Welcome to 2009!

We are ready to have a huge year. We have just
seen the fantastic announcement about red gum forests over the
christmas break – this comes directly from the campaign that FoE has
been involved in for well over a decade. Congratulations to everyone
who contributed to this wonderful outcome.

We are currently organising two community actions on water – one
against the north south pipeline and one outside the office of the
water minister. It would be wonderful if you could attend one or both
of them.

We are pleased to be hosting the third annual sustainability
convergence, in partnership with the Sustainable Living Foundation.

And don't forget the climate summit being held in Canberra – there are
buses organised

Wishing you the best for a productive and inspiring year.

Newsflash! Brumby Government Makes Historic
Decision to Protect Red Gum

Ten years after Friends of the Earth and the Yorta
Yorta people first conceived of a jointly managed Barmah-Millewa
National Park, the Victorian government have joined us in our vision.
On December 30 Victorian Premier John Brumby made history by committing
to protect 95,000ha of Murray River Red Gum forests, and create the
state’s first jointly managed National Parks.

The Brumby government has taken the courageous step to implement the
majority of recommendations from the Victorian Environmental Assessment
Council River Red Gum Investigation, including: 

As ‘the kidneys of the river,’ wetland-forests like Barmah are critical
to the health of the Murray River. Protecting these complex ecosystems
will bolster the Murray’s natural resilience in the face of climate
change and reduced water flows. Doing so in partnership with the
Traditional Owners will set our community on a more just and respectful
footing so that we may together, take better care for this country.

Many challenges remain before we have a healthy Murray-Darling basin –
not least, the protection of the great red gum forests across the
border in NSW. But right now is a time to celebrate a hard-fought win
and congratulate our political leaders on a courageous decision.

As people who care about the planet, we are always quick to hold our
leaders to account when they make bad policy. But it is equally
important to give them recognition. We are asking our supporters to
take the time to pen a letter to the editor at their local paper,
congratulating the government on taking this courageous step. If you
would like to join us in this step, please do so. You may also like to
send our premier, environment minister and your local member a message
of support, or call their office and leave a message of congratulations.

Australia's Climate Action Summit Jan 31 –
February 3

Australia' Climate Action Summit will be two days
of facilitated meetings and workshops. The program will consist of four
strands: campaign development, movement building, skills workshops, and
information and discussion sessions. The aim of the two days is to
create a strategic national climate campaign and form a national
grassroots network.

On the Monday - a day of dynamic training in climate campaigning skills
for taking action, facilitating climate action groups, effective
lobbying and more.

On Tuesday, the first day of the 2009 Federal Parliament, we will hold
a peaceful, community action of thousands of ordinary Australians
demanding immediate political action for a safe climate. On the same
day, the grassroots climate network will launch our national campaign
at Parliament House.

Details at: http://www.climatesummit.org.au/

Community occupation of the North South
pipeline Thursday January 22

The short-sighted pipeline project will pump 75
billion litres of water a year from the Goulburn River, the major
Victorian tributary of the Murray, to supply Melbourne.

At present a 12 kilometre swathe is being cut through the Toolangi
state forest, threatening Special Protection Zones and the ecological
integrity of the forest.

Please consider joining us for a community occupation of the work site
on thursday 22 January, from 9.30am

Our plan is to hold a peaceful occupation of the site. This area is
considered a 'no go zone', meaning people entering the site will be
asked to leave and be arrested if they fail to do so. We need people
prepared to be arrested as well as others who can provide support
(staying outside the work zone).

This action is organised by Friends of the Earth, in support of
affected rural communities and in the cause of sensible water policy.

If you are intending to come, please contact Cam Walker as soon as
possible.

03 9419 8700/ 0419 338 047/ cam.walker@foe.org.au

For further details on the pipeline, its impacts, and alternative ways
to meet our water needs, please see:
http://www.melbourne.foe.org.au/?q=water/home

Demand sustainable water options for Melbourne

community presence outside the office of Tim
Holding
Springvale, thursday January 29

We all know that Melbourne is facing growing water stress. In response,
the state government has announced a desalination plant for the
Gippsland coast near Wonthaggi and the North - South pipeline, which
will pump water from the Goulburn River.

The pipeline and desal plant will be disasterous for our state:
-  They will have major impacts on rural communities and coastal
environments.
-  They will create very few long term jobs.
-  The desal plant will need vast amounts of energy – and hence
contribute substantially to greenhouse gas emissions (if green energy
is sourced to run the plant, this will limit our ability to shift
current energy production from coal into renewables).
-  A French company - either Suez or Veolia - will control the
desalinated water.  This is a Build, Own, Operate scheme and the
government will not control the water and it will have to make
concessions to the company's profits on pricing. 
- These projects will be enormously expensive – around $5 billion
dollars.

Both these projects are being built for the benefit of Melbourne
people, so we should educate ourselves about the impacts of these
projects, as well as looking at the alternatives.

It is time to bring the message to the Minister for Water, Tim Holding,
and other key members of the state government that Melbourne people
want a sustainable water future.

There will be a peaceful and colourful community assembly outside the
electoral office of Victoria's water minister, Tim Holding, on thursday
January 29, from 11.30 am – 1pm.

Please consider coming along, and send a message to our government that
we want water options that:
-    are sustainable
-    create long lasting jobs
-    are greenhouse friendly
-   don't take water from parched river systems north of the Divide or
damage coastal areas

Where: 387 – 389 Springvale road, Springvale (close to Springvale
station).

Please bring friends and banners

This community action is organised by Friends of the Earth, please let
us know if you are able to add your organisations name.

For further information: Cam Walker 9419 8700, 0419 338 047,
cam.walker@foe.org.au

The 2009 sustainability convergence -
'breakthrough: from recession to sustainability' - Feb 14

As we face a looming financial crisis, what are
the threats and opportunities to social and environmental movements?

How do we break the 'business as usual' model? How do we 'bail out' the
planet? This convergence seeks to bring together people from across
Melbourne to start to develop a pathway through the recession to a
sustainable economy. What would this look like and how we would we get
there? What about livelihood and good work, what about community
resilience? What about our place in the world? How do we respond
effectively to the looming crisis of climate change? And what does this
mean for the social and environmental movements in the short term?

This one day forum will look at the opportunities and threats connected
to the economic downturn – political, financial, cultural. We will look
at hope and fear (and how we can speak in frames not of opposition but
of hope and determination), sketch out pathways to a better future,
and  how we could get to a safe climate economy in 10 years.

Details at: http://www.foe.org.au/news/2008

Melbourne Water Network Meeting - Wednesday
January 14 at FoE at 6.30pm

The Melbourne water network is not properly formed
yet- but a group of people are meeting to see if such an organisation
can be formed. The aim is to bring together all groups and people
interested in all aspects of water campaigning.

To go on the email list for future Melbourne-based events, or to find
out more about the North South pipeline actions, please send your
details to cam.walker@foe.org.au

FoEM Climate Justice Collective

Thu 22 Jan
6.30pm
NOTE: Change of meeting days. The group now meets the 2nd and 4th Thu
of the month
Info: ellenmroberts@yahoo.com.au