Session One: Assoc. Prof. Michael-Shawn Fletcher, feature film ‘River’
Session Two: Dr Kerryn Higgs, feature film ‘GrowthBusters’
Session Three: Short Enviro Film Fest, feature film ‘Once You Know’
​
See Swanpool Cinema website for programme details.
Download Festival Programme.
Download Festival Flyer.

Tickets $30.
Booking essential on www.trybooking.com/BYVCL. 
Bookings will open May 21st.
Phone 0498 007 988 for enquiries.

Afternoon tea and dinner included. Catering by Swanpool Catering Team.

​Ian Herbert

​Please note that the date for the next discussion/workshop with Cath Botta has changed to Tuesday 12th April at 7pm.
 
As an indication of the level of interest in BSFG’s immediate future, there were 30 in attendance and 4 apologies on Thursday night.

We look forward to seeing you at the second workshop on Tuesday 12th April at 7pm. Please email your attendance to bsfginc@gmail.com

Judy Schwarzman
Secretary, BSFG

Dear BSFG members and supporters
 
We are in the critical decade that Climate Scientists constantly are telling us is our last opportunity to curtail runaway climate change.
 
BSFG has, for the past approximately 13 years, been lobbying our local Council and State and Federal politicians to take urgent action on climate. We have set up Action Groups to lead the way towards more sustainable ways of living, conducted information sessions, shown films, co-sponsored the Swanpool Environmental Film Festival each year it has run, raised funds to install solar systems on 2 local kindergartens, and organised last year’s climate science talks and petition to Council to declare a Climate Emergency.
 
These are just some of the ways in which this dedicated group of people have worked to try to improve the future prospects for our community.
 
We now need your input and help more than ever!!
 
Many of us are beyond the age of 70, and the goal of combating climate change is too important to ignore. We will keep doing whatever we can, but we also need your help and input.
 
On Thursday 31st March (7pm) and Tuesday 12th April (7 pm), at the Uniting Church in Carrier St, we are conducting a review of BSFG, its past achievements, and its plans for the next 5-10 years. Cath Botta will be leading this review, and we urge all of our members and supporters to participate by either attending these meetings, or completing the on-line survey  at 
https://www.bsfg.org.au/news/bsfg-review-2022  . 

Please indicate your attendance by email to  bsfginc@gmail.com
 
We also urge supporters to consider becoming a financial member of BSFG ($25 per household/year), and especially younger people to offer to join the committee at our AGM in May.
 
Please give these requests your serious attention. For all of us concerned about the future for our descendants, we need a strong, viable and active group, agitating for climate action – we simply cannot allow complacency, greed or ignorance to triumph over action on climate.
 
In hope
​
Peter Holmes (President)

Regen Studios and WWF-Australia have written to us to introduce a new film by Damon Gameau to be screened at BPACC in Benalla at 2pm on Saturday 12 March as part of an upcoming national cinema tour. 
​
"Regenerating Australia is a short hybrid documentary directed by award-winning filmmaker Damon Gameau (2040, That Sugar Film) which asks the question, ‘What would Australia look like by 2030 if we simply listened to the needs of its people?’

The film is based on a four-month interview process with Australians from all walks of life who shared their hopes and dreams for the country’s future. It is a new story for our nation: a story of empowerment. A story of solutions. A story of regeneration.

We are reaching out to give you advance notice about this event, which is part of a nationwide series of special Q&A screening events in cinemas in capital cities and regional towns taking place from March 4 - May 16.

At these screening events, members of the local community will be invited to discuss the film and find out about opportunities to access support via WWF-Australia’s ‘Innovate to Regenerate’ funding challenge, which is providing $2 million in seed funding to help communities, innovators, and experts to establish or scale up innovative solutions that reverse environmental damage and help humans live in harmony with nature.

All screenings will feature an audience Q&A with expert panellists.  We're also looking to connect with local speakers, performers and grassroots community organisations and would love your suggestions - Speakers & Community - Google Docs Form"

Benalla Event Details:

Date:         Saturday 12th March 2022
Time:         2pm
Venue:       BPACC
Address:   57 Samaria Rd, Benalla VIC 3672
Tickets:     $0 to $20      Under 18's Free  
​Book tickets:   https://events.humanitix.com/regenerating-australia-benalla 

​

​Responses to the 'Net Zero Farming' forum at the Benalla Gardens on Friday 25 February were overwhelmingly positive.  Organised by Dr Helen Haines and her team, it was  attended by a number of BSFG members and like minded community members.  Speakers covered the issues in an engaging, well informed way; the questions from the gathering were thought provoking, and there was much networking during breakout group discussions and afterwards to share news and ideas about net zero farming and possible 'next steps'.   Hopefully this networking will lead on to similar community gatherings and networking on Net Zero Farming into the future!

The Benalla Sustainable Future Group Inc. executive has engaged consultant Cath Botta to facilitate a review of BSFG which will be held over a series of workshops on Thursday March 31st 7pm-9pm and Sunday April 10th 1pm-3.30pm.
 
Objectives of the review  

• To reflect on the progress and development of the Benalla Sustainable Future Group, including key achievements, and key strengths 
• To identify the critical issues, and key opportunities for BSFG that need to be considered in the strategic plan for the next 5 years 
• To identify key strategic Objectives for the next 3 – 5years and priority Actions for the next 12 - 18 months 
• To clarify the purpose and vision for BSFG 

 
BSFG is seeking input from its membership and other community stakeholders about key strengths and achievements of BSFG and will be personally contacting some people for input to this review.  

The questions below for Members and Non-Members can also be answered using an online form which can be accessed from the form links below. 

For Members   

1. When did you join, and why? 
2. What do you think have been some of the key achievements or strengths of BSFG? 
3. Can you describe a time or a current example of when BSFG as a group was operating at its best and having a real impact on our Benalla community? 
4. What do you think was working well at that time, or what did you observe that really enabled BSFG to operate at its best? 
5. What do you think are the key areas of opportunities for BSFG? 
6. Do you belong to any other group which may have a similar environmental/sustainability focus? 

These Member questions can be answered and submitted to us using this Member online form 
  
For Non-Members  

1. Have you heard of Benalla Sustainable Future Group (BSFG)? 
2. Do you belong to any other group which may have a similar environmental/sustainability focus? 
3. If yes to question 1, do you know of any of the key achievements of BSFG? 
4. What do you think are the key areas of opportunities for BSFG? 

These Non-Member questions can be answered and submitted to us using this Non-Member online form 

Thank you for assisting BSFG with this important review of our Group. 

BSFG has 100 corflute signs (300 x 300mm) for people to put on their front fence saying "Climate Action Now".

This will be a message not only for the Federal election, but also to our local Council, and will have a collective effect, especially in higher traffic areas of Benalla.

We also have a supply of car stickers with the same message.

The signs and stickers are free.

Please email to bsfginc@gmail.com with your name, delivery address, and number of signs and car stickers required and we will send them to you as soon as possible.

You may like to check upcoming editions of The Ensign for more about the signs.

Judy Schwartzman
​Secretary

​'Thriving farm wetland created' (Country News, January 11 2022 p4), celebrates Deb Hill's success in  transforming a degraded farm dam in Warrenbayne with  turbid water, high coliform and nutrient content causing algal blooms and salinity into a biodiverse habitat  teeming with life. 

​Four years ago Deb fenced off the dam from livestock - " I left everythng else alone and let nature take its course...A fallen red gum tree helped create habitat for eastern long necked turtles, birds, frogs and acquatic macroinvertebrates...I remember taking my grandson to this lovely wetland and we sat on the fallen tree and watched eight turtles poking their heads just above the water as they repeatedly emerged to breathe.  My biggest thrill was seeing a water rat and the turtles because that is a good indicator of a healthy wetland". 

Inspirational!

