June 6 2012

Friends of the Earth (FoE) today released a new report investigating risks associated with pesticides in Melbourne's drinking water.

The report focuses on Sugarloaf Reservoir, Melbourne's only reservoir that is supplied from the Yarra River, downstream of one of Australia's most intensively farmed (and sprayed) regions. Sugarloaf supplies drinking water to over 1.5 million Melbournians living in the north and west of the city.

Media Release, 8 June 2012

Friends of the Earth strongly supports the call of the Yolngu Nations Assembly and urges the Senate not to pass the Federal Government’s Stronger Futures legislation.

“By attempting to impose the Stronger Futures legislation, which will effectively extend the NT intervention by a decade, the Australian Government is ignoring Indigenous rights to be self-determining,” said Dr Alyssa Vass, Friends of the Earth spokesperson.

Friends of the Earth has launched a brief report on the state of Tasmania’s drinking water, which is available here.

The report is part of a longer term strategy to tie in research from across Australia regarding drinking water issues.

The information was sourced from three Right to Information requests from Southern Water, Ben Lomond Water and Cradle Mountain Water.

The information was only sourced from July 2009 to April 2012.

ROSSLYN BEEBY, environment reporter at the Canberra Times, wrote earlier in the year:

“ Groups to watch in 2012:

May 22, 2012 Media release
Environment Defenders Office – Environment Victoria – Friends of the Earth

Green groups have expressed disappointment that the joint parliamentary committee report into ‘greenfields’ mineral developments has failed to deliver a moratorium on further exploration for coal and coal seam gas.

“While the minerals industry got some of the fast tracking they had hoped for, the report has certainly not delivered them everything” said Friends of the Earth campaigns co-ordinator.

MEDIA RELEASE 11 May 2012

Today the Brisbane magistrates court supported the efforts of Gladstone local Mark Discoll in his stand defending the destructive dredging of the Gladstone Harbour in the Great Barrier Reef.

On the 14 March 2012 Gladstone local Mark 'Potts' Driscoll boarded and stopped one of the controversial Gladstone Harbour dredges. Mr Driscoll took action to defend the Great Barrier Reef and Gladstone Harbour from the destructive dredging caused by Queensland's coal seam gas industry.

Among the many commentaries on the budget, here’s our two cents’  worth as the budget relates to renewable energy and climate action.

First, the big item is that the diesel fuel tax rebate for off-road use has remained. Had this been scrapped or altered, it would have of course raised a lot of revenue from the main users of off-road diesel vehicles: miners and farmers.

Thursday 10th May 6pm

Join June Norman and Six Degrees for the first night of Soup and Stories. June walked the 550km coal seam gas pipeline and coal railway route from Kumburilla in the Darling Downs to Gladstone to meet the UN delegation in March.

Don't miss her tell the story of the journey, a unique insight into the communities at the forefront of climate change.

The event is free. Email shani.tager@archive.foe.org.au to RSVP.

At the FoE house, 20 Burke street, Wooloongabba.

The Pantry is an organic grocery that functions much like a co-­‐op with financial and physical contribution from volunteers in the community.

Based in South Melbourne as part of the FoE Australia project the South Melbourne Commons.

Chain Reaction is the national magazine of Friends of the Earth.

Issue #114 − April 2012 is now available.

To read online, visit www.archive.foe.org.au/chain-reaction

FoE members and supporters should reecive their copy in the mail soon.