Sutherland Greens

17/05/2026

It was a sea of yellow outside the NSW Planning Minister's office yesterday as the Illawarra Knitting Nannas Against Greed and the Sydney Knitting Nannas And Friends let Paul Scully MP know what they think about Labor's new NSW Coal Industry Plan.

It's a plan to let coal companies continue to threaten our water catchments. It also ignores the NSW Net Zero Commission report which states that further coal mine extensions are incompatible with the state’s emissions reduction targets.

We heard from Anne from the Knitting Nanas, Nic Clyde from Lock The Gate Alliance, Steph Lentz the Gardens of Stone Alliance 4nature campaigner, Deidre Stuart from Illawarra Greens, Sutherland Greens members, and Sutherland Shire Environment Centre spokesman Cooper Riach.

Peabody is now planning to mine the Woronora catchment through the 2040s, aiming to put in a whole new even bigger mine. The company stills think polyurethane grouting is an acceptable way of remediating subsidence damage they will cause. They also want to use biodiversity offsets to make up for the destruction of swamps.

Catchment swamp ecosystems are vital - they hold water in dry periods, releasing it slowing, filtering and naturally cleaning the water we drink. New research has found that damage to swamps from mining is irreversible, and that over 45% of swamps at the Woronora Plateau are at risk of collapse if undermining there continues.

Steph Lentz spoke about Centennial mine near Lithgow, which is now also seeking to expand, and how this mine is also being allowed to treat the headwaters of Sydney’s drinking water catchment as a waste discharge point. This is our drinking water. It's shocking this discharge is allowed, and shocking that the government continues with a lax environmental planning laws that allows major polluters to discharge contaminated water into the Sydney Drinking Water Catchment.

The NSW Labor government is prioritising coal over water.

We need a just transition now. Great to see members of POWA - Protect Our Water Alliance and their NO MINING IN THE WATER CATCHMENT + SUSTAINABLE JOBS banners.

Thanks to everyone who signed the Save our Swamps petition saying biodiversity offsets should not be used to destroy swamps!! It is worth remembering Peabody makes billions every year and pays NO TAX.

Thanks to all who signed the Gardens of Stone Alliance petition calling for NSW Labor to reinstitute the Neutral or Beneficial Effect (NorBE) test, and to honour its 2017 promise to protect Sydney’s drinking water.

14/05/2026

Hi everyone, a reminder of the rally being held 11:30am to 12:30pm this Saturday 16 May at 51 Crown St, Wollongong!

This is to protest a policy that will continue approvals for mining operations including extension of the time and area of existing mines, and restarts of former operations.

Hear from expert speakers, join us in singing protest songs and sign letters to Ministers Houssos, Scully and Jackson.

Be prepared for changeable weather and bring an umbrella if needed!

Hi everyone, a reminder of the rally being held 11.30 to 12.30 Saturday 16 May at 51 Crown St, Wollongong!

This is to protest the NEW POLICY FOR COAL MINING IN NSW, 'NSW Coal Industry 2026-50'. This policy will continue approvals for mining operations including extension of the time and area of existing mines, and restarts of former operations.

Hear from expert speakers, join us in singing protest songs and sign letters to Ministers Houssos, Scully and Jackson.

Be prepared for changeable weather and bring an umbrella if needed.

11/05/2026

The Illawarra Knitting Nannas Against Greed are holding a rally this Saturday 16 May 11.30am at 51 Crown St, Wollongong.

Join them in protesting the new policy for coal mining in NSW, 'NSW Coal Industry 2026-50'. This policy will continue approvals for mining operations including extension of the time and area of existing mines, and restarts of former operations.

Hear from expert speakers, join in singing protest songs and sign letters to Ministers Houssos, Scully and Jackson.

Hi everyone, a reminder of the rally being held 11.30 to 12.30 Saturday 16 May at 51 Crown St, Wollongong!

This is to protest the NEW POLICY FOR COAL MINING IN NSW, 'NSW Coal Industry 2026-50'. This policy will continue approvals for mining operations including extension of the time and area of existing mines, and restarts of former operations.

Hear from expert speakers, join us in singing protest songs and sign letters to Ministers Houssos, Scully and Jackson.

Be prepared for changeable weather and bring an umbrella if needed.

01/05/2026

28/04/2026

26/04/2026

There are just 48 hours left to make your opinions known on the proposed waterways rezoning!

Here's a letter you can use if you haven't got time to write your own:

Dear Mayor Boyd

In agreement with the Open Letter recently sent to you and the other Councillors by a range of respected environment protection groups and community leaders, I ask that the Port Hacking & Georges River Waterways Planning Proposal be withdrawn.

Based on the evidence I have seen and heard, everything about the current Proposal is bad because it:

- Fails to meet even a basic test of pursuing the public interest.
- Fails to improve rather than diminish the protection of biodiversity, public amenity, heritage or cultural values along the shire’s waterways.
- Has not been openly scrutinised by a genuine process of public consultation before being submitted for state government planning approval.
- Is so lacking in technical merit that state government planning approval is unlikely – in the end, there will be no winners and ratepayers will inevitably carry the cost.

Yours sincerely
Your name
Your suburb

Please send your email by 5pm April 28

Email to: [email protected]

Or if you live in the Sutherland Shire... Email to your ward councillors at these addresses:
Ward A: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],
Ward B: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],
Ward C: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Ward D: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],
cc. [email protected]

25/04/2026

25/04/2026

Your help is needed!

On the 28th April, our local councillors will decide whether to continue with the proposal to rezone large swathes our foreshores to allow for the development of boat mooring pens, marinas, charter and tourism boating facilities, and kiosks.

This level of development would fundamentally change the character of our waterways and destroy many of the ecosystems vital for the health of the whole waterway. This is unacceptable and cannot be allowed to go ahead.

Please lobby your local councillors before the 28th April, demanding that they end their pursuit of Planning Proposal PLN008-26 now.

And if you can, come along to the Council meeting on the 28th April to show your opposition. Every effort helps.

For more information, visit the Sutherland Shire Environment Centre website:

https://www.ssec.org.au/our-campaigns/waterways-rezoning-proposal/

23/04/2026

Local council is proposing to officially name the reserve off Liffey Place Woronora as Dulumunmun Dreaming Place. The naming proposal is in honour of the late First Nations Elder Uncle Max Dulumunmun Harrison.

You can take the survey about it below or make a submission before 28 April.

Acknowledgement of Country Sutherland Shire Council acknowledges the Dharawal people as the Traditional Custodians of the land within Sutherland Shire. We value and celebrate Dharawal culture and language, and acknowledge the Dharawal people’s continuing connection to