Dirt Radio

Friends of the Earth's SKAT (Strezlecki Koala Action Team) Collective have been working on surveying koala habitat in Victoria's south-east since 2013. They are working to create comprehensive mapping of the state's only endemic koala population. Today on the show we chat with Anthony Amis, who has been involved with forest conservation in the area since the 1990s and who has been heading up the k...

Today on the show Megan speaks with Peta Thornton - a citrus grower from Swan Hill, community sustainability leader and fierce opponent to the floodplain infrastructure that is being pushed ahead in the Nyah Vinifera Forest. Tune in for an indepth discussion about the Murray Floodplain and what's happening right now. See Friends of the Earth Melbourne Events page for upcoming collective meetings a...

This June, the Lock the Gate Alliance marks ten years of campaign work aimed at confronting the potentially devastating impacts of unchecked mining for coal and coal seamed gas for rural and regional Australia. Georgina Woods, NSW Lock the Gate co-ordinator and spokesperson, looks back on those early days of organizing, recounts some memorable successes, and foreshadows the on-going challenges sti...

In this week's episode of Dirt Radio, Em brings you a snippet of one of last year's Acting Up series episodes that celebrated Friends of the Earth's 45th birthday. The episode looks at the Barmah Millewa collective that was set up in solidarity with the Yorta Yorta people in 1998 to support their fight for Native Title and the designation of the Barmah Millewa national park. Hear Aunty Monica Morg...

It's Global Wind Day! For today's show we talk to Friends of the Earth's Yes2Renewables Coordinator, Pat Simons, Voices of the Valley's Wendy Farmer, and Strezlecki Sustainable Future group's Cath Thompson about the Latrobe Valley and how the winds of change are blowing in a renewable energy future. Get involved:Friends of the Earth's Global Wind Day actionVoice of the ValleyStrezlecki Sustainble...

Megan and Lucinda catch up with the Steve Meacher, the President of the Friends of the leadbeaters possum and Cath Rouse from the FoE Forest Collective to talk about the recent Federal Court decision to halt logging in 66 coups across Victoria's central highlands. Final hearings to be set by the end of the month, find out why this could be a Franklin Dam scale win for the environemnt movement. Fol...

In this week's episode of Dirt Radio, Em takes us back into the archives to hear some audio from the Indigenous Solidarity Gatherings hosted by Friends of the Earth in 1997 and 1998. We hear speeches from Aunty Pauline Gordon and Aunty Wadjurlabinna Nulyarimma, and intro from Anthony Amis who was involved in organising the conferences. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners please note th...

As our isolating shows continue, we catch up with Anja Homberg from the Disablity Resource Centre to hear about a recent collaboration with Friends of the Earth around accessible access to transport - #LifelongLockdown. Then we get a bit silly with Sam Castro and Sean Bedlam to talk about their new podcast- They're Gonna Kill Us - whihc you can find on Itunes or Spotify.

On today’s show we catch up on how the Act on Climate Collective has been adapting to COVID 19 and pushing ahead to make Vicotoria a leader in Climate action with collective member Anna Langford and then hear how Friend of the Earth is keeping the doors open with a fundraising update from frundraising coordiantor Jemila Rushton. RSVP to the People's Climate Strategy for Victoriahttps://www.actoncl...

The NorthEast Link Project is set to start early works on May 18. The project has come under scrutiny as 4 local councils that will be impacted by the project have taken it to court over its inadequate Environmental Effects Statement. Today on Dirt Radio, we chat with Claudia and Mary from Sustainable Cities about their campaign to oppose the project, as well as Michelle from Friends of Banyule -...

What will the post lockdown world look like? What examples can we look to for alternative way of operating? Megan speaks with Katherine Cunningham from Earthworker and Godfrey Moase from Cooperative Power about the place for cooperatives in a post-capitalist world. More infor about Earthworker https://earthworkercooperative.com.au/Sign up for Cooperative Power https://www.cooperativepower.org.au/S...

