EarthChat

This week Marie Gerrard chats with Ian Dempsy about the most important issues facing us due to environmental damage. They discuss the damage being done but also possible actions to mitigate them. All on this week's EarthChat.

Jaclyn Symes is the State Labor Member for Northern Victoria and the Minister for Environment, Energy and Resources, Climate Action and the SEC. She is also this week's guest on EarthChat, part of our series of talking to sitting local MPs about their vision for the region and how it aligns with BEAM's commitment to a thriving community for a healthy environment. Jaclyn is a born and bred local, and in our conversation, we explore her early influences, her passion for the local region and how she plans to make positive changes for the residents in its many towns. Find out her thoughts about the Goulburn River and we discuss the need to protect biodiversity, restore habitat and make our landscapes more resilient to climate change. Given her energy portfolio, we discuss the clean energy transition and making sure regional communities share in the reduced costs, jobs and investment it creates.

Does everyone have the same access to financial, legal and health benefits in today's society? Who will benefit from the massive role out of data centres? Does capitalism only work when socialism bails it out every ten years or so? Why is it that "too big to fail" companies are given absolute govt support, and also why does Australia's richest person also benefit from millions in taxpayer-funded support? Is all of this fair? Jacqui and Mark discuss all this and more on this week's EarthChat. Tune in!

FOE's Cam Walker joins Ruth to outline significant environmental issues for this next Victorian State Election. Cam will take us through the issues and then offer ways we can help to be part of the solution. Aside from the destructive and tragic cost for all species of the ongoing wars in Iran, Ukraine, and Gaza, the increased burning of fossil fuels by military forces is currently generating 5.5% of global greenhouse gases which is inevitably accelerating global warming thereby creating extreme weather events. Wild fires in Europe expose some of the global consequences of these extreme conditions. Here in Victoria, many are still reeling from last Summer’s bush fire losses, and now we are heading into an El Niño Summer with predictions suggesting this coming Summer will be even hotter than the last making significant parts of Australia extremely fire prone. Friends of the Earth and other active environmental organizations and groups campaign for a rapid transition to 100% renewable energy, ‘good’ jobs, and climate justice. This means we stop propping up aging coal and gas plants as well as ceasing our dependence on oil by electrifying our homes and locking in renewables, along with securing energy justice - a just energy system that will serve all communities and ultimately their environments with clean affordable power instead of adding to dirty corporate profit. Cam Walker will discuss how we can prepare for the emerging climate threat to Victoria’s ecosystems and biodiversity so we all can take action and support each other - especially those who need to work outside in the heat, including our precious food producers - as well as our wildlife and domestic animals, inner city and rural habitats. In a time when integrity and transparency need to be stridently and overtly upheld as critical values for driving legitimate organizations, FOE continues to independently and creatively persevere their quest for environmental and social justice for us all. They do this by heightening public awareness through education, creative resistance and actions, as well as advocating for social and legislative change through research, policy submissions, press releases, letters, petitions forums, and much more. Increasingly we are seeing Grass roots energy becoming essential to sustain and support community driven environmental and social enterprises such as Friends Of The Earth, (FOE). Join us to see how you can help. Cam Walker is Friends of the Earth Australia’s campaigns coordinator. Cam has been active on environment and climate justice issues for more than 25 years. He has lectured in environmental politics and change theory at RMIT University and is currently working with Victorian communities to protect farmland from unconventional gas and fracking, as well as new coal developments. You can follow Cam’s Twitter feed at @Cam_Walker . All donations to Friends of the Earth Melbourne are tax deductible: https://www.melbournefoe.org.au/donate FOE strictly screens all financial support and refuses funds from unethical corporate sectors like fossil fuels, mining, and armaments. FOE continues to sustain its existence and activism through a mix of community donations, including individual support, membership fees, social enterprise like running community spaces and the Food Co-op in Collingwood, and philanthropic grants. To view FOE’s history of achievements since forming in 1973: https://www.melbournefoe.org.au/history

This week on EarthChat, Tim Budge talks with Dr Lynne Kelly AM, a science writer and Adjunct Research Fellow at LaTrobe University. After a secondary school career, Lynne returned to university to complete a doctorate, astonished by the way Indigenous cultures manage to memorise and teach a vast amount of practical information, all without writing. Over the past decade, she has focused on the use of story, music, place and art as mnemonic devices for vast amounts of information about the environment. Her books include The Memory Code, Memory Craft, The Knowledge Gene and two books written with Aboriginal co-author, Margo Neale, Songlines: the power and promise and Songlines for Younger Readers. She uses these techniques herself for learning languages, remembering bird species and has twice won the Australian Senior Memory Champion title. On EarthChat, Lynne and Tim will explore the memory methods used by those who depended on their memories for everything they knew: oral cultures including Aboriginal Australian, Native American, Pacific and African societies. We will explore Lynne’s big question, “How the hell do Indigenous elders remember so much stuff? Read more about Lynne here and here .

