Oct
10
2007
Archive for the “Environment” Category
Oct
09
2007
Climate Change and Australian Coastal ShippingPosted by: LyndaNewnam in Air Pollution, Environment, Research Papers, Transport9 October 2007 Media release Contact: Andrew Macintosh (02) 6162 4146 or 0403 804 540 Shipping’s falling market share is making greenhouse emissions worse: New Report from The Australia Institute (more…)
Oct
09
2007
Transport Infrastructure Summit 1-2 NovemberPosted by: LyndaNewnam in Environment, Event, Government, Transport
If you have a spare couple of days and a spare $2300 you too can attend the NSW Transport Infrastructure Summit billed as Take a look at the list of speakers below. Genia McCaffery(representing Local Councils) will be the only ‘rose’ amongst the ‘thorns’ yet again. If those ‘thorns’ were serious about bottlenecks and congestion they would go in search of a sustainable national vision. We are not going to get sustainability by overscaling the Sydney freight operation. $5.8 billion will be spent on transport infrastructure in New South Wales over the next 4 years in a quest to reduce congestion, free bottlenecks and attract investment. (more…)
Sep
27
2007
Vopak proposal to manufacture biodiesel at Port BotanyPosted by: LyndaNewnam in EnvironmentIan Cohen, Greens MLC, has written to Frank Sartor asking the Minister to fully examine the Justification for the Vopak proposal to manufacture biodiesel at Port Botany. This development, if approved, will set a precedent as in the original conditions of consent for the Port there was to be no manufacturing. This proposal is of particular concern given that the source material - palm oil - will be imported from Malaysia. Trade in palm oil is one driver in the destruction of Malaysian rainforests. Here is Ian Cohen’s letter: Response to Vopak Biodiesel Part 3A Application
Sep
11
2007
Botany Bay Cable: See latest report on Overexposure to EMF from PowerlinesPosted by: LyndaNewnam in Environment, Research PapersAn international working group of scientists, researchers and public health policy professionals (The BioInitiative Working Group) has released its report on electromagnetic fields (EMF) and health. They document serious scientific concerns about current limits regulating how much EMF is allowable from power lines, cell phones, and many other sources of EMF exposure in daily life. The report concludes the existing standards for public safety are inadequate to protect public health. Full report at http://www.bioinitiative.org/
Sep
07
2007
Sartor approves Enfield Intermodal under cover of APECPosted by: LyndaNewnam in Air Pollution, Environment, GovernmentEver been to a smorgasbord where those at the head of the queue pile their plates regardless of how little they leave for those who follow. This pretty much describes the gouging and gorging behaviour that is being supported and applauded by our NSW State Government. With the media distracted by APEC, Minister Sartor has given the go-ahead to an Anvil Hill sized coal mine outside of Mudgee as well as the Enfield Intermodal. More congestion and pollution for an area already suffering overload in both areas….and for what. Before long one-third of all our so-called trade through Port Botany will be the export of empty containers. That’s right, the biggest exports from NSW are EMPTY CONTAINERS and COAL. How sustainable is that? (more…)
Aug
18
2007
Top suburbs costing the EarthPosted by: LyndaNewnam in Environment, Port Botany ExpansionThe annual growth of imports through Port Botany outstrips Sydney’s population growth by more than 12 to 1. In the 2006-2007 financial year the export of empty containers was 27% of Sydney Ports total ‘trade’. In 1999 the empties represented 18% . Within a few years they will equal ONE THIRD of the total ‘trade’. The THIRD terminal at Port Botany is effectively being constructed - along with the road and rail infrastructure to support it - for the repositioning of empty containers. MOVING EMPTIES IS NOT TRADE. This arrangement might suit the shipping companies but it is an unsustainable impost on Botany Bay and communities around the Bay and situated on major road and rail corridors. The excess empties should be heading west to inland intermodals like Parkes and thereafter conveyed to areas that require them. Please join the Botany Bay and Catchment Alliance on November 24 - International Buy Nothing Day - to protest the support that the NSW government is giving to the unsustainable expansion of Port Botany.
Aug
17
2007
Employment Lands for Sydney Action PlanPosted by: LyndaNewnam in Environment, GovernmentThe Employment Lands for Sydney Action Plan was released in March and particularly affects communities in the Botany Bay Catchment. This is the Ministerial Taskforce overseeing the implementation of the Plan: Mr Sam Haddad(DG Dept. Planning); Mr Loftus Harris (DG Dept. State and Regional Development); Mr Ken Morrison(Property Council of Australia); Mr Ross Blancato (Urban Development Institute of Australia); Ms Louise Southall and Mr Paul Orton(Australian Business Ltd); Mr Mark Goodsell(Australian Industry Group); Ms Sue Robinson and Mr Terry Barnes (NSW Urban Task Force); Mr Bob Germaine (Greater Western Sydney Economic Development Board); Mr Adam Kerslake (Unions NSW); Mr Kerry Robinson and Mr Graham Dickie (Landcom); Ms Sylvia Hrovatin (Walker Corporation); Mr Bill McCrae (Overmyer Industrial Real Estate); Ms Narelle Kennedy (Australian Business Foundation); Mr Colin Rockliff (Macquarie Goodman); Mr Shaun McBride (NSW Local Government and Shires Association)
Aug
17
2007
Climate Change in the Sydney Metropolitan CatchmentsPosted by: LyndaNewnam in Environment, Research PapersClimate Change in the Sydney Metropolitan Catchments This CSIRO report has just been circulated by the Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority. Our leaders should be pleased that population growth in Sydney over the 2001-05 period is well below other capital cities and in terms of sheer numbers trails Melbourne and Brisbane. Brisbane grew 2.2 per cent, Melbourne 1.5 per cent and Perth 1.8 per cent. Sydney’s increase of 0.7 per cent puts it at the bottom of the table, alongside Adelaide. Even Hobart grew 0.8 per cent, according to population figures released yesterday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. (SMH, page 6,25/7/07) Developments such as the Port Botany expansion, Desalination, Botany Bay Cable, Enfield, South-West and North West conversion of rural land into residential and warehousing have been justified in terms of population growth. Remember the line that ‘1000 people a week come to Sydney’. Now the government is trying to stimulate population growth by pushing ahead with these developments. Would we need more tunnels, freeways, shopping complexes if the population stabilised? Where would Transurban, Leighton, Westfield and other developers go? Over the life of the Metrostrategy the lower -real - growth rate translates to around 250,000 fewer people. The development of Sydney’s South West. We could keep our farmlands, we could reduce consumption and waste and become a more sustainable city but it appears that our leaders think Sydney needs more growth, more consumption, and therefore more construction. In the meantime they forget the needs of regional NSW.
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Entries (RSS)