​Banner photograph -  Deb Hill is pictured at the farm wetland she revived at  Warrenbayne. 
Source -  'Country News', January 11 2022 page 4.

I watched the recording of the meeting of the Council hearing of the BSFG Climate Emergency Petition at the Benalla Council Planning Meeting which was streamed on Wednesday September 29th.  It was interesting to see during the meeting there were several questions from Councillors about determining council emissions. Councillor Puna Gunaratne requested an emissions report for the review of the Climate Adaptation Plan 2013-2025.

I was also reassured by the second point of mayor Danny Claridge’s motion at the end of the meeting, ‘That council recognises that climate change is one of the most significant issues that will impact the social, cultural, economic and environmental health and wellbeing of our community and will act accordingly with all policies and programs of the council’.

After approaching Peter Holmes about communicating with council about emissions accounting, I sent an email to all Councillors, the CEO and the Manager Economic Development and Environment mentioning protocols and tools for councils to do a community wide emissions inventory and highlighting work being done both locally and globally by other cities and local governments. Such as Cities Power Partnership (Benalla Council is a Member), ICLEI Internatioal Council of Local Governments for Sustainability, Global Covenant Of Mayors for Climate and Energy, and C40 Cities.

Our Renewable Energy Benalla action group is based on a transition strategy developed through John Lloyd's work with Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE). This strategy provided baseline stationary emissions for a 100% Renewables Benalla by 2028. These emissions are based on the GHG Protocol Standard for Cities, the GPC.  Since producing the Transition Strategy BZE has, with local government specialists Ironbark Sustainability, developed a Snapshot Climate Tool to provide all Councils in Australia with an online emissions profile.

The GPC enables organisations to determine a citywide emissions inventory based on Tier 3 data which is local activity data and locally sourced conversion factors, or actual activity-specific local carbon emissions data. Such data can be time consuming and expensive to obtain.

The Snapshot Climate Tool however uses Tier 1 data which is largely modelled data, with little or no local activity data available (these methods take state, national, or international data, and scale them to the municipality using a relevant metric). The Tool provides a profile not an inventory however the data is sufficiently accurate to provide councils with an insight into community emissions. The GPC also provides guidance on a Council Operations emissions inventory.

My email to Councillors resulted in replies from Mayor Danny Claridge, and Councillors Gail O’Brien, Puna Gunaratne and Justin King each mentioning they were looking forward to working with BSFG. I took the opportunity to reply to all Councillors mentioning Ironbark’s website article on Science Derived Targets for Australian Councils and attached an emissions reduction target for Benalla I had requested from Ironbark.

One Councillor is looking forward to working towards achieving a net zero Benalla although the boundaries for this have not been established. Would it be for council operations emissions, or the city-wide emissions reported by the Snapshot Climate tool? I provided Councillors with a link to the 2021 Australian Local Government Climate Review which provides a comprehensive analysis of climate change actions, barriers and opportunities facing councils and communities.

Despite the unsatisfactory outcome of the Climate Emergency Petition to Council we may now have the opportunity to work with Council to support and work with the community towards achieving a Net Zero Benalla.

Peter Maddock

This article was originally published in BSFG Newsletter #31, November 2021

Did you know that this year is UNESCO’S ‘Year of the Creative Economy and Sustainable Development’? 

A creative economy is based on people's use of their creative imagination to increase an idea's value and broadly includes audiovisual products, design, new media, performing arts, publishing and visual arts.

During the past two years of pandemic, the impact on some areas of the creative economy has been enormous while at the same time climate change is causing an increasing underlay of anxiety in many communities.

The recently shown series ‘Fires’ on the ABC is an example of the involvement of creativity and the creative economy in raising the issue of climate change.  A project which provided the employment and cultural engagement of writers, actors, filmmakers and many more, it will hopefully be recognised and nominated for many awards.

If I were asked to submit nominations for an imagined ‘Inaugural Benalla Sustainable Futures Group Benalla and District Creative Economy for Sustainable Development Award’ which recognises the use of creativity to raise the issue of and the value of sustainability, six nominations come to mind:

Artist Tim Bowtell – for his ‘Cornography’ mural on the side of the Seniors’ Centre facing towards the library (Wall to Wall 2018); and for his portraits of Greta Thunberg (2019) and David Attenborough on the Council Office’s window in (2020) as part of the Window to Window.  Tim’s tenacity and courage in using his practice to provoke a deeper consideration of sustainability is inspirational.

Sculptor – Tony Levy, for a creative outlet during retirement using recycled objects to create accessible, sustainably created sculptures

SCRAP Art Festival – for developing a concept which not only validates and disseminates the work of artists working with recycled materials, but advocates for recycled art and a circular economy.

Swanpool Environmental Film Festival – for so effectively linking finely crafted films on environmental issues in a program which deepens understanding in a package which includes film, inspirational and well-informed speakers, and good food and company.

Benalla Art Gallery – Bush Fire Posters exhibition

Luke Davies and the Recycled String Band – for their song ‘Recycle and Reuse’. 
​
Who would you nominate and why?    
 
Bev Lee

Further reading: 
https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/international-years/creativeeconomy2021
https://research.qut.edu.au/creativehotspots/defining-the-creative-economy/
https://unctad.org/news/creative-economy-have-its-year-sun-2021

Climate Ready Hume's second Community Mini Grants funding round closes at 5pm next Friday 17 December.

For community groups passionate about climate change adaptation with innovative ideas which:

• Encourage and enable local communities to participate in climate change adaptation events or activities.
• Build skills and capacity among local communities to lead positive climate adaptation actions.
• Support community conversations exploring what the future of Hume region might look like in a changing climate and how our communities can adapt locally.
• Create or collate climate information that is trusted, accessible and relevant for a range of communities, including vulnerable and cultural communities.

Email climateready.hume@delwp.vic.gov.au or check their home page https://engage.vic.gov.au/hume-regional-climate-change for the grant guidelines, FAQs sheet and an application form.

Applications close this Friday 17 December 2021 at 5pm.

Futuresteading is a practical and inspirational guide to living in a way that values tomorrow:
a slower, simpler, steadier existence that is healthier for you, your home, and the environment.
A wonderful Christmas present for someone special (and yourself!)
Saturday 4th December, 10.30am
Benalla Food Co-op
At the rear of the Benalla Uniting Church in Carrier St, please park in the street and walk through to Co-op.
Free tea and coffee will be available, BYO chair and a hat.
Plus you can purchase a yummy piece of cake with funds going to Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.
Take a look at what the Food Co-op, and membership, has to offer you and your family.
RSVP preferred for catering:
Karen Nankervis: email: karenlouise3747@gmail.com or text: 0407261927
QR Code check-in and double vax required
Download the flyer.

​At our next BSFG general meeting at ​7.30 pm on Thursday 25th November 2021 Benalla Uniting Church Fellowship Room our guest speaker will be Michelle Croker.   

Michelle is a consultant working for Neoen Energy, the developers of the Goorambat Solar Farms. Michelle lives in Yackandandah, and will also be able to update us on some of the renewable energy projects in that community.

​Supper will be served at the conclusion of the evening.

Sustainable Upper Ovens and the Hume Community Power Hub are presenting what promises to be an informative webinar on Monday 22 November from 8 to 9 pm. Please feel free to share this information and flyer with your networks!

Details:   What energy innovations can we harness right here in our communities?

Innovations in energy efficiency and renewable energy around the home and workplace are becoming increasingly accessible. Join us to hear about some of these emerging technologies and supporting programs being rolled out across the Hume region.

