the Commission https://t.co/PIb1DYI7ND

— Elaine Johnson (@ElaineEDO) October 5, 2019

Cartoons of the Week

 Andrew Dyson, The Sydney Morning Herald, 4 October 2019

Mark David in Independent Australia, 4 October 2019

From The Guardian, 24 September 2019, Comment is Free - Get all your needs met at the First Dog shop if what you need is First Dog merchandise and prints.

Seems no-one is really happy with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's religious freedom bills

Armed with what appeared to be a sense of personal righteousness, in August 2019 Australian Prime Minister, Liberal MP for Cook and self-proclaimed man willing to "burn" for Australia, Scott John Morrison, released a draft Religious Discrimination Bill 2019 along with the Religious Discrimination (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2019 and Human Rights Legislation Amendment (Freedom of Religion) Bill 2019.

Not everyone is happy with the contents of these bills.

For the institutional religions the bills do not go far enough. While for legal academics, industry bodies and human rights agencies these bills go too far. 

This is a selection of views publicly expressed.......

The Sydney Morning Herald, 4 October 2019: 

Australia's Catholic Church says the federal government's draft religious discrimination laws are "problematic" and require major changes to avoid unwanted "lawfare" and ensure religious bodies keep their ability to hire and fire at will. 

The demands from the country's largest church increase the pressure on Attorney-General Christian Porter to go back to the drawing board on a process that started with 2017's religious freedom review by Philip Ruddock. 

In particular, the Catholic Church wants special rights for religious schools to extend to religious hospitals and aged-care facilities, as well as an explicit override of state anti-discrimination laws. 

And despite the special rules for schools, the peak Catholic school body complained the draft law still "does not provide our schools with the flexibility they require" to ensure staff and students adhere to the tenets of their faith. 

The head of the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC), former Labor senator Jacinta Collins, said Australia's 1750 Catholic schools must retain their legal right to hire and fire - and accept students - based on how well a person fit into "the ethos" of the school. That included whether someone was baptised as Catholic, or whether they had undermined the tenets of the faith by publicly entering a same-sex relationship or marriage. 

In a 27-page submission to the government on behalf of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, the Archbishop of Melbourne Peter Comensoli said the laws "require some significant amendment" to properly assist people of faith. 

He stressed religious hospitals and aged-care facilities "must" be included as religious bodies and enjoy the same hiring and firing rights as religious schools, with the Catholic Church the largest non-government provider of healthcare services in Australia. 

The Age, 4 October 2019: 

Religious believers could be free to publicly shame rape survivors under the federal government’s proposed “religious freedom” laws, Victoria’s Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner has warned. 

Commissioner Kristen Hilton also noted an unmarried woman would be powerless to seek redress if a doctor told her she was “sinful and dirty” for requesting contraception on the basis of a religious conviction. 

The commissioner has warned federal Attorney-General Christian Porter that his proposed new laws, which the government says are designed to protect the rights of people of faith to express their religious views, risks trampling on the human rights of other Australians…… 

Ms Hilton writes in her submission that the religious freedom laws might allow a worker in a health service to go on social media in their own time and denigrate the homosexuality of sexual abuse survivors. 

Another concern for the commissioner is the potential under the proposed laws that a private business or religious group could demand the right to provide sexual health education in government schools and tell children that homosexuality is an illness and that the use of contraceptives is a sin. 

A clause in the draft bill stating that expressions of belief should be protected from anti-discrimination laws could have the effect, Ms Hilton wrote, of "emboldening some people to characterise survivors of sexual assault or rape as being blame-worthy for not being sufficiently modest or chaste."….. 

“But religious expression needs to be balanced against other rights, such as the right to be free from discrimination,” the Commissioner wrote. 

“This bill does not get the balance right. 

“By privileging religious expression, the rights of other people are diminished."  

The Guardian, 4 October 2019: 

Legal academics and the Diversity Council have warned that the Coalition’s proposed religious discrimination bill is unworkable for employers and will thwart policies designed to create safe and inclusive workplaces. 

In a joint submission, the academics warn the bill’s proposed ban on workplace policies regulating religious speech would leave employers in the invidious position of having a duty under occupational health and safety laws to create safe workplaces, but being restrained in their ability to prevent bullying. 

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has warned the bill does not properly define religion, meaning that Indigenous spirituality could be excluded by the common law definition while “esoteric or emerging religions” are protected. 

The draft bill would prevent employers from having codes of conduct that ban religious speech in the workplace or on social media, on the grounds that such a ban would indirectly discriminate on the grounds of religion. The provision exempts large employers only if they can show they would suffer “unjustifiable financial hardship” without the rule. 

The academics’ submission – coordinated by Liam Elphick and Alice Taylor and signed by Professors Beth Gaze, Simon Rice and Margaret Thornton – noted the effect of the section is that religious speech “would have greater protection from employer intervention than any other statement or expression”. 

For example, an employer with a code of conduct banning employees from publicly engaging in controversial political debates would not be able to impose the rule on a religious employee who wanted to oppose marriage equality. A gay employee, however, would be restricted from publicly supporting it. 

“There are also workability issues in how an employer can factually prove that a conduct rule is ‘necessary’ to avoid unjustifiable financial hardship, considering the very high standard required to prove necessity,” the academics said. 

The academics warned the clause exempting religious speech from federal, state and territory discrimination protections would create an “unworkable situation for businesses in regard to employment”. 

“Work health and safety laws impose a positive duty on employers to prevent bullying, and discrimination laws require businesses to provide their services free from discrimination, yet [the exemption] would authorise bullying and discrimination,” they wrote. 

The Australian, 1 October 2019: 

The Anglican Church says the Morrison government’s draft religious discrimination bill contains problems “so serious” it cannot support it in its current form, warning that some groups like Anglicare and Anglican Youthworks may not be protected. 

In its submission to the government, the Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney outlined seven issues to be addressed and called on Attorney-General Christian Porter to expedite the Australian Law Reform Commission’s inquiry into laws that impact on religious freedoms. 

Under clause 10, religious bodies “may act in accordance with their faith” and do not discriminate against a person if their conduct may reasonably be regarded as in accordance with their doctrines, tenets, beliefs or teachings. A religious body that “engages solely or primarily in commercial activities” is excluded. 

Bishop Stead said the explanatory memorandum made it clear religious hospitals and religious aged-care providers would not be considered religious bodies. 

Anglican Youthworks, which charges fees to run “Christian Outdoor Education” programs, could also be disqualified because it engaged in commercial activity.While commending the bill, Bishop Stead said the clause might have a perverse effect. 

The Guardian, 30 September 2019: 

Key provisions of the religious discrimination bill may be unconstitutional because they allow medical practitioners to refuse treatment, and privilege statements of religious belief, an academic has warned. 

Luke Beck, a constitutional and religious freedom expert at Monash University, warned the Coalition’s exposure draft bill may be incompatible with international law and therefore not supported by the external affairs power in the constitution. 

The submission echoes concerns from the Australian Human Rights Commission and Public Interest Advocacy Centre that the bill will licence discriminatory statements about race, sexual orientation and disability on the grounds of religion, and that it privileges religion over other rights. 

What is the religious discrimination bill and what will it do? Read more The bill has been criticised for overriding state and federal discrimination law, including section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, which prohibits speech that offends, insults or humiliates people based on race. 

Beck argued the bill provided a “bigger sword” to religious people’s statements of belief than those of non-religious people. Statements of belief can be made “on any topic whatsoever” provided they “may reasonably be regarded” as in accordance with a person’s religious beliefs. 

By contrast, statements of non-belief must deal only with the topic of religion and “arise directly” from the fact the person does not hold a religious belief, the associate professor said.  

Freedom For Faith, undated submission:

The overwhelming concern of faith-based organisations across the country with whom we have spoken is about the effect of the Bill on their religious mission, with particular reference to their staffing policies, but also in relation to other issues. 

