Today Scoop published our response on why a new mine at Denniston won’t create the prosperity the company promises.

Coal, climate change and Bathurst’s financial woes – is this really good for the West Coast?

By Kristin Gillies, Spokesman for Coal Action Network Aotearoa

Air pollution in Beijing: China has recently cancelled a coal fired power station due to air pollution concerns. Photo: Greenpeace/Wu Di

The recent Scoop series on the prospects for a new coal mine on the West Coast told a great story many of us identify with.

The embattled region in many ways epitomises our story of our nation itself: hardworking, minding its own business, getting on with the job in a number-8 wire kind of way. This is all set in a landscape we all recognise as one of the most stunning in the world. Real Kiwi stuff.

And anyone who has spent any time around unemployment will recognise the relief many in the Westport area have displayed at the news Bathurst Resources have been given a conditional green light to its beleaguered proposal to open a new open cast coal mine on Denniston Plateau.

If Bathurst CEO Hamish Bohannan’s comments in the article are to be believed, then locals have reason to be happy, “At this level of coal production you are talking half a century of mine life in the Buller, and employment of several hundred miners and environmental remediation workers. The key to delivering this, according to Bohannan, will be planning”. But planning is exactly what Bohannan, and his supporters, are not doing. And what are they not planning on? Climate change.

Climate change is changing the way the world does business, right now. It doesn’t matter what you personally might consider to be the urgency, the transition to a low-carbon world is well under way, and is driving investment and job creation all around the world. The Carbon Tracker articulates a growing realisation that over-investment in fossil fuels is creating a speculative bubble.

Report after report from global financial institutions such as HSBC and the International Energy Agency are reaching the same conclusion: that the majority of coal will be left in the ground, if the world wants to keep global warming to below 2degC. In turn, these reports are driving new investment policies by the World Bank, the European Investment Bank and the US Export Import Bank, all away from coal.

In China, a new direction towards cutting pollution and away from its focus on infrastructure means coal consumption is waning and coal mining is struggling to attract capital and retain jobs globally.

In The Westport Story, Part 3, the sole evidence presented for the future of West Coast coal in steel making is from Peter Gunn, an international ‘coal salesman’, who uses ten year old references to back his argument. Echoes of Don Elder make me wonder how long we will continue to believe these outdated ideas?

Bohannan too, while correctly pointing out that coal from Denniston will not be burnt in power plants, seems oblivious to the fact that just as coal for electricity is being replaced by renewable sources, so is coking coal.

We don’t need to look far for evidence. In February, Scoop itself reported New Zealand Steel’s trial of “green coke” developed by Blenheim company Carbonscape from renewable, carbon neutral waste wood, disproving Gunn’s assertion that alternatives don’t exist. This and other similar processes could soon be competing in the market with Buller coal. Canterbury University have developed a pre-stressed laminated timber construction process which is already successfully replacing steel framework in buildings up to six stories high.

These are just two local examples of innovative change that is happening around the world. For a more comprehensive view of the alternatives to coal in steel, former Government Spokesperson on Energy Efficiency and Coal Action Network Aoteaora member Jeanette Fitzsimons, has written this research paper.

A quick glance across the ditch gives a snapshot of the short-term viability of the industry. Financial reports from the major mining companies in Australia all report a grim outlook for global metallurgical coal. BHP Billiton’s recent investor presentation notes that alternatives to conventional, coal-intensive steel production are flattening demand.

The increased usage of scrap metal in furnaces, the company warns, will result in lower growth in demand for pig iron while greater production from electric arc furnaces – which use no or little coking coal – are expected to “contribute a significant share of total Chinese steel production by 2030”, Marketwatch reported on August 16.

Where China was once the great hope for the coking coal exporters, now BHP Billiton notes that “much of China’s future demand growth will be met by domestic coals.”

The Chief Executive of BHP Billiton declared that ‘further investment [in the company’s metallurgical coal operations] is much less likely as the record prices we experienced over the past decade, driven by the demand shock, will not be there to support returns over the next 10 years.’

BHP, along with Anglo American, and Rio Tinto have all recently announced the closure or mothballing of metallurgical coal mines in Australia. There is no shortage of cheap coking coal on the international coal market with which Buller coal must compete – and Hamish Bohannan is pulling the wool over West Coasters’ eyes with claims of jobs and prosperity for all. The economics just don’t stack up.

Rather than listening to political grandstanding and bold claims, we should let Bathurst’s record do the talking. It’s no secret Bathurst, who have never mined coal before coming to NZ, are losing money fast. Mining at Cascade hasn’t reached predicted levels, the Mine Manager and contract staff have been let go, and Health and Safety inspectors issued a work prohibition notice in February as the steepness of mine access roads was endangering workers.

Bathurst is only still in business by the good grace of Westpac who, last September, waived its right to take retaliatory action after Bathurst breached their repayment agreement (see p 81 of the report). Workers at Takitimu in Southland, should be concerned that their mine is security on that loan.

Perhaps by pure coincidence, the day after the Westpac waiver agreement, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce was slamming environmentalists for using (perfectly legal) means to try to stop the project, and for putting the company at financial risk.

But one has to ask: why is the Government backing a company that is clearly already in a very shaky financial state? And why is Westpac lending them money in the first place?

Even if the Escarpment mine gets the go ahead through the courts the economics of the project are marginal. Capital raising will be the first issue. There has been no mention on recent investor calls of Chinese investment group CITIC who, in 2011, agreed to $40 million in capital for the venture.

Likewise questions must be asked of Bathurst’s other big backer, international steel giant Stemcor who, since agreeing in 2010 to back Bathurst to the tune of USD$50 million, were forced to ask debtors for a stand-down period in repayments to restructure after missing payments on their own $1.2 billion loan. Stemcor is selling off its entire Indian iron ore assets, one of the key markets for Bathurst. On August 28, Stemcor will present its restructuring plan. Will Bathurst’s $50m guarantee be part of this plan now that it’s dumping its Indian iron ore assets? Investors might like to ask Mr Bohannan if his assurances in April – that Stemcor’s backing was solid – still stand.

And if coal is ever won from the project, Bathurst must first pay former owners L&M $US 80 million before the first 100 million tonnes hits the highway. A lot of large numbers for Bathurst to stay afloat.

But whatever the numbers, this mine should not go ahead because, with the looming climate crisis, no new coal mine should. In Scoop’s closing interview Hamish Bohannan makes disingenuous claims that simply cannot go unchallenged. He deliberately misrepresents opponents of the mine with a ‘straw man’ argument and makes unfounded claims for the continued use of coal.

“If we want to get people on this planet who have names and heartbeats and families and loved ones, so that everyone gets a minimum quality of life, then they’re going to need metals, they’re going to need energy, and they’re going to want to have fresh water,” says Bohannan, sounding strangely like Don Elder.

His implication that the climate movement sets out to hold back the development of communities couldn’t be further from the truth. According to a series of World Bank Reports, those poorer communities around the world are likely to be hit hardest by the impact of climate change. This is the very reason the World Bank has made its recent decision to stop its investment in coal, and invest instead investing in renewable energy to help lift the world’s poorest out of poverty and away from climate change.

The Bank’s decision was backed by the US, India and China.

Sustainable community development is at the heart of the movement to stop climate change internationally and nationally. In this light, the recent loss of jobs in the coal industry should be an opportunity to pursue sustainable industry and livelihoods for workers and their families to ensure communities are not left high and dry by the mining industry again in the future.

Fossil fuels have fuelled our development to date but, in the future, coal, the world’s dirtiest energy source, will only make our quality of life worse. New technologies that mean a different trajectory for the world are now not only essential, but possible.

If the global lending agencies acknowledge that climate change will only exacerbate poverty and that renewable energy is the future; if multinational mining companies are struggling to stay afloat; and if our own mining industry has lain off hundreds of workers in recent years…

Air pollution in Beijing: China has recently cancelled a coal fired power station due to air pollution concerns. Photo: Greenpeace/Wu Di

Isn’t it time we stopped supporting coal?

Coal Action Network Aotearoa (CANA) recognises coal as the primary threat to Earth’s climate system. CANA promotes climate justice by advocating and acting for a just transition to an Aotearoa free of coal mining and use.

We do this work in order to open up a space for a sustainable ways of living and organising our societies, so that our future generations will have a thriving planet to sustain them.

ENDS

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1308/S00200/the-westport-story-right-of-reply-from-coal-action-network.htm

The post The Westport Story : Right Of Reply From Coal Action Network appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

Coal Action Network Spokesperson Kristin Gillies on TVNZ’s Breakfast explaining why we think opening another coal mine is not the answer to the West Coast’s economic crisis. view here…….

All Solid Energy staff should be back at work tomorrow, and then lets begin a conversation about how we are going to provide long-term sustainable livelihoods for those communities.

The post Mining plan ‘pure lunacy’, lobby group says appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

The transition to a sustainable future must provide alternative livelihoods for workers, for their families, and for their communities.

Many things get excused in the name of the economy.

The government claims to want a balance between economic growth and environmental concerns.

When the ‘greenies’ go on about how profit is being put before the environment ‘they’re just not being realistic’.

Jobs vs conservation, that’s how it’s framed. Solid Energy’s a big fan of this story.

They like to tell us how they sponsor the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, build skateboard parks, ‘create jobs,’ and provide the country with valuable foreign income.

Well, this state-owned enterprise also hires spies, destroys conservation lands, takes the tops off mountains, and produces one of the dirtiest fossil fuel sources in the world. And last week, they announced they’re on the brink of destroying the livelihoods of 370 workers at Huntly East and Spring Creek mines, and at their Christchurch HQ.

These announcements confirm what many have known for a long time: coal mining is not sustainable. Not for the environment, not for the climate, not for the economy, and not for the workers and communities who depend on Solid for their livelihoods. Hundreds of workers losing their jobs, hundreds more left in limbo or forced to reapply for positions.

Solid Energy bosses are prioritising getting the company into shape for sale , over loyalty to the workers on whose labour the entire industry depends. For the first time ever, I might actually have something in common with Greymouth mayor Tony Kokshoorn. Solid’s putting profit over people again. To echo Kokshoorn’s words, it’s been a gutting few years for Greymouth, and Solid’s financial mismanagement and resulting financial crisis has only made it worse.

The decision to shut down underground mining on the Coast in favour of opencast mining on Southland farmland might make economic sense to Don Elder, but closer examination reveals it is more of the same flawed thinking that got the state-owned miner into trouble in the first place.

Their showpiece pilot briquetting plant in Mataura has been delayed by unproven technology and health and safety concerns.

Turning lignite into urea will provide a whole lot more of something we don’t need a whole lot more of. Likewise, diesel produced from lignite would be more polluting than the already polluting diesel we use now.

Elder has been trying to drum up support for his crazy ‘think big’ style lignite schemes for years now. He’s been turned down by consecutive governments for funding, and he’s now been abandoned by Ravensdown who determined the lignite-to-urea plan was uneconomic. This is Elder’s great plan for future prosperity. And I haven’t even mentioned the emissions.

Some have used the last week as an opportunity to take a pot shot at Solid Energy’s foray into renewable energy production. They blame this as the cause of Solid’s economic woe. Wood chip and biofuels have been unceremoniously dumped from the portfolio because they are, of course, uneconomic.

It’s hard to compete when the government subsidises the fossil fuel industry so heavily with tax write-offs, low royalty rates, and a farcical Emissions Trading Scheme which hides the true costs of mining. National dropped the obligation for biofuels in our gas stations in its first few days in power which could have made the industry viable. Solid Energy’s foray into renewable energy was the best thing it had done towards securing sustainable jobs for the future. But that’s been dropped, because of economic mismanagement by the Government and by Solid Energy bosses.

As the planet melts (and indeed, scientists are shocked at this year’s record Arctic summer ice melt), jobs in the fossil fuel industries will disappear, and more communities that rely upon them will be left to fend for themselves.

If the current, short-sighted expansion of mining into Southland and other areas across the country goes ahead like the Government hopes, then it won’t just be Huntly and Greymouth, it will be all those communities which will be left to clean up the mess when the mining companies leave. Mining is all about the quick dollar – no matter the costs on communities or the planet.

Solid’s executives blame the vagaries of the market and the dollar for their poor economic performance, two things which we can be sure will only be heightened in the future as the world tries to deal with the twin crises of the economy and the climate.

The world has got more coal than we can afford to burn, and it is all held on the books of mining companies, artificially inflating their value. But if it can’t be mined, then who is going to pay? While Don Elder continues to earn well in excess of a million dollars a year, he expects hundreds of workers to pay the price for the governments, the industries, and his short-sighted vision. It’s time for some accountability.

The costs of the transition away from fossil fuels must be borne by the companies who have profited from them in the past. Not by workers and their communities. Coal Action Network Aotearoa campaigns for a just transition away from coal mining by 2030. We call for no new mines, and for the phasing out of existing mining – not for its sudden demise. The transition to a sustainable future must provide alternative livelihoods for workers, for their families, and for their communities.

