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Page 1: We’ve got the power · analysis and we’ve booked shopfronts and billboards. We made the 2014 state election the moment when the pendulum swung back towards environmental protection

M O B I L I S I N G P E O P L E T O S A F E G U A R D O U R E N V I R O N M E N T ISSUE 25 • AUTUMN 2016

We’ve got the power:Communities changing politics

PLUSTell ANZ to cutthe dirty credit

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2016 IS THE YEAR THAT WILL DECIDEthe Andrews Government’s legacy onthe environment.

It’s been 18 months since the stateelection, where we played a key rolebuilding and demonstrating strongsupport for responsible environmentpolicies. The new government hasstarted things rolling with plenty ofconsultation and the beginning ofsome important processes, but now it’stime for them to deliver.

Victoria needs a transformative planfor our environment and climatepolicies that can be replicatednationally and internationally. It’s anexciting and vital opportunity forVictoria to be the environmental leaderthat we so need.

At stake is whether Victoria becomesa renewable energy powered, job-richeconomy. And we’ll only make this shiftif we phase out our oldest and dirtiest

coal-burning power stations to makeroom for renewable energy.

We also have a chance to become anenergy-saving powerhouse — reducingpollution and energy bills, making ourhomes more comfortable and safer inheatwaves and cold weather whilecreating thousands of jobs. Why wouldwe pass up that opportunity?

We have to choose whether to getserious about protecting biodiversityand restoring our rivers, or let themcontinue to degrade and decline as ourclimate becomes more hostile. This isthe year that the Andrews Governmentwill set the long-term agenda for rivers.So let’s make sure they get it right.

But it’s not just Victoria that hasimportant choices ahead. Theupcoming federal election offers thechance to reset climate andenvironment policy nationally in thesame way that we’ve done in Victoria.

Prime Minister Turnbull is yet tosignificantly change the direction of theCoalition, or reverse his party’s manyattacks on the environment. There ispotential for change, though, with theCoalition desperately in need of acredible environment agenda.

We’re ready to go, with hundreds ofvolunteers primed in key electorates tohave thousands of conversations withundecided voters in the places thatmatter about why they should use theirvote for our environment. We’ve doneour communications research, electoralanalysis and we’ve booked shopfrontsand billboards. We made the 2014 stateelection the moment when thependulum swung back towardsenvironmental protection in this state.Now we have the chance to do it againon the national stage. Bring it on!

Thank you for your extraordinarysupport.

> Mark Wakeham, Chief Executive Officer

Editorial

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I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E

Green Action NewsIssue 25, Autumn 2016Design 2Fish ProductionsPrint Almar PressContributing writersMark Wakeham, Nick Aberle, Juliet Le Feuvre, Jane Stabb, Greg Foyster, Cat Nadel, Alex MeroryEditorGreg Foyster, Alex Merory(03) 9341 8125 [email protected] enquiries(03) 9341 8100 [email protected] Media enquiries(03) 9341 [email protected] Green Action News is an Environment Victoria publication. For more information, visitwww.environmentvictoria.org.aufacebook.com/environmentvictoria@EnviroVic

Victoria’smoment

Visions forthe future

Community power

Makingnature count

Aquaprint:How to deliverhealthy rivers

Dirty creditSpeak up andshare your stories

Digging into theHazelwood mine fire inquiry

There’s a lot at stake for our environment over the comingmonths. Thank goodness we have you with us.

Authorised by Mark Wakeham, CEO Environment Victoria, 60 Leicester St Carlton.

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Digging into the Hazelwoodmine fire inquiryFor the past two years, we’ve been pushing for a real investigation into mine rehabilitation — the process offixing the damage (as best as possible) at the end of a mine’s life. The hearings of the second Hazelwood MineFire Inquiry finally delivered this in December 2015, and we now know just how serious this problem is.

S A F E C L I M AT E

Dr Nicholas Aberle Safe Climate Campaign Manager

Have we created a mess that can’t be fixed? Rehabilitating Yallourn brown coal mine (above), and others like it in the Latrobe Valley, presents a huge challenge.

BY THE TIME YOU’RE READING THIS,the Hazelwood Inquiry’s report will havebeen released, and it should make for aninteresting read. The problems revealedin the inquiry beggar belief. Here’s ashort point-by-point summary of somekey issues that have been unearthed.

All the mines are slated to become giantlakes. Once you start digging in theLatrobe Valley, there’s way more coal thanthere is dirt, which means there’s notmuch dirt to throw back into the holeonce you’re finished with the mine.Engineers said all options other thancreating giant lakes were unviable, butthey couldn’t demonstrate that lakes wereviable either. It’s possible the coal mineshave created a mess that can’t be fixed.