Staffing policies in faith-based institutions 

At a meeting in Sydney with a range of faith leaders a few weeks ago, the Prime Minister promised that the law would not take faith groups backwards in terms of protection of religious freedom. The difficulty is that this Bill does, in relation to staffing of faith-based organisations. The issues are existential ones for many faith-based organisations. If the issues are not resolved, this may lead us to conclude that the Bill is better not being enacted. That said, we have every confidence that the Attorney-General will be able to sort the drafting problems out. 

Currently, at least in some States, it is lawful for faith-based organisations to appoint, or prefer to appoint, adherents of the faith without breaching anti-discrimination laws. So for example, a Catholic school may prefer practising Catholic staff, or at least practising members of other Christian denominations. A Jewish school may prefer Jewish staff, and so on. This is no different to a political party which may choose or prefer staff who support the policies of the party, or an environmental group that wants staff who will believe in its mission. Organisations that exist for a particular purpose or are associated, for example, with a particular ethnic group, need to be able to have staffing policies that reflect their purpose and identity. 

This is not a right to discriminate. It is a right to select. And it is just plain common sense. A Church’s childcare centre is not like the Commonwealth Bank or a shop selling bedroom furniture. The childcare centre is part of the mission and ministry of the Church. If it could not insist on employing Christian staff, or at least having a critical mass of Christian staff, it would cease to be a Christian ministry. 

Many faith-based organisations have a strong preference for staff who are practising adherents to the faith, in order to maintain their religious identity and culture. However, larger organisations typically do not make it an inherent requirement of working there, because they need the flexibility to meet their staffing needs without drawing from too narrow a pool......


Neither of these examples cover situations where there is merely a preference to employ practising Catholics or practising Christians more generally. Furthermore, even if a Catholic school or other charity did have a policy of only employing Catholic staff, it would only be lawful if this could reasonably be regarded as in accordance with the doctrines, tenets, beliefs and teachings of Catholicism. That may be a difficult test to satisfy in the eyes of a court. The court may find it hard to see how the Catholic school’s preference in terms of employment may reasonably be regarded as being in accordance with the doctrines, tenets, beliefs or teachings of the religion. The school, however, may take the view that it is a necessary implication of their doctrines that they want to maintain a Catholic ethos by having a “critical mass” of believing staff. Whether or not this policy does flow from religious doctrines – it is really about the purpose of having a Catholic school – it would be best if the legislation made it clear that such a policy was not unlawful.

Christian Schools Australia, undated:

In conjunction with the release of this package of Bills the Government narrowed the Term of Reference of the referral to the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) of the other aspect of the response to the Religious Freedom Review of interest to Christian schools and deferred the timetable for this review. 

While the substance of the ALRC review remains the same it will now do so in the light of the proposed legislation circulated last week. Rather than releasing a Discussion Paper next week it will now release a discussion paper “in early 2020” with the reporting deadline to Government pushed back from April 2020 to 12 December 2020. Although claimed to “reduce confusion for stakeholders” the amended timeline will require the Religious Discrimination Bill and associated legislation to be finalised BEFORE the discussion paper on proposed amendment to the existing amendments are released. 

CSA is concerned that this will not allow appropriate consultation on the complete package of reforms affecting Christian and other faith-based schools. 

We have raised this with the Attorney-General’s office and will continue to advocate for a more coordinated response to both aspects of the whole package.

Australian Human Rights Commission, 27 September 2019: 

However, the Commission is concerned that, in other respects, the Bill would provide protection to religious belief or activity at the expense of other rights. The Bill also includes a number of unique provisions that have no counterpart in other anti-discrimination laws and appear to be designed to address high-profile individual cases. As a matter of principle, the Commission considers that this is not good legislative practice. As a matter of substance, the Commission considers that this may lead to unintended and undesirable consequences. 

The Commission’s main concerns regarding the Bill are as follows. 

First, the scope of the Bill is overly broad in defining who may be a victim of religious discrimination and, arguably, too narrow in defining who may be found to have engaged in religious discrimination. 