These are complex issues, and there is a lot of work to be done. A lot of debates to be held on the Coast and across the country. You won’t hear us calling for the closure of existing mines tomorrow for exactly this reason. 370 people can’t afford to lose their livelihoods. Their families can’t afford to lose the income and all the flow-on services, schools, town centres. Whole communities, like Runanga, can’t survive the loss of the single-industry, and whole regions like the Coast don’t have the alternatives in place yet to transition away from coal. Southland’s future deserves better than to be built built on a boom that leaves it vulnerable to the inevitable bust.

These people – at Huntly, at Spring Creek, and in Christchurch – should not have had their jobs cut. Tomorrow, all 370 should be back at work. And then let’s begin the real conversation about how our communities will survive and flourish – as we undertake a just transition away from fossil fuels.

Kristin Gillies
Coal Action Network Aotearoa

The post Solid Energy Job Losses: Its a matter of Justice appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

It’s been another busy month for the campaign against new and expanded coalmining – of course, that’s true of every month!

This month, we take a look at what Solid Energy has been up to lately, and their future plans – both what has been released publicly, and some inside information that we’ve acquired.

The coal industry is clearly getting nervous about the pressure that anti-coal campaigns are putting on them. Mining industry lobby group Straterra spent a portion of its PR budget writing a pro-coal article for the Christchurch Press, to which we promptly responded. The coal industry is easily annoyed – so we’ve included a helpful guide to good ways of annoying them.

We’ve also got information on how you can get involved in the campaign for a Citizens’ Initiated Referendum on asset sales, and campaign news and events from round the country.

Our May newsletter was our first to be sent out using the MailChimp mailing list software. If you had any problems reading that newsletter, please let us know by emailing coalactionnetwork@gmail.com so we can iron out any problems.

Regards
Tim Jones
Coal Action Network Aotearoa

Contents

1. Coming Events
2. Asset Sales Campaign Update: Referendum Signatures and July Day of Action
3. Solid Energy Watch
4. How To Annoy The Coal Industry
5. Coal Seam Gas: New Threat to Taranaki and Southland
6. Climate Change, The Courts And The Mt William North Hearing
7. Forest and Bird Annual Conference 2012 Report
8. Regional News
9. News Snippets and Resources
10. CANA online: Blog, Facebook and Twitter
11. How To Donate To CANA

1. Coming Events

Asset Sales Campaign Day of ActionSaturday 14 July. See http://aotearoaisnotforsale.com/ for details.

Remaining Denniston Tour Events
There are two events remaining on Rod Morris’s speaking tour about the need to preserve the Denniston Plateau from coal mining:
*26 June, Te Anau: details TBA
*10 July, Invercargill: 7.30pm, Invercargill Masonic Lodge, 86 Forth St

Regional Group Meetings
Canterbury Coal Action: Unfortunately, Wednesday’s Canterbury Coal Action meeting at the WEA has had to be cancelled due to venue unavailability – please contact canterburycoalaction@gmail.com for details of the next meeting
Auckland Coal Action: Saturday 14 July, Quaker House, 113 Mt Eden Rd, 10am. New members welcome.

Conferences and Tours
6-8 July: ECO Conference, Wellington. See http://www.eco.org.nz/what-we-do/eco-conference-2012-2.html for details. Early bird registration has been extended until 2 July.
18-26 August: Tour by Drew Hutton from Lock the Gates Alliance. Locations to be finalised. CANA is supporting this tour.
25-26 August: Keep this weekend free in your diaries as there will be a conference in Rotorua on the alternatives to mining – details to follow.

Ecumenical Environmental Conference
5-7 October, St John’s in the City, Wellington. See http://lamenthopeactionconference.eventbrite.co.nz/ for details. Organised by Caritas, A Rocha and the Otago University Centre for Theology and Public Issues

2. Asset Sales Campaign

a) Getting the Numbers: How You Can Help The Asset Sales Referendum Campaign
As you may have heard, signatures are currently being collected for a petition calling for a Citizens’ Initiated Referendum (CIR) against the Government’s proposed asset sales. If the petition gets enough valid signatures, the Government cannot prevent the referendum from being held.

From a Coal Action Network Aotearoa perspective, we are most concerned about the planned privatisation of Solid Energy, which may allow them to raise investment capital for their planned massive lignite projects in Southland. Solid Energy is towards the back of the queue for privatisation. That means that, even if some asset sales have occurred by the time the referendum takes place, we should do everything we can to mobilise political opposition to the remaining sales.

The wording of the referendum question will be:

Do you support the Government selling up to 49 per cent of Meridian Energy, Mighty River Power, Genesis Power, Solid Energy and Air New Zealand?

For the referendum to go ahead, the promoters of the referendum need to obtain over 300,000 valid signatures on the petition – that is, the signatures of people who are on the electoral roll, with their name and address details listed as they are on the electoral roll.

That makes collecting signatures a job that has to be done carefully and well. And that’s why we’d like Coal Action Network Aotearoa supporters to help with the signature-gathering process.

You can do so by going to the Keep Our Assets website at http://keepourassets.org.nz/. This is where you can download the petition form, and find out how to get more involved in the campaign at
http://keepourassets.org.nz/help-build-the-campaign/.

Christchurch event information is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/254862264628627/

If you have already signed the AVAAZ petition against the bill that is currently going through Parliament, you should still sign the Citizens’ Initiated Referendum petition as well. Passing the bill does not sell the assets – it just makes it legally possible. It will still take months after that before they can float companies on the sharemarket.

Solid Energy does enough damage as it is. Let’s make it as difficult as possible for the Government to make matters even worse. Recent events show that this Government will buckle when sufficient political pressure is exerted on them.

b) 14 July 2012: “Aotearoa Is Still Not For Sale” Day of Action
There’s another day of action coming up for the Aotearoa is Not For Sale campaign, as announced on http://aotearoaisnotforsale.com/ :

“Aotearoa NZ is STILL not for sale!” All around the country, we will be putting aside past differences and showing the strength of the people as one on July 14, 2012.

Saturday July 14 will see a march and people’s festival with stalls and music happening in Auckland from 2pm, meeting at Britomart and marching with defiance up Queen Street to reclaim our streets once more. We will bring the march to Myers Park to enjoy festivities into the late afternoon. We warmly call upon all other areas of Aotearoa New Zealand to organise actions on this day as well, and coordinate with the Auckland group using this website to gain support, inspiration and information.

Check the http://aotearoaisnotforsale.com/ website for details of actions around the country, or go to the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/AotearoaIsNotForSaleNZ

3. Solid Energy Watch

The campaign against Solid Energy’s planned massive lignite mining and processing plants in Southland is central to Coal Action Network Aotearoa’s strategy as a whole, because if Solid Energy’s plans for massive lignite-to-urea and lignite-to-diesel plants go ahead, the mining and burning of this low-grade brown coal will lead to billions of tonnes of additional greenhouse gas emissions. Plus, of course, coal mining is bad for local communities, bad for the local environment, and bad for human health.

So what’s been going on in Southland? On the one hand, Solid Energy has been getting on with building its pilot briquetting plant in Craigs Road, about 5km south of Mataura. On the other hand, Southland anti-coal activists have come together under the banner of Coal Action Murihiku, which held its launch on Anzac Day this year, and are building the anti-lignite campaign both in front of and behind the scenes.

Check out the Coal Action Murihiku report below under Regional Reports for more news on the growth of the anti-lignite campaign. For now, let’s turn the spotlight on Solid Energy itself and its plans.

a) Inside information on Solid Energy’s plans
We recently acquired some inside information about Solid Energy’s plans. Such information must always be taken with several teaspoons of salt, but is interesting nevertheless.
Apparently, construction of the pilot briquetting plant is due to finish in about a month. Then it will go into a commissioning’ stage and that will take another month – so the opening is still a couple of months away.

According to our source, the next phase of work will be the lignite to urea plant. Our source did not mention the 10x bigger briquetting plant that Solid Energy had previously said it was planning, though the source may be out of the loop with regards to this particular plant.

It’s still not decided whether the new mine to feed this plant will be at Croydon or Mataura. Our source claims that this mine is expected to be just a bit bigger than New Vale but will be dug up and emptied much faster, then covered up as they move on to digging the next area up – thus gradually ploughing its way through Eastern Southland’s prime farmland. Solid Energy expect that they will need 200 workers for the mine and another 150 workers for the plant – but that’s a few years away at least, even on Solid Energy’s timeline.

If you have any interesting news for us, about Solid Energy’s plans or anything else, please feel free to email us at coalactionnetwork@gmail.com.

b) The Shrinking Jobs Bonanza
It’s funny how the claimed number of jobs to be created by Solid Energy’s Southland lignite projects keeps going down. Lignite boosters were tossing around job numbers in the high thousands when the plans were first announced – now, even our Solid Energy insider is talking about 350 jobs total from the lignite-to-urea project.
And how many jobs for locals is the pilot briquetting plant expected to create? Five. That’s right, five jobs. Welcome to the lignite jobs bonanza, everyone!

c) New Exploration Licence
Not content with the 4000ha they already control, Solid Energy has been granted additional lignite exploration licences south and east of their current ones, and near the area where L&M mining have exploration licences – see https://data.nzpam.govt.nz/PermitWebMaps/StaticReport.aspx?permit=54004 for the details. And, as noted below under “Coal Seam Gas”, they are also prospecting for coal seam gas in Southland.

d) John Palmer Steps Down as Solid Energy Board Chair
Solid Energy board chairperson John Palmer has stepped down, saying that he doesn’t want to stay on to see the company through the privatisation process. It would be lovely to think that this is because he’s ideologically opposed to privatisation, but in fact he’s been one of its chief proponents. The story is here: http://www.3news.co.nz/Solid-Energy-chairman-quits-at-65/tabid/423/articleID/258829/Default.aspx

Maybe Don Elder will take this as a sign he should step down as well…

4. How To Annoy The Coal Industry

Like any well-funded industry group, the coal industry is used to having things its own way. They have easy access to their mates in Government, plenty of money to splash around, and a bunch of well-appointed head offices that are sufficiently removed from their mining operations that they don’t have to encounter the ugliness of what coal mining actually entails.So it’s not surprising that they get annoyed when people challenge them. And we think it would be a good idea if they got annoyed more often. Here is our handy guide to annoying the coal lobby.

a) Challenge Their PR Spin
When a coal industry flack uses the media to claim that coal mining is vital to New Zealand’s future, that our energy system would fall over without coal, that nowadays coal is all clean and modern and shiny, etc., don’t let them get away with it. Write letters or comments in response, and let us know about coal industry PR so we can prepare a response.

Case in point: The following article by mining industry lobbyist Chris Baker appeared in the Christchurch Press on 13 June: http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/perspective/7092765/Coal-helps-fire-economy

Canterbury Coal Action got in touch to let CANA know about the article, and we prepared a response which appeared the following Wednesday, 20 June: http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/perspective/7134638/Coal-mining-catastrophe

If the coal industry pops up in your local media telling everyone how wonderful coal is, let us know by emailing coalactionnetwork@gmail.com

b) Show Up Where They Show Up
The coal industry doesn’t just fill newspaper column inches – it arranges events for itself as well, like lovely conferences in popular resorts, or Prime Ministerial office openings: http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/2012/03/22/bathurst-protest-a-big-success/.

Call us party-poopers, but we like to turn up at such events and remind the insiders and hangers-on who attend these things that the real issue isn’t the quality of the canapés but the fate of the planet, and that the expansion of their industry must be and will be stopped. So, if you find out that there is a coal industry event in your area, get busy. Organise a welcome for those attending that reminds them what the real issues are, and again, let CANA know: coalactionnetwork@gmail.com.

c) Bring It All Back Home
The coal industry in New Zealand is not all about massive projects for export. It’s also about the coal-fired boiler in your local school or hospital or factory. Getting these boilers converted to run on a renewable energy source such as wood is good for the local environment, good for the renewable fuels industry, and good for the climate. It also gives campaigners all around the country, even those who live a long way from the big coal projects, a local focus. If you are interested in finding out more about coal use in your community, let us know: coalactionnetwork@gmail.com.

5. Coal Seam Gas: New Threat to Taranaki and Southland

Solid Energy is talking up the potential of coal seam gas: that is, deliberately releasing the potent greenhouse gas methane from coal seams. Many coal seam gas operations use fracking.
Does that sound like your idea of a good time? Well, if you live in Taranaki or Southland, Solid Energy plans to bring coal seam gas to your doorstep.

• The Taranaki Daily News on Solid Energy’s Taranaki coal seam gas plans: http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/7077221/Profit-could-be-bursting-at-seams
• Climate Justice Taranaki’s response: http://climatejusticetaranaki.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/media-release-coal-seam-gas-nightmare/#more-1199
• The Southland Times on Solid Energy’s Southland coal seam gas plans: http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/7098735/Coal-seam-gas-a-high-chance-in-new-block

6. Climate change, the courts and the Mt William North hearing

a) The Mt William North Hearing: Ignorance, Intimidation and Elephants
Rosemary Penwarden wrote this excellent report on the Mt William North coal mine consent hearings, which you can also see on our blog – with pictures – at http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/2012/06/15/the-mt-william-north-hearings-ignorance-intimidation-and-elephants/:

Sharon McGarry thinks carbon dioxide makes holes in the ozone layer.

No, not a year nine science student but a commissioner; one of three in Westport recently entrusted with the task of unravelling the scientific and economic data pertinent to the next mountaintop removal on the Stockton Plateau –Mt William North.

The realisation that Ms McGarry did not have even a basic grasp of the science behind climate change was a shock, but the whole experience of submitting at this council hearing was a series of curious events.

I was at the Westport Bridge Club to speak to my submission opposing Solid Energy’s proposal to mine 5.4 million tonnes of new coal at Mt William. If mined, this coal will send approximately 13 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere, widen even more the gap between reality and our international emissions obligations, further shred our clean green image, and destroy more endangered flora and fauna on the plateau.

Less than two weeks before the hearing submitters received a letter telling us that, due to the recent Environment Court declaration, the commissioners were “not able to have regard to any evidence or submissions concerning the effects on climate change of discharges into air arising from the subsequent burning of coal.”

Yes, that’s right, our supreme environmental statute, the RMA, is legally unable to consider the greatest environmental threat facing humanity; climate change. Even though this ruling is under appeal the commissioners chose not to delay the Mt William hearing.

Some of us still spoke about climate change, understanding it would be ignored. We also talked about ocean acidification, another effect of CO2 emissions not ruled out in the commissioner’s letter. With a wave of her arm Ms McGarry dismissed such talk: “We all know CO2 makes holes in the ozone”. After a short silence of disbelief it became clear that ocean acidification was also going to be banned, along with climate change. Curious how the rules appeared to change as the day progressed.

Curious too, was the presence of 20 or so Solid Energy workers in the back of the room dressed in orange safety gear and boots. They looked a little out of place accepting tea and bikkies from the lovely Bridge Club lady.

Then again, those of us opposing the proposal had brought our own curious sight – an elephant, sitting in the front row taking notes, dreads tied neatly back. At lunchtime he stood outside the entrance with a placard “Say NO to New Coal Extraction” while an orange-coated ‘worker’ shovelled coal under a carpet and a large banner explained to passers by and to the orange-garbed Solid Energy workers: “Climate Change is the Elephant in the Room”.

Standing nearby taking photographs was yet another curious sight – a dark suited character straight out of an American crime show. It turned out he worked for ProVision, also called Thompson and Clark Investigations Ltd, the agency caught out in 2007 for planting spies in the ranks of the Happy Valley protesters – paid for by Solid Energy: see http://www.nickyhager.info/i-was-paid-to-betray-protesters/

Opposers to Solid Energy’s application had been allocated the whole day to speak. We represented individuals and groups, locals and ‘outsiders’, whitebaiters, grandmothers, doctors and environmentalists.

I did not get my turn until the following morning. By then the workers in their safety gear had gone, replaced by Solid Energy’s demurely attired ecologist. No shady character outside. It seemed the commissioners needed only hear one more ‘pesky’ environmentalist, then get back to business. I had come 700 km to speak on behalf of myself and two other submitters, but the commissioners wanted to dismiss my second and third submissions without even hearing them. After I finished, as I left the room I could see it being cosily re-arranged so the Commissioners and their “friends” could finish the hearing in a more informal setting.

Then it was the local councils’ turn. I don’t hold out much hope for the councils; they don’t seem to take climate change that seriously. New developments are permitted at sea level all along the Coast. The Regional Council’s own fancy new building at Greymouth appears to rely on a few sand dunes to combat sea level rise.

The next day I visited Mordor (Stockton) itself, stood on black sludge 30 metres below where Mt Augustus should have been – mountaintop removal, Kiwi style. I looked over to Happy Valley, now renamed the Cypress Extension in an attempt to erase its colourful history of protest. The contrast between that untouched valley, the mountain beyond, and the hell below my feet was distressing. The land reclamation is a joke. Up there, anything at an angle greater than 16 degrees gets washed away. You can’t put a mountain back.

Beyond Happy Valley sat Mt William. Mt William, the next mountain top removal project. Or not? Will Sharon McGarry save the day?

b) Denniston Legal Action Update

Jeanette Fitzsimons reports:

Following the Environment Court decision that climate change can not be taken into account in RMA decisions, the appeal against the consent for the Denniston mine is set to proceed in the Environment Court in late October. The appeal will be mainly on the grounds of loss of very special biodiversity and landscape; plus possibly some economics argument.

Thus the elephant in the room – the huge threat to people and nature from accelerating climate change – will remain silent. This means consent could be given and mining started while appeals on the legal question are still to be heard – in the Court of Appeal and possibly the Supreme Court. Potentially the Environment Court appeal against the consent could have to be heard all over again if a higher court overturns the decision on the relevance of climate change to the decision. Alice in Wonderland, anyone?

7. Forest and Bird Annual Conference 2012 Report

The Forest and Bird Annual Conference 2012, with the theme “Face Up to the Future”, was held in Wellington in mid-June. You can find out lots about the conference on the Forest & Bird website at http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/conference2012

CANA had a stall at the conference and distributed leaflets and flyers to Conference delegates. CANA’s Tarsh Turner was one of the speakers featured in the conference “Face up to the Future” video, hosted by Te Radar – you can find the full video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2YtRcictBQ, while Tarsh’s contribution starts at 2:11 – http://youtu.be/t2YtRcictBQ?t=2m11s.
CANA organizing group member Jenny Campbell was in the room to hear Tarsh speak, and here are her impressions of the event, followed by Tarsh’s own thoughts.

Jenny Campbell writes:
I was privileged to be at Forest and Bird’s national conference in Wellington last weekend, held at Te Papa.

The highlight for me was the Friday evening panel of young people stating their case and passion about and for the environment, all ably facilitated by Te Radar. Even though he made light of many comments, the seriousness of the conversations and issues did not escape him. He had obviously done his homework and could interact and challenge the panel as well as add constructive comments which ensured the messages from the young people were not lost on the audience.

Our CANA organising group member, Tarsh Turner, spoke eloquently and with conviction about her stand on the lignite issue and particularly as it relates to climate change. Her initial nervousness soon dissipated as she entered the debates, offered her opinions, listened to others, offered alternatives and stressed the need for change. She did us proud of course and even when she spoke about what makes her angry and on the topic of intergenerational justice/injustice, she continued to win the audience with her beautiful smile.

My overall impression was of the high calibre of young people we have working with conviction, enthusiasm and knowledge who are not afraid to tell it how it is. This generation is not about meetings but about action – galvanised to take action through social media – not necessarily through lots of talking. We in CANA need to heed this message. The wisdom, insight, humour and listening skills of the panel were impressive. Thank you Tarsh for being prepared to participate and drive our message home – you were impressive!

This model of engagement is one we could well use at other events – particularly with young people although the facilitator needs to be particularly skilled as Te Radar obviously is. It was telling that another young person in the audience reminded us all that the grey haired people in the room had been angry, frustrated and felt intergenerational injustice as well in their youth, and that this was why many had joined F&B in their youth – to do something with their anger to make a difference, and that was why they were still participating today.

Kia kaha Tarsh, rangimarie, Jenny Campbell

Tarsh Turner writes:
Participating on the Youth Panel at the Forest & Bird Conference was an empowering experience. My fellow panellists were some of the most articulate young people I have met, and we had a lively two hour discussion canvassing issues as seemingly disparate as shark finning, declining water quality in NZ rivers, pest management, and intergenerational justice.

Despite this breadth, I think I must have gotten across my message about the urgent need to phase out coal, because when we were asked in the question session what it is that makes each of us angry, Te Radar quipped “let me guess, is it coal that makes you angry Tarsh?”

The opportunity to bring this discussion into the conservation context was something that meant a lot to me. It is a crucially important link to make, given projections such as that 200-300 of New Zealand’s alpine plant species will become extinct at a 4°C mean global temperature rise; we are currently on track for a 3-6°C rise, and the world has enough economically recoverable coal to increase global temperature by 15°C! I hope to engage with Forest & Bird further on these issues in the future.

For more, see Tarsh’s blog: http://climateninja.wordpress.com/2012/06/17/fb-conference-nature-of-tommorow-youth-panel-4-2/

Concluding note:
Forest and Bird and CANA have worked closely together on a number of campaigns in the past year, together with other groups, especially the campaign against further coal mining on the Denniston plateau, and the organisation of the Bathurst Resources Wellington office opening protest (see http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/2012/03/22/bathurst-protest-a-big-success/). We look forward to carrying on this association in the years ahead.

8. Regional News

Southland: Coal Action Murihiku (CAM)

Jenny Campbell reports:

Three posters featuring a painting by local artist, Wallace Keown, are drawing attention from passers-by on the main street of Gore. The art work compares the past and present attractions of the Mataura Valley with the future ‘attractions’ (courtesy of lignite mining), along with strong messages about our valuable farmland. They have been put on three long poster strips and pasted up on a large billboard. Good local publicity followed just before Queen’s Birthday and Gore’s huge annual event, the Gold Guitars.

CAM’s regular monthly meetings show that members have no shortage of bright ideas for ways to make their point about lignite mining.

Recently, CAM, Forest & Bird, Generation Zero and Greenpeace members of all ages got together for a working bee spent chopping and splitting wood that will be sold as a fundraiser. Robina and Alan Johnston took people up to a vantage point from where they could see the huge swathe of farmland that Solid Energy is proposing to destroy with an open cast lignite mine.

Solid Energy has increased its infiltration and influence in the Gore area with massive sponsorship of local events: NZSO members making school visits for music tuition, Sir Graham Henry speaking engagements, sports uniforms, Gold Guitar… It puts CAM’s wood-splitting efforts into perspective and shows how long and hard this campaign will be. We realise pacing ourselves is important.

CAM members Dave Kennedy, Robina-Lee Johnston and Zella Horrell showed PowerPoints and spoke to the Southland Forest & Bird monthly meeting in early June. They spoke about the Southland concerns around lignite, the urgency for action and local impacts especially about loss of valuable farmland. The mining situation and impacts in Australia were highlighted. They intend to take their ‘show’ to various community groups around Southland, e.g. Lions, Rotary, Rural Women, U3A, to raise awareness and provide educational information in contrast to Solid Energy.

Our first regular CAM newsletter has been put together for circulation with skilled people stepping up to the mark. Our next event will be our NVDA (nonviolent direct action) training weekend in Invercargill at the end of June, run by CANA organising group member Kristin Gillies.

The opening of the pilot briquetting plant at Mataura is the next event of interest to our group. A total of 5 local people from Gore, Mataura and Invercargill have been employed by SE (plant costs $25 k) and SE are proud they are supporting local employment as they said they would!!!

I was in Whangarei recently and heard of their real concerns about proposed mining in Northland and what it would do to their waterways, oceans, people re health, social impacts, soil and was impressed with their efforts to fight these proposals. Rod Morris’ slide show on Denniston was impressive as he stressed the intrinsic values of that area and why it should not be mined. I updated people on the lignite issue in Southland – being a ‘guest speaker’ had not been my aim but thank you to the generosity of the organisers for this chance to show solidarity and share our campaigns: we are in this together for the long haul.

Rangimarie,
Jenny Campbell, Co-Convenor, CAM

Dunedin: Southern Anti-Coal Action (SACA)
Rosemary Penwarden and Tarsh Turner report:

One thousand Dunedinites marched up George Street to the Octagon on Saturday 16 June to protest against the Government’s plan to sell our state owned assets: http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/213635/over-moon-keep-our-assets-protest-draws-1000

Heaps more signatures were collected and work continues to gather the 300,000 needed for the Citizens Initiated Referendum to go ahead.
.
A bunch of SEA (Students for Environmental Action) and SACA members are having an adventure over the Uni holidays (first week of July) to see the Denniston Plateau in all its glory before it becomes NZ’s largest open cast coal mine! The aim is to connect with this area that we have been campaigning on, experience its beauty firsthand, and have a fun break away. Transport is limited, but people should email SEAotago@gmail.com if interested.

On Saturday 14 July, Tarsh Turner will be speaking on behalf of CANA at SocialistSaturday, an event organised by the International Socialists (ISO), on a panel about confronting the environmental crisis.Email contact@iso.org.nzor phone 022 6799417 for more details.

On Wednesday 18 July, Rosemary Penwarden will speak on behalf of CANA at the SDC (Sustainable Dunedin City) AGM, updating members on the Southland lignite issue, venue to be announced.

Christchurch: Canterbury Coal Action

Unfortunately, Wednesday’s Canterbury Coal Action meeting at the WEA has had to be cancelled due to venue unavailability – please contact canterburycoalaction@gmail.com for details of the next meeting.

Wellington: “Keep the Coal in the Hole” gatherings
Tim Jones reports:

The next meeting of the “Keep the Coal in the Hole” Wellington group will be on Thursday 28 June, around the time this newsletter goes out. We’ll be learning more about the transition to renewable energy sources and planning our next moves. We expect to have more to report in the next newsletter.

If you’d like to get involved in Wellington anti-coal action, please contact frances.mountier@gmail.com for further details.

Auckland: Auckland Coal Action
Jill Whitmore reports:

Auckland Coal Action’s main activity for the month has been gearing up for an all-day strategy session, to be held on 7 July (regular members only).

The film evening which we put on last month raised even more than previously reported – $921 by the time sales of wine and juice were included, so we were able to send $1000 to the Denniston appeal.

Next monthly meeting: Saturday 14th July, at the Quaker House, 113 Mt Eden Rd. New members welcome. We will be starting the meeting at 10am in order to allow us to join the anti-Asset-Sales march later in the day.

About Auckland Coal Action
Auckland Coal Action was formed in July 2011 following the visit of Dr James Hansen. We recognise that coal is the dirtiest of the fossil fuels and that its ongoing use will lead to catastrophic climate change. We aim to achieve a coal-free Aotearoa by 2030, initially by opposing the expansion of coal mining. We do this work to play our part in sustaining a benign climate for us, our children and grandchildren.

Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aklcoal/

Subscribe to our monthly email update – contact: aucklandcoalaction@gmail.com

9. News and Resources

• Paradise lost? New report shows 20 years of environmental inaction threatens NZ’s natural heritage (WWF-NZ): http://wwf.org.nz/?8941/Paradise-lost-New-report-shows-20-years-of-environmental-inaction-threatens-NZs-natural-heritage
• Brittany Trilford speaks truth to power (Hot Topic-NZ): http://hot-topic.co.nz/brittany-speaks-truth-to-power/
• Cost of Deaths From 18 Coal-Fired Power Plants’ Pollution Higher Than Value of Electricity Generated (US): http://www.environmentalintegrity.org/news_reports/06_07_2012.php
• The hazards of coal ash (US): http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/01/coal-ash-little-blue-run_n_1554332.html?utm_campaign=060112&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Alert-green&utm_content=Photo
• Australia halts approval process for Indian infrastructure giant GVK’s huge US$6.3 billion coal mine amid a dispute over environmental assessments affecting the Great Barrier Reef: http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/13873237/australia-stops-the-clock-on-gvk-coal-mine/

10. CANA Blog

CANA’s blog is at http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com
As well as our latest news, you’ll find pages (shown across the top of the blog) with information and resources you can use.

See boxes below for Facebook and Twitter.

11. How to donate to CANA

We rely on your generous donations to keep the campaign going. Here are the account details if you want to donate:

Coal Action Network
Kiwibank
38 9011 0484435 00

The post Coal Action Network Aotearoa Newsletter June 2012 appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

Welcome to the May Coal Action Network Aotearoa newsletter. In this newsletter, we report on the Aotearoa Is Not For Sale Hikoi and all the related events, including an anti-coal action. We have news of nonviolent direct action training and how you can become involved, and reaction to the Environment Court’s decision on whether climate change can be taken into account when consent resource consent applications for a new coal mine.

Rod Morris continues his Denniston speaking tour, with CANA providing speakers on the relationship between coal and climate change at a number of the venues, and local and regional groups are continuing to build the campaign nationwide.

There is plenty more news as well, and a focus on the economics of coal mining, with some good evidence to throw back at those who claim that coal mining makes communities richer. (In case you were wondering, it doesn’t.)

A reminder, too, that you are welcome to join our Facebook group and invite your friends to do likewise.

And you can follow us on Twitter

Regards
Tim Jones

Contents

1. The Campaign Against Asset Sales
2. Nonviolent Direct Action (NVDA) Training
3. Climate Change and the Law
4. Denniston News and Events
5. Regional/Local Group Reports
6. Economics and Jobs
7. The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement(TPPA)
8. Solid Energy Financial Review report
9. Video and Audio
10. News Snippets
11. CANA online: Blog, Facebook and Twitter
12. How To Donate to CANA

1. The Campaign Against Asset Sales

a) Citizens Initiated Referendum Campaign

The Campaign for a Citizens Initiated Referendum against the privatisation of state owned enterprises, including Solid Energy, has been officially launched – as reported by Greenpeace’s Nathan Argent, who attended the launch: http://www.greenpeace.org/new-zealand/en/blog/growing-opposition-to-assets-sales-bridges-ge/blog/40365/

The campaign has now entered the vital stage of gathering enough signatures to force a referendum. You can join the campaign and get involved in gathering signatures here: http://keepourassets.org.nz/

It’s very important to remember that this is a highly formal process and that the validity of signatures will be closely scrutinised. The only people who are eligible to sign the petition are those who are on the electoral roll – so, if people aren’t on the roll, they should go and enrol. And those who sign need to give their full name and address as shown on the electoral roll. These conditions must be met by over 300,000 people for the call for a referendum to succeed – so make sure your details, and those of the people you sign up, are correct!

b) Aotearoa Is Not For Sale Hikoi

The Aotearoa Is Not For Sale Hikoi began on 24 April. Travelling from Cape Reinga to Wellington, the hikoi marched through many towns and cities along the path to Parliament. Auckland Coal Action was part of the march in Auckland on Saturday 28 April (see their regional report below), while in Wellington, members of many anti-coal, anti-fracking and other environmental groups joined an estimated 6000 people who marched to Parliament on Friday 4 May.

I was on the Wellington march, and the atmosphere was thrilling: excited, noisy, passionate. But also determined: the people who traveled down the country and the people who joined them in Wellington, Maori and Pakeha, tangata whenua and tauiwi, hadn’t come for a picnic. Politicians from parties that supported asset sales, or had done so in the past, were booed: politicians from parties that opposed them were cheered. John Key, and National, were nowhere to be seen.

The hikoi wasn’t solely about asset sales. It also contained powerful representations from communities all around the North Island threatened by mining and drilling and fracking – from Te Whanau a Apanui on the East Coast, opposed to oil drilling off their coast; from anti-fracking campaigns in Taranaki and elsewhere; from Northland; from the Waikato. The campaign against asset sales and the campaign against the exploitation of Aotearoa and its environment by mining companies and a foolish and greedy Government are intimately linked, and the hikoi made those links clear.

Thanks to the immense efforts of organizer Mike Smith and the people from the hikoi staying at Pipitea Marae, the hikoi continued to make its presence felt around Wellington during the following week, with a series of demonstrations on different themes, including an anti-fracking march on the Monday, and an anti-privatisation protest outside the Stock Exchange on the Thursday. On Tuesday, there was an anti-coal action:

c) “Let’s Put A Freeze on Coal Mining”: Tuesday 8 May, Wellington

Around 50 members of CANA, Forest and Bird, Ora Taiao, 350.org, Generation Zero and the Aotearoa Is Not For Sale Hikoi came together in Midland Park, Lambton Quay, Wellington on Tuesday 8 May to call for the Government to put a freeze on coal. The event was part of the “Say No to Coal Mining Day” of the Aotearoa Is Not For Sale Hikoi.

You can read more about the event, and see the TV3 coverage, here: http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/wellington-puts-a-freeze-on-coal-mining/

2. Nonviolent Direct Action (NVDA) Training

Nonviolent direct action (NVDA) against the coal industry and its business and institutional supporters has always been an important part of Coal Action Network Aotearoa’s campaign strategy.

Effective nonviolent direct action, and in particular an effective NVDA campaign, benefits greatly from having people involved who understand how NVDA campaigns work and are trained in NVDA techniques. CANA has offered to run NVDA workshops for regional groups around the country, and we recently ran the first of these in Otago, with people from a range of groups involved. It sounds as though the people who attended got a lot out of it.

A Southland NVDA workshop will take place in June, and we know of plans being made to take up this offer in other parts of the country as well. Although they are primarily for members of CANA and of the local regional anti-coal action groups, members of other allied campaigns are also welcome to attend if places are available.

If you are interested in taking part in the Southland NVDA workshop, which will take place from 22-24 June at Te Tomairangi, please contact Jenny Campbell, jennycam@xtra.co.nz, 03 248 6398, 027 351 0180.

Keep an eye out for a forthcoming workshop in your area, or contact us at coalactionnetwork@gmail.com if your group is interested in hosting an NVDA workshop.

If you are interested in the theory and practice of nonviolent direct action, you can download Allan Cumming’s booklet How Nonviolence Works, incorporating his earlier booklet Understanding Nonviolence, from our website: http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/2012/03/02/classic-new-zealand-booklets-on-nonviolent-direct-action-now-available-to-download/

3. Climate Change and the Law

When we went to press last month we were anxiously awaiting the Environment Court’s decision on a declaratory judgement to clarify whether climate change can be taken into account when considering an application for a new coal mine. Jeanette Fitzsimons reports on the outcome:

A 2004 amendment to the RMA says that greenhouse gases may not be considered in hearings on consents for air discharges (e.g. new power stations), because greenhouse emissions were to be controlled instead by a central government economic instrument – which later became the ETS. However, with export coal (Denniston, Pike, Mt William, Happy Valley) the application does not include an air discharge consent and the coal will be burned overseas where there are no economic instruments, carbon taxes or ETS schemes to reduce emissions. Therefore these aspects of the amendment should not apply.

The decision went in favour of the mining company, creating a precedent that contributions to climate change cannot be considered in any application under the RMA. This will prevent us arguing climate change at the appeal on the Denniston consent, as well as at the hearing on Mt William and any other mine intending to export the coal. The judge held that the purpose clause of the amendment was paramount, including over the wording of the Act itself. This is a narrow question of interpretation of the law, and there is no space to argue the seriousness of climate change. We want to do that at the main appeal against the consent, but this decision, if it stands, prevents that.

Both Forest and Bird and West Coast Environment Network are appealing the decision to the High Court, which might or might not refer it up to the Court of Appeal. The mining company has been publicly celebrating but the game is not over yet.

Stop Press: There was an elephant in the room at the Mt William North coal mining proposal consent hearing on Monday 28 May – the elephant of climate change. Find out more here: http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/elephant-in-the-room-at-westport-hearing/

4. Denniston News and Events

In addition to the news about the Environment Court’s decision and the subsequent appeal, plenty of other things are going on in the campaign against mining the Denniston Plateau:

a) Denniston Petitions

Two international petition sites currently have petitions up against mining Denniston, and we encourage you to sign and share them both:

Avaaz: http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/No_coal_mine_on_the_Denniston_Plateaux/?cl=1804493449&v=14235

Care2Causes: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/339/133/078/new-zealand-dont-allow-coal-mining-in-denniston-plateau/

b) Rod Morris Speaking Tour

Wildlife photographer Rod Morris continues his speaking tour of the country during June. Rod is speaking about the beauty and biodiversity of the Denniston Plateau, which coal mining company Bathurst Resources wants to destroy. This is a great chance to see his amazing photos of the unique flora and fauna on Denniston Plateau.

At many of these meetings he will be joined by a speaker from Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Generation Zero or Climate Justice, who will add to Rod’s conservation message by discussing the risks to the climate of mining the Denniston Plateau.

1 June, 7:00 pm
Manaia PHO rooms, 28 Rust Avenue, Whangarei
Hosted by Mine Watch Northland
Contact: the-farm@ihug.co.nz

6 June, 7:30 pm
Kapiti Community Centre (Pak ‘n’ Save room), Ngahina St, Paraparaumu
Hosted by the Kapiti-Mana branch of Forest and Bird
Contact: Ian.Corder@clear.net.nz

7 June, 7:30 pm
Hutt Tramping Club, Birch Street, Waterloo
Hosted by the Lower Hutt branch of Forest and Bird
Contact: russelljamesbell@gmail.com

11 June
Thompson House, Cnr Kent and Cambridge Streets, Levin
Hosted by the Horowhenua branch of Forest and Bird
Contact: debbie@ballinger.co.nz

12 June, 7:30 pm
Speirs Centre, Featherston St, Palmerston North
Hosted by the Manawatu branch of Forest and Bird
Contact: dennis.d@inspire.net.nz

14 June, 7:30 pm
The Baptist Church auditorium, 89 Liardet Street (opposite the Council buildings), New Plymouth
Hosted by the North Taranaki branch of Forest and Bird
Contact: jhunt@ihug.co.nz

5. Regional/Local Group Reports

Auckland

Jill Whitmore reports for Auckland Coal Action:

ACA prepared banners and signs and joined in the Auckland march against asset sales on Saturday 28 April. It was a good event, drawing sympathetic responses from the crowds of onlookers in Queen St, though we felt afterwards that a position further forward in the march would have given us better exposure. We deliberately passed our leaflets to other marchers, as being a good audience.

