Pittwater Online News

NSW Container Deposit Scheme: Have Your Say

On 21 February 2015, the Premier, the Hon. Mike Baird MP, announced the implementation of a container deposit scheme (CDS) by 1 July 2017.

A container deposit scheme (CDS) uses rewards to encourage people to return their drink containers to a collection point. CDSs are a way to reward environmentally responsible behaviour, reduce drink container litter and increase recycling.

The NSW Container Deposit Scheme Discussion Paper is your opportunity to tell us what kind of CDS you would like to see in NSW.

This discussion paper has been prepared by the NSW Environment Protection Authority, on behalf of the Container Deposit Scheme Advisory Committee, appointed by the Minister for the Environment.

Have your say

Submit your feedback on the discussion paper by Friday 26 February 2016.

For more information, visit the EPA website.

Online Consultation

Date: Dec. 18, 2015 - Feb. 26, 2016, Time: 10:30pm — 12:00pm

More Information container.deposit@epa.nsw.gov.au or  (02) 9995 5555  Agency Website

Conservation groups withdraw from Mike Baird’s predetermined biodiversity reforms

19 February, 2016: NSW Nature Conservation Council

The Baird government’s biodiversity law reform agenda has suffered a major setback today with the state’s peak conservation groups withdrawing from top-level stakeholder consultations with the Office of Environment and Heritage, who are drafting the new laws.

The groups are now seeking direct talks with the Ministers for Environment, Planning and Primary Industries.

The groups have issued this joint statement about the withdrawal:

“We have provided detailed analysis and constructive feedback to help develop a conservation law that addresses the increasing threats to wildlife, soils and climate, but it is now clear that the government is on a course  to pursue development at high environmental cost.

“It has become clear that the broad outcomes of this process are being  predetermined by a minority of rural interests, and the proposed Biodiversity Conservation Act will fail to secure adequate protections for our wildlife, water and soils. It will also increase climate change risks by permitting the resumption of broadscale land clearing.

“We therefore refuse to legitimise a wind-back of protections for nature by participating in the current stakeholder consultations any further.”

The Baird government plans to repeal the Native Vegetation Act and the Threatened Species Conservation Act and introduce a new conservation law this year. The groups’ analysis of the government’s proposals has concluded they would:

add extinction pressures to the state's 1000 threatened species;

threaten clean, reliable water supplies and degrade fertile farmlands through erosion and salinity;

put landmark trees and bushland in towns and suburbs at greater risk;

reduce tree coverage and undermine Australia's efforts to cut carbon pollution;

expand a flawed offsets scheme to try to recreate bushland cleared under the new laws in order to legitimize inappropriate development.

“Premier Mike Baird is putting our water, soils and climate at risk, and pushing our native animals to extinction with laws that will fast-track bushland destruction across NSW,” NSW Nature Conservation Council CEO Kate Smolski said. “Before the election, Premier Baird committed to ‘enhancing the state’s biodiversity to benefit current and future generations’. [1] Now he is buckling to the demands of big agribusiness and developers who want weaker nature protection laws to accelerate habitat destruction, the number one cause of wildlife extinctions. This legislation does not protect nature, it facilitates development.”

Total Environment Centre Director Jeff Angel said: “We are walking away from this process because it has become clear the government is focused on delivering a predetermined outcome for radicals in the National Party. We have no faith that the new system the government has been developing will protect our bushland and wildlife. We are calling on the Ministers for Environment, Planning and Primary Industries to intervene to get the reform process back on track. We are holding well attended community meetings across Sydney and along the coast and there is growing anger about the war on trees.  Without buy-in from the conservation movement, the government’s claim that its reforms will enhance environmental protection will lack all credibility.”

NSW National Parks Association CEO Kevin Evans said: “Nature in NSW is under extreme pressure, with almost 1000 species listed as threatened and bushland rapidly disappearing across the state. Without urgent action, koalas and many of our other iconic native animals will become extinct in our lifetime. This government has abandoned the building of the National Parks network, and now they are weakening biodiversity legislation across the state. They either don’t understand the crisis facing our wildlife and ecosystems or they simply don’t care. Either way, they’re out of touch. Thousands of farmers across the state are actively trying to restore habitat for native species, and these laws undermine all their good work.”

The Wilderness Society National Director Lyndon Schneiders said: “The government will take conservation in NSW backwards 20 years if it implements its new conservation regime in its current form. People are fed up with the loss of precious bushland and wildlife and they are looking to Premier Baird to show leadership on this issue. He needs to stand up to radicals in his government who are driving these damaging changes.”

WWF-Australia National Manager Science, Policy and Government Partnerships Paul Toni said: “The government’s proposed new Biodiversity Conservation law takes a Disneyland view of the world. Well we are not in Disneyland. Lots of people don’t do the right thing. These new laws will allow people who don’t do the right thing to destroy our trees and bush, wildlife, water and topsoil. And pretty soon there won’t be much bush or wildlife left. If the government wants to improve the environment, which we think it does, it needs to start operating in the real world by passing legislation that stops and then reverses the destruction of bush.”

Humane Society International’s Australian Director Michael Kennedy said: “There is undeniable irony in proposed ‘biodiversity’ reforms that are set to result in weakened protections for threatened wildlife and their habitats across NSW. We engaged in the process from the outset with hopes of positive outcomes for species and ecosystems under increasing threat, however it has become apparent that the government is unwilling to negotiate on a range of elements with unacceptable consequences.”

While the groups will no longer participate in the government’s “targeted stakeholder consultation” on the reforms, they will make submissions, and support members in making submissions, to the public consultation process when that occurs.

REFERENCES

[1] Before the 2015 NSW election, the Baird Coalition Government committed that:

“Our [biodiversity] reforms will … deliver an enhanced overall environmental outcome. … end[ing] the site by site incremental erosion of biodiversity overseen by Labor and apply consistently to all landholders … The reforms offer a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve landscape health, ecosystem function, land-use productivity and conservation outcomes across NSW.”

NSW Government response to biodiversity review, 26 March 2015.

www.nswnationals.org.au/nsw_government_response_to_biodiversity_review

Travel advice protects plants and people

17 February 2016

People travelling back home from interstate, visitors to NSW and businesses bringing fresh fruit, vegetables and plants into the state now have access to the latest online advice detailing what and how they can legally transport plant material.

NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has developed a comprehensive manual so travellers and businesses can easily check where and what produce they can transport.

DPI industry liaison officer, Bev Zurbo, said plant quarantine is protecting people, industry and the environment.

That lovely ficus from Queensland could harbour red imported fire ants in the soil – these pests are a threat to human health and adversely affect the environment,” Ms Zurbo said.

Your potted plant may carry diseases which could impact on our valuable fruit, vegetable and wine industries.

Seemingly innocuous leftover fruit from a camping holiday in Western Australia could be wriggling with Mediterranean fruit fly larvae – it is better to be safe than sorry and check the manual first.

Our commitment to maintaining biosecurity relies not just on government legislation, regulatory officers and inspectors – it’s up to everyone to help support our quarantine strategies.

Ms Zurbo said interstate businesses importing fresh fruit, vegetables and plants into NSW also need to meet requirements such as treating and certifying fruit, vegetables and plant material before it is permitted to be brought into NSW.

Movement of some plant material is not permitted within NSW to protect production areas of important crops including rice, potatoes and bananas.

It’s all about managing risk to ensure our valuable food production areas are kept free from unwanted pests and diseases that could devastate industry and our economy.

The manual is a ready reference for regulatory staff who frequently provide market access information and advise people travelling or moving from interstate.

The NSW Plant Quarantine Manual is now available as a quick reference to help everyone better understand what produce can be brought into or moved within NSW and under what conditions this can occur.

Planning Assessment Commission to make final decision on modifications at Moolarben

15.02.2016: Departmental Media Release - Department of Planning and Environment

The independent Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) will make the final decision on two modification requests to the Moolarben Coal Mine about 40 kilometres northeast of Mudgee.

The Department of Planning and Environment has completed its assessment and has recommended that the PAC approve the applications. 

Moolarben Coal Operations is seeking permission to increase the size of longwall panels, extract an additional 3.7 million tonnes of coal and increase production at the mine from 14 to 18 million tonnes of coal a year. 

The Department placed the proposals on public exhibition for feedback in July last year and received 46 submissions, including seven from government agencies, eight from special interest groups and 31 from the community. 

Submissions focused on concerns about the cumulative impacts of mining associated with clearing of native woodland, dust and noise from coal trains, and impacts on water resources, especially the Goulburn River. 

The Department concluded that there would be limited change to the impacts of the approved mining operations, and any residual impacts could be effectively managed by ensuring compliance with the existing approvals. 

These approvals contain strict conditions for managing dust, noise, water and subsidence impacts. 

The PAC will now consider the Department’s assessment and community feedback and will hold a public meeting before making a final decision on the proposal.

“The Planning Assessment Commission is an important part of the NSW Planning system, ensuring that major developments are subject to expert, independent review and assessment.”

The Final Assessment can be found atwww.majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au

Have your say on 

Proposal to convert oil at a facility in Rutherford

16.02.2016: Departmental Media Release - Department of Planning and Environment

A modification request to enable the conversion of oils at the Cleanaway Waste Oil Processing Facility in Rutherford will be on exhibition from today for community feedback. 

The Department of Planning and Environment is keen to hear the community’s views on the proposal which seeks to make additions to the existing facility to convert oil from Grade I to the higher quality Grade II by:

• installing a new Oil Polishing System

• installing a new multi-fuel burner to the existing Low Pressure Steam Boiler

• installing six new tanks

• increasing existing firefighting capabilities

• increasing the height of a fuel burner stack from eight metres to 14 metres.

A spokesperson for the Department of Planning and Environment said the local community always has an opportunity to share their views.

“Community consultation is an integral part of the planning process and the applicant will have to respond to the feedback we receive,” the spokesperson said

“This feedback is taken into consideration when we develop our recommendations.

“It’s easy to participate by going online and we encourage everyone to take a look and have their say.” 

To make a submission or view the application, visit www.majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au.

Submissions can be made from Tuesday, 16 February 2016 until Tuesday, 1 March 2016. 

Written submissions can also be made to:

Department of Planning and Environment, Attn: A/ Director – Modification Assessments, GPO Box 39, Sydney NSW 2001

Direct link majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/job_id=7363 : 

Woodlawn Mine Modification 1

Proposed Modification to Project Approval 07 0143 For the Relocation of the Underground Mine Entry

Project is currently on public exhibition and opportunity for public submissions is available

Assessment Type Part3AMod

Project Type Mining, Petroleum & Extraction > Mining > Metals

Exhibition Start 17/02/2016

Exhibition End 03/03/2016

Direct Link:  www.majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/ob_id=7488

Public invited to review Kosciuszko's carrying capacity

Media release: 17 February 2016

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is exploring ways to manage the environmental carrying capacity of Kosciuszko National Park's alpine resorts and is encouraging the community to have their say.

Mick Pettit, NPWS Regional Manager, said this timely review will look at the best ways to ensure the economic and social benefits continue to flow from visitation to the resorts without compromising the environment.

“Up until now the carrying capacity of the resorts has been guided by bed numbers and while they are an easily understood means to limit the number of people and their impacts in an area, sustainable visitation and environmental management needs a multifaceted approach,” said Mr Pettit.

“The review delivers on actions in the Kosciuszko National Park Plan of Management that recognises that bed numbers alone don't comprehensively reflect the environmental footprint of the resorts and their visitors.

“NPWS want to work with the community to develop a new way to manage environmental carrying capacity, one that may include thresholds for a range of parameters such as water quality, habitat condition, soil health and the quality of the visitor experience.

“The review commences this month and will initially involve scoping the views of the community, before moving to Stage 2 when a carrying capacity framework will be prepared for comment.

“The review will also take into consideration the impact of increasing summer tourism and day visitors, which are not adequately addressed under the existing carrying capacity limits.

“The unique economic and cultural values of the area require a robust framework that will sustainably manage the impacts of park visitors on the environment now and into the future,” Mr Pettit said.

Stage one of the review marks the release of a discussion paper.

“I invite all interested parties to participate in the review, to discuss and provide comment on alternative methods and approaches for establishing carrying capacity,” said Mr Pettit.

Further information on the review and how to have your say can be found at: www.environment.nsw.gov.au/alpineresorts/index.htm

Kosciuszko National Park draft cycling strategy – public consultation

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is seeking comments on its draft cycling strategy for Kosciuszko National Park.

The draft strategy sets out  the objectives, vision and recommended actions for the future of cycling within the park, which includes road cycling and mountain biking.

There has been a significant increase in the popularity of cycling across Australia with Kosciuszko National Park becoming a leading cycling destination with outstanding cycling experiences and facilities available within the park and the surrounding area.

NPWS recognises the increasing demand for access and cycling in Kosciuszko National Park and hopes to increase visitation by providing high quality cycling experiences while ensuring that the natural and cultural heritage values of the park are protected. 

The draft strategy has been prepared with a round of community consultation and input from stakeholder groups including shire councils, resort operators, commercial tour operators and cycle clubs.

• Kosciuszko National Park Cycling Strategy: Consultation draft (PDF 2.5MB)

Related material:

• Kosciuszko National Park Overview map (JPG 7.6MB)

• Kosciuszko National Park Zoning Scheme map (JPG 2.5MB).

The community is invited to make a submission on the draft strategy with submissions closing on 15 March 2016.

Provide your comments in the following ways:

• by emailing kosciuszko.cyclestrategy@environment.nsw.gov.au

• by posting your submission to Project Manager, Kosciuszko National Park – Draft Cycling Strategy, PO Box 2228, Jindabyne NSW 2627

• by filling out the form below.

See: www.environment.nsw.gov.au/parks/kosciuszko-cycling.htm

Government secures 38 hectares of endangered Mulgoa bushland for Cumberland Conservation Corridor

Joint Media Release: 16 February 2016 - The Hon. Greg Hunt MP, Minister for the Environment and Fiona Scott MP, Federal Member for Lindsay

The Australian Government has secured more than 38 hectares of endangered Mulgoa bushland as part of its commitment to establish a Cumberland Conservation Corridor in Greater Western Sydney.

The Mulgoa Road property will create an important link between the Cumberland Plains Woodland and Mulgoa Creek to help boost the resilience of critically endangered ecosystems.

“It is vital that we continue to protect our native bushland and create green corridors for the long-term survival of our native plants and animals, and to preserve urban green spaces in Western Sydney for future generations,” Minister Hunt said.

“The Mulgoa Road property contains intact native vegetation, including Shale Gravel Transition Forest (Cumberland Plain Woodland) which is listed as critically endangered under national environment law. The property also includes state listed threatened habitat and vulnerable species.”

