Earth Matters

John Seed and his colleagues are helping people all over this country and overseas  find their ecological self. Plus:  John gives practical suggestions on how to find direction in life. Music: A new recording of Johns Seed singing his song Expanding Universe. Links:John Seeds Deep Ecology workshop schedule on The Rainforest Information Centre(link is external) website. Falling in Love with the Wor...

The Lake Bolac Eel Festival is held at Lake Bolac in southwest Victoria in autumn to celebrate the Eel harvest. It continues a tradition that goes back tens of thousands of years when Indigenous peoples from the area gathered for important business; to trade goods, conduct ceremonies and share stories. Begun in 2005 by Neil Murray, singer/songwriter from the area and founding member of the Warumpi...

Buddy up with Bec and  experience this multifaceted Protestival.  We will be chatting to the people involved, hearing fab and funny speakers and  kicking  off  shoes to groove with Gurridyula. Aunty Sue s summary of the Australian Parliament is hilarious. Guests:  Frankie Kellie: School Strike for Climate, Aunty Sue Ellen: Gomeroi Elder, Bev Smiles: Hunter Community Activist, Rohan 7yo, George- Ne...

Join the the circle of thousands and be challenged by a deep and unique Welcome to Country at the Peoples Blockade of the worlds largest coal port. Uncle Judulu, didge and singing  melds to a deep plea to care for the land, before hundreds of people and canoes entered the coal port shipping channel to disrupt movements of coal ships. Over 170 people were arrested for blocking the coal shipping cha...

Would you prefer gas, secrets or radioactivity with your cancer? The proposed Middle Arm Gas Hub in Darwin threatens residents with cancerous fumes and us all with global heating.  The ask is simple; redirect the 1.9 billion dollar subsidy and Stop Middle Arm. Nuclear power is at the heart of the Dutton opposition’s energy policy. His leadership style was exposed when he  tried to slip out a back...

We all have to respond to climate extremes yet many groups are still cant  find seats at climate negotiation tables.  This Earth Matters gets into the nitty gritty of inclusion issues at the  global heating international negotiations known as COP. Guests: Dr Sally Box,  Australia's Chief negotiator at the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP) conferences. Kesaya Baba a Senior Manager for COP31 St...

Sonia Randhawa (Wednesday Breakfast) interviews geospatial analyst with the World Resources Institute Radost Stanimirova about the loss of forest cover related to mining.  Read more here:  https://www.wri.org/insights/how-mining-impacts-forestsSamoan climate justice activist Suluafi Brianna Fruean interviewed by Priya Kunjan (Thursday Breakfast) speaks with us about centring Pacific climate priori...

A small community are putting their bodies on the line to save Greater Gliders before they are gone forever their homes felled by Forestry Corp.  Even the local retired school principal has been arrested. Susie Russel almost flys with the Greater Gliders as she describes how they live in the forest, their plight and the deaf ears of the government. Then long time campainer Dailan Pugh from the Nor...

 Warmly, three skilled and powerful women share what they actually do in their jobs as international climate negotiators and advocates. Dr Sally Box, explains her role as Australia's Chief negotiator at the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP) conferences. Kesaya Baba a Senior Manager for COP31 Strategy and Partnerships with  WWF-Australia and  Tamara Inkster-Draper; Programme Manager of the Int...

Today on Earth Matters, in the lead up to an upcoming Federal Election, we are looking at how so called fake news is slowing down the environmental action in Australia. We explore how traditional media, and its newer social media cousin, is driving a twin crises that threatens not only the environment, but our minds aswell. Thanks to ABC Friends for their assistance. Check out the Climate of Misin...

Today's show features an interview from the 26th of September this year with members of Cook Islands grassroots collective Ocean Ancestors Louisa Castledine and Dr Teina Rongo, who spoke about Cook Islanders' concerns about and resistance to deep sea mining in their waters. On the 18th of September, Ocean Ancestors were involved in organising a sail-out rally to demonstrate community support for t...

Yuin elder, Tom Slockee describes his experience organising the rehousing of aboriginal families who fled their burning houses in Mogo NSW in 2019. Music: Why you tryna bring us down  from Melbourne based artist Canisha Barkindji song woman Nancy Bates, latest single, "Blood Red Moon". Set against the backdrop of the Menindee Lakes, in far west New South Wales. It is a celebration of the healing p...