On Saturday 5th May we went to Mission Bay in support of 350.org’s “Join the Dots” day. About 60 or 70 people waded into the water with umbrellas, to form a dotted line representing a sea wall against rising sea levels. One member brought with her bags of produce which went well as a small fundraiser.

The other big event this month has been the fundraiser for the Denniston appeal, a film evening (with refreshments) where we screened the film Just Do It, a romp with a young bunch of UK activists (recommended), after a short but rousing talk by Jeanette Fitzsimons on why we need a coal-free Aotearoa. This evening was a success. The 60 seats sold out beforehand, raising around $700.

ACA Meeting invitation
The next two meetings are on the second Saturday of the month (usually it’s the first).

So the dates are Saturday 9 June, 1-4pm and Saturday 14 July, 1-4pm

Venue: Quaker Meeting House, 113 Mt Eden Rd

New members welcome!

About Auckland Coal Action
Auckland Coal Action was formed in July 2011 following the visit of Dr James Hansen. We recognise that coal is the dirtiest of the fossil fuels and that its ongoing use will lead to catastrophic climate change. We aim to achieve a coal-free Aotearoa by 2030, initially by opposing the expansion of coal mining. We do this work to play our part in sustaining a benign climate for us, our children and grandchildren.

Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aklcoal/

Subscribe to our monthly email update, contact: aucklandcoalaction@gmail.com

Wellington

“Keep the Coal in the Hole” Gatherings
These informal, two-monthly gatherings arose out of the Mataura Summer Festival and provide a chance to network, educate ourselves, and organise together. All Wellington people who are or want to get involved in anti-coal action are welcome.

Our next gathering is at 6pm on Thursday 28 June. For the address of the gathering and further information, please contact frances.mountier@gmail.com. We’ll be learning more about alternative energy sources and about Solid Energy, then going on to plan future events.

Lower Hutt

A few climate justice folks from Lower Hutt put on an anti-fracking film screening on May Day. Over 40 people attended, which was fantastic. Over $100 was raised for Climate Justice Taranaki. Members of Mana Poneke spoke about the hikoi, and the connections between workers’ rights and the climate justice / anti-extraction movement.

Canterbury

Rachel Eyre reports:

Canterbury Coal Action (CCA) has been busy recently, getting our name and our message out there.

The local Anti-Fracking groups organised a public concert to raise awareness and invited CCA (and many others) along to join the fun and promote ourselves. Christchurch turned on a great day and there was a big, supportive crowd, all eager to sign petitions, buy T shirts, catch up on news, as well as listen to the music. We had a prime spot so everybody who was there now knows about us.

Internationally, “350” is the safe level for carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere and also a movement of people and groups for a clean energy future. There was an international day of action on 5 May and Canterbury Coal Action hosted and organised the local event. The theme was “Connect the Dots” and for us that meant bringing together the different groups that are working on climate change issues. It was an afternoon of shared endeavour, strategy and connection. Hopefully that means more people and organisations will support our campaigns in the future.

Canterbury Coal Action meets at 7.30 pm on the first Wednesday every month at the WEA in Gloucester St, Christchurch, so the next meeting is on Wednesday 6 June. Supporters are always welcome.

Find us online at http://canterburycoalaction.blogspot.co.nz/

Dunedin

After the success of the NVDA workshop, reported above, here are a few more Dunedin notices:

• Monday June 4, 8pm at Circadian Rhythm café: the Drinking Liberally group presents a “Keep our Assets”special, speaker tbc.
• Saturday 16 June, 11am, Dunedin Keep Our Assets March, Beginning outside the Dental School. Note the change of date from 9 to 16 June. This is being coordinated by Grey Power and NZUSA, with support from the Green Party, Labour Party and trade unions.
• Saturday July 14 – Socialist Saturday– a day long panel discussion with topics such as “Confronting the Environmental Crisis”, is being organised by the International Socialists (ISO), with speakers tbc. Email contact@iso.org.nz or phone 022 6799417 for more information.
• A note from www.oilfreeotago.org: In October this year the US based Anadarko Petroleum Corporation in partnership with Australian based Origin Energy intend to start deep sea oil drilling in the Canterbury Basin, about 60 km off the coast of Dunedin. The global oil giants Shell and OMV are also currently exploring the Great South Basin for new oil and gas reserves, also just off the coast of Dunedin. Find out more on the Oil Free Otago website.

Southland

Coal Action Murihiku news update – May 2012

CAM has been very energised since the last newsletter with our official launch as our main focus.

The official launch of CAM happened on the evening of Anzac Day at Gore’s ArtSouth gallery. About 40 people took the opportunity to hear Southland artist Wallace Keown’s story and passions about what drove him to produce so many significant works with different styles over a lifetime. He spoke about some of his protest works with the main focus being CAM’s purchase ‘Mataura Billboard-How Green was my Valley’ painted in 1981- in the Muldoon Think Big era. John Purey-Cust spoke about the significance of the painting in the CAM campaign, and Jenny Campbell spoke about CAM and current issues.

We are still brainstorming ideas in order to use Wallace’s painting to its best advantage and the launch brought some media attention so raising awareness and highlighting the issues. Billboard postings, numbered prints, postcards, and posters are all being planned – ideas welcome!

David Russell, a professional photographer, produced photographs and a caption printed on to Solid Energy coal sacks with people at the Summer Festival featuring. They were put up at the CAM launch and are most impressive. They are available for use around Aotearoa / NZ for others to use- just ask via coalactionnetwork@gmail.com.

On Saturday 12 May we joined the march and activities against Asset Sales which was well supported in Invercargill, with a reported 400 people attending. Conditions were cool, but there were lots of positive speeches about our determination to stop this, and many signatures for the referendum collected, and people went away with sheets to get filled in asap. Please make sure you sign one and get your friends and family involved.
Splitting wood for sale happened on Anzac Day afternoon. A crew of about 10 took advantage of a gorgeous sunny Southland day to produce a stack. On Saturday 26 May CAM will tackle some more log splitting as well as be joined by Generation Zero members from Dunedin and a national Greenpeace member. We will talk over lunch about current issues, how we can support each other and how to be effective in our campaign.

CAM is organising a NVDA (Non Violent Direct Action) workshop in June in Invercargill. It will take place from 22-24 June at Te Tomairangi. If you are interesting in taking part in the Southland NVDA workshop, please contact Jenny Campbell, jennycam@xtra.co.nz, 03 248 6398, 027 351 0180.

There have been several submissions called for re local Councils’ Long Term Plans with members of our CAM group submitting and speaking to aspects around lignite and associated concerns such as health, air, water, economic.

Rangimarie, kia kaha
Jenny Campbell

6. Economics and Jobs

a) Coal Mining Impoverishes Local Communities

One of the ways the mining industry tries to win over local communities is by promising wealth and jobs. In fact, coal mining makes communities poorer, not richer.

Jeanette Fitzsimons illustrated the point very well in one of the slides in her presentation to the Community Day of the Keep the Coal in the Hole Summer Festival. It compares the wealth of coal mining communities to the wealth of the communities around them, and clearly shows that coal mining impoverishes almost every community where it takes place.

This is a great resource to challenge any assumptions that coal mining will make the communities where it occurs wealthy. Check out the slide and related information here:http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/the-economic-wellbeing-of-coal-mining-communities/

b) Highly Skilled Mining Positions Available (Locals Needn’t Apply)

The good news is that there are highly-paid mining jobs going in New Zealand … so long as you’re not actually a New Zealander. This Vancouver Sun article talks of recruiters offering top dollar for overseas mining professionals to work on mining projects in Australia and New Zealand: http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2012/05/09/head-hunters-from-down-under/

That’s “work for a few years”, of course – come here, tear the land apart, pollute the air and water, push the climate even closer to the brink of catastrophe, and then take the money and run. Nice work if you can get it?

7. The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA)

As you may have heard, the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement is a multilateral “trade” agreement being negotiated by nine countries, including New Zealand, under the leadership of the United States. It pointedly and deliberately excludes China, and has become in essence an attempt by the US to economically and politically isolate China while strengthening its own sphere of influence.

But why should we care? Because, in exchange for the mirage of greater access for agricultural products to US markets, the New Zealand Government is on track not only to sign away existing environmental protections, but to commit us to an international regime under which foreign investors in New Zealand coal projects will be able to sue the New Zealand government in an international court if it attempts to tighten environment rules in future – and that includes imposing new restrictions or costs, or strengthening existing restrictions, on greenhouse gas emissions.

If you’re keen to get more involved in the campaign against the TPPA, the place to sign up is the TPPA Watch website: http://tppwatch.org/ – and read the backgrounders here: http://tppwatch.org/what-is-tppa/

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions is heavily involved in the campaign against the TPPA, and you should also check out their TPPA page: http://union.org.nz/tppa

8. Solid Energy Financial Review report

As we reported in the April newsletter, we carried out a small action at Solid Energy’s appearance at the Commerce Select Committee on 5 April. The occasion was the company’s annual review, and the committee has now produced its report of that hour-long session. Buried beneath the rather bland language of the report are the curly questions that Labour and Green members of the Committee asked Solid Energy – about their environmental record, and about the details of the Government’s proposed privatization process – and Solid Energy’s often inadequate responses. You can read the report here:

http://www.parliament.nz/NR/rdonlyres/AB9D42AD-B289-42FB-946F-258B500E9891/218360/DBSCH_SCR_5446_201011financialreviewofSolidEnergyN.pdf

(Please note: to make this PDF load, you may need to copy the link and paste it into your browser window, rather than clicking on it in this document.)

If this is the first you’ve heard about our 5 April action, find out more here: http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/2012/04/05/the-good-times-are-over-for-solid-energy/

9. Video and Audio

We’re making some changes to the CANA website to make information easier to find. One of these changes is to put up a separate page for video and audio files related to the campaign. These are a really good way to get people’s attention.

Check out the Video and Audio page on the website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SOokUdKYcM&hd=1

Talking of videos, here is a powerful video from our friends at Kiwis Against Seabed Mining (KASM): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUoIMSM2uDM

The Resources page on our website will be next to get a revamp. You can see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUoIMSM2uDM

10. News Snippets

• Climate change deniers the Heartland Institute have become so toxic that even their usual backers are deserting the sinking ship. But never fear – the coal industry is still backing them: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/may/20/heartland-institute-future-staff-cash
• We are heading for hell in a fossil-fuelled handcart – NZ Herald: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10806900
• Asset sales leave the Government permanently worse off: http://www.3news.co.nz/Asset-sales-leave-Govt-permanently-worse-off—report/tabid/1607/articleID/254997/Default.aspx
• Solid Energy granted new lignite exploration permits in Southland: http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/business/6982909/Solid-Energy-extends-lignite-rights

11. CANA online: Blog, Facebook and Twitter

Blog

CANA’s blog is at http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com

As well as our latest news, you’ll find pages (shown across the top of the blog) with information and resources you can use.

Facebook

CANA has a very active and fast-growing Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/218300434877031/

If you’re already a member of the Facebook group, please advertise it on your newsfeed and invite friends to join – and if you’re not on the group, please go to the page and apply to join it.

A Facebook page we encourage you to Like is Leave the Lignite, Save the Soil: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Leave-the-Lignite-Save-the-Soil/129179047159254

Say No To Fracking in NZ also has a Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/saynotofrackingnz/

Twitter

We are also on Twitter, and we encourage you to follow us there and retweet our tweets (thanks to everyone who has been doing so!): https://twitter.com/#!/coalaction

12. How To Donate to CANA

We rely on your generous donations to keep the campaign going. Here are the account details if you want to donate:

Coal Action Network
Kiwibank
38 9011 0484435 00

The post Coal Action Network Aotearoa May Newsletter appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

An ‘elephant’ will attend a coal mining resource consent hearing in Westport on Monday, representing the climate change concerns environment groups are banned from voicing.

Resource consent commissioners, put in place by the Buller District Council and West Coast Regional Council, directed that submitters not present evidence on climate change at the hearing for the Mt William North mining proposal. This follows a recent Environment Court decision that climate concerns cannot be taken into account on coal mining consents.

“Climate change is going to impact our lives, and our grandchildren’s – we’ll be paying to clean up the mess coal makes of our climate and oceans for thousands of years. Our environmental laws should let us take that into account,” says West Coast Environment Network spokesperson Lynley Hargreaves.

The Environment Court decision not allowing consideration of climate change – focused on new coal mines proposed by Australian company Bathurst Resources and state-owned miner Solid Energy – has now been appealed by West Coast Environment Network and the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society.