“This announcement is part of the Government's commitment to restore or protect approximately 700 hectares of Cumberland Plains woodlands through future land covenants, land acquisition and activities under the Green Army and the 20 Million Trees Programme.”

“The Australian Government is delivering on its $15 million election commitment to establish a Cumberland Conservation Corridor through three actions.”

“First, applications have been opened for grants to plant one million trees and rehabilitate 400 hectares within the Cumberland Conservation Corridor as part of the 20 Million Trees Programme.”

“Second, fifteen Green Army teams will restore over 250 hectares of habitat in the Cumberland Conservation Corridor.”

“Third, the remaining part of the 700 hectares will be placed under conservation covenants through Commonwealth purchases and this land will be held in public hands forever. Today's announcement brings this goal one step closer.”

“I particularly want to thank Fiona Scott for her leadership, along with Wayne Olling and Lisa Harrold.”

Federal Member for Lindsay, Fiona Scott MP, said the Mulgoa Road property will make a significant contribution to conservation efforts in the Cumberland Plain Woodlands.

“The local community and I have a deep personal connection to this land. Preserving green urban spaces is an important step in connecting communities with the environment and making our growing cities more livable,” Ms Scott said.

The land will be managed by the Nature Conservation Trust of NSW and the Cumberland Land Conservancy.

This funding is part of a $15 million commitment over three years to protect the Cumberland Conservation Corridor under the National Landcare Programme and Green Army Programme.

More information is available is available online atwww.nrm.gov.au/national/20-million-trees andwww.environment.gov.au/land/green-army.

The University of Melbourne working with the CEFC to accelerate clean energy goals

15 February, 2016

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) is lending up to $9.1 million to the University of Melbourne to finance emissions and cost-saving initiatives that will reduce the University’s energy bills, while increasing productivity and sustainability.

CEFC Executive Director – Corporate and Project Finance, Paul McCartney, said the CEFC’s finance will enable the University of Melbourne to accelerate its implementation of innovative energy efficient and renewable energy technologies, including voltage optimisation, freezer upgrades, solar photovoltaics, solar thermal and micro-turbines. The University expects these to reduce its grid electricity use by some eight per cent, and deliver carbon emissions abatement of over 9,000 tonnes per year upon project completion.

“Australia’s 39 universities make a major contribution to the national economy and to the Australian community,” Mr McCartney said. “Yet they face the ongoing challenges of public budget restraint, intensifying global competition and the need to use cutting edge technologies to meet increasing student expectations.

“Clean energy installations like those being undertaken by the University of Melbourne can help universities meet these challenges through an investment that results in reduced environmental impact, higher productivity and stronger financial performance.”

The University of Melbourne, with some 47,000 students, has the energy requirements of a town the size of Warrnambool. This highlights the significance of its commitment in seeking to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. The University is one of the leading universities across the sector working to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases, cut use of energy, and adopt more renewable and sustainable energy sources as it develops its campuses for a sustainable future.

University Vice-Principal, Administration & Finance, and Chief Financial Officer, Allan Tait, said the technologies being installed would provide a practical demonstration of the University’s strengthening commitment to sustainability.

“As a public-spirited university, Melbourne is committed to promoting sustainability through our operations, as well as in our research and education programs, particularly as the University has an obligation to show leadership in critical global issues such as those relating to climate change and sustainability,” Mr Tait said. “We are taking significant steps to reduce our environmental impact with the aim to move to zero emissions electricity and ultimately achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.”

As part of its Investment Mandate, the CEFC has a  focus on financing emerging and innovative renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency for cities and the built environment.

Mr McCartney said universities consume significant amounts of energy in the delivery of their services to students and their communities, through operating large campuses and facilities, as well research facilities.

“The CEFC is looking to work on similar innovative projects with other Australian universities to help them achieve increased sustainability through energy efficient and renewable technologies that reduce energy costs,” Mr McCartney said. “The CEFC’s finance can be structured over a longer term than traditionally offered by banks, tailored to match the cost savings delivered through the reduction in grid energy usage.”

Mr McCartney said around half of the energy consumption on a typical university campus is directly related to heating, ventilation and air conditioning requirements, with about one third relating to equipment and almost 20 per cent relating to lighting.

“These are all areas where the introduction of renewable energy and energy efficient equipment can really drive down energy usage and therefore significantly reduce energy emissions and costs. We see enormous potential for this important economic sector to increase its productivity and economic impact while reducing emissions through the introduction of clean energy technology.” 

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

The University of Melbourne was established in 1853 and is regarded as one of Australia’s leading research institutions.  It is a research-intensive comprehensive institution of 47,000 students, ranked by the Times Higher Education Supplement as first in Australia and number 33 in the world. The University’s Sustainability Plan for 2016-20 will set pathways for the University’s longer term sustainability objectives, including a transition to zero emissions electricity over coming years and to carbon neutrality by 2030. Since 2006 the university has implemented an environmental sustainability strategy for its operation that has so far reduced energy usage per floor area by around 24 per cent. A key focus will be on further energy reduction and transitioning its energy supply to renewable energy sources. 

