MEDIA RELEASE: 7 July, 2015

National environment group Friends of the Earth say news the owner of Hazelwood is refusing to pay the $18 million cost of fighting last year's fire that occurred in their brown coal mine reinforces the need to regulate the sector.

"GDF Suez's refusal to pay an $18 million fire-fighting bill strengthens the case for regulating the coal sector to protect the public purse, community health, and our climate," said Cam Walker, Friends of the Earth campaigns coordinator.

Why Victoria doesn’t need more brown coal allocations in our food bowl.

The Coalition government and ALP continue to refuse to rule out a new allocation of brown coal reserves for new mines in the Latrobe Valley. The Coalition holds the view that Victoria could even have a brown coal export industry.

The environmental, climate and public health costs of new coal mines will be enormous.

It is time to rule out new coal.

The 2014 State election will set the agenda for environment and climate policy for years to come. So it’s time to put the major parties to the test on climate and environment.

Who are the people that want this power and how do they intend to use it?

Come and hear the major parties put forward their case for why they deserve your vote. We’ve invited each major party to explain their philosophies and outline their policies for the climate and our environment.

Starting Tues 23 September.

Friends of the Earth is proud to join GetUp, Doctors for the Environment Australia, Environment Victoria and others in supporting the Surf Coast Air Action campaign to end coal pollution in Anglesea on Victoria's Surf Coast.

Friends of the Earth media release. June 24, 2014

An Australia Institute report released today shows the remarkable level of support given to the mining industry by state governments.

It shows that each state provides millions of dollars’ worth of assistance to mining industries every year and that over a six-year period, state governments in Australia spent $17.6 billion supporting the mineral and fossil fuel industries.

What is surprising is the support given by the Victorian government. $206 million over six years.

Media Alert – Friends of the Earth

16th June 2014

Friends of the Earth today condemned the state and federal governments’ decision to subsidise Shanghai Electric’s plan to establish a brown coal export industry in Victoria. The Chinese government-owned company was awarded $25 million for a $119 million demonstration plant to process coal into briquettes.

Friends of the Earth are shocked by the Essential Services Commission's decision to grant Alcoa a license to pollute, ignoring the wishes of Anglesea residents who want the coal power plant closed.

The community campaign against new coal and gas is already in full swing for 2014.

There are a number of community declarations coming up soon, with Mirboo North and Boolarra holding their community celebrations shortly.

Environment group Friends of the Earth say there’s no need for Alcoa to be granted a license to generate electricity at their Anglesea coal power plant.

Rather, the plant that came online in the 1960s should be retired—delivering public health and climate change benefits for Victorians.

The current state of the energy market makes the retirement of the coal power plant possible.

Gelliondale Resources, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ignite Energy Resources Limited, is currently applying for a Retention Licence to facilitate the the development of the Gelliondale Coal Project.

The proposed area for the Retention Licence (RL 2013) is in the South Gippsland region, near Gelliondale and Hedley.