If the plans for lakes remain, nobodyknows where the water is coming from.If left alone for a long time (decades orlonger), the pits will gradually fill withwater, but this is water that is meant tobe feeding the rivers in Gippsland.Worryingly, state water authoritiesappear not to fully understand what theconsequences of this could be.

The government holds rehabilitationbonds for $15 million or less for eachmine. Independent experts have givenevidence that it is likely to cost morethan $120 million to fix each mine, andas much as $392 million in one worst-case scenario. This massive financial riskfacing Victorian taxpayers will hang overour heads until the bonds are increased.

The problems are not just caused byrecalcitrant mine operators; in somecases it’s the regulator who has beendragging the chain. It seems little efforthad been made to really resolve any ofthese issues. Fortunately, regulators nowseem aware of the scale of the minerehabilitation problem.

So far, the Latrobe Valley communityhas not been adequately involved in bigdecisions that will affect them. They’rethe ones who will live with the legacyleft by these mines, which means theyneed a big say in what happens. Theyshouldn’t just be told what will happen.

To make sure rehabilitation is donemost efficiently, there’s a need for acoordinating body. This should be a newindependent authority, tasked withbringing together all the stakeholders,including the community, to startidentifying what the final plans shouldbe for each mine.

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THANK YOU to everyone whocontributed to our appeal last year to coverlegal and research costs to attend theinquiry. We were the only group thererepresenting the environment!

MINE REHABILITATION BY THE NUMBERS:2200 gigalitres Volume of water needed to fill each mine. That’s about 4 times the water in Sydney Harbour.

200 metres Depth of AGL’s Loy Yang mine

770 Number of MCG-sized fields you could fit on “disturbed land” at Loy Yang.

81 years How long it could take to fill the Yallourn mine with water

$15 million Bond for Hazelwood mine

$73 million Hazelwood’s estimate of Hazelwood rehabilitation costs

$176-357 million Independent estimate of Hazelwood rehabilitation costs

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2016 is Victoria’s chance to shine. The state government is set to deliverkey plans and policies on the environment in the next six months,creating a golden opportunity to show leadership that’s been lackingat the federal level. Here’s our insider guide on how it’s shaping up.

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Victoria’s moment

Six months to shineDon’t leave it too late, because youmight miss your chance. That’s ouradvice to the Andrews Government asthey approach a crucial period ofdelivery in their first term. It’s a referenceto the Brumby Government’s release ofthe Victorian Climate Change White Paperin 2010 just a few months before theylost office. The paper containedambitious, innovative policies, butarrived too late for the ALP toimplement.

We’ve been working hard to make surethe mistake isn’t repeated. Keygovernment ministers have said againand again that they want Victoria to lead

on climate change and clean energy.There’s now a six-month window todeliver on those promises.

Soon, the Andrews Government willrelease plans and policies for renewableenergy, climate change, water,regulating pollution, energy efficiencyand biodiversity (see opposite page).Getting them right will create benefitsfor people and communities – whetherit’s healthier lungs from less pollution, orregional jobs from clean energyinvestment. That makes the overridingquestion for the Andrews Government asimple one: How much of a good thingdo you want? A little, or a lot?

Six steps to get thereBack in early 2015, the newly sworn inAndrews Government was talking aboutenvironmental leadership in vague,aspirational terms. But what might thatlook like in practice?

To answer this question, we publisheda series of reports on climate change,energy efficiency and water. Each onefocused on ‘Six Steps’ to leadership,following inspiring examples fromaround the world. These reports weredistributed to politicians, ministers andinfluential people, and each one waslaunched with an exclusive article in The Age.

Behind the scenes we’ve also had a

V I C T O R I A N P O L I T I C S

Mark WakehamChief Executive Officer

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seat at the table with a series ofstakeholder meetings. Andwe’ve made submissions to arange of inquiries and reviews,including an overhaul of theClimate Change Act andEnvironment Protection Act, plusprocesses for water andbiodiversity. (One staff memberdubbed this intensely busyperiod the “submission-a-thon”.)But we’re not just sitting andwaiting to see the result of allthis effort – we’re working hardto make sure the governmentdelivers.

Keeping up the pressureWe’ve got to maintaingrassroots political pressure foraction. It would be a mistake tosoften our approach justbecause the currentgovernment appears moreopen to environmentalprotection than the previousone. So we’ve expanded ourwork in the crucial marginalseats that determine theoutcome of every stateelection. In December last year we released a one-yearreport card that, among otherthings, told the government tohurry up.

Plus, we’re now working withclimate action groups acrossVictoria to make the RenewableEnergy Action Plan the best itcan be and ensure it includes aplan to retire coal-burningpower stations. Petitions,meetings with MPs, letters andads are ensuring thegovernment hears just howimportant clean energy is toour future. We won’t let up.

We believe Victoria can leadon the environment again. Thisis our moment. Let’s make surethe Andrews Governmentseizes it.

Protect our unique plants and animalsWhat: Biodiversity strategyProgress: Draft released in March; currently with CabinetOpportunities: Connect landscapes with wildlifecorridors, recognise essential roles of rivers andwetlands, incentivise landholders and farmers tomanage the landscape better, plan for the impacts ofclimate change.

More energy efficient homes and businessesWhat: Energy Efficiency StrategyProgress: Expected to be announced mid-yearOpportunities: Raise efficiency standards for new andexisting homes, facilitate finance to retrofit low-incomehomes, upgrade government buildings, improve commercialand industrial energy efficiency, reduce household bills.

Regulating pollutionWhat: Environment Protection Authority reviewProgress: Review report about to be releasedOpportunities: A modern environmental regulator,with the ability to regulate the reduction ofgreenhouse pollution and enhanced powers andpenalties to stop pollution.

Safe, stable climateWhat: Review of the Climate Change ActProgress: Independent review has been submitted togovernment, awaiting responseOpportunities: Reinstate a strong state emissionsreduction target, introduce emissions performancestandards to phase out coal power stations, ensureclimate change is considered in all government decisions.

Healthy rivers and fresh waterWhat: The Water PlanProgress: Discussion paper released in March; currentlywith CabinetOpportunities: Making sure the Murray-Darling BasinPlan delivers the water it should, taking a fresh look atfreshwater ecosystems, reforming the Water Act so theenvironment gets its fair share, restoring river banks.

More clean energyWhat: The Renewable Energy Action PlanProgress: Currently with CabinetOpportunities: A target for Victoria of at least half ofour energy from renewable sources by 2025, a plan tophase out our oldest and dirtiest coal-burning powerstations, new clean energy jobs, a fairer solar feed-intariff and government purchasing of GreenPower.

Six steps for a better Victoria“We’re not just sittingand waiting to see theresult of all this effort– we’re working hardto make sure thegovernment delivers.”

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Visions for the future

Imagine it’s the year 2050 and you’re living in the new Victoria. We made all the right choices in

time and we are now living in a truly sustainable society. What is daily life like?

It’s a question we put to you in our supporter survey and the results were spectacular. Thewonderful thing is we have a shared vision. And it’s why we work hard for our environment —because we all want clean air and water, vibrant green communities and cities, abundantwildlife and beautiful natural spaces for our children and their children to enjoy.

THANK YOU to our members and regular donors for so many years of support.

F U T U R E V I S I O N

Alex MeroryCommunications Manager

“I’ve just turned 80 and am so glad thatthe world is dealing with climate change and it looks

like we will keep global temperature increases to below 1.5degrees. Although the bush and rivers near where I live have changed,

they are still a diverse and beautiful place and provide habitat for manyspecies. My house and car have changed too, solar seems to be on every

home roof and I tell the grandkids about cars that ran off dirty fossil fuels –of course they don’t believe me! I’m glad to live in a country

that truly values the environment and know that Victoria will be a great place to live for my grandkids

and great grandkids.” – Rohan

“Cool, green, forested, full of

native wildlife. The environment is the

first and major consideration in all political

decisions. Victoria listens to, respects and

reveres our Indigenous people, their

knowledge and care of country.” – Helen

“Turningon the news and seeing

tiny atolls like Kiribati and Tuvalu

still there. Still practising their unique

culture and identity. Still smiling and

waving as if to say ‘Thank you for

caring enough.’” – Helen

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Your long-term commitment allows us to plan for a better Victoria in the future.

Vision 2020Here at Environment Victoria we’re working on our own vision for the future. These next few years are crucial to creating the safe and prosperous future we all hope for, so we’re creating a strategic plan to take us to 2020. The best way for you to contribute to this plan is by becoming a member ofEnvironment Victoria and joining our AGM later this year.To join or renew your membership go to environmentvictoria.org.au/membership

“Gippsland,hardest hit by the closure of

coal-fired power stations andcessation of coal-mining in 2010

pioneered the development of renewableenergy... Skilled staff from the former carmanufacturing sector and mining wereretrained and employed state-wide in

renewable energy production and usagein industrial, commercial and

residential construction.” – Angela

“I wake to the birds chirping in the trees. I walk outside in themorning and breathe the clean air and feel thewarmth of the morning sun. I enjoy walking to themarkets and saying hello to people in a sustainablecommunity and sharing our goods, stories and joy,living a relaxed lifestyle.” – Maria

“My son has grown upand has a future in a world that has divested

itself of fossil fuels without resorting to nuclear power.His children have a future that’s getting brighter all the time.