Residential battery storage in Australia gets big boost

10 February 2016: ARENA Media Release

A USD $36.5 million investment in Sunverge Energy’s world-leading technology is set to advance the uptake of residential energy storage in Australia.

ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said the new round of financing included a USD $20 million commitment from AGL Energy Limited (AGL) and was a clear signal of confidence in Sunverge’s smart storage systems.

“This USD $20 million commitment from AGL will see one of Australia’s largest energy companies join other investors – ARENA, SBCVC, Siemens Venture Capital and Total Energy Ventures – to bring new residential storage technology to the Australian market,” Mr Frischknecht said.

“This new investment will build on more than USD $7 million that ARENA and SBCVC have already invested through the Southern Cross Renewable Energy (SXRE) Fund to help Sunverge establish operations in Australia and overcome barriers to the widespread deployment of storage systems.”

Mr Frischknecht said ARENA and SBCVC had first invested in Sunverge Energy through the SXRE Fund in 2014 and had played a critical role in the success of Sunverge Australia.

“The company has continued to grow and this latest success will allow it to employ more staff in Australia and explore options for locally manufacturing its systems in the future,” Mr Frischknecht said.

“Residential battery storage is currently in its infancy in Australia. While only a small number of systems are currently installed, there is a lot of interest in the technology.

“The partnership between AGL and Sunverge will accelerate the roll out of a state-of-the art grid integrated battery storage solution to Australia’s large household storage market.

“As storage becomes more commonplace in Australian homes, we expect to see energy retailers firm up business models for selling new products and work through some of the regulatory constraints facing Australia’s emerging storage market.

“Solving these challenges will ultimately allow consumers to get more value from their rooftop solar systems and increase the supply of renewable solar power in our electricity networks, contributing to grid stability and reducing peak load stress.”

Sunverge’s Solar Integration System combines advanced lithium batteries with a sophisticated control platform that allows power flows to and from the grid to be controlled as part of a Virtual Power Plant.

 K-Axis voyage reaches half-way point

Pulling the Rectangular Midwater Trawl net in behind the ship. (Photo: Christina Schallenberg) 

17th February 2016

Krill are spawning and the ocean is teeming with life as scientists on the Aurora Australis complete the first half of their program aboard the Kerguelen Axis Marine Science voyage.

The ship has reached the location known as the Kerguelen Axis, known to be a highly productive region for polar plants and animals, and valuable toothfish, icefish and krill fisheries. Scientists are seeing a remarkable diversity of fauna including birds, many pods of humpback whales, minke whales, crabeater seals and Adelie penguins. Fur seals have also been spotted, likely from Heard and Kerguelen Islands, which was gratifying for scientists who had tracked them to this area in a 2004 study.

The Science Technical Support team orchestrated a historic moment for the Aurora Australis' capability, switching on live feeds from two video cameras mounted on a Rectangular Midwater Trawl (RMT) net at 200 metres depth. The video feed makes it possible for the crew to see how the net is flying through the water in real time, and the fibre optic cable also transmits conductivity, temperature and depth information as it goes. There are many applications for this technology including the ability to see if the net is functioning correctly, what’s going in and whether certain creatures are actively avoiding it.

The RMT net was deployed to sample an enormous krill swarm on one of the scientific stations. The acoustic instruments on board have detected many small swarms but the biggest observed to date left the net dripping with krill, allowing the team to collect buckets of live krill for experiments on board. Many females carrying fertilised eggs have now begun to spawn in the on-board laboratory. The eggs will be used in an experiment to test how ocean acidification affects their development.

An interesting transect took the ship from east to west on the southern foothills of the Kerguelen Plateau. In terms of scale, the submarine Kerguelen Plateau is a similar size to the Tibetan Plateau, rising from 3500 metres depth to 1000 metres depth with many canyons and ravines fracturing its margins.

Scientists saw a clear separation of the eastern and western areas, delineated by an amazing blue water strip, in which they found very little algae. Satellite data shows that the blue water seemed to be part of a 'jet' of water forging north from the Antarctic continent to the east side of the plateau.

This phenomenon was first analysed by Australian scientists in 2008 from satellite sea ice data, and it was great to see it in action. The catch from this area will be keenly analysed to see if there is a separation in the types of plants and animals found on either side of the jet.

The source of iron to areas of production is one of the important questions of the voyage, and it is thought this jet may also be an important conveyor of iron from the continental margin to the areas of algal growth and production further north. Iron is in short supply in the Southern Ocean and controls the growth and productivity of algae.

A change of focus is imminent, as preparations for the Mawson resupply ramp up. Watercraft operators, refuellers and plant operators are putting aside their newly developed skills in marine science to finalise plans for resupply. A busy schedule of cargo and refuelling operations will begin later this week when the Aurora Australis pulls up into Horseshoe Harbour.

More information

Kerguelen Axis Marine Science Voyage Blog  

Crowdsourcing research assistants;Citizen Science Project Ideas Needed for 2016 Science Week

15 February 2016: Media Release

The Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, today announced a $930,000 funding package to get more people of all ages and background to become more involved in science and research.

A call for project submissions from Australian scientists for the National Science Week ABC Citizen Science project 2016 was announced during a visit to the Innovation Factory – Invent and Play travelling exhibition at the University of South Australia.

The ABC Citizen Science Project will be run as part of National Science Week as an Australia-wide science experiment.

“It gives me great pleasure to announce this funding building on the contribution that citizen science activities can make to getting people of all ages and backgrounds more involved in science,” Mr Pyne said.

“The 2016 Citizen Science project will enable any Australian with a computer and internet connection to help scientists and researchers with interesting small tasks like processing hundreds of thousands of photos or observations, or completing surveys, that would otherwise take a research assistant many months or even years.”

Project ideas should involve a simple process task that can be done by anyone who is 15 years and over with access to a computer and internet. These tasks or data should feed into a genuine scientific research project with clear aims and outcomes.

Last year’s Citizen Science project, Galaxy Explorer, saw 18,000 Australians assist with the classification of 995,000 images of galaxies for the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research in Western Australia.

The $930,000 Citizen Science package comprises the online Citizen Science project, and two Australian Museum initiatives – the Eureka Prize for Innovation in Citizen Science, and the new Australian Citizen Science Association.

“Funding to the Australian Museum will also acknowledge and grow the work that is already being done within our country to encourage more people to see and engage with the science around them,” Mr Pyne said.

During his visit, Mr Pyne presented Playford International College student Kit Saisaard with a Raytheon Scholarship recognising his high achievement and motivation in STEM studies at the college in Elizabeth.

The Innovation Factory exhibition, developed by Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre, with support from its major partner, Raytheon, enabled students to bring their ideas to life through the use of basic machinery.

“This is the first interactive science exhibition the University has hosted at our City West campus but when our new Science, Creativity and Education (SciCEd) gallery is completed, we will be hosting regular exhibitions that foster public engagement with science and innovation,” Professor David Lloyd, Vice Chancellor and President of UniSA said.

The exhibition was a hit with visitors during its three-month stint at UniSA, with almost 4,000 people filing through the doors since it opened in mid-December 2015.

Find out more at: www.scienceweek.net.au/citizen-science-project-ideas-needed/ 

CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT IDEAS NEEDED

Do you have an idea for an online citizen science project?

We’re looking for a great new idea for the 2016 National Science Week citizen science project. The chosen project will be built and produced by the ABC and promoted across their TV, radio and online channels.

If you are a scientist working in Australia and have a citizen science idea that suits the criteria below then we’d like to hear from you. It’s a great way to get help with your research – the last project, Galaxy Explorer, received the equivalent to a research assistant working for 13 years.

Selection criteria

• Must be a citizen science project that can be done entirely online (no field work).

• Is part of a scientific research project with clear aims and outcomes.

• Is of wide general appeal and not restricted to a small interest group or a small geographical area.

• Can be undertaken by non-science-trained people from around 8 years and older. The skills needed should be able to be taught through an online tutorial.

Project Timing

The project can run for approximately six weeks from August 1, 2016.

Register your interest

Please send us an email that covers the following details:

• Your name, position and institution.

• Your idea – a brief synopsis of the idea, including why this research is interesting and important; the questions it hopes to answers; and how the citizen scientists might be involved in providing or processing data for your research.

Please email your ideas to Kylie Andrews, Citizen science project producer at ABC Science Online, on kylie.andrews@abc.net.au.

Application Due Date

We’d like to receive ideas by 15 March, 2016.

NLA Makes Digital History  

17 February, 2016

Tom Keneally at Napoleon's house St Helena

Today Tom Keneally attained a rather different honour: his latest novel Napoleon’s Last Island became the first ebook to be collected by the National Library of Australia.

The historical novel, which tells the story of Napoleon Bonaparte’s exile on the island of St Helena through the eyes of 13-year-old Betsy Balcombe, made its own history when it was received as the first ebook collected under Australia’s new legal deposit legislation.

The new amendments to the Copyright Act allow the NLA to collect everything from ebooks to blogs, websites to social media. Under the new provisions, Australia will protect the digital record in the same way as it always has for print.

Keneally, who won the Man Booker Prize in 1982 for Schindler’s Ark, said he was proud that his ebook paved the way for this new era of digital collecting—a significant moment for Australian authors, publishers and readers.

‘This is a wonderful symbol that writing and stories old and new still belong in the digital age,’ Keneally said.

‘A digital book is a book doubled, tripled or quadrupled and a book given to the future.’

At the same time as Napolean’s Last Island was embarking on its new electronic journey, the NLA’s web crawler headed out to capture the public Australian web domain.

Publishers and authors can now upload electronic books, journals, magazines and newsletters through the NLA’s website.

Visitors to the National Library in Canberra will be able to access the collection of digital publications later this year. 

Head OnAwards 2016: Open For Submissions  Categories: 

Portrait Prize - Landscape Prize - Mobile Prize - Student Prize

Over the years, Head On Photo Festival has awarded over $500,000 worth of photography equipment and cash prizes through the Head On Awards and exhibited 170 finalists overseas.

