All articles
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Mega mine, mega catastrophe
When Minister Burke described the environmental assessment of Gina Rinehart’s controversial Alpha Coal Project as “shambolic”, he wasn’t joking. But now he has given his own rubber stamp to the project, revealing the profound failure of the regulatory system in Australia. Blogpost by John Hepburn The project is big by global standards, with a 30…
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Macken Sense: When Communities Say No To Miners
Big mining projects need community approval as well as government licences. It’s a sign of a healthy democracy when politicians respect a community’s social licence, writes Julie Macken Blogpost by Julie Macken, originally posted on newmatilda.com For the last decade the mining industry has successfully argued that the damage done to the environment, to farmland…
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I love to ride my bicycle
It’s a cold winter morning, everyone is bundled up – coat, jackets, sweaters, gloves, scarves and caps. While I scramble to catch some sunshine, I see some braving the cold on their bikes. Blogpost and photos by Ruhie Kumar Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s Sydney office is decorated with colourful bikes. Of course it’s no surprise that…
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Transforming Pacific Tuna for Tomorrow
The Director of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA), Dr Transform Aqorau encouraged its membership to change their mindset about being wealthy custodians of a billion dollar resource and to pursue alternative models of development rather than rely on access arrangements with donors. Blogpost by Duncan Williams The PNA group is responsible for the…
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What about the tigers, Novak?
YUM’s David Novak is being awarded best CEO of the year tonight at a dinner event at New York’s stock exchange. This won’t be a surprise in corporate circles; after 15 years at YUM! Brands and releasing his own book on management ‘Taking People with You’, Novak is known for his leadership. We have to…
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Macken Sense: Walking To Slow The Boom
The mining industry may run slick advertising campaigns but when activists get together the real stories come out. Julie Macken spoke with June Norman, a 72 year-old woman with a unique method. Originally posted on newMatilda.com Last weekend I had the privilege of spending a couple days at Louisa Creek — a little village that…
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Guest blogger Callum Roberts: Future oceans
Imagine a world, not very far in the future, where families shun the idea of a seaside holiday because the sea is too unpleasant to visit, perhaps even dangerous. The beach is heaped with rotting green seaweed and bodies of jellyfish litter the strand. Getting in the water you risk illness; even the air might…
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Come together, to save the Arctic
1968. That was a hell of a year. The people were on the streets, revolution was in the air, we released the White Album, and perhaps the most influential photograph of all time was taken by an astronaut called William Anders. Blogpost by Sir Paul McCartney It was Christmas Eve. Anders and his mission commander…
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Macken Sense: And the winner is….
Last week produced two powerful stories that define the perimeters surrounding the increasingly contested space in Australia’s economic and energy future. Just as history is written by the victors, there’s little doubt the future is in part created by the stories that prevail today – but which one will win the day? The first…
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New PNG Government must restore customary ownership of stolen land
Despite criticism that many voters were unable to vote, polling in the largely peaceful eighth PNG national elections closed on Friday 13 July. The bitter pre-election battle between former PM Sir Michael Somare and the leadership team that ousted him in August 2011 – Peter O’Neill and Belden Namah -has hopefully been put to rest.…