They all love living in a city that’s covered in greenery; roof gardens,green walls that stay green. There are dedicated bike lanes and quiet,

free and efficient public transport. But mostly people love to walk andexperience the cool green world and breathe the fresh air. As I look towards

the city from my off-grid home, there is no brown blanket obscuring my view.It’s peaceful here, safe from fires yet surrounded by a national park, home to

species of birds and animals once endangered, but no longer. Our littlecommunity is one of many that have gone off-grid and generates its owncooperatively owned power. We’re old, my partner and I, but we feel safe,

there are many people living here and we can get around in a littleelectric car. Our house needs little maintenance and is beautifully

designed – it’s cool or warm as needed and is easy to live in– even when the grandkids come to stay. What a

beautiful world in which to enjoy ourretirement.” – Kasia

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P O L I T I C S

Communities changing politicsJane StabbCommunity Organiser

Crowd outside the Frankston Enviro Hub. Visitors included Labor candidate Peta Murphy and Liberal candidate Chris Crewther

The community is on board with clean energy, cuttingpollution and protecting nature. Our new federal electioncampaign is asking politicians to catch up.

FOR THREE YEARS, OUR FEDERALgovernment has attacked clean energy,looking after big polluters at theexpense of our clean energy industry.

They’ve cut our Renewable EnergyTarget, removed the laws that reducepollution and have been trying to get ridof the investment bank that supportsnew, clean technology.

The laws that are designed to protectour natural places are letting bigpolluting companies open new coalmines, dredge the Great Barrier Reef andlog our national parks.

We say enough is enough. At thisyear’s federal election, we want to seepoliticians on all sides standing up forclean energy, cutting pollution andprotecting nature.

The only way to make sure thishappens is to build support forenvironmental protection in the areasthat matter politically. In the lead-up tothe election, our local teams are hittingthe ground running.

We’re targeting the two federalelectorates of Deakin and Dunkley – inthe eastern suburbs and Frankston area.

Local communities arepowerful in election years There are only a handful of marginalfederal electorates in Victoria. These arethe areas that decide the outcome ofelections, so political parties care aboutwhat these communities want.

This election, we are bringing togetherpeople in the marginal electorates ofDeakin and Dunkley who care about ourenvironment. We’ll knock on doors,make phone calls, hold street stalls andmeet with MPs and candidates.

We’ve opened two shopfronts – the

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OUR POLICY ASKSThis election we’re focusing on three main areas where good policy is vital for our environment: clean energy, cuttingpollution and protecting nature. Get the full details at environmentvictoria.org.au/election2016

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THANK YOU to everyone who hassupported us through knocking ondoors, calling people, signing on anddonating to the cause. This could nothappen without you!

Frankston Enviro Hub and the MitchamEnviro Hub – visible, vibrant hubs forthe campaign.

We’ll advertise in newspapers, on ourmobile billboard and online, backedup by new research into what issuespeople in our target areas care aboutthe most.

If you’ve been with us for a while,you’ll know we’ve done this before – in 2014, hundreds of volunteerscampaigned in their communities tomake the environment a key issue forthe state election and beyond.

How is this campaign different? It’s

bigger for a start. Our roots run deepnow. We’ve seeded three active,effective local groups in Deakin andDunkley. The communities in theseareas are powerful enough that wehave an open dialogue with MPs andcandidates. In fact the Liberal MP,Labor candidate and the Mayor joinedour campaign launch in Frankston.

We’re also working closely with theAustralian Conservation Foundation,who we’re partnering with in Deakin,and collaborating with otherenvironment and community groupsto make this an election about theenvironment across the country.

The election will be tight this yearand the contest will be played out inmarginal electorates. In Deakin, just

1500 votes shifting could change thesitting member, and in Dunkley it’lltake just 2500. Last year more voterssigned our pledge cards than thenumber needed to swing from oneparty to another. In these areas wenow have more than 10,000supporters, and almost 500 volunteers.And we will keep building thiscommunity power so that politiciansknow they have to do the right thingby the environment to win votes.

If you live in the eastern suburbs orthe Frankston area and want to getinvolved with our local groups, or if you want to help our Carlton team with data entry or phonebanking, email Jane Stabb [email protected]

Frankston Citizen of the Year David Cross cutting the ribbon at the opening of the Frankston Enviro HubPHOTOGRAPH: BARRY THOMAS

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IT’S THIS VISION THAT LEDEnvironment Victoria to work with someof Victoria’s most future-orientedbusinesses to form the Future EconomyGroup back in 2013. We had recognisedthat a critical ingredient was missing inall campaigns for environmentalprotection in Victoria – the voice ofbusinesses, specifically those businessesthat stood to benefit from solving ourenvironmental challenges, or those thatstood to lose most from continuingenvironmental decline.

With VicSuper, Bank Australia, IntrepidTravel, Pacific Hydro and five otherbusinesses, we commissioned world-firstresearch exploring the economic benefitsof restoring our natural systems, and theeconomic cost of continuing to erodeour natural asset base.

Then, ahead of the 2014 state election,we briefed all state political parties onour ‘Future Economy Plan’ and secured a

commitment from the ALP to exploredeveloping a Future Economy Plan forthe state if elected to government.

In March 2016 this work took the nextstep with a forum held with the VictorianTreasurer Tim Pallas and EnvironmentMinister Lisa Neville at which businessleaders made the case that the statebudget needs to include environmentalaccounts. This would enable us tomeasure whether our environment isimproving or deteriorating, help usdetermine the best investments torestore nature and ensure that anydecisions being made by governmentconsidered the impact on our naturalassets.

The forum was very different from thepolicy conversations we usually havewith politicians. While EnvironmentVictoria supporters understand thatnature has both an intrinsic value and aneconomic value, when governments and

businesses make decisions their thinkingis usually dominated by economic valuesalone.

Treasurer Pallas told business leadersthat “measuring the stock of Victoria’snatural capital is critical. It will provide uswith a better sense of the net wealth ofthe state, and make it easier to ensurebudget expenditure adds to our ‘naturalcapital stock’.”

Minister Neville outlined some of thework already underway, such as recentefforts to value the contribution ofVictoria’s Parks and visitors to regionaleconomic activity.

Our next step will be to develop anongoing process engaging business andgovernment to incorporate naturalcapital into the state budget. We’reproud of our work in establishing theFuture Economy Group and developingreal momentum for a transformativeenvironmental agenda for Victoria.

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F U T U R E E C O N O M Y

Making nature count

Fast-forward to the Victorian Budget in 2020. The State Treasurer begins her speech: “I am pleased to report that Victoria has experienced significant growth in our Natural Capital. Native vegetationcover improved by 3 percent in the past financial year, river health improved by 5 percent and our soils in Gippslandwere 6 percent more productive.” “Across the state the improvement in our natural capital — the natural systems upon which our economy and societydepend for our survival and prosperity — supported thousands of new jobs in some of the fastest growing industriesin the world.” “Our farsighted plan to value our environment has seen us become leaders in organic agriculture, renewable energy,recycling and saving energy and water. We are now exporting our expertise to a world desperate for solutions toglobal warming, over-population, over-consumption and resource depletion.”

Business leaders discussed the case for environmental accounts to be included in the State Budgetwith Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas and Environment Minister Lisa Neville.

Mark WakehamChief Executive Officer

Treasurer Pallas told businessleaders that “measuring thestock of Victoria’s naturalcapital is critical. It willprovide us with a better senseof the net wealth of the state,and make it easier to ensurebudget expenditure adds toour ‘natural capital stock’.”

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LEADERSHIP WAS DESPERATELYneeded after the Napthine Governmenthad sidelined river health. So we weredelighted in April last year when WaterMinister Lisa Neville announced that“preserving the future of our watersupplies requires a new vision and thatcalls for a fresh and balanced approach,starting at the top”.

But what could this new vision andfresh approach look like? We put ourideas in a report titled Six Steps to WaterLeadership released in November lastyear. The report identifies the basicmismatch between a society thatdemands water constantly and a climatethat supplies it only occasionally, andoutlines the challenges this mismatchposes for our governments and watermanagers. It assesses factors driving thelong term decline in the health of ourriver systems, overviews pastachievements and subsequent

backsliding by Coalition governments,and describes case studies from aroundthe world.

From this, we set out six key steps towater leadership for the AndrewsGovernment to adopt:1. A Murray-Darling Basin Plan that

restores our wetlands and nationalparks

2. A state-wide plan for water sensitivetowns and cities

3. A Victorian EnvironmentalAssessment Council (VEAC)investigation into the status andmanagement of freshwaterdependent ecosystems

4. Reforming the Victorian Water Act to give our rivers a fair share ofwater

5. Reconnecting river corridors andrestoring river banks

6. Managing surface and groundwatertogether

Improving the health of our waterwaysand catchments is fundamental tosupporting jobs and our economy andto enhancing Victoria’s liveability, healthand wellbeing.

