Friends of the Earth (FoE) Melbourne  is a non-for profit organisation working for a socially equitable and environmentally sustainable future. The international Friends of the Earth network is  active in 77 countries with over 2 million members. Read more.

Communities across Victoria are applauding the Andrews government for putting in place a total ban on unconventional gas mining—the first jurisdiction in Australia to do so.  This is a decision that will protect the state’s water, land, air and environment for generations to come.

The Andrews government’s announcement also extends the current moratorium on all onshore conventional gas mining until at least mid 2020.

Kalbar Resources is seeking to develop a mineral sands mine near Glenaladale, northwest of Bairnsdale in far east Gippsland.

If approved, the proposed mine will be built at an area known as The Fingerboards, located at the crossroads of Bairnsdale-Dargo Rd and Fernbank-Glenaladale Rd, east of Lindenow, between Stratford and Bairnsdale.

Kalbar previously explored the area under a now expired exploration licence. They have recently been granted a retention license for the proposal.

In March of 2014 six women set sail from Ísafjörður, Iceland with the intention of sailing across the Denmark Straight and up the south-west coast of Greenland. They hoped to explore the remote coastline, pioneer new ski descents, and collect scientific data in some of the most incredible wilderness on earth.

The film that came from that trip, Shifting Ice, highlighted both the incredible skiing on offer in Greenland and the impacts of climate change on the Arctic.

Media release: Thursday 18 Aug 2016

Polling released today by Friends of the Earth shows there is strong support in the Victorian community for an ‘urgent’ transition away from coal to 100 percent renewable energy.

The polling shows a large majority, 71 percent of respondents, believe the Victorian government should commit to major reductions in our state’s greenhouse pollution. Some 83 percent of Labor voters agreed with the statement.

A week out from an expected state government announcement on the fate of the onshore gas industry, a state wide poll commissioned by Friends of the Earth has found a majority of Victorians support a permanent ban on onshore gas drilling.

The ReachTel poll found 86% of those surveyed expressed concern about the impacts of onshore gas and fracking on water systems and farming lands, with 55% supporting a permanent ban on the industry. Less than 10% opposed a permanent ban.

Ban onshore gas drilling – we’re so close!

As we have been reporting in recent newsletters, the Cabinet reshuffle in May has led to a delay in the state government deciding whether to make the current moratorium on onshore gas permanent.

The new Resources Minister, Wade Noonan, will make a final decision before mid August, so we are in the very last stages of this very long running campaign.

We are doing our best to convince the new minister that the community will support a permanent ban on onshore gas drilling.

If you haven’t called or emailed the minister please do so now. There is a list of campaign ideas available here.