The Connecting Communities gathering on Walbunja and Brindja-Yuin Country, Moruya on Saturday 23rd March, bought hundreds of  people together for a day of solidarity, unity and acknowledgment of the shared struggles of First Peoples locally and around the globe. A Unity Walk of song and dance, led by Walbunja Songman Jordan Nye, of the Muladha Gamara cultural performers, saw hundreds of people mak...

This  Womens Climate Conversation identifies some tools and ways forward to caring for future generations and all life.  Guests: Susan Moylan-Coombs is the founding director of The Gaimaragal Group, which she established to create a new story of connection and wellbeing for all Australians. The group’s aim is to facilitate the voice for our Elders in the contemporary social space, empower First Na...

“Caring for future generations and all Life” is the topic of this ground breaker Womens Climate Conversation.   “How do we look to the future when we haven’t addressed the historical issues of the past”. Susan Moylan-Coombs Guests: Susan Moylan-Coombs is the founding director of The Gaimaragal Group, which she established to create a new story of connection and wellbeing for all Australians. The g...

1080 is primarily used in the struggle to protect native species from other invasive animals - but it is even used to control native dingoes, and other species of wallaby, possum and pademelon. Is it right to cause death in such a traumatic way? And what about the impact on our domesticated four legged friends? We talk to Alex Vince from the Coalition Against 1080 about their push to stop the use...

Samuel Janama Sandy is chair of the Nurrdalinji Aboriginal Corporation representing eleven native title areas across the Beetaloo area that is slated for intensive fracking.   Samuel shares some good reasons why fracking companies must: “Pack up and go home”. He documents the unfair “negations” fracking companies imposed on his community to get so-called “agreements” to frack. The impact of fracki...

Approvals for  a new nuclear waste facility on Meandup/Garden Island in WA were recently granted to service US and UK submarines. We speak with Mia Pepper from the Conservation Council of WA and Nuclear Free WA about this latest development in the ongoing AUKUS saga. Featuring music from Monkey Marc, CAIN, Combat Wombat and Krzysztof PendereckiEarth Matters #1463 was produced by Phil Evans on Jabi...

Today, we're looking at a significant legal battle brewing in Bougainville, an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea that voted for independence in 2019. Thousands of residents have come together to file a class action lawsuit against mining giant Rio Tinto and its former subsidiary, Bougainville Copper Ltd, over what they claim is historical mismanagement of the massive Panguna copper mine. We he...

We catch up with Ella and Nate from Blockade Australia for the latest about their ongoing spree of actions. We also take a look at why Blockade Australia are taking action, and what some of the consequences being faced by activists. Check out https://www.blockadeaustralia.com/ for links and more details. Featuring music by Monkey Marc and DRMNGNOW.Earth Matters #1461 was produced by Phil Evans on...

What is it like to be an activist in the belly of the beast? We talk to Chris, Fiona, and Rachel from the Pilbara Climate Network about their experience working for climate justice in the remote, north west mining town of Karratha. Many people would have heard the stories of city based activists working to 'Disrupt Burrup Hub' - but what of the folks who wake up to the harsh reality of the mass in...

We hear the story of Coedie, the Wangan and Jagalingou man who for over a thousand and thirty days has been reoccupying his country in defiance of Adanis coal mine, at Waddananggu  in QLD On Monday 17th June 2024 Pentarch timber mill,  entrances were blockaded for four and a half hours by about 30 people concerned Pentarch is milling illegally logged timber. Meanwhile in the south of NSW  South Ea...

This week, Peter Dutton received a radioactive reception after announcing a bold plan to implement nuclear energy, should the Liberals win the next federal election. It marks a new chapter in Australia’s ongoing climate wars, and while there’s little details about costs or timelines, the prospect of nuclear power has been met with fierce opposition from energy leaders, environmentalists, and state...

Fifty Knitting Nannas against Coal, Gas and Greed made power tea  in Canberra and needled against the government's Future Gas Plan. What’s the point of going to talk to politicians in Canberra and is it worth it. Nannas will tell you. Then we hear the plea from Aunty Susan Anderson that her  flood displaced clan be allowed to return to their houses and cultural connections on Cabbage Tree Island o...

Much of the environmental catastrophe happening around the world is being driven by ongoing colonialism. Recently Friends of the Earth held a panel discussion looking at the intersection of colonialism and the environment, in context of the current genocide, and ecocide, in Gaza. We hear stories from Australia, Malaysia, and Palestine, drawing together common threads to inspire collective action....