A peaceful rally outside the hearing will include street theatre – coal swept beneath the carpet, under the watchful eye of a ‘climate change’ elephant. “Our groups all wanted to present evidence on climate change, for example that New Zealand is meeting only a fraction of the commitments it has signed up to, but we have been told we are not allowed. Climate change really is the elephant in the room,” says Rosemary Penwarden of Coal Action Network Aotearoa.
“Nearly 150,000 people have signed a ‘No New Coal, No New Oil’ petition calling for moves to a clean economy. This would be a major new coal mine in an ecologically sensitive area – it’s time to say no,” she adds.

Groups being heard at the hearing and supporting the rally include Environment and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand (ECO), Climate Defence Network, Ora Taiao: New Zealand Climate and Health Council, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, West Coast Environment Network, Buller Conservation Group and the Biodiversity Defence Society. There are also a number of individuals from across the South Island submitting in opposition to the mine.

For more information, contact:
Lynley Hargreaves, West Coast Environment Network, 037554227
Rosemary Penwarden, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, 0221856966
Colin Robertson, personal submission, 02102468528

The post Elephant in the room at Westport hearing appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

Welcome to the Coal Action Network Aotearoa April newsletter.

One of the biggest political issues this year is the Government’s plan to partially privatise a number of State Owned Enterprises, including Solid Energy. This partial privatisation is supposed to be limited to 49% of each company, but as we found out from Solid Energy itself at Parliament on 5 April, there are huge loopholes which will allow overseas investors to hoover up a majority share in future projects.

This newsletter highlights the campaign against asset sales, including the big march in Auckland on 28 April, the Asset Sales Hikoi which has just begun, and a little action we organised at Parliament on 5 April.

But that’s not all, folks! We have caught Solid Energy out asking misleading survey questions so that it can claim that New Zealanders overwhelmingly support its plans; we’ve got reports on that, on speaking tours present and future, and on Solid Energy’s latest bright idea: deliberately starting coal fires underground.

Our regional and local groups report includes news of a very significant event for Coal Action Murihiku, our southernmost regional group, and details of our first non-violent direct action training weekend.

Next month, we’ll be making some changes to the way the newsletter is produced and distributed, which should enable us to produce a more attractive newsletter and also make mailing list maintenance easier for both newsletter subscribers and CANA.

There is also a lot of work going on to improve our provision of information resources, both in print and online. Check out the “Resources” section of this newsletter below, and stand by for some major improvements to the breadth and depth of information we’re making available about the coal industry, coal projects, and the ways we can stop them.

Contents

1. The Asset Sales Campaign
2. Solid Energy in the Dock
3. Rod Morris Denniston Tour
4. Bathurst Aftermath
5. Jeanette Fitzsimons Reports On The Denniston Appeal Legal Action
6. Connect The Dots Day on 5 May
7. Regional and Local Group Reports
8. Lyttleton Coal Port stockyard expansion called off
9. Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) in the Waikato
10. News Snippets
11. Campaign Resources
12. CANA online: Blog, Facebook and Twitter
13. How To Donate to CANA

1. The Asset Sales Campaign

I mentioned in the March newsletter that the campaign against the Government’s plans to partially* privatise state-owned energy companies, including Solid Energy, would be one of the big political issues this year. (For a concise explanation of why CANA cares about this, check out this video that Jeanette Fitzsimons made for Auckland Coal Action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXEZgh-l1uk)

This month, a major event in this campaign kicks off: the Aotearoa Is Not For Sale Hikoi. The itinerary is posted below, and is also on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/170682386382094/ – but please note that this itinerary is subject to change.

We hope that CANA members, and members of CANA regional groups, will take part in many of these events, but here are two in particular to watch out for:

Saturday 28 April: Anti-asset-sales march in Auckland, 3pm, starting from Britomart and continuing up Queen Street to Aotea Square. Full details here: http://aotearoaisnotforsale.com/ – and Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/334873306563769/

Join the Auckland Coal Action bloc with their message that our climate is not for sale. Keep Solid energy in public control and keep the coal in the hole! Contact aucklandcoalaction@gmail.com for more details.

Tuesday 8 May: After the hikoi arrives in Wellington on 4/5 May, there will be a week of events on different hikoi-related topics around Wellington. Tuesday 8 May is the “Say No to Coal Mining” day, and we are currently planning for that day. Keep an eye on our Facebook group, Twitter and blog for more details(see item 12 below for how to connect to each of those).

Current Hikoi Schedule

The hikoi starts from Waiora Marae on 24 April. The full itinerary is here, and here is a full list of the protest marches in towns along the way.
Every day has at least one town marching, with the big ones:

Tues 24 April: Kaitaia march 11am
Wed 25 April: Whangarei 3 pm
Sat 28 April: Auckland 3 pm at Britomart
Sun 29 April: Rotorua 3pm
Wed 2 May: Palmerston North 11 am
Thurs 3 May: Porirua 12 noon
Fri 4 May: Te Papa to Parliament

Following that there is a week of protests on various Government policies in Wellington:

Sat 5 May: Rally and Free Concert
Sun 6 May: Constitutional Wananga
Mon 7 May: Say no to Deep Sea Oil demo
Tues 8 May: Say no to Coal Mining demo
Wed 9 May: Say no to Welfare Reform demo
Thurs 10 May: Say no to Privatisation demo
Fri 11 May: Say yes to Constitutional Transformation demo

2. Solid Energy in the Dock

a) Select Committee hearing on 5 April

As we said in a recent press release, “The Good Times Are Over for Solid Energy”.

That press release was sent out in the aftermath of a low-key but effective action Wellington members of Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Generation Zero and other groups carried out at Solid Energy’s appearance for the Commerce Select Committee at Parliament for its annual financial review.

We managed to fill the select committee room with our members and supporters, many of whom had “Keep the Coal in the Hole” signs concealed about their persons. As the select committee members finished their questioning, those people all stood up and held up their signs – while those of us in the back row held up a five-metre banner that read “Keep the Coal in the Hole, Protect The Climate”. The Solid Energy representatives at the Select Committee, including Don Elder (polished as usual) and board chair John Palmer (whose foot I could see tapping nervously on the floor throughout his entire performance in front of the Select Committee) got a big surprise, and a clear message: Solid Energy doesn’t get the chance to put its case unchallenged any more.

Check out our press release, plus photos taken in the aftermath of the action, here: http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/2012/04/

Greens MP Gareth Hughes, and the Labour members of the Select Committee, both made good use of the opportunity to put the lavishly-remunerated head honchos of Solid Energy on the spot. While Gareth focused on Solid Energy’s environmental track record and on their recent survey of public opinion – see below – Labour drew out the admission that, although the Government had claimed privatisation would be limited to 49%, future investors in Solid Energy could already get around that. Labour’s David Cunliffe explains how in this article: http://www.sharechat.co.nz/article/5e0779d5/three-avenues-to-drive-a-truck-through-on-privatisation-promise-cunliffe.html

*So the ‘partial’ privatisation the Government is talking about isn’t quite so partial after all.

b) Solid Energy misleads public with survey questions

At the Select Committee hearing, Don Elder took great pride in proclaiming that Solid Energy’s public opinion survey results showed strong public support for Solid Energy’s planned coal developments.

But Don was being economical with the facts, and you’re not supposed to do that in front of a Parliamentary Select Committee. Some research by CANA has revealed that Solid Energy’s survey was full of misleadingly-worded leading questions.

Now CANA has called on Don Elder to come clean on the full list of survey questions. Check out:
* our letter to Don Elder: http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/2012/04/20/solid-energy-market-research-under-scrutiny/
* our press release about the letter: http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/2012/04/20/press-release-for-immediate-release-coal-action-network-to-take-complaint-over-solid-energy-market-research/

3. Rod Morris Denniston Tour

After his recent appearances in Auckland, Rod Morris is continuing to tour the country with his stunning photographs http://www.rodmorris.co.nz/search/?searchWords=denniston&searchType=InUser&NickName=rod-morris&x=0&y=0 of the unique habitat of the Denniston Plateau and of the creatures who live there. He may be coming to a town near you to talk about the rich biodiversity at Denniston and why the Plateau must not be mined.

26 April at 7.30pm: Castle One, Otago University, Dunedin: Rod Morris will be speaking as part of a wider Denniston public meeting in Dunedin. Check out the press release on the CANA blog: http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/denniston-public-meeting-to-be-held-in-dunedin-thursday-26-april/

7 May at 7 pm: Renewables Group Motueka, St Thomas Church Hall, 101 High St, Motueka

8 May at 7:30 pm: Forest & Bird Kaikoura. Venue to be advised. Contact: ailsa@fishnet.co.nz or phone 0274 36 36 36

22 May at 7pm: Whangarei: Manaia PHO Rooms, 28 Rust Avenue, Central Whangarei

The following dates and towns are confirmed, but to find more information on times and venues keep an eye on our blog or join up to the Rod Morris Productions Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rod-Morris-Productions/167603326601611?ref=ts

23 May: Opononi

6 June: Forest and Bird Waikanae-Kapiti/Mana Branch

7 June: Forest and Bird Lower Hutt

11 June: Forest and Bird Levin-Horowhenua Branch

12 June: Forest and Bird Manawatu

13 June: Forest and Bird Marton-Rangitikei Branch

14 June: Forest and Bird New Plymouth – North Taranaki Branch

15 June: Forest and Bird Wanganui

18 June: Main Wellington meeting

4. Bathurst Aftermath

The demo jointly organized by Forest & Bird, CANA, and a number of other groups against the opening of Australian coalminers Bathurst Resources’ Wellington office, and the decision by John Key to open that office, got plenty of good media coverage and is written up here: http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/2012/03/22/bathurst-protest-a-big-success/

But questions remain over John Key’s involvement with Bathurst Resources. Some are still under investigation, but in the guest post on our blog, Liz Springford notes how Nick Smith was fired over a conflict of interest in the same week that John Key flaunted one of his own by attending the Bathurst launch: http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/2012/03/27/guest-post-from-liz-springford-different-strokes-for-different-blokes/

5. Jeanette Fitzsimons Reports On The Denniston Appeal Legal Action

We have reported before on the RMA application by Bathurst Resources (aka Buller Coal) to open cast coal mine on the Denniston plateau. West Coast Environment Network and Forest and Bird appealed the decision to the Environment Court, arguing, among other things, that the commissioners erred in deciding they could not consider greenhouse gases in their consent.

Buller Coal has said they want to have that matter decided before the full appeal is heard in the Environment Court as they want to know whether they have to prepare evidence on climate change or not. They therefore applied for a “declaratory judgement” from the Environment Court. Essentially their argument is that the amendment to the Act passed in 2004 which prohibited considering greenhouse gases when hearing an application for an air discharge consent, should apply to all consents. (Denniston does not need an air discharge consent as the coal will all be burned overseas so we argue that amendment does not apply).

This is a test case. If Buller succeed then NZ’s main environmental statute is barred from considering the climate change impacts of any development. The hearing took place on 27 March and we were hoping for a decision by now but at the time of going to press we are still waiting. Sir Geoffrey Palmer, architect of the RMA, appeared for WCENT and argued very powerfully that if Parliament had meant “any consent” it would have said so and the courts are not supposed to make the law, only interpret it.

Buller was joined by Solid Energy who are concerned that the case could make it difficult for them to mine Mt William.

The miners and the councils argued that NZ local government can’t try to control what happens in China and India, where the coal will be burned. In reply we argued that we are not trying to have jurisdiction over China and India, but over NZ mines, which if they go ahead will lead inevitably to the release of emissions overseas in countries which do not have a price on carbon or a Kyoto target. (The intention to control emissions nationally with a carbon tax was the initial reason for the amendment.)

Tom Bennion appeared for Forest and Bird and argued the RMA provides explicitly for indirect effects to be considered where there is a clear chain of causation.

Judge Newhook is currently considering – no doubt you will hear in the news when there is a decision. Whichever way it goes, it could then be appealed to a higher court. In the meantime, the coal is still in the ground and safely out of the atmosphere.

6. Connect The Dots Day on 5 May

On 5 May, 350.org is launching its worldwide campaign to Connect the Dots between climate change and extreme weather events. Check out the Connect the Dots website for information about events happening in your area, or organise an event yourself: http://www.climatedots.org/ – and see this short video for what Connect the Dots is all about: http://www.climatedots.org/thingshappen/

You can search for events in your area here: http://act.climatedots.org/event/impacts_en/search/#

7. Regional and Local Group Reports

Southland: Coal Action Murihiku, CAM (Southland) News Update

Developments continue at a rapid pace with the pilot briquetting plant on the corner of Craig Rd and SH 1 near Mataura taking on a new look with machinery delivered and a full blown industrial site becoming obvious.

Dave Kennedy, local Green Party national election candidate, and Robina Lee-Johnston, who farms adjacent to Solid Energy land, are re-organising their PowerPoint presentation and speeches to go to speak to groups about their concerns around lignite mining, such as Lions and Grey Power.

Members of CAM helped organise a Federated Farmers’ meeting in Gore with strategic questioning helping to raise the issues with local farmers. Another meeting is planned. A good follow up in a local community newspaper about an adjacent farming couple’s concerns brought it to the public’s attention.

