7 FEBRUARY 2020
ISSUE 228
YOUR REAL INDEPENDENT WEEKLY LOCAL NEWS
60,000 signature petition presented to Parliament A large contingent of Central Coast residents travelled to Canberra on February 4 to join the People’s Climate Assembly in the grounds of Parliament House as Federal Parliament resumed for the year. Representatives from Save Our Coast were on hand to deliver a petition bearing 59,000 signatures calling for an end to the PEP11 licence, which allows for seismic testing and drilling for gas off our coastline. The petition was handed to Independent MP, Zali Steggall, who was to present it to Parliament on February 6. Save Our Coast founder, Natasha Deen, said the petition, which was begun in 2018, was presented with support from Greens’ Senators, Mehreen Faruqi, Peter Whish-Wilson and Adam Bandt. “The community support at the event saw the petition increase to now over 60,000 signatures,” Deen said. “By delivering these petitions to Canberra, we are bringing our plea to Save Our Coast to
News
Forresters Beach residents are demanding more transparency from Central Coast Council Council over continuing poor water quality in Forresters Creek See page 6
Business
Natasha Deen, founder of Save Our Coast, with supporters outside Parliament House
Federal Parliament. “The thousands who have signed this petition demonstrate the deep caring that the communities have for the coast, and we honour our commitment to each and every person who has signed the petition to stop seismic testing and cancel PEP 11.” Although Advent Energy has
ruled out seismic testing in waters off the Central Coast, the PEP11 licence still allows for drilling. “We are delighted to have the support of Independent MP Zali Steggall and The Greens,” Deen said. “Although we celebrate that seismic testing has been cancelled off our coast, we
must have legislation implemented that will completely ban seismic testing and remove this threat of PEP 11 off our coast, otherwise we remain at the mercy of the whims of fossil fuel companies. “We hope that other MPs will step forward in support of our petition to denounce the flawed PEP 11 plan that allows offshore blasting or drilling for fossil
fuels from Manly to Newcastle, in the most heavily populated coast line of Australia, putting our beaches, our thriving tourism and fisheries industries, and our climate all at risk.” Source: Media release, Feb 5 Natasha Deen, founder, Save Our Coast
Overripe bananas from Woolworths stores at Erina, Gosford and Lisarow are being baked into banana bread loaves in-stores... See page 15
Editorial
Religious response to climate change Also in attendance at the People’s Climate Assembly in the grounds of Parliament House on February 4 was Gosford Anglican priest, Fr Rod Bower, who joined Buddhists, Anglicans, Catholics, Quakers and people of other faiths as part of The Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC), which co-hosted the gathering. ARRCC supporters made a meditation tent available and a number of faith leaders participated in a peaceful, silent encirclement of Parliament House. Earlier in the day, Bower helped lead an Interfaith Mourning Ritual for bushfire victims, organised by the Canberra Interfaith Forum and
Fr Rod Bower with other religious leaders at Parliament House
the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture. “A religious response to climate change is essential for a healthy spirituality,” Bower said. “It’s an expression of our connection with God, with each other and with the earth. “Our responsibility to care for the earth is something that is common to all the faiths.”
Buddhist Gillian Reffell, who is Secretary of ARRCC, was part of a panel of faith speakers the preceding day which included Bower and Catholic Brigidine Sister, Jane Keogh. “With the wake-up call that has been the bushfire crisis, we ask that the Government be guided by those experts who are offering pathways to a prosperous and sustainable future which does not depend
on fossil fuels,” Reffell said. “Australia is very vulnerable to global warming and it would be in the interests of country people, our children, Australia’s Pacific neighbours and the world if we finally begin to embrace the new, clean technologies of the future.” Keogh spoke about the need to reach out to the “unconvinced”.
“People are good at heart, but they don’t understand the facts,” she said. “Right now, as long as they think that you do respect them, they might be more interested in talking about the issues. “Talk about how the climate issue has affected you personally and what you’re doing about it,.then listen and be respectful.” The People’s Climate Assembly is hosting five days of events this week, involving a coalition of more than 20 community organisations, including School Strike for Climate, Stop Adani, Maritime Workers Union, Aboriginal Elders, Extinction Rebellion, ARRCC and Doctors for the Environment. Source: Media release, Feb 5 Gosford Anglican priest, Rod Bower
Federal Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, Paul Fletcher, responds to our recent Editorial on safety concerns with 5G mobile technologies. See page 14 Woy Woy Philosophy Society
Celebration of the Stoics
You have to hand it to Thommo, he really is a stoic fellow. Not only is he a longsuffering Mariners supporter, but he showed true stoic calm earlier today representing himself in Gosford Local Court
on charges of indecent... See page 33
Puzzles page 26
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