Mullumbimby Community Action Network

Originally published 27Jul2011

mullum-zine

WWS, TT meeting, GM wheat, fracking & Palestine

Newsletter 97 - July 2011

Greetings

Contents: Wws updates; Transition Towns Mullum meeting; Mullum Garden blog & meeting; GM Wheat submissions urgently needed; fracking gathering in Sydney; support Palestine's nationhood.


MULLUM WOOLWORTHS LIQUOR – COMMUNITY IMPACT STATEMENT SUBMISSIONS IGNORED

The Woolworths Liquor Shop at their new supermarket in Mullumbimby has been built despite over 640 objections being sent to the NSW Casino Liquor and Gaming Authority, with copies to Sydney solicitors Bach Schwartz and Vaughan who were collecting community submissions for the Community Impact Statement. Did anyone out there ever receive an acknowledgement to their letter? I didn"t, nor even an acknowledgement to the 640 submissions I sent to the Authority as well as the solicitors. I did contact the solicitors to see if they had received them, and they confirmed they had; but did they take the objections into account?


Dan Murphy, another one of the Woolworths Liquor shops, having barged into Byron Bay despite many objections, is now barging into Leura in the Blue Mountains. I can"t find the details online, so Lorraine, if you"re reading this, let us have an update.




NEWPORT v WOOLIES COMMUNITY GROUP

Contact me for their newsletter Aftermath of Public Hearing. In brief Woolworths are being ‘arrogant" in the face of overwhelming community objections to their super store on public land, and Pittwater Council, it seems, are in their pockets. Some info on http://www.newport.org.au/

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TRANSITIONING TO A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY

Hear grass-roots solutions to peak oil and climate change at free community presentation, Mullum Council Chambers on Tues 2 August 6.30 – 8 pm. Sonya Wallace, co-founder of 'Transition Sunshine Coast' and developer of Australia's first Energy Descent Action Plan for that area will be talking. Book: sustainability(@)byron.nsw.gov.au (remove the brackets).

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MULLUM GARDEN GROUP AND ‘GROW FOODS SLOW FOODS" BLOG

Mullum horticulturalist and enthusiast Diane Hart has started a blog http://www.growfoodslowfood.blogspot.com
Diane also hosts a monthly garden club in her lovely garden and the next meeting will be Tues 2 August. Call her 66841956 for details.

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AUSTRALIA"S GM WHEAT SCANDAL

Are CSIRO in bed with Monsanto??? Check this hair-raising short clip
https://www.greenpeace.org.au/action/index.php?cid=19

Greenpeace state that Australia is taking part in secret experiments to genetically modify our daily bread. Appropriately, Bastille Day last week was chosen for activists (including one mum) put a stop to the Genetically Modified Wheat Trial in Canberra. (see http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/en/what-we-do/Food/Taking-action/). Luckily, you don"t have to don special protective clothing and gas masks to do your bit as you can do it in the comfort of your own home .... for more info and TAKE ACTION link go to http://bit.ly/wheatscandal and hear the shock/horror/probe (I am serious) with one click of a button you can send a message direct to Julia PM.

I am a wheat-grassroots person, growing my own for juice. I don"t want my wheatgrass contaminated. Sind your personal message to Julia on http://www.pm.gov.au/contact-your-pm

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COMMUNITY GROUPS INPUT WANTED FOR FRACKING CONFERENCE

Message from Lock the Gate Alliance:
To everyone who wants the government to stop allowing mining companies to
destroy NSW:

The NSW Government is sponsoring a $900 a head NSW Mineral Exploration and
Investment Conference next month in Sydney. The two-day event (18/19
August) will see government and industry players coming together at a
fancy hotel to discuss how to carve up NSW for coal and gas mining and
destroy communities the environment and the agricultural potential of the
state.

The Lock the Gate Alliance is inviting communities groups who want a
different future to come to Sydney and present the other side of the
impacts of mining. We need representatives from every campaign group
across the state to give a clear and loud message to the government and
industry.

Lets have our own conference – a conference for food, water and communities.

What: Rally at the NSW Mineral Exploration and Investment Conference 2011
Where: Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, Phillip St Sydney
When: 12noon, Thursday 18 August
Speakers: Speakers from local campaign groups around the state have been
invited to address the rally - see the Lock the Gate website for updates
in the next two weeks

For more information email rally@lockthegate.org.au Register at the
Facebook Event Visit the Lock the Gate Alliance Website

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RECOGNISE PALESTINE: HELP THEM BECOME AN INDEPENDENT NATION
Support urgently required to petition United Nations so that Palestine can become 194th member and end occupation. Click on http://www.avaaz.org/en/independence_for_palestine_au/?vl

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THE GOOD NEWS
The sun is shining and the weather is clear .....

Cheers
Deborah