The official launch of CAM is planned for the evening of Anzac Day at Gore’s ArtSouth Gallery. Our advertising information includes “a unique opportunity to hear this Southland artist’s story and passions about what has driven him to produce so many significant works over a life time. ArtSouth will highlight Wallace Keown’s exhibition with a talk by Wallace about his different styles including some of his protest works such as ‘Mataura Billboard-How Green was my Valley’ painted in 1981- in the Muldoon Think Big era. Mix and mingle with wine and cheese”.

This significant painting with a billboard style- ‘Now showing’ and a green pastoral scene, adjacent to ‘Future attraction’ and a coal mining operation, has been purchased for CAM to use. This is very generous. We are brainstorming ideas in order to use it to its best advantage and will launch it with some controversy and media attention hopefully, to raise awareness and highlight the issues. Numbered prints, postcards, posters…. All being planned. Ideas welcome.

In conjunction with this, another member, professional photographer David Russell, is producing a different art work focus with photographs and a caption printed on to Solid Energy coal sacks. People at Summerfest are featured. They can be strung up at meetings and events and because of their light weight they could be sent to other groups for their use. Watch this space.

It will be a busy day as we are fundraising by splitting wood for sale after Anzac services. The following Saturday a march and activities against Asset Sales will be supported in Invercargill.

Wellington’s Keely Kidner, who is doing a study on linguistics around Southland lignite and Canadian tar sands with the people associated with their protest movements, for her PhD, will be with us over the Anzac Day period.

A local community newspaper published a front page article about the formation of CAM and its members’ concerns and asked Solid Energy for their response. Brett Gamble’s answers had very little substance.

A second year Geography student from Otago chose lignite as an essay topic and sought information from us as well as Solid Energy. Her essay gained an A. Interest is rising about the issues and concerns out there.

Kia kaha, Jenny Campbell from Murihiku

Otago

a) Dunedin Cross-Groups Lignite Meeting

On Tuesday 17 April around 20 people attended an initial meeting between the many groups wanting to campaign against the Southland lignite developments. Organisations in attendance included Sustainable Dunedin City, Green Party, Generation Zero, Students for Environmental Action, and the Otago Energy Research Centre, among others. It was a good starting point to establish working relationships between these groups, and it is hoped that this networking will allow the campaign to gain momentum in Otago. For information on the next meeting, or for any feedback on this initiative, contact Tarsh climateninja@gmail.com

b) Dunedin NVDA training weekend

CANA and Students for Environmental Action (SEA) are running a nonviolent direct action (NVDA) training weekend, 4-6 May at Waiora Scout Camp, Whare Flat. This is the first of a series of NVDA trainings that CANA hope to facilitate around New Zealand, in order to educate people about the use of NVDA in environmental campaigns, and upskill and empower activists to add these techniques to their tool kit. For more information, or to register your interest, please email SEAotago@gmail.com

c) Southern Anti-Coal Action (SACA) Update

Rosemary Penwarden writes:

A busy month! SACA and Black Star Books hosted Franklin Lopez and his film End:Civ at the end of March. Over 60 people came to listen to Franklin talk about his experiences making the film, and to watch this commentary on capitalism’s response to climate change (you can find it on Youtube). Food not Bombs provided yummy vegetable soup, and the discussion afterwards would probably have continued all night if we had not been kicked out!

Nicole Foss, ex financier turned sustainable community advocate, swept through Dunedin on her ‘Lifeboat’ tour of NZ, meeting with various groups including Dunedin City Councillors. Her predictions of world financial collapse by the end of the year were an interesting contrast to End:Civ’s scenario. Both events gave us the opportunity to sign more people up to CANA.

More ‘upcycled’ T-shirts of all sizes and colours were printed (“Leave the lignite – save the soil” and “Keep the Coal in the Hole”) at a recent workshop.

d) Dunedin hosts the final hui on the Greens’ “Mining Our Future” Tour

Green MPs Catherine Delahunty and Gareth Hughes have been holding a well-attended and successful “Mining Our Future” Community Tour. The Dunedin event is the final stop on the tour:

Monday 30 April, 7.30-9.30pm, Practice Room, Clubs and Societies Building, 84 Albany Street

See http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/2012/04/05/the-green-party-mining-our-future-community-tour/ for more on the tour.

Christchurch

Canterbury Coal Action meets on the first Wednesday of every month at the WEA, Gloucester St (next to the Art Gallery) at 7.30pm. The next meeting is on Wednesday 2 May. Please join us. Bring your friends too!

At the moment we are preparing for two upcoming events.

Firstly we are organising for a stall at the Bring Change-Frack No concert this Saturday 28 April from 11am – 4pm at the Riccarton Racecourse. See: http://www.bringchange.org.nz/ . Volunteers are needed for the stall roster. If you can help please ring Sophia: 03 389 9600.

In addition we are organising for the 350 international day of action, themed ‘Connecting the Dots’ for climate change impacts on 5th May. See: http://www.climatedots.org/ We plan to link (join the dots) with many other groups in Christchurch who are similarly concerned about preventing runaway climate change to protect our planet and our collective well-being and survival. If you’d like to get involved please ring John: 03 337 5618.

Please get in contact if you’d like to find out more. Hopefully we’ll see you at our next meeting.

Nga mihi nui
Best regards
Rachel
canterburycoalaction@gmail.com
Canterbury Coal Action’s blog is at: http://canterburycoalaction.blogspot.co.nz/

Wellington

a) Next Keep the Coal in the Hole Gathering: 26 April

These informal, two-monthly gatherings arose out of the Mataura Summer Festival and provide a chance to network, educate ourselves, and organise together. The talks this month will focus on ‘a global look at climate.’ All Wellington people who are or want to get involved in anti-coal action are welcome.

Our next gathering is at 6pm on Thursday 26 April. For the address of the gathering and further information, please contact frances.mountier@gmail.com

b) Lower Hutt: An Introduction to the Risks of Fracking: 1 May

This event includes a screening of Gasland, a feature film by Josh Fox, followed by discussion with an anti-fracking activist from Climate Justice Aotearoa on fracking issues closer to home.

7:00pm-9:30pm Tuesday 1 May, Petone Library, 7 Britannia St, Petone, Lower Hutt

Gold coin donation appreciated. Tea & coffee provided.

Baking available as fundraiser for Climate Justice Taranaki
Organised by Climate Justice Lower Hutt folks.

For more info, please contact Michelle Ducat: michelle@ducat.co.nz

No mining companies please!

Auckland

a) “Just Do It” film screening: 18 May

“Just Do It” film screening
6pm, 18 May
The Kitchen, 14-16 Maidstone St, Ponsonby, Auckland (Top Floor)

6:00 pm start with light refreshments provided. Followed by a short talk by Jeanette Fitzsimons on why we need a coal-free Aotearoa

6:45 pm “Just Do It” film screening

Tickets cost $12 and we strongly recommend booking in advance as the venue only has 60 seats. To book your ticket, contact aucklandcoalaction@gmail.com

Just Do It lifts the lid on climate activism and the daring troublemakers who have crossed the line to become modern-day outlaws.

Just Do It website and trailer: http://justdoitfilm.com/

Event organised by Auckland Coal Action. Proceeds will go to the Denniston campaign

b) Auckland Coal Action April reportback

Auckland Coal Action gained a number of new members in April, great to see! We attended Rod Morris’s talks at the beginning of the month, where we were able to speak briefly about the climate impacts of mining the Denniston Plateau and got a number of new sign-ups from those events.

c) Upcoming activities

Our work for the next few weeks will be to paint banners and placards for the Aotearoa is Not For Sale protest march on 28 April, where we aim to raise awareness of the link between asset sales and climate change. We want to see Solid Energy kept in public control so we can “keep the coal in the hole” and will be marching as a bloc to deliver this message.

We see one of our roles in Auckland as being to fundraise in solidarity of campaigns being carried out in other parts of the country (where they actually have coal mines!). We are organising a screening of the film Just Do It in support of the Denniston campaign. This will be held on 18 May in Ponsonby. Please see the notice above for how to get your ticket.

d) Next Auckland Coal Action planning meeting

Saturday 5 May
1-4pm, Quaker Meeting House
113 Mt Eden Rd
Mt Eden

e) Join us!

We know there are many more Auckland people receiving this Coal Action Network Aotearoa newsletter than are on our local contact list. To get our monthly update and notice of meetings contact aucklandcoalaction@gmail.com and ask to subscribe. OR Come along to our next meeting. New members are always welcome!

8. Lyttleton Coal Port stockyard expansion called off

Prior to the Christchurch earthquakes, the port of Lyttleton was planning a major expansion of its coal stockyard. We’ve recently received word that this coal stockyard expansion has been called off due to earthquake damage: http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/6652229/Lyttelton-Port-pulls-25m-plan

While the major earthquake damage that Lyttleton has suffered is very sad news, and not the reason we would have chosen for this expansion not go ahead, we are still relieved to see that it is no longer happening. Limiting the number and size of coal export facilities is one way to make it more difficult and more expensive for new and expanded coalmines to go ahead.

However, other coal port expansion plans remain. It now appears that, if Bathurst’s Denniston mine goes ahead, 75% of its coal is planned to be sent via Port Taranaki, and the other 35% via Lyttelton. See http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/business/6522619/Coal-exporter-in-for-long-haul for more details.

9. Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) in the Waikato

Solid Energy has started an Underground Coal Gasification plant at Huntly in the Waikato.

Solid Energy has set up a website to explain what this plant does. It’s worth taking a look at the site at http://huntlyucg.co.nz/ – but some translation is required.

What Solid Energy calls “a carefully managed chemical reaction hundreds of metres underground to convert coal into a synthetic gas, also known as syngas, then bring that gas to the surface through a series of wells” actually means setting fire to the coal and collecting the gas that results.

Starting coal fires deep underground? The coal industry has a long history of doing that accidentally, but doing it deliberately is a relatively new development – and, as far as we know, this is a first in New Zealand.

This article from the UK discusses the history of UCG and shows how the process works. The picture it paints is in stark contrast to Solid Energy’s soothing tones: http://frack-off.org.uk/underground-coal-gasification-hellfire-and-damnation/

Huntly residents are understandably concerned. CANA has been in touch with them, and we will bring you more news of the project, and reaction to it, as matters develop.

10. News Snippets

* One of my most vivid memories of the Keep the Coal in the Hole Summer Festival was Queensland farmer Sid Plant telling the story of Acland, the town nearest to him, which was promised riches from mining and was destroyed instead. The NZ Herald has just published an excellent article about Acland: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/coal/news/article.cfm?c_id=152&objectid=10800314 and the moving video “Anzac Day in Acland” is always worth watching and sharing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyTvqeiipgE

* We don’t need to cross the Tasman to see how coalmining destroys communities. Take a trip to Kaitangata in South Otago, or go to Western Southland and visit Nightcaps or Ohai: http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/opinion/blogs/from-the-bottom-up/6781136/You-ll-never-leave-Ohai-alive

* It’s great to see that Invercargill City Council has chosen to heat its pool complex using woodchips rather than lignite: http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/6753832/Wood-to-fuel-pool-complexs-boilers

* Talking of the Summer Festival, it made a big impact on a lot of people. Tarsh Turner wrote this excellent report for Generation Zero’s ClimateTalk blog: http://climatetalk.co.nz/?p=132

* It’s sometimes easy to forget that we are part of a massive worldwide movement against the mining and burning of coal. Friends of the Earth and Quit Coal have joined with 34 other groups from across Victoria to call for a moratorium on new coal and coal seam gas (CSG) operations in the state: http://www.melbourne.foe.org.au/?q=node/1124

11. Campaign Resources

You can find lots of campaign resources in one place on the Resources page of our blog at http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/downloads/

We have recently uploaded updated versions of:

* The CANA Leaflet: http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/cana-leaflet-apr-2012.pdf

* The CANA backgrounder on Southland Lignite and the Climate: http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/southland-lignite-the-climate-an-introduction.pdf

Two classic booklets on the theory and practice of nonviolent direct action in Aotearoa/New Zealand are now available as a free download from our blog: http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/2012/03/02/classic-new-zealand-booklets-on-nonviolent-direct-action-now-available-to-download/

12. CANA online: Blog, Facebook and Twitter

Blog

CANA’s blog is at http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com

As well as our latest news, you’ll find pages (shown across the top of the blog) with information and resources you can use. We’ll be reorganising some of this information during the next month to make it easier to find.

Facebook

CANA has a very active and fast-growing Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/218300434877031/

If you’re already a member of the Facebook group, please advertise it on your newsfeed and invite friends to join – and if you’re not on the group, please go to the page and apply to join it.