This week, new EarthChat host Meredith Budge welcomes Clare Claydon as her first guest. A long-time, Central Victoria resident, Clare has spent her life working in community development across education, refugee and migrant support, adult learning, agriculture, Landcare and environmental projects. Having grown up in Ghana, Uganda and Kenya, and later lived in Papua New Guinea, she brings a rich global perspective to her life history and her personal and professional work. Retirement has only deepened Clare’s community involvement. She collects Indigenous seeds to support native revegetation and hosts a monthly First Nations Learning Group, helping participants learn about First Nations history and caring for Country through Indigenous knowledge and practice. What makes Clare tick? Find out and join Meredith and Clare as they explore Clare’s remarkable journey and her passion for the environment and thriving regional communities.

What if the impact of your efforts to save the planet and plant trees could be seen from space? How exciting would that be? Tony Rinaudo is someone who spent 18 years in West Africa seeking to support farmers to regenerate forests and fight desertification. The program, called Farmer Managed Forest Regeneration, has been responsible for growing 200 million trees and reforesting 6 million hectares - about the size of Tasmania. Tony has received many awards for his work, including as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) and the Right Livelihoods Award . He is a special guest on EarthChat this week, talking to Tim Budge about his work across many countries and the importance of trees for the whole planet. Get more information about his wonderful book from the publishers here. Read more about Tony Rinaudo here , here and here.

This week, EarthChat hosts Mark and Jacqui are talking about the environment impact of data centres. It is generally accepted that they will use significant amounts of energy and water. There will be costs and impacts. AI will require multi-gigawatt power and millions of specialized GPUs. Tech giants are building facilities that stretch over a million square metres. However, what will be the actual costs and benefits to humanity, our environment and social structures with all these developments.

Ruth is joined by Dr Greg Moore OAM, a Senior Research Associate from the University of Melbourne, and EarthChat regular, Cath Olive from the Euroa Arboretum. They join her to talk about the latest data collected from this year’s bush fires in Victoria with a focus on the dire consequences of tree loss, particularly old growth trees whose important tree hollows provide much needed habitat for native wild mammals, birds, insects, reptiles and amphibians…. Trees are major keystone species - a single tree is an eco system in its own right. Take tree hollows as just one aspect of the system, for example. We now know we’ve lost 50% of these vital life giving hollows in these latest fires. Such a loss is extremely critical because trees take anywhere from 100 to 300 years to form hollows in their trunks, making them a largely irreplaceable resource. How can we help? Cath talks about the work "The Arb" is doing not only producing hollow replacements with nesting boxes, but other ways to counteract such losses along with prevention education, like the ‘Trees on Farms’ project. Dr Moore will talk about fire-wise gardening, and explain why removing vegetation has a huge impact, citing examples of increased heatwave and wind affects, along with doubling storm damage generally. He will clear up any misinformation about planting exotics in place of eucalyptus, citing Oaks as an example, which burn vigorously if exposed to fire. Dr Moore is concerned that we are trying so hard to control our natural environment and explains how this is contributing to heatwaves becoming a bigger killer than any of the other natural phenomena except for pandemics. We must acknowledge that we are creating an environment that’s allowing global warming, and act to mitigate the causes where we can, including reducing the heat island effect to keep our cities and towns cooler to lower the instances of heat-related illness and associated medical costs. Greg Moore is a Senior Research Associate, University of Melbourne, Burnley, was Principal of Burnley (1988-2007) and Head of the School of Resource Management (2002-007). Interested in horticultural science, revegetation and ecology, Greg specializes in arboriculture. He was inaugural president of the ISA Australian Chapter, and has been a member of the National Trust’s Register of Significant Trees since 1988 and chair since 1996. He served on the Boards of Greening Australia (1988-2012), Trust for Nature (2009-2017) and is on the board of Sustainable Gardening Australia and TREENET (Chair 2005-2019). He has written three books, seven book chapters and 200 scientific papers and articles. He was awarded an OAