Nurses to withdraw support for Inner West Council’s Fairer Future plans
Nurses have joined protesters against the Inner West Council’s Fairer Future Plan, an ambitious rezoning of Sydney’s inner west to increase density by 31,000 homes, adding to the current tally of 80,000.
The issue became a lightning rod for Sydney’s housing crisis, where YIMBYs and other residents came to a head in a meeting in July. And now the RPA Hospital Branch of the New South Wales Nurses and Midwives Association has passed a motion to oppose the development and is requesting the wider association withdraw its previously stated support.
The group is particular concerned about the low levels of social housing and recreational open space in plans for up to 90,000 new residents. It also has concerns that existing low-income and affordable housing will be sacrificed to pave the way for brand new and more expensive homes. Some residents, including in 17 affordable rentals, are already reporting eviction notices via QR code at sites with approved new development of their homes.
Gladstone could be leading the clean energy charge
Beyond Zero Emissions has released a new report, Powering Up Gladstone,which discusses the potential ofthe coastal city of Gladstone to become a leader in clean commodities with the right coordination and support. The town 517 kilometres north west of Brisbane and 108 km south east of Rockhampton, is home to Queensland’s largest multi-commodity shipping port.
The report finds the regional approach could unlock $7.8 billion of new investment in renewables and generate 11,000 local jobs in a region; however, it currently faces uncertainty due to Queensland’s new Energy Roadmap scrapping coal power plant closures, increasing gas generation and delaying new targets.
Meanwhile, industry ambitions in the area are strong, with major players such as Rio Tinto and Orica setting “bold emission targets backed by renewable power purchase agreements.” The report said the state government is giving “conflicting policy signals”, which undermines investor confidence.
ALC calls for a net zero fund to target road freight
The Australian Logistics Council (ALC) is calling for the federal government’s proposed Net Zero Fund to target “catalytic” investment into decarbonising the nation’s freight and logistics sector. The organisation said the government must address “structural market failures” that currently prevent investment in low emissions technologies for the sector.
It recommends implementing a tiered funding model that allows the industry to access grants, concessional loans and private capital guarantees, prioritising battery electric and hydrogen trucks, depot and terminal electrification, short haul battery electric locomotives, hydrogen refuelling networks and precinct-scale renewable energy systems.
In its submission to the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, the organisation said freight was a “national productivity and competitiveness issue” and that success “should be measured by emissions reduced per dollar invested, private capital leveraged and growth in domestic manufacturing and jobs.”
New Energy Transport trial success
And while we’re talking about logistics, New Energy Transport, which operates a fleet of fully electric trucks powered by wholesale renewable energy, recently completed a trial replacing diesel trucks in delivering a 12 metre container from Port Botany to a distribution centre in Western Sydney for Who Gives a Crap.
The company’s co-founder and director, Daniel Bleakley, said it showed a heavy electric truck can operate under the same conditions as diesel trucks, transport the same payload on the same route, but with zero emissions, pollution and reduced road noise and at the same price as diesel.
Conry Tech secures funding
Conry Tech, a Greenlister, has secured $3 million in a seed funding round, taking its total funding to $13 million. The new funding will help the company finish its development and expand its team. The round was led by climate tech investor Audacy.
The startup hopes to raise money to build manufacturing facilities in Australia. The two co-founders, Ron Conry and Sam Ringwaldt, had previously run successful businesses in Canada and the US, including Turbocor, which received $26 million from the Canadian government in 1999 to scale up.
Toby Chan, partner and co-founder at Audacy, said the startup’s revolutionary HVAC system will be crucial as cooling demands are projected to skyrocket in the APAC, a region impacted by rising temperatures, rapid urbanisation and economic growth.
NSW government introduces mandatory climate reporting reforms
The NSW government is introducing new mandatory climate related reporting reforms for government entities, such as departments, agencies, and state-owned corporations. Climate Change Minister Penny Sharpe and Treasurer Daniel Mookey said the reforms will provide accountability and transparency over government action in managing climate risks such as frequent and severe heatwaves, bushfires and floods.
The government believes the move will drive private investment in climate action and strengthen state finances through increased investor confidence in the state’s delivery of climate commitments. It said the World Bank and other investors are increasingly using government climate disclosures in due diligence requirements.
NSW government waves through gas pipeline
Just days after the climate reporting reforms, the NSW government gave the green light to gas infrastructure group APA Group to take over and repurpose the use of an idle pipeline to move gas from South Australia to the east coast of NSW.
The government insists it will help replace aging coal power stations, and the pipe will pump 20 – 25 terajoules of gas per day, helping fulfil a gas “supply gap” on the east coast.
Nature design guide released
The Living Future Institute of Australia has released its new Nature Design Guide that offers actionable nature-based solutions to help project teams, clients, and partners incorporate nature positive outcomes and benefits into their design on single buildings or precinct-scale projects.
The guide aims to equip professionals designing new developments to do more than target the minimisation of harm and actively protect, regenerate, restore and respect cultural landscapes and the natural world. It also includes a decision-making tool on the benefits of nature based designs.
Collaborators on the guide include: Nature & Climate, Lendlease, OCULUS, Harrington & Low Consulting, Living Seawalls, Francisii Ecology, Hollow Log Homes, Fytogreen, Curtin University, Mott MacDonald, Arcadis, Global GreenTag International, AECOM and Mansfield Advisory.
Heat pump feasibility grant extended
The NSW government’s heat pump feasibility grant has been extended until 24 November. The grant provides $30,000 to cover 75 per cent of the cost of a feasibility study on installing heat pumps in a business.
As previously reported in TFE, the total funding amount of the grant is only $1 million. The fine print of the guidelines states that the grant is part of a pilot program and will only benefit 29 participating businesses.
Applicants must have an NSW business site address and use between 5,000 and 10,000 gigajoules of gas per year. Businesses also need to have a specialist consultant who can complete the assessment on hand.
Origin Energy retrain Eraring employees
Origin Energy has taken on the task of reskilling its employees of the Eraring power station, saying 98 per cent of eligible employees have now engaged with the program, 513 training courses have been funded, with 231 courses already completed, thanks to recognising employees’ prior learning. The monthly newsletter with resources has an 80 per cent average readership.
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Leone Lorrimer, who recently retired as national practice leader of GHD Design, reflected that collaboration in her profession had changed profoundly, adding that early in her career, “architects managed every aspect of a project”.
“Now, we work alongside contractors, engineers, planners and project managers, integrating expertise to deliver outcomes that are safer, more sustainable and more responsive to society’s needs.”
She also added that she was “especially proud” of the progress in diversity and inclusion.
“When I joined the board of Woods Bagot, I was the only woman in executive leadership in any large architecture practice in Australia,” and that senior women in architecture were “rare and invisible.”
But now, women can be seen with the title of “director” and CEO, leading large practices. “I’m proud to have been there as a role model and I continue to sit with senior women in architecture, sharing a coffee, talking through challenges and ways to break through the barriers that still exist.”