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Friends of the Earth Brisbane welcomes the opportunity to comment on important environmental issues within Queensland, Australia and the Asia Pacific. Our team specialises in climate change and energy related issues, as well as a long standing interest in many broader environmental issues.

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News and Media

Gladstone Harbour Dredging - local protestor supported by the courts

Submitted by derec.davies on Fri 11 May 2012 10:32am
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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.

Disappointment as Xstrata's Wandoan Coal gets go ahead

Submitted by derec.davies on Tue 27 Mar 2012 1:51pm
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The Queensland Land Court today recommended that the Wandoan coal mine proceed despite concerns raised by Friends of the Earth about the impacts of burning coal. Friends of the Earth, in a unique challenge to the mine's approval, argued for the outright refusal of the mega coal mine based on climate change impacts.

Wandoan Coal Mine - Friends of the Earth vs Xstrata court decision - Tuesday 27 March

Submitted by derec.davies on Mon 26 Mar 2012 10:42pm
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A landmark case in Australia’s environmental history will be decided tomorrow, when the Land Court of Queensland hands down its decision on Friends of the Earth's challenge to Xstrata's Wandoan mega coal mine.

Friends of the Earth and 13 local objectors initially lodged their objections in February 2011 to Xstrata's 30 million tonnes per year coal mine.

Giant barrel of radioactive waste highlights the issue in Ashgrove electorate

Submitted by kim.stewart on Wed 21 Mar 2012 4:26pm
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Friends of the Earth Brisbane and Voters for a Nuclear Free Queensland invited all the candidates to talk about their nuclear polices in Ashgrove electorate today.

The Greens candidate attended. The LNP have remained tight lipped about their uranium mining policy, while the Labor party in QLD are maintaining a ban on mining, but not exploration for uranium.

Gladstone Harbour Dredging Stopped - Same problem same solution

Submitted by derec.davies on Wed 14 Mar 2012 1:21pm
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Marking the last day of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee visit to Australia protesters descended on Gladstone Harbour and stopped dredging. Mark (Potts) Driscoll chained himself to the harbour dredge Razende Bol and Rotterdam boat, shutting down the controversial development of the Coal Seam Gas LNG port facility on Curtis Island in Gladstone Queensland.

National Day of Action against uranium: March 11

Submitted by kim.stewart on Sun 4 Mar 2012 11:21am
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March 11 marks one years since the devastating earthquake and tsunami that ravaged northern Japan. It is one year since the start of the meltdowns at Fukushima Daichi nuclear power plant. 

An Australian National day of Action Against Uranium is planned for March 11 to commemorate the commencement of the ongoing Fukushima crisis.

Friends of the earth Australia has also released an important paper by Dr Jim Green outlining the scandals and failures that led to the disaster: "Japan's Nuclear Scandals and the Fukushima Disaster" [here]

Queensland election 2012 - Help us inform voters of the parties uranium policies

Submitted by kim.stewart on Mon 20 Feb 2012 6:50pm
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What are Queensland's major political parties doing about uranium mining?

With NSW folding under pressure from miners to expand the uranium industry, it's now more important than ever to keep Queensland politicians honest on their uranium and nuclear policies. 

Friends of the Earth, the Queensland Nuclear Free Alliance (QNFA), and the Electrical Trades Union are keen to help voters make an informed voting decision when it comes to nuclear matters, in the lead up to the March 24 election.

We have jointly produced a leaflet that will be distributed to thousands of voters prior to polling day.

You can download from the QNFA site for printing and distribution in your area [here]

AWU conference urged to embrace uranium mining, ignore workers health risks

Submitted by kim.stewart on Sat 18 Feb 2012 6:51am
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On the 125th anniversary of the Australian Workers Union, nuclear boosters are telling delegates at their National Conference this week on the Gold Coast that they should embrace uranium mining and nuclear power.  What they are neglecting to mention is the long history of health and safety risks attendant on the industry, and the worldwide movement away from nuclear technology as the value of uranium continues to nose-dive.

Great Grandmother walking for a future against Coal and Coal Seam Gas

Submitted by derec.davies on Wed 8 Feb 2012 11:59am
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Queensland is planned to becoming an industrial wasteland with 34 coal mines and 40,000 coal seam gas mines, pipelines, railway and port facilities scheduled for development. At 71 years of age June Norman will walk the 500km to showcase the beautiful Australian country and farmland the Wandoan Coal Mine and Queensland CSG industry will destroy.

June Norman, a great grand mother, shared her desire for support for walk along the proposed gas pipeline and coal rail corridor to peacefully highlight the need to create a sustainable future whilst connecting with communities affected by these industries.

Environmental protest given the green light in Queensland

Submitted by derec.davies on Fri 20 Jan 2012 3:22pm
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Today in the Brisbane magistrates court, Magistrate Jim Herlihy gave the green light to environmental protestors in Queensland to take action to protect the environment from coal and coal seam gas development.

“This is a great day for Queensland, and a great outcome for the environment” said Derec Davies from Friends of the Earth.