A Facebook page we encourage you to Like is Leave the Lignite, Save the Soil: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Leave-the-Lignite-Save-the-Soil/129179047159254

Say No To Fracking in NZ also has a Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/saynotofrackingnz/

Twitter

We are also on Twitter, and we encourage you to follow us there and retweet our tweets (thanks to everyone who has been doing so!): https://twitter.com/#!/coalaction

13. How To Donate to CANA

We reply on your generous donations to keep the campaign going. Here are the account details if you want to donate:

Coal Action Network
Kiwibank
38 9011 0484435 00

—

Coal Action Network Aotearoa (CAN Aotearoa) is a group of climate justice campaigners committed to fighting the continuation of coal mining in Aotearoa New Zealand.

CAN Aotearoa’s objectives are to:
1. Phase out coal mining and coal usage within 20 years, initially by opposing new and expanded coal mines.
2. Promote a cultural change so that mining and using coal are unacceptable.
3. Work towards a society where people and the environment are not exploited for profit.
4. Work towards a socially just transition to a coal-free Aotearoa New Zealand.

Find out more at: http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/
Or join the CAN Aotearoa supporters list by emailing: coalactionnetwork@gmail.com

The post Coal Action Network Aotearoa April Newsletter appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

Coal action network to take complaint over Solid Energy market research

Friday 20 April 2012—The Coal Action Network Aotearoa today accused Solid Energy of carrying out dubious market research to give the impression that there is massive support for coal – and is considering laying a formal complaint at the company’s refusal to release the full results of the research.

CANA has seen some of the research after a member recently took part in what appears to be this year’s annual survey for Solid Energy, research that is similar to a 2009 poll. See (1).

“The questions appear to be designed to produce a particularly positive set of answers that would benefit the company’s public image,” said Kristin Gillies of CANA. “We want to see the full set of questions so we can judge for ourselves.”

The research has been used in company annual reports to back suspiciously positive statements about public attitudes to coal.

“On the basis of Solid’s questioning, you could make anyone agree to pretty much anything and produce some fantastic statistics to it look like the country’s most popular company,” said Gillies. “But most of the statements are patently misleading and have no facts to back them up.”

“Many New Zealanders could agree that swimming with sharks was fine if it created jobs and was good for their health and welfare.”

The campaigning group has written to Solid CEO Don Elder (see letter here http://bit.ly/JhWSZK ) asking him to release the market research carried out in 2009-11. Solid Energy refused to release this information to members of last week’s Commerce Select Committee, stating that it was “commercially sensitive, confidential and subject to a contract with a provider.”

But this refusal to make the research public is a clear breach of the Market Research Society’s Codes of Practice that state: “researchers shall always be prepared to make available the technical information necessary to assess the validity of any published findings.”

CANA has also asked the research company, Colmar Brunton, for the details of the research. If they, too, refuse, CANA will take a formal complaint to the MRSNZ.

CANA has checked the questions with several experts in market research (2), all of whom agree that the questions are indeed leading and break some very basic rules of objective market research.

“No doubt Don Elder will be using this year’s research to spin to his shareholders – and that’s us, the public – that we are all champing at the bit for Solid Energy to start digging up the world’s dirtiest coal from the beautiful Southland farmland.”

Solid Energy deployed a similar set of questions in its 2009 survey, based on a highly misleading and incorrect statement that made a still-experimental carbon storage technology look like it was already available. (3)

Yet the technology referred to – Carbon Capture and Storage – has not been commercially deployed, not least because of the huge costs involved (4)

“While some may not find it surprising that Solid Energy is carrying out this type of polling, we find it duplicitous of the company to use leading questions in market research to fool its shareholders – us, into thinking there is more support for coal than there actually is.”

“We think it’s time Solid Energy released the full set of questions – and the results – to the public so that we can all judge whether the results posted in its annual reports can be believed.”

Contacts: Kristin Gillies, Coal Action Network Aotearoa 021 065 0460

(1) There were some of the questions:

[On a scale of 5: strongly agree to strongly disagree]
“ Do you agree or disagree with:
Solid energy developing the lignite resource in Southland?
…if it was done without increasing carbon emissions?
…if the earth was returned to its natural state after?
…if it lowered the price of diesel?
…if it created jobs?
…if the local community got special benefits from it?
…if it increased the New Zealand standard of living?
…if it benefited the New Zealand economy?
…if it was done by a New Zealand company?
…if most of the money raised stayed in New Zealand?’

(2) Experts are available to speak with the media

(3) This section began with a statement: “Using coal to produce energy can release pollutants into the air. Are you aware that technology can be used to reduce the release of these pollutants to near zero?” The Questions that followed that began with “…given that emissions can be used to reduce the release of these pollutants to near zero…”
That year, Solid Energy’s Annual report stated, on page 2,
“Almost two thirds [of New Zealanders] think we should make greater use of our coal resources… and 84% are more positive if technology is used to reduce pollutant emissions.”

(4) For example, this recent BBC on efforts to deploy the technology in the UK http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17586596

The post Press Release for immediate release: Coal action network to take complaint over Solid Energy market research appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

The following letter has been sent to Don Elder demanding answers….

Don Elder
Solid Energy
15 Show Place, Addington
Christchurch,
8024
New Zealand

18 April 2012

Dear Mr Elder

I am writing to in relation to your market research over the last three years.
We are very concerned about:

a) Solid Energy’s statements in your annual reports about public support for coal
b) The nature of the survey undertaken by Colmar Brunton on behalf of Solid Energy which appears to us to be leading the respondent towards supporting coal.

In Solid Energy’s annual reports for 2009, 2010, 2011 you have printed statements quoting research by Colmar Brunton. (http://www.solidenergy.co.nz/index.cfm/1,186,393,0/Annual-Report.html):

• 2009 on page two of your annual report, a statement saying:
“Almost two thirds [of New Zealanders] think we should make greater use of our coal resources… and 84% are more positive if technology is used to reduce pollutant emissions.”
Research carried out for Solid Energy by Colmar Brunton from 14 April to 11 May 2009 (1,000 respondents; margin of error +/- 3%).”

• You have published similar results in its annual reports in 2010 and 2011 and, no doubt, will do so again this year, based on the questions in the telephone survey experienced by one of our members in recent weeks.

The following clauses in the Market Research Society of New Zealand’s Code of Practice for market researchers are relevant here:

From MRSNZ Code of Practice, page 5

Article 11 – Publishing findings

(b) Where any of the findings of a research project are published by the client, the latter shall be asked to consult with the researcher as to the form and content of publication of the findings. Both the client and the researcher have a responsibility to ensure that published results are not misleading.

(c) Researchers shall always be prepared to make available the technical information necessary to assess the validity of any published findings.

(d) Researchers shall not allow their name to be associated with the dissemination of conclusions from a market research project unless they are adequately supported by the data.

I have looked at both your website and that of Colmar Brunton and I cannot find any details about the research mentioned in the Solid Energy Financial Report. I understand that you have also declined to give the research to members of the Commerce Select Committee.

My questions in relation to Solid Energy’s annual reports are:
1) I would like to receive the technical information in order to assess the validity of the published findings and would also like the information to be made publicly available. This would include information about the method for the survey, sampling method, sample size, full verbatim wording of the questions asked and the context in which the question was asked (for example if one statement out of a number of statements).

2) Did you consult Colmar Brunton before publishing the results in your Annual Reports?

3) Did Colmar Brunton agree with the summaries you published?

We have concerns that the polls included leading questions based on two incidents:

a) One of our members was called two weeks ago in a market research survey about Solid Energy. Attached is the set of questions asked in the survey, as taken down at the time by the person surveyed.

b) In 2009 a Colmar Brunton researcher called another of our members, Cindy Baxter, for a similar survey for Solid Energy and the questions were in a similar vein. She complained at the time to Colmar Brunton’s then Chief Executive about the set of questions because they did not agree with Q20 in particular (see appendix).

The objections at the time were around the validity of the statement in Q20, because it was patently untrue. It stated that technology been developed to “reduce emissions to near zero”. However, that technology had not, at the time, been developed to commercial readiness, still hasn’t, and all the reports around it show how it would be so expensive as to be unlikely to be commercially ready for years – certainly not in time to stop runaway climate change.

I am also concerned about the leading nature of the questions in the 2009 and 2012 surveys and that the questions assume some knowledge of the subject in order to answer adequately. The statements present only positive statements about coal, some of which cannot be proved or quantified. Without the technical detail to back-up the survey, the reader of the Solid Energy Annual Reports has no way of judging for themselves the validity of the statements.

I would very much appreciate an answer to the three questions that we have asked in relation to the Code of Practice as shown on the website of the Market Research Society. Not releasing the full research we are requesting is, in our view, a breach of those codes of practice.

Regards

Kristin Gillies
Appendix 1
Questions from recent survey with a Coal Action Network Aotearoa member as a respondent

In the 2012 survey, a set of questions was asked around the mining of lignite in Southland.

Answer with the following scale:
Agree Strongly
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Disagree Strongly

Do you agree or disagree with:
1. Solid energy developing the lignite resource in Southland?
…if it was done without increasing carbon emissions?
…if the earth was returned to its natural state after?
…if it lowered the price of diesel?
…if it created jobs?
…if the local community got special benefits from it?
…if it increased the New Zealand standard of living?
…if it benefited the NZ economy?
…if it was done by a New Zealand company?
…if most of the money raised stayed in New Zealand?

Other questions included:
* Are you aware Solid Energy is planning to develop the lignite resource in Southland?
* Are you aware lignite can be used to make diesel/fertiliser?
* Are you aware lignite can be used to heat homes?

Question asked of Cindy Baxter in 2009

Question 20: “using coal to produce energy can release pollutants into the air. Are you aware that technology can be used to reduce the release of these pollutants to near zero?”

The questions then went on to ask a series, much like the ones above, preceded by the statement:

“Given that technology can be used to reduce the release of these pollutants to near zero…”

This set of questions appears to correlate to this statement in Solid Energy’s 2009 Annual report (page 2):

“Almost two thirds [of New Zealanders] think we should make greater use of our coal resources… and 84% are more positive if technology is used to reduce pollutant emissions”

The post Solid Energy Market Research Under Scrutiny appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

1. The Mixed Ownership Model Bill, submissions due on Friday 13 April
2. The Review of the Crown Minerals Act Regime, submissions due Friday 20 April.

We have included links to the relevant discussion documents and submission guides, helpfully prepared by other groups.

We are aware that these two pieces of legislation are core pieces of National’s policy and that the Government will be reluctant to change either of them. However, we feel it is important to show the extent of the opposition to these proposed legislative changes as they are both likely to lead to a significant increase in coal mining in New Zealand.

If our many submissions are ignored, we expect to have to show opposition in other ways!

1. Mixed Ownership Model Bill

The Mixed Ownership Model Bill needs to be passed in order for the government to begin the sale of state owned assets. National has identified a number of state-owned energy companies that it wishes to partly privatize, including Solid Energy. If Solid Energy is privatized, this will provide foreign investment to kick start Solid Energy’s bigger lignite plans, and also make it harder for a future New Zealand government to impose restrictions on Solid Energy’s coal mining activities.

This is an opportunity to show the government the level of opposition to asset sales, so we would encourage people to put together a short (or long!) submission outlining why you are opposed to these plans. The Green Party has put together a great submission guide online, check it out at: http://www.greens.org.nz/takeaction/submissionguides/submission-guide-government-bill-partially-privatise-our-energy-companies

Submissions due: 5pm Friday 13 April

Address submissions to: The Chairperson, Finance and Expenditure Committee, Parliament Buildings, Wellington

Or make an online submission at http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/SC/MakeSub/0/2/d/50SCFE_SCF_00DBHOH_BILL11223_1-Mixed-Ownership-Model-Bill.htm

2. Review of the Crown Minerals Act Regime

The Crown Minerals Act Regime is also under review. The purpose of the review is to “encourage the development of Crown-owned minerals so that they contribute more to New Zealand’s economic development; streamline and simplify the regime; and to ensure better coordination of regulatory agencies.” BUT! Many of the proposed changes will erode the already weak regulatory regime and open the country up further to mining.

We encourage you to take time to read the discussion paper and the proposed changes to the petroleum and minerals regime. Details at
http://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-industries/natural-resources/oil-and-gas/review-of-the-crown-minerals-act-regime/

The Green Party has information about the Crown Minerals Act Review and a sample submission here: http://www.greens.org.nz/takeaction/submissionguides/review-crown-minerals-act-1991-regime

Submissions due: 5pm Friday 20 April 2012

Postal address: Resources Policy Group, Ministry of Economic Development, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140

Email: CMAReview@med.govt.nz

There are a series of review questions that the Ministry is asking for feedback on, and of particular interest is Chapter 2: Health, safety and environmental (HSE) matters. It is a fairly short chapter to read and worth giving feedback on! Also of interest are Chapter 4: Petroleum, and Chapter 5: Tier 1 Minerals, especially the review questions relating to HSE matters.

The post Submissions due on Mixed Ownership Model Bill & Crown Minerals Act Review appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.