City of Sydney councillors to vote on declaring climate crisis a national emergency

City of Sydney councillors are set to vote on declaring the climate crisis a national emergency that “poses a serious risk to the people of Sydney”.

The Sydney lord mayor, Clover Moore. The council’s motion
calls on the federal government to reintroduce a carbon price
and establish a ‘Just Transition Authority’.

If passed, the council will join hundreds of local governments worldwide that have made similar declarations.

The Sydney lord mayor, Clover Moore, said in a mayoral minute published Friday that “successive federal governments have shamefully presided over a climate disaster, and now we are at a critical juncture – we face a climate emergency.

“On January 24 2019, 91 of the hottest 100 places on earth were in Australia,” Moore said. “Heat waves on our continent are now five times more likely. But it is not just their frequency that is alarming – they start earlier, become hotter, and last longer.

Read the story from The Guardian by Lisa Cox - “City of Sydney councillors to vote on declaring climate crisis a national emergency.” 

Heat off solar farms

Victoria’s Planning Minister has called in a number of solar farm applications proving problematic for Greater Shepparton City councillors to decide on, days before they were set to go to a council meeting.

Peter Harriott.

Council chief executive Peter Harriott said the council was yesterday informed by the state planning department that pending applications would be ‘‘called in’’ and will now be considered by Planning Minister Richard Wynne.

The agenda to Tuesday’s council meeting, published yesterday, had recommended that councillors vote to grant planning permits to four solar farm applications for sites in Tatura East, Tallygaroopna, Congupna and Lemnos, subject to a raft of conditions.

But the minister’s intervention will mean the council will no longer need to determine these, the News understands.

Mr Harriott suggested an alternate motion will be put at the meeting.

He said it would be highlighted that correspondence had been received, that the minister would now call in the four applications and that the council cannot therefore determine them.

Mr Harriott said the outcome was sensible.

‘‘It’s what the council requested via a previous resolution.’’

‘‘It’s a sensible move, it provides consistency and the opportunity for the state to use this process to develop state guidelines for large-scale solar farms,’’ Mr Harriott said.

The applications constitute hundreds of millions of dollars in development costs and are estimated to produce hundreds of megawatts of power.

Estimations have the proposals creating an estimated 150 to 200 jobs during construction, and 15 ongoing jobs once complete, if approved.

The council had in November voted for its chief executive to request the minister to decide on the solar farm planning applications in Greater Shepparton and establish a process providing an opportunity for affected stakeholders to be heard.

The council’s main concern with the applications is ‘‘whether the loss of productive agricultural land . . . for a solar farm produces acceptable planning outcomes.’’

The News understands the planning minister can approve, reject or green light the permits with conditions that factor in community concerns.

The minister will convene an independent planning panel to consider the merits of the proposals, and then provide advice for him to consider, the News understands.

The panel will also be providing advice to the energy minister about how future solar farm applications will be assessed in Victoria, the News understands.

Mr Wynne said renewable energy projects created jobs, drive down power prices and boost regional communities, ‘‘but that doesn’t mean they deserve a rubber stamp’’.

‘‘We’ll ensure all objectors have their say and their concerns are addressed where appropriate.’’

Thomas Moir’s story from today’s Shepparton News - “Heat off solar farms.”

Council backs solar farms.

Councillors are celebrating a ‘‘solar city’’ return with more than $300 million and 200 megawatts of proposals across five solar farm projects being considered for Greater Shepparton.

The council on Tuesday night voted for its chief executive to request Victoria’s planning minister decide on the solar farm planning applications in Greater Shepparton.

The council also resolved to invite the minister to establish a process that provides a fair and proper opportunity for all affected stakeholders to be heard.

Background to this week’s meeting detailed that if future applications are lodged, officers propose to also refer those applications to the minister for a decision.

Five solar farm proposals — located in Tatura East, Tallygaroopna, Lemnos, Congupna and Mooroopna — have been detailed by the council in background to the meeting.

These projects would produce an estimated output of 217 megawatts and cost a total $316 million, according to council projections.

The council’s main concern with the applications is ‘‘whether the loss of productive agricultural land . . . for a solar farm produces acceptable planning outcomes’’.

Officers would need to consider conflicting policies and decide on net benefit, considered a difficult task.

‘‘Officers consider that the most efficient method of determining these solar farm applications . . . is to request (the minister) become the decision maker,’’ the report continues.

If agreed, it would ensure decisions were determined faster.

Background also refers to a sixth solar farm application, totalling 100 megawatts and worth $150 million, as being expected in about six months.

In moving the motion to refer the proposals on to the minister, Cr Dinny Adem stressed the ‘‘1000 percent’’ support for solar farms from the council and cited the potential for applicants to get tied up in processes.

Cr Chris Hazelman agreed it was appropriate to refer the items on for government assistance in helping determine such applications.

‘‘This is really the tip of the iceberg,’’ Cr Bruce Giovanetti said, referring to renewable energy targets, predicting ‘‘huge development in this area’’.

Cr Fern Summer moved an amendment to ensure the council also helped develop a strategy to balance the existing prime agricultural land use with large-scale renewable energy applications but did not receive support.

Following the meeting, Mayor Kim O’Keeffe spruiked the ‘‘significant investment’’ forthcoming from the proposals, which presented a valuable opportunity for the city.

Background to the meeting emphasised the motion carried by the council did not remove the opportunity of objectors to two of the projects to be heard.

Story by Thomas  Moir in the Shepparton News - “Council backs solar farms.”

A trio of Shepparton council candidates join us for a chat Beneath the Wisteria

City of Greater Shepparton
 Council candidate, Ian
Christoe (centre), talks
about his hopes.

An impressive number of 26 people have nominated for next month’s City of Greater Shepparton Council elections next month, but just three of those choose to join us Beneath the Wisteria on Saturday (September 29).

They were present councillor, Jenny Houlihan, and two who have nominated for the Saturday, October 27, elections, Ian Christoe and Menon Parameswaran.

It would be grossly unfair to say anything derogatory about the remaining 23, for the invitation was made only the previous day in the Shepparton News and was general, rather than specific.

Present councillor with the
 Greater City Shepparton
Council, Jenny Houlihan
 (centre), talks about what
the council has done and
what is planned.

Although there was no expectation that any of candidates would deliver any sort of presentation, each was given an opportunity to say something about any council with which they were involved would respond to the challenges our community faces as a result of our changing climate.

Nearly 20 people gathered Beneath the Wisteria for Saturday’s intellectually engaging conversation.

Views and opinions quickly sashayed around the group, and depending upon the personal prism through which the discussion was viewed, it became obvious as discussion evolved that the responsibility to address climate change rested with the people of the city, or in this instance those who gather Beneath the Wisteria.

First we have to do what we can to ensure the appropriate people are elected to the council and then engage with those elected to see that they pursue policies that will prepare our city for the unquestioned challenges ahead.