Now it’s time for the community tohave their say. We are developing the SixSteps report into an ‘Aquaprint’ — acommunity vision for water reform,sustainable water use and healthy rivers.

So please check out the report andtell us what you think.

In March, the Andrews Governmentreleased a draft State Water Plan forpublic consultation. We will use theAquaprint as a yardstick to measure theambition of the plan, how it faces up tothe challenges of climate change,reduced water availability and increasedpopulation, and whether it will make areal difference to the health of our riversand freshwater ecosystems. We’ll alsosubmit the Aquaprint as a communityendorsed vision of what thegovernment’s water plan should include.

Please send us your ideas andthoughts on what’s needed to addressour water challenges. Consultation onthe government’s plan closes on 28 Aprilso we have to be quick!

The Andrews Government was elected in November 2014 with a promise to restore Victoria’s status as a leader on the environment. What would it take to deliver for our rivers?

H E A L T H Y R I V E R S

Aquaprint: How to deliver for healthy rivers

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Juliet Le FeuvreHealthy Rivers Campaigner

“Preserving the future of our watersupplies requires a new vision and thatcalls for a fresh and balanced approach,starting at the top.”— Victorian Water Minister Lisa Neville, 2015

HAVE YOUR SAY• Do you have ideas for our Aquaprint community vision for water reform? • What’s needed to address Victoria’s water challenges and create healthyrivers and waterways?Send feedback to: [email protected] todayRead the report at environmentvictoria.org.au/water-leadership

IMAGE COURTESY OF THE MURRAY-DARLING BASIN AUTHORITY,PHOTOGRAPHER MICHAEL BELL.

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You are powerful and not justbecause you’re great advocates forour climate. Environment Victoriasupporters can make a differenceby telling ANZ — “I’m going to putmy money where my morals are.”

IN JUNE OF 2014 ANZ SIGNED A US$147million loan to the Hazelwood coal-firedpower station. This money was handedover only months after the Hazelwoodcoal mine caught fire, covering thesurrounding towns in toxic smoke and ashfor 45 terrible days and causing serioushealth problems for the local community.A recent inquiry found that the pollutionmost likely contributed to the deaths ofpeople in the Latrobe Valley.

The loan expires in June so we’velaunched a new campaign to get ANZ tocut the dirty credit and commit topermanently ending their association withHazelwood power station.

ANZ’s new CEO Shayne Elliott is eager toprove that they are a “responsible andsustainable business”. In their 2015statement on climate change, ANZcommitted to not financing any new coalpower plants but they’ve not yet ruled outfunding existing ones, even though oldercoal-burning power stations are by farAustralia’s biggest source of carbonpollution.

We need to show ANZ that this isn’tgood enough. A highly visible campaigntargeting ANZ on this issue will also senda strong message to the financial sector atlarge that responsible, sustainablebusinesses don’t fund dirty anddangerous coal power stations.

We plan to send this message in anumber of ways. Our launch saw manyconcerned people standing outside ANZ’sElizabeth Street office demanding theypromise not to cough up any more moneyfor this deadly operation (see above). Overthe next few months we’ll be bombardingANZ’s Board with petitions and emails,and working with ANZ customers toarrange meetings with their local branchmanagers to ask that their money doesn’tgo towards damaging the climate. And inMay we will hold a grassroots day ofaction with events and meetings atbranches all across Victoria, organised byCommunity Action Groups, EnvironmentVictoria supporters and ANZ customers.

We’re running this campaign becausewhile governments need to step up totheir responsibilities and start phasing outcoal generators, banks are part of theequation too. Without bank financing,these polluting projects wouldn’t exist.Please join us in asking ANZ to cut thedirty credit to Australia’s most pollutingpower station. Visit envict.org/ANZloan

S A F E C L I M AT E

Dirty credit

Hi, I’m Cat. I’ve spent five yearscampaigning on aid anddevelopment, so myenvironmentalism existsthrough a lens of social justice. Ithink climate change is aboutjustice because while wealthynations have contributed mostto this crisis, it is the poorest ofthe poor who will feel its effectsfastest and hardest. I’m excited to campaign for thephase out of polluting coal-burning power stations whilesupporting community groupsin the Latrobe Valley to lead thetransition to new sustainablelocal economies.

Cat’s position was madepossible through the supportof an incredibly generousdonor. Thank you!

INTRODUCING CAT NADEL

In March Environment Victoria supporters rallied outside ANZ’s Melbourne branch to call on them not to refinance their loan to Hazelwood.