Unlike all other Commonwealth discrimination laws, which focus on the rights of natural persons (that is, humans) to be free from discrimination, the Bill provides that claims of religious discrimination may be made by corporations including religious institutions, religious schools, religious charities and religious businesses. This is a significant departure from domestic and international human rights laws which protect only the rights of natural persons. 

At the same time, the Bill provides that ‘religious bodies’—including religious schools, religious charities and other religious bodies—are entirely exempt from engaging in religious discrimination if the discrimination is in good faith and in accordance with their religious doctrines, tenets, beliefs or teachings. This is a wide exemption that undercuts protections against religious discrimination, particularly in the areas of employment and the provision of goods and services, and requires further close examination. 

Secondly, the Bill provides that ‘statements of belief’ that would otherwise contravene Commonwealth, State or Territory anti-discrimination laws are exempt from the operation of those laws. Discriminatory statements of belief, of the kind described in clause 41 of the Bill, whether they amount to racial discrimination, sex discrimination or discrimination on any other ground prohibited by law, will no longer be unlawful. The Commission considers that this overriding of all other Australian discrimination laws is not warranted, sets a concerning precedent, and is inconsistent with the stated objects of the Bill, which recognise the indivisibility and universality of human rights. Instead, this provision seeks to favour one right over all others. 

Thirdly, the Commission is concerned about two deeming provisions that affect the assessment of whether codes of conduct imposed by large employers on their employees, and rules dealing with conscientious objections by medical practitioners, will be considered to be reasonable. Unlike all other Commonwealth discrimination laws, the Bill prejudges the assessment of reasonableness by deeming some specific kinds of conduct not to be reasonable. This means that, in those cases, not all of the potentially relevant circumstances will be taken into account. 

Fourthly, those deeming provisions also have an impact on the ability of employers to decide who they employ. The Bill provides that employers may not decide that compliance with a code of conduct that extends to conduct outside work hours, or with rules dealing with conscientious objection, are an inherent requirement of employment, if they would be unreasonable under clause 8. This means, for example, that the narrow deeming provisions about what is reasonable for organisations with an annual revenue of more than $50 million also has an impact on the decisions by those employers about the conditions they may set with respect to employment. 

These four issues, and a range of others relating to all three Religious Freedom Bills, are dealt with in more detail in the body of the Commission’s submission. In revising the Bill, attention needs to be paid not only to its text, but also to the eventual Explanatory Memorandum. At several points the current Notes provide examples and explanations that suggest a very limited scope for religious organisations to retain their ethos and identity, and conversely an expansive scope for suppression of free speech. It is difficult to reconcile these Notes, at various points, with government policy as expressed by the Prime Minister and Attorney-General. 

Federal Liberal MPs dislike people calling a spade a spade

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"If the government actually though that calling it robodebt caused more anxiety, they'd have named it that themselves"  [@RichardAOB, 4 October 2019]

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The Guardian, 4 October 2019:

The Coalition’s controversial debt recovery scheme should not be called robodebt, Liberal MPs say, in part because the phrase is causing anxiety in the community.

A day after the Liberal senator Matt O’Sullivan told the first hearing of a Senate inquiry into the scheme “robodebt” was a “misnomer”, his colleague, Hollie Hughes, admonished representatives from Western Australia’s community legal centres for using the term.

Hughes also told the inquiry on Friday the term robodebt was “a bit of a misnomer, particularly under the current system”.

“And I think using that term is probably creating a bit more anxiety than is required,” Hughes said. “If we’re trying to reduce the anxiety around this, probably not using that term particularly in these sorts of settings would be helpful.”

Despite noting improvements to the program, including increased involvement from Centrelink staff and outreach to affected welfare recipients, the WA legal centres said on Friday that the scheme was still having an adverse impact on vulnerable people.

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"I actually agree with the politicians saying that ‘robodebt’ is a misnomer... it implies there was actually a debt in the first instance. Maybe ‘robotheft’, ‘robowehatepoorpeople’ or ‘robofuckyou’ would be more appropriate?”  [@LukeLPearson, 4 October 2019]

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