Closes February 28th

See: www.headon.com.au/awards

Gas producing tiny red crystals could reduce need for new coal seam wells

17 February, 2016:  DEBORAH SMITH – UNSW

Crystals of neutral red that can dramatically increase the amount of methane gas emitted by naturally occurring microbes living in coal seams and on waste food.

UNSW Australia-led researchers have discovered a way to produce a tenfold increase in the amount of methane gas emitted by naturally occurring microbes living in coal seams and on food waste.

The innovation could benefit the environment by extending the lifespan of coal seam gas wells, as well as improving the economics of using woody crops and left-over food as commercial sources of biogas.

The needle-like crystals help the methane-producing microbes grow faster. "It’s simple. If the microbes grow faster, they fart more methane."

The technique involves the addition of small amounts of a synthetic dye that forms previously unobserved needle-like crystals to help the methane-producing microbes grow faster.

“It’s simple. If the microbes grow faster, they fart more methane,” says study senior author UNSW Associate Professor Mike Manefield.

Biogas emitted by microbes will be vital for meeting the world’s future energy needs and helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of other fossil fuels, Associate Professor Manefield says.

“Our research in the lab and in coal boreholes near Lithgow has shown that the crystals can lead to a massive leap in methane production – a tenfold increase from coal, and an 18-fold increase from food waste.

“This is very exciting and likely to be a game changer. We also expect our approach will work with renewable feedstocks for methane-producing microbes, such as woody plant material and the by-products of municipal wastewater treatment.”

The study, by an international team spear-headed by UNSW’s Dr Sabrina Beckmann, is published in the journal Energy and Environmental Science. The five-year-long research project was supported by the Australian Research Council and industry partner Biogas Energy.

The researchers studied a small synthetic molecule called neutral red that has been used for more than 150 years as a textile dye, or for staining cells under a microscope.

“We knew it was able to shuttle electrons about and we wondered if it could deliver them directly to the microbes that produce methane. Usually these ancient critters get electrons from hydrogen gas,” says Associate Professor Manefield.

“When we added neutral red in the laboratory to a mixture of coal and naturally occurring groundwater microbes, in the absence of oxygen, we discovered it formed crystals that had never been seen before.

“The crystals act as electron sponges, harvesting electrons from minerals and bacteria in the mixture and then transferring them with a lot of power to the methane-producing microbes, boosting their growth.”

The patented technology was also tested in a real-life environment in coal boreholes near Lithgow.

Small amounts of neutral red were injected 80 metres underground at three sites into the water-saturated coal seam. A fivefold to tenfold increase in methane production was observed during a 12-month period.

“Coal seam gas wells usually have a short lifespan and spent ones litter the countryside. Enhancing their methane production could reduce the need to build new ones,” Associate Professor Manefield says.

Noise Exposure Study Seeks Community Volunteers 

16 February, 2016

As the outdoor music festival season begins, researchers from Macquarie University’s Hearing Hub are continuing to recruit volunteers who have lived, worked, and enjoyed noisy environments for their study looking at how everyday noise exposure affects people’s hearing.

The study is looking into why it is that a proportion of people who report difficulty with everyday listening, particularly understanding speech in background noise, are found to have clinically normal hearing when tested. There is evidence to suggest that this type of hearing loss could be due to loud noises damaging the small hair cells that carry sound signals from the ear’s cochlear to the brain. In light of this, researchers will test volunteers for this particular type of hearing loss, in the hope of understanding more about how the condition occurs.

“We are looking for people with a history of noise exposure from work and/or leisure. For example, fire fighters, factory workers, bar staff, pilots, transport workers, landscapers, and builders are all examples of people who may have experienced noise exposure on the job. Also, people with substantial leisure noise exposure could include clubbers, motorbike riders, or motorsports enthusiasts,” explained Dr Elizabeth Beach, from the National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL) located in the Hearing Hub.

Participants need to be between 30 and 55 years of age, and will be asked about their lifetime noise exposure history in an online survey that will take about 20 minutes. They will then be asked to attend a 3.5 hour lab appointment at the Macquarie University Hearing Hub (North Ryde campus), where the researchers will run a series of listening tasks to determine whether there is a correlation between a participant’s noise exposure and their auditory functioning. Participants can be provided with a written report about their hearing (including the results of their audiogram), and will also receive $40 for their involvement.

“If this study does find that these small hair cells are damaged by exposure to loud noise, it will have important implications for noise policy at public events, entertainment venues and the workplace,” concluded Dr Beach.

The study will continue until June 2016.

If you would like to be involved please express your interest via email to the researchers at this address:prevention@nal.gov.au

Sydney academic helps Shakespeare's Globe pop up in Auckland

17 February 2016

A University of Sydney academic's research into the second Globe theatre has led to the world's first faithful reconstruction in New Zealand.

Wenceslaus Hollar's sketch of the Globe. Image: Yale Center for British Art, courtesy Tim Fitzpatrick.