Cat NadelSafe Climate Campaigner

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What are your greatest environmental concerns?You’ve got to head it up with climate change and everything followsafter, like that big Indian company (Adani) building that massive coalmine near the Great Barrier Reef. I’ve cried over some of theenvironmental victories that have been achieved… wonderful placessaved from the greedy maws of big business.

What is your favourite spot in Victoria?Probably Lorne on the Great Ocean Road. I went there with my familywhen I was five years old more than 60 years ago. I also lived aroundStawell, so I love the Grampians. I just love the country wherever it is.

What can we do to protect and improve our environment in Victoria?I’m very keen on the Great Forest National Park and saving theLeadbeater’s possum. I'd also like to see the coal mines in theLatrobe Valley closed down. I’m implacably opposed to fracking and I don’t think the government should be floating the idea ofdigging up more brown coal for export.

Why did you leave a bequest to Environment Victoria?When I became aware of Environment Victoria’s work it was a nobrainer. I like philosopher Peter Singer’s concept about giving awayten percent of your income and I used to make regular donations.Now I’m on pension and have less income so I’ve pledged apercentage of my estate.

What is your hope for Victoria 100 years from now?I haven’t thought that far ahead! I used to work for Landcare so I would like to see those sorts of organisations grow in stature andcreate wildlife corridors where animals are protected. Getting rid ofthe feral animals and invasive weeds – that would be my dream. I think the regeneration of bush would be highly important.

F O R E V E R G R E E N

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Damian Thrum has been a long-time supporter of many environment groups, including EnvironmentVictoria. He recently decided to leave a lasting legacy to Environment Victoria in his Will. We spoke with himabout social justice, restoring our beautiful bush, andhis simple life in Castlemaine.

Damian Thrum is

FOREVER GREEN

BECOME FOREVER GREENLeaving a bequest to Environment Victoria inyour Will is an exceptional gift to those futureVictorians who will inherit this beautiful statefrom us. It’s a simple change when you next reviewyour Will.The wording below is a guide for your solicitor or trustee: “I GIVE the rest and residue of my estate / OR [insertdescription of specific gift] / OR [insertpercentage]% of my estate free from all debts(secured and unsecured) and all duties and taxes(whether federal or state) payable in respect of myestate to Environment Victoria Inc. (ABN 84 495 053605) (Environment Victoria) for its general purposes,and I DECLARE that the receipt of an authorisedofficer of the said Environment Victoria shall be acomplete and sufficient discharge of this bequest.”Interested in finding out how to leave a lasting legacy? Please contact us on (03) 9341 8100, by [email protected] or visitenvironmentvictoria.org.au/forevergreen

Damian Thrum has been the Vice-President of Chewton Landcare.

“I like philosopher Peter Singer’sconcept about giving away tenpercent of your income and Iused to make regular donations.Now I’m on pension and haveless income so I’ve pledged apercentage of my estate.”

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Speak up and share your stories

A R O U N D T H E W O R L D

Greg FoysterCommunications andPartnerships Manager

“Dear Premier, my name is Lindsay and Iam 12….I love the environment because Ilove climbing trees and making forts andI want you to stop climate change.”

This letter was forwarded to us byNicole Dawson, who has beenvolunteering with Environment Victoriain south-east Melbourne. It was writtenby her son Lindsay.

It’s one of many letters we’ve receivedfrom supporters who care deeply aboutour environment and are concerned ourgovernments aren’t doing enough onclimate change. Some letters are hopeful;others are harrowing. We’ve heard from awoman whose sister died in the searingJanuary 2014 heatwave and a couplewhose health was so badly damaged bythe Hazelwood mine fire they decided toleave the Latrobe Valley.

Beth, a supporter who lives in thePacific, forwarded us a letter she’d writtento the Victorian Energy Minister after therepeal of the previous government’s antiwind farm laws. On the Pacific Islands,

she said, “we are surrounded by climatechange related nightmares”, including“children washed 2km out to sea inHoniara because of flash flooding”.(Honiara is the capital city of theSolomon Islands.) It was yet anotherreminder that climate change is affectingpeople right now.

In Victoria, recent disasters have shownjust how vulnerable our state is totemperature increases. By just 2020, wecould be experiencing 25 percent moreCode Red bushfire days each summer,and 70 per cent more by 2050.Agriculture, Victoria’s largest exportindustry, could be hit by reduced rainfall– especially in the crucial spring growingseason – and extreme heat coulddamage fruit crops.

Behind these facts and figures, reallives and livelihoods are at stake.