Presenters include: Dennis Lambert (Sustainable Upper Ovens), Matthew Charles-Jones (Mondo) and Heath Shakespeare (Indigo Power).
​
RSVP HERE

Where: Zoom, RSVP and details here: https://indigopower.com.au/energyevent/

Further Information: contact Claire Birch, Engagement Officer | Hume Community Power Hub  Ph. 0435 256 914    claire@indigopower.com.au    www.indigopower.com.au

At last Wednesday's Planning and Development Committee meeting, Benalla councillors wee finally considering a peition, originally received by council in April this year, from 600 local residents to declare a climate emergency, and to develop plans and actions that would enable Benalla to become a net-zero emissions community by 2030.

At the meeting, councillors were addressed by two of the Benalla P-12 College student captains, Jessica Patterson and Lachie Sands.  Benalla GP Dr Gerard Brownstein, and Benalla Sustainable Future Group (BSFG) president Peter Holmes.

Councillors asked many questions of the presenters, and all indicated their acknowledgement that climate change was indeed a threat to our community's future health, social and economic wellbeing.

However, at the conclusion of the discussion, a motion was moved and passed by all councillors that the petition be noted, that the council recognizes that climate change is one of the most significant issues that will impact the social, cultural and economic and environmental health and wellbeing of our community and will act accordingly with all policies and programs of the council, and that council further considers its position on climae change during the upcoming review of the Benalla Rural City Climate Change Adaptation and Action Plan 2013-2025.

BSFG, and no doubt the wider community know that we are very disappointed with this response from our elected leaders.

Despite overwhelming worldwide evidence of the catastrophic climate-related events in recent years, and the most recent IPCC report noting that "this is the last decade the world has in which to drastically reduce greenhouse emissions in order to contain global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius", council's motion contains no indication of urgency whatsoever, and no demonstrable target to work towards in relation to reducing greenhouse emissions.

In fact, the motion, in referring to the review of Council's Climate Change Adaptation Policy, 2013-2025, as its principal document of reference for climate change, basically indicates that council will make plans about what to do "after the hourse has bolted", rather than developing plans to stop the horse bolting.

We need a Climate Change MItigation Plan to be developed, a point that was made consistently by speakers on Wednesday night.

BSFG will continue to advocate vigorously for action on mitigating climate change.

Therefore, on behalf of the Benalla community, we declare that the world faces a climate emergency, and must drastically reduce its greenhouse emissions by 2030, and Benalla must play its part in striving for these emission reductions.

BSFG calls for expressions of interest from representatives of the many key stakeholder groups across the community which will be affected by climate change, to join a community consultation "Climate Change Mitigation" group to develop ideas and plans to lead Benalla towards a net-zero emissions future, preferably by 2030.

To register interest in participating, email BSFG at bsfginc@gmail.com and provide your name, contact details and areas of interest.

Peter Holmes, Benalla

BSFG President Peter Holmes made a second presentation in support of the Climate Emergency Petition to Benalla Rural City Council, this time to the Benalla Rural City Planning and Development Committee Meeting on Wednesday 29 September via Zoom.

At the completion of the presentations and discussion, Mayor Councillor Danny Claridge moved an Amended Motion. That:

1. The Petition be noted.
2. That council recognises that climate change is one of the most significant issues that will impact the social, cultural, economic and environmental health and wellbeing of our community and will act accordingly with all policies and programs of the council.
3. That the council further considers its position on climate change during the upcoming review of the Benalla Rural City Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2013-2025.

Seconded Cr Punarji Hewa Gunaratne
​
​Motion Carried

We are aware it wasn't easy to watch the presentation of our Climate Emergency petition to Council's Planning and Development meeting live-streamed on Wednesday night.  It wasn't easy to locate and was later in the meeting program than anticipated. If you missed it you may be interested in the following:

To watch a recording of Wednesday’s BRC Planning and Development meeting, go to www.benalla.vic.gov.au and on the Homepage, scroll down to “Livestream Council Meeting”, and on that page, click on watch on our Youtube Channel, and finally, select Planning and Development meeting 29th September. 

The discussion re the Climate emergency petition starts at the 1hr and 4 minute mark of the recording. You might wish to continue watching through to when the Mayor, Danny Claridge moved a motion (2hr,14 min) and the ensuing 11 minutes of comments by various Councillors about the motion and their views on climate change.

