Parts of NSW’s harsh anti-protest laws have been declared unconstitutional by the NSW Supreme Court. Jim McIlroy reports.
Environmental Defenders Office NSW
Gomeroi Traditional Custodians, who lost a bid to protect a sacred site from being destroyed for the Shenhua Watermark coal mine in north-west New South Wales, have lodged a new application to protect country, reports Margaret Gleeson.
Despite widespread opposition to new coal, state governments gave final approval to two mines last month. As community opposition to new coal mines has grown, the mining lobby is fighting back demanding state governments cut funding to environmental defenders.
Residents from New South Wales’ Central Coast gathered in the Sydney Domain on November 12 to mark the start of a 4-day Land and Environment Court hearing into the future of the proposed Wallarah 2 coalmine.
The federal Coalition’s plan to repeal a section of a 16-year-old environmental law can only be for one reason — to support mining companies at the expense of communities and the environment.
Attorney General George Brandis announced on August 19the government planned to repeal section 487 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act) which gives the community the right to enforce Australia’s environmental laws and hold decision makers and corporations to account.