Here at Environment Victoria, climatechange has touched the lives of peopledear to us. Recently you might havereceived a letter from our Healthy Rivers

Campaigner Juliet Le Feuvre whoseholiday house burned down in thebushfires that ripped through Wye Riverand Separation Creek on Christmas Day.The event was devastating but, shewrote, at least no one died. Sadly, thathasn’t been the case with so many otherclimate change-influenced catastrophes.Environment Victoria’s CEO, MarkWakeham, lost a friend in the BlackSaturday bushfires.

Climate change touches us all. So whatcan we do? One thing is to keep writingletters – to your local MP, to the Premierand to your friends. Telling people whyyou care is powerful and persuasive.Climate change communications expertGeorge Marshall argues that rationalscientific data is no match for acompelling emotional story that speaksto people’s core values. The impacts ofclimate change may be personal, but sois the solution. Speak up, and keep tellingyour stories.

For Victorians, climate change is personal, butso is the solution. Let’s keep sharing our stories.

Children’s letters hold PM to accountIn the lead-up to the Paris COP21climate conference last December, theClimate Guardians from ClimActscollected hundreds of letters andartworks from children addressed toworld leaders (see photos). They’ve nowlaunched a social media campaigncalled #KeepYourPromise pressuring theTurnbull Government to honour theParis Agreement to strive to keeptemperature increases to 1.5 Celsius.Follow it on Twitter at @Climate Guardia#KeepYourPromise and better still, helpthe campaign go viral by retweeting itsdaily #KeepYourPromise tweet!

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■■ $100 ■■ $250 ■■ $500 ■■ $1000 ■■ Surprise us $ _______________

■■ Or I would like to make a regular monthly gift by credit card of: ■■ $10 ■■ $20 ■■ $30

Please find enclosed: ■■ Cheque or ■■ Money Order (payable to Environment Victoria Inc.)

Or please debit my credit card: ■■ Visa ■■ MasterCard ■■ Amex

Cardholder’s name: ________________________________Expiry date: __ __ / __ __ Signature: __________________________

Card number:

■■ Please send me info about how I can create a Victoria that’s FOREVER GREEN by making a gift to Environment Victoria in my Will.

■■ Please send me info about how I can safeguard Victoria’s environment for the long term by becoming a Green Action Partner.

Are your personal details correct on your letter? Or are you moving soon? Please update your personal information here if necessary.

PERSONAL DETAILS

Title: First name: Family name:

Address:

Suburb: State: Postcode:

Email:

Mobile: Home:

TIME FOR AUSTRALIA’S DIRTIESTPOWER STATION TO RETIRE.

Please complete this form, tear off this page and return it to Reply Paid 12575, A’Beckett Street, Melbourne, VIC 8006 or visit www.environmentvictoria.org.au and make your donation online. Thank you for your generosity!

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Dear Mark,I want the Andrews Government to get serious aboutclimate change. Please accept my donation of:

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Chief Executive OfficerMark Wakeham

CAMPAIGNS & PROGRAMSCampaigns DirectorNick RobertsHealthy Rivers Campaigner Juliet Le FeuvreSafe Climate Campaign Manager Nicholas AberleSafe Climate Campaigner Cat NadelOne Million Homes Campaigner Anne Martinelli Future Powered Families Project ManagerAmy Young Community Organisers Jane StabbAdele NealeCommunications Manager Alex Merory

Communications andPartnerships Manager Greg FoysterCommunications Officer Cam Wheatley

OPERATIONSOrganisational Services Manager Nadine Ponomarenko Accounts Officer Jing LuAdministration Officer Cate HoyleFundraising Director Jonathan StoreyFundraising Officer Shannan CourtenayDatabase Officer Tony Cox

BOARDPresident Amanda NuttallVice-President Joan Staples

Robyn MurphySimone ZmoodPaul BaileyEmma HumannKate ColvinPeter ChristoffMichael CollinsREGULAR VOLUNTEERSEnvironment Victoria would like to thank our amazing crew of regular volunteers, who are now too numerous to mention.

TALK TO USPhone (03) 9341 8100 [email protected] (03) 9341 [email protected]/environmentvictoria

PO Box 12575A’Beckett Street, Victoria, 8006www.environmentvictoria.org.au

Authorised by M. Wakeham, CEO,Environment Victoria, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton, 3053.

WHO’SWHO AT

Did you know you can donate online? www.environmentvictoria.org.au/give

DOUG GIMESY PHOTOGRAPHY

We’d like to extend a special thank you to award-winning nature photographer and ex Environment Victoria Board memberDoug Gimesy. He has generously provided the beautiful image above, and many more like it, for us to use in our publicationsand social media — You can see more of his work at gimesy.com

The Tiger quoll is a native carnivorous marsupial.