Tim Fitzpatrick, Honorary Associate Professor from theDepartment of Theatre and Performance Studies, has spent years studying the second Globe theatre, which was built by William Shakespeare and his company on the ruins of the first Globe in 1614.

Unlike earlier research on the Globe theatres, Associate Professor Fitzpatrick's reconstruction model was based on a reinterpretation of a sketch by renowned Czech panoramist Wenceslaus Hollar – the only known contemporary image of the Globe.

Using this sketch and a new interpretation of the Globe’s archaeological remains found in 1989, Associate Professor Fitzpatrick was able to develop a structural rationale for how and why the various components shown by Hollar would fit together.

Associate Professor Fitzpatrick collaborated with Russell Emerson, Technical Director of the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies, to build a computer-aided design (CAD) and then 1:50 scale card model of the theatre.

"Our reconstruction has revealed many new insights into the Globe – including that it was significantly smaller than previously thought, featured only two (not three) entrance points to the stage, and had a stage that was a different shape to that favoured by other reconstructions," Associate Professor Fitzpatrick says.

"All of these differences are the result of structural features of our modeling, which we believe are validated by, and in turn validate, Hollar's sketch."

A sketch by Wenceslaus Hollar of the view from St Mary's, Southwark, looking towards Westminister. Image: Wenceslaus Hollar's sketch of the Globe. Image: Yale Center for British Art, courtesy Tim Fitzpatrick.

Following the publication of his research in a number of international journals, Associate Professor Fitzpatrick was approached by Auckland-based theatre festival Pop-Up Globe with a proposal to bring his research to life.

To celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death this year, Pop-Up Globe have utilised Associate Professor Fitzpatrick’s research to build a full-scale working replica of the second Globe which will host a theatrical season of some of the Bard’s best-known plays.

Comprised of a round three-storey steel frame 'skinned' in plywood, the recently finished reconstruction reflects all the original design features – including a 100sqm stage and 'onion dome' top – and can seat audiences of up to 900 people.

Though there have been many modern attempts to reconstruct the first Globe – most famously Shakespeare’s Globe in London – this is the first time a replica of the second Globe theatre has been constructed anywhere in the world.

"This reconstruction also differs from previous attempts because it is a temporary structure, which means it can potentially ‘pop up’ in other locations in the future," Associate Professor Fitzpatrick says.

Immortal love story Romeo and Juliet will be the first Shakespearean play staged in the Pop-Up Globe theatre, which will welcome audiences from February to April.

Giant iceberg decimates Antarctic penguin colonies

12 February 2016:  UNSW MEDIA

Adélie penguin numbers at Cape Denison in Antarctica have crashed from more than 160,000 birds in 2011 to just a few thousand following the grounding of a giant 97km iceberg in Commonwealth Bay. 

New research published in the journal Antarctic Science and co-authored by UNSW's Climate Change Research Centre reveals that until 2010 Commonwealth Bay was rarely covered by sea ice, making it an ideal place for Adélie penguin colonies. An extensive area of open water existed close to the shore, kept open by the strong winds that travel off the Antarctic ice sheet.

It was this area of open water that made it an ideal location for Sir Douglas Mawson’s 1911-1914 research station during his original Australasian Antarctic Expedition.

Conditions changed dramatically in December 2010 when the giant iceberg B09B, with an area of around 2900 square kilometres, grounded in Commonwealth Bay after colliding with the Mertz Glacier Tongue. Interestingly, the collision also broke off a huge chunk of ice from the tongue that has now formed a 73km-long glacier, which is now floating around Antarctica.

“Over the past five years the regional changes triggered by iceberg B09B have led to an order of magnitude decline in Adélie Penguin numbers and catastrophic breeding failure in comparison to the first counts undertaken by Mawson a century ago,” says lead author Dr Kerry-Jayne Wilson of the West Coast Penguin Trust.

The decline can be directly related to fast ice expansion (floating sea ice that is permanently attached to the land)  in the region due to the grounding of B09B in 2010. The grounding of B09B means Adélie penguins now have to walk more than 60km to find food.

“It was heart wrenching to see the impact of the fast ice on the penguins,” says Dr Wilson. “The normally noisy and aggressive Adélie penguins were so subdued they hardly acknowledged our intrusion into their realm. It was sad to walk amongst thousands of freeze-dried chicks from the previous season and hundreds of abandoned eggs.”

In contrast, an Adélie colony on the eastern fringe of Commonwealth Bay just 8 km from the fast-ice edge was thriving, indicating the arrival of B09B and fast-ice expansion was responsible for the observed population decline.

“Over the last year the fast ice associated with B09B has begun to break up in Commonwealth Bay, which is great news for the penguin colonies,” says co-author Dr Chris Fogwill of the UNSW Climate Change Research Centre.

“However, the effects of the changes over the past five years we have observed on the ecosystems in and around Commonwealth Bay will help us better understand the impacts of such large scale events on the fragile Antarctic ecosystem.”

The survey was undertaken during the Australasian Antarctic Expedition 2013-14.

Giant iceberg decimates Adélie penguin colony at Cape Denison

Video by Intrepid Science