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👋 G’day everyone, Archie here.
A shorter newsletter today as I’m getting ready to bring you some big stuff this week from the International Mining and Resources Conference at ICC Sydney.
So let’s crack on with the news 🗞️
I'm going to… see if I can
heal more people with facts
🗣️ Why did she say that?
Since working for the National Account my understanding of how the fossil fuel industry will manipulate people has grown immensely.
On Friday night, when I’m supposed to be switching off from work, a video on my feed raised alarm bells, as it seemed that what I was watching had come straight out of a fossil fuel industry playbook.
It’s not the first one I’ve seen in this style - a grounded, commonsense approach that, for the unaware, can make climate change seem like way less of a big deal than people like myself would make it out to be.
In fact, the video - hosted by an “ex-climate activist“ - was published by The Free Press.
The Free Press is an American digital media company founded in 2021 by journalist Bari Weiss. It grew out of the Substack newsletter Common Sense.
The Free Press video is just the latest I’ve seen in a long line of stories and rhetoric that climate change isn’t as bad as it’s been made out to be, and the shift to renewable energy is excessive and too quick.
If you’ve been reading this newsletter for a while you‘ll know any attempts to delay the shift to renewable energy are just a tactic by the fossil fuel industry to extend their profits for as long as possible.
For my full breakdown on what to look out for check out today’s video:
Around the Grounds 🦘
Across the country, things are happening at a local level that have an impact nationally. Here’s the stories you might not hear about in the traditional media.
🌲 Timbertown hits the market
A beloved NSW heritage theme park, Timbertown, could be changing hands for the first time in 16 years.
Owners David and Alison Waite told Ellie Chamberlain at the Mid North Coaster they’re ready to retire, putting the iconic 40-building attraction on the market, wanting to spend more time with their grandchildren.
Timbertown is a living piece of Aussie history, complete with a working steam train, paddle boats, gold-panning stream, sawmill and winery.
Expressions of Interest are open until November 25.
Read that story by clicking below 👇
🏡 Never terrace apart
On Sydney’s lower North Shore, Neutral Bay locals are fighting to save six Federation cottages, built in 1908, from demolition for an eight-storey apartment block.
North Sydney Council voted to explore an Interim Heritage Order after residents said the Bydown Street homes “belonged to a different time, a gentler time”.
The developer insists the terraces are “relatively unremarkable”, but the community isn’t convinced.
Read that story by clicking below 👇
🛣️ “Beyond disappointed” in Boronia
A $77.6 million warehouse development on Mountain Highway in Melbourne’s East has sparked outrage after hundreds of native trees were cleared.
The site, formerly home to a pharmaceutical company, had a thriving native garden of 1,700+ trees and plants.
Darren Wallace, former president of the Knox Environment Society, told the Eastern Melburnian he’s “beyond disappointed” at the loss of habitat for bats, possums and other wildlife.
Some protected red ironbarks were spared after last-minute amendments, but much of the greenery is gone.
Read that story by clicking below 👇
Thanks for catching up with me. I hope you enjoyed this issue, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Just reply to this email and I’ll be on the other side 👋
I’ll be back on Wednesday.
Cheers, Archie
Thumbnail: AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi