The release of the draft District Plans by the Greater Sydney Commission marks a potentially new direction in making Sydney liveable and more environmentally sustainable, TEC said today.  “The structure and culture of the GSC are distinctly different to past agencies and they have engaged in new research and community engagement techniques, including sponsoring an independent Environment Panel to provide a detailed analysis of Sydney’s environmental problems and solutions,” said Jeff Angel, Executive Director of the Centre. “Critical issue like adequate green spaces, tree canopy, dangerous urban heat and climate change are major challenges for Sydney.”  “We can’t stop the planning and development boat so we need to improve and control its direction; and certainly not let speculation and narrow economic claims drive it. A city has to achieve liveability, sustainability and economic goals at the same time. We have encouraged people to suspend cynicism at our community meetings. The draft District Plans are an important part of this process.”  “The independent report by the Environment Panel which comprised 15 peak professional, community and academic groups will be released shortly. It will help the community and government benchmark the draft plans and provide important perspectives.”  “It’s encouraging that the GSC supported this process and we look forward to further assisting them and the government,” Mr Angel said.

After 13 years of hard work battling Coca Cola and allied big beverage companies – Australia is now on the road to a container deposit scheme. When NSW announced it will implement the 10cent refund system, other states took notice and now QLD, WA and the ACT will too... READ THE FULL REPORT

The announcement of a net zero emissions target for NSW will have far reaching, positive impacts on the state’s economy and environment, TEC said today. “It will need a wide range of concrete and specific programs across key pollution sources such as land clearing, energy production and urban development.  A number of major policy areas are already in flux and will need to be brought into line with the new target,’’ said Jeff Angel, Executive Director of Total Environment Centre. "To reach the 2050 target, substantial action will have to start now and the community will be looking for effective policies.'' ‘’For example, Sydney is about to review its Metro Plan via the Greater Sydney Commission and inevitably low emission transport, energy efficient buildings and expanding tree cover will have to become prominent.  Land clearing laws, which are proposed to be weakened across the state must be redrafted.  And NSW should quickly phase out coal fired power.’’ ‘’The credo for a 21st century state is to be green and resilient in the face of climate change and play its part in global efforts to thwart dangerous climate change.  We look forward to examining the government’s detailed plans,” Mr Angel said.  

The precedent set by a Sydney council’s imminent removal of mature native trees in a harbour foreshore park in order to provide water views is inherently dangerous and should be put on hold, Total Environment Centre said today. “Council’s proposed actions appear to be rewarding tree poisoners. Inner West Council plans to remove healthy native trees in Balmain’s Mort Park as part of a landscape plan which has been dogged by one-sided consultation, tree poisonings and loss of community representation through council mergers,” said TEC Natural Areas Campaigner David Burgess. “A policy of destroying trees for harbour views is archaic and sets off the alarm bells for green space all along Sydney’s waterways big or small.” “When first mooted at a public meeting in 2015 mainly residents whose views would be enhanced by the destruction appeared to know the meeting was on. Since then community members wanting a say have been thwarted by a lack of information and the loss of democratic representation through the council mergers.” Trees in Mort Park have also been the subject of regular poisonings. “Tree poisoning is a serious offence that requires a regulated policy response from councils under the Local Government Act but it doesn’t look as if that’s occurred in this case. Instead Inner West Council appears to be rewarding the perpetrators by finishing off the job”, Mr Burgess said. “It’s not just environmental vandalism but economic vandalism. Trees are known to have great economic benefits to the urban community. The decision to remove trees in a public space, where much has been invested by council and members of the community in planting programs, in order to cater to the private property interests of a minority sets a very dangerous standard.”

Total Environment Centre has called for urgent state government intervention after a Sydney property developer was caught red-handed attempting to remove crucial evidence on the site of one of Sydney’s most environmentally damaging development proposals. Local residents were alerted by the sounds of heavy machinery moving onto the Riverlands Golf Course Site in late September – the same place where over 400 trees were (allegedly) illegally cleared in August this year. City of Canterbury-Bankstown Council officers were informed that evidence of the alleged illegal tree felling was being removed, but were unable to gain access. However, together with members of the local community, the council officers gained a view from the opposite bank of the Georges River which enabled them to witness an excavator and wood chipper operating at the site of the previous (allegedly illegal) clearing.  “The Riverlands Golf Course site is dear to many residents of Milperra and the subject of one of Sydney’s longest running environment protection campaigns,” said TEC Natural Areas Campaigner David Burgess. “It is home to some of the largest hollow bearing trees remaining in urban Sydney with many dating back to pre-settlement. It contains environmentally significant wetlands. It provides a vital link with adjoining areas of bushland”. In 2015 over 200 local residents turned up to demonstrate against the then Bankstown Council’s proposal to weaken environmental protection of Riverlands through a rezoning. A new rezoning proposal that would allow some development on the 33 hectare site but also protect large parts of it currently sits in front of the NSW Planning Minister. “If recent media reports are any indication the NSW Department of Planning is set to reject any environmental protection proposed by Council for the site and give Demian Constructions and Statewide Planning the green light to establish a ‘mini-suburb’ at Riverlands. “The value of Riverlands as green space cannot be overstated. The locals recognise this, Council recognises this, but Mike Baird’s government seems poised to unleash the bulldozers.”

Mike Baird is presenting the relocation of the V8 Supercars to the Newcastle as a “done deal”. TEC is saying it will destroy one of Newcastle's most beautiful parklands.

Australia’s energy market rule-maker today baulked at a golden opportunity to modernise and decarbonise Australia’s energy system by valuing electricity generated close to where it is also consumed.

He’s still the last to leave the office every day, the first to be called when a media outlet wants comment or a community needs information, and the least likely to give up when the going gets tough. Not only that, “You can’t buy Jeff Angel!” After 40 years of non-stop campaigning, our executive director’s sustained effort and effective victories have been recognised with a Green Globe nomination, making him one of only three finalists for the Sustainability Champion Award. No matter how overwhelming the odds or how many times he has had to climb the same mountains to protect our shared natural inheritance, Jeff’s measured pace, calm, thoughtful approach, and perseverance have earned the respect of colleagues, opponents, journalists and politicians a-like - not to mention the TEC team. We are all inspired by his commitment every day, and proud to see Jeff pushed, however briefly, into the spotlight. It’s not a place he seeks or feels particularly comfortable. He’s only really happy walking through the bush, or working hard on our campaigns. But he deserves this recognition for 40 years of community leadership and his stewardship of Total Environment Centre because Jeff walks the talk. 

More and more heavy machinery is snacking on our suburbs at the behest of private developers, our own state government, or a combination of both. The casualties are nesting birds, endangered possums, innumerable tiny critters and plants, and their human friends. The greater casualty is our ecosystem, let’s call it our way of life. Communities across Sydney have contacted TEC almost every day this year upset by the spectacle of their favourite trees, green retreats, and patches of bush being chipped, mulched and crushed by bulldozers and chainsaws. The reasons are variously sited as practical, progressive and inevitable – whether it’s to build a new highway or lay out a light rail. World best practice however shows that it absolutely is possible to modernise our growing cities, making them more efficient and accessible without compromising their human scale and natural assets. Unfortunately when government puts development at any cost above the needs of our urban villages and communities, it is putting the lifestyle Australians hold dear at serious risk. Without its beautiful natural setting Sydney would be just hard work - a mass of concrete, traffic and crowds. That's not why we live here. We live here because we love the climate and the harbour, the street life, the beaches and estuaries, the tree-lined boulevards and verdant parks. Kill these off and there's nothing left to love. If you want to protect the things that make Sydney liveable and loveable, please join our SOS Green Spaces campaign  – we are knitting disparate communities together with information forums, maps, activist toolkits and strategies to protect our public parks and shared spaces. Hear community voices like yours here. Our supporters are growing. Together, we will be heard. Click here to support SOS Green Spaces 

Environmental groups have called for an urgent meeting with Environment Minister Mark Speakman and the Premier about today’s bulldozing of bushland listed as critically endangered – on National Threatened Species Day.

While the NSW government’ s announcement of funding for Sydney’ s green grid is welcome –it’ s under ongoing threat because increasing numbers of parks and green spaces are being sold or alienated, Total Environment Centre said today.“A growing city needs more and better parks but you can’ t achieve that vision if councils are selling off green space; government agencies are destroying parks for infrastructure; green canopies removed for development; and bushland bulldozed for housing asset protection zones,’’ said Jeff Angel, Executive Director of the Centre.

As the ACCC ramps up action against the private sector about carbon tax rip-offs, Total Environment Centre today called on Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan to use his federal consumer law powers to prevent state governments from forcing electricity retailers include misleading information about the carbon price impact on electricity bills.