please help with a fast and furious EPA action

Hi FOE members and friends.
Remember how upset you were last year when the Environmental Protection Agency amendments for Environmental Standards were not voted on in Parliament?
We need you to use that energy for good and put pressure on Labor MPs and Senators to pass these environmental amendments in the February sitting of Parliament (weeks starting 3/2 and 10/2).
The Labor Environment Action Network (LEAN) have mobilised their members to make calls to MPs and Senators next week. LEAN are inviting the environmental movement community to call their Labor MPs and Labor Senators as well, to show the widespread community support for the EPA amendments. We need to make the calls between 9am and 5pm Tuesday 28/1 to Friday 31/1.
Please take up this invitation to take this strong action for the environment. If you have a Labor MP, please make 5 calls to both them and the four SA Labor Senators. If you don’t have a Labor MP, please make 4 calls to each of the 4 Labor Senators.
If you chose to call and speak to the politician’s staffer, please be polite but clear about why you want the parliamentarian to take action. Each call should take less than 5 minutes, but is a powerful way you can let MPs and Senators know that their constituents are watching.
Phone numbers are below, and a suggested script is attached..
Please feel free to contact me if you need more information on 0423 219 096. It would be good if you could send me a quick email to let me know who you have called and what they have said.
Thanks for your support!
regards
Robyn Wood
0423 219 096

Steve Georganas

MP Adelaide

(08) 8269 2433

Louise Miller-Frost

MP Boothby

(08) 8374 0511

Mark Butler

MP HIndmarsh

(08) 8241 0190

Matt Burnell

MP Spence

(08) 8258 6300

Tony Zappia

MP Makin

(03) 9534 8126

Don Farrell

Senator

(08) 8231 8400

Penny Wong

Senator

(08) 8212 8272

Karen Grogan

Senator

(08) 8269 6022

Marielle Smith

Senator

(08) 8340 0444

Here’s the  script for the EPA ES Blitz

Script to assist calling your local MP/Senator

Script to assist calling your local MP/Senator (and yes they do want to hear from you)  — Of course it is only a guide to be used as you need

I am (insert name) and I am a local constituent.
I am hoping you can pass on a message to (insert MP/Senator name).

In brief, I’m ringing to ask (MP/Senator’s name) to raise their voice in the Labor caucus, and with the Prime Minister’s office, to ensure that the EPA bills are passed in the February sitting weeks – including the Labor amendments to deliver environmental standards within 12 months.

I really appreciate that the Prime Minister has promised to bring the bills back to Parliament, in the upcoming sittings. I am hoping the Government can work closely with the cross bench to get a good outcome.

I believe we need to pass this legislation to show to environmentally concerned voters that Labor cares about the environment.

My request is that (insert MP/Senator name) raises the deep concern within the environmental community that we pass the EPA bills in February, with amendments to create environmental standards. Maybe they can advocate for the EPA by bringing it up with caucus colleagues, in factional meetings and with the Prime Minister’s office.

Can you pass that on? Would it be worth me calling back tomorrow or the next day to hear how your conversation went?

Thank you

The bills: what are we asking for?

The legislation before parliament creates the EPA and a data agency to improve decision making, Environmental Information Australia. It also increases penalties and fines for not complying with current environmental laws.

Both business and environmental advocates want to see changes to how the legislation itself works. The creation of new institutions, while game changers for environmental governance, makes no immediate improvements to the environmental outcomes of the legislation, nor do they deliver increased certainty and clarity in decision making which business needs.

For this reason Minister Plibersek proposed including the creation of environmental standards as an amendment to the package. The standards are the centre-piece of the larger reforms, as recommended by Professor Samuel. The current laws are all process, without any clarity of what outcomes they are trying to achieve. This has devastating impacts on species while also meaning that business does not know what the expectations are of them. Creating environmental standards for decision making will provide certainty for the environment and certainty for business.

The creation of standards is long term Labor policy, approved by cabinet in December 2022, as part of the Nature Positive package. Including a commitment to creating standards within 12 months, is simply operationalising existing Labor policy and makes lots of sense for the environment and the more efficient operation of the Act.

Rising Tide Alert

At 9am on Saturday 16th November, join us at Brighton Jetty.

Become part of a Bike ride, Walk, Scoot or… to show solidarity with thousands of people

blockading coal ships at the world’s largest coal port.

Start at 9am, moving slowly north along the shared paths and esplanades.

Finish at 11am back at Brighton Jetty. — Cafés close by, for cuppas.


Rising Tide Alert
is supported by Unley Voices for Climate Action & Friends of the Earth Adelaide

Download PDF leaflet

UK oil workers demand just energy transition

The UK coalition of offshore oil and gas workers, climate groups and trade unions are backing a new plan to deliver a fair transition away from fossil fuels, protect jobs, communities and climate.
In the face of political inaction, workers are ready to lead. ‘Our Power: Offshore oil and gas workers’ demand for a just energy
transition’ is an oil industry first, putting workers front and centre in a plan for decarbonisation and public ownership.
The list of 10 demands are:

    1.  A government-backed jobs guarantee
    2. An offshore training passport that
      supports workers to retrain in the
      renewables sector
    3. Investment in ports and renewables
      manufacturing hubs in the UK,
      creating and retaining local jobs
    4.  Full access to union representation and
      collective negotiation of pay, health
      and safety regulations and benefits
    5.  Equal pay for migrant workers and a
      higher minimum wage for all
    6. Trusted grievance and whistleblowing
      policies and protection from blacklisting
    7. Public ownership for public good
    8. A permanent ‘Energy Excess Profits
      Tax’ and a sovereign wealth fund
    9. Polluting companies to pay for the
      decommissioning of oil rigs
    10. Investing wealth in communities and
      supporting growth in new industries

More details: https://friendsoftheearth.eu/press-release/uk-oil-workers-demand-just-energy-transition/

Dirty and Dark – political donations from the fossil fuel industry

From the Market Forces report:

The Australian Government continues to support fossil fuel exploration and development in Australia, despite 2021 modelling by the International Energy Agency (IEA), confirmed again in late 2022, which finds that there can be no new coal, oil or gas projects if the world is to achieve zero net emissions by 2050 and limit global warming to 1.5°C.

Six new coal mining projects were approved between the release of the IEA’s report and the ousting of the former Liberal-National government, while the new Labor government has granted 10 new oil and gas exploration licences since. There are also 118 coal, oil and gas projects currently in the investment pipeline nationally according to the Department of Industry, Science and Resources. The Labor government is actively supporting these developments even while its own Climate Change Bill enshrines in law a 43% reduction in Australia’s emissions by 2030.

[…,]

Hefty donations from the fossil fuel industry

In FY2022 [1], fossil fuel companies donated $2 million to the ALP, Liberal and National parties.

Yet given Australia’s reputation for woefully inadequate political disclosure and ‘dark money’ donations, with 35% of all contributions coming from unknown sources, the true figure could be significantly higher.

Leading the pack with $188,000 worth of largesse was Mineral Resources, followed by INPEX with $157,300 and Santos with $153,660. Fossil fuel lobby groups like the Minerals Council of Australia and the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) also donated nearly half a million dollars, with a combined total of $441,482.

Market Forces collates this data from the Australian Electoral Commission.
You will find the full list of fossil fuel donors from the last financial year at https://www.marketforces.org.au/politicaldonations2023/