Alternatively, you can watch it on the link below.

BSFG members and supporters - we are asking you to support the presentation of our Climate Emergency Petition to the Planning and Development Committee meeting of Council on Wednesday 29th September. 

Due to COVID-19 Restrictions the Planning and Development Committee meeting will be held electronically commencing at the completion of the 6pm Council Meeting and will be broadcast live at www.benalla.vic.gov.au  

BSFG and other community leaders will address the Planning and Development Committee via zoom regarding the Climate Emergency Petition. The petition will be item 4 on the agenda of the Planning and Development Committee meeting. You could help by logging in to the livestream (6pm) even if you just keep an eye out and watch the Climate Emergency petition presentation. To log in to the meeting, go to www.benalla.vic.gov.au and on the home page scroll down to “Live stream Council Meetings”.

This will be the culmination of over 18 months of efforts to bring this discussion to a point of definitive action by our community leaders, and your support by  “attending” the meeting online will be very important.

Judy Schwarzman
Secretary, BSFG

​"BREAKING NEWS: The Swanpool Environmental Film Festival has been CANCELLED.  The uncertainty with COVID 19 restrictions has forced the organisers to this disappointing decision. Hopefully next year sometime"  Swanpool Cinema Website, accessed 24 September, 2021.

The Swanpool Environmental Film Festival 2021, already rescheduled from June to October 23, is, for the second year, a casualty of the Pandemic.  Postponed to next year 2022, possibly at the usual time in June, the Festival Program was to feature Professor Michael-Shaun Fletcher 'Indigenous Knowledge and the Shackles of Wilderness' and film 'Beyond Burning', Dr Kerryn Higgs 'Collision Course:  The Growth Delusion' (2021 update) and films 'Fairytales of Growth' and 'Once You Know; and will culminate in  a  panel discussion 'State of the Nation' and film 'Wild Things'. 

Hopefully this program will be able to go ahead next year, with the Swanpool Catering Team volunteers once again sustaining Festival audiences during breaks providing opportunities for audience members to network and catch up with friends.

We would like to invite members to attend our BSFG General Meeting at 7.30pm on Thursday 23rd September at the Benalla Uniting Church.

Adam Saddler, the newly appointed manager for economic development and sustainability at Benalla Rural City will be speaking. It will be an opportunity for BSFG to put forward our ideas for opportunities to transition Benalla into renewable/sustainable industries.

Current covid protocols will be followed. For indoor public gatherings, masks and social distance are needed. 

A light supper will be served at the conclusion of the evening if regulations at the time permit. 

Please RSVP your attendance for Covid numbers to  bsfginc@gmail.com

Judy Schwarzman
Secretary BSFG

​Due to the Covid lockdown, unfortunately we will again have to cancel the General Meeting and film screening scheduled for Thursday 26 August.   We hope to see everyone on the Thursday 23 September instead.  Covid protocols at the time will be followed. For indoor public gatherings, masks and social distance will almost certainly be required.  A light supper will be served at the conclusion of the evening.  Masks can be removed during supper, when we ask people to maintain social distance.  Please RSVP your attendance for Covid numbers to  bsfginc@gmail.com

We would like to invite you to attend our BSFG General Meeting at 7.30pm on Thursday 26th August at the Benalla Uniting Church.

In keeping with "Plastic Free July" (previously postponed due to covid restrictions), we will be screening the documentary "Plastic Wars". Issues such as clear labelling on packaging for recycling, are raised in this documentary. There will be time for discussion after the film.

A light supper will be served at the conclusion of the evening.

Current covid protocols will be followed. For indoor public gatherings, masks and social distance are needed. Masks can be removed during supper, when we ask people to maintain social distance.

Please RSVP your attendance for Covid numbers to  bsfginc@gmail.com

Please visit News on our BSFG website for more about Plastic Free July. https://www.bsfg.org.au/news

Judy Schwarzman
Secretary BSFG