Communities across Australia are caring for one another by staying at home to flatten the curve, however extractive capitalism continues on in a business as usual fashion in so-called Australia and across the world. On today's show host Em Gayfer chats with Babs Rapeport about the ways in which State of Emergency powers can be used by governments to expand colonial, capitalist pursuits. Em also sp...

The Friends of the Earth Food Coop is still trading under COVID-19 restrictions. We hear a little about the history of the Coop and how you can stil come in to shop.

Last week Daniel Andrews opened up Victoria to gas exploration as the everything else was shutting down. We couldn't hit the streets, but we could not let this go down without an action. Tune in to find out how Friends of the Earth is adapting to these rapidly changing times.  Its not too late to join our digital rally https://www.melbournefoe.org.au/snap_action_fossil_fuels_vicMutual Aid Resource...

We chat with Pat Simons from Friends of the Earth’s Yes2Renewables campaign and Penny Howard, a researcher with the Maritime Union of Australia about how offshore wind is a win win win for jobs, climate and a just transitions.

Last week, conservation group Forest Conservation Victoria stopped logging in the Zinger Coup located  in the Valley of Giants, Toolangi. Conservationist Alana Mountain was involved in the protests and joined Megan in studio to talk about why this special forest desperately needs protection. Follow Forest Conservation Victoria on Facebook - www.facebook.com/forestconservationvicCall Premier Daniel...

Today we start the first episode in a BRAND NEW series documenting the way we organise and operate at Friends of the Earth. In the show we interview Dirt Radio co-host Phil Evans about "The Rhizome" a concept we use to describe the organising work FoE does. Tune in for some nerdy discussions around anti-hierarchical structures, supporting frontline communities and so much more! 

Over the Weekend When the River Runs Dry made its Australian premiere at the Transitions Film Festival in Melbourne. Hear the panel discussion with film makers Rory Mcleod and Peter Yates, Muruwari and Budjiti man Bruce Shillingsworth and Friends of the Earth River Country Coordinator Megan Williams facilitated be Alanta Colley. 1. Find a screening near you2. Take the Pledge to Save the Barka  

Today on the show we speak with Dr Jim Green about the recent Federal government announcement of a national nuclear waste dump in Kimba, SA. Jim is currently in SA where Traditional Owners and community members are fighting to oppose the dump. To find out more, visit nuclear.foe.org.au

The Act on Climate Collective made a human sign that spelled the out less than 1.5C as a directive for Daniel Andrews to set emissions reductions targets in line with the science that says globally we need to limit warming to less than 1.5C if we are to avoid the most catastrphic impacts of the impending climate crisis. Megan interviews Emma Sandford and John Knox from the act on Climate collectiv...

This show may be disturbing to some listeners. We talk to Friends of the Earth Strzelecki Koala Campaigner, Anthony Amis, about the recently reported koala massacre in South West Victoria. The issues surrounding the incident are not as clean cut as at first glance, and Anthony talks us through the history of translocation, boom and bust populations, and dipslaced animals from plantations. Please s...

There's so much misinformation in the Murray Darling Basin that it can be hard to tell fact from fiction. Tune in as we bust some of the biggest myths in the murray Darling Basin, with Megan Williams and jack McPherson of River Country and Katharine McBride of Tolarno Station. Learn more: https://www.melbournefoe.org.au/river_myths_1Follow River Country on Facebook and get in touchhttps://www.face...

As the year draws to a close Megan catches up with Jane Hutchings from the Transform Waste Collective and Larissa Milsum from the FoE Food Coop about how to reduce your footprint this holiday season.

Concerned community members Michelle Giovas and Helen Claudia and Helen Tsoutsouvas joined Phil in the studio to look at the community resistance to the $16 billion dollar North East Link road project. Claudia Gallois from Friends of the Earth's Sustainable Cities collective also let us know about an upcoming rally and how you can get involved. RALLY - Wednesday 27th November at parliament. More d...

Friends of the Earth Act on Climate activists, Anna Langford and Aaron Brooks, joins host, Phil Evans, to talk about how climate has changed in Victoria, what are the impacts, and who is standing in the way for climate justice action. The Act on Climate climate impacts map is launched November 27 at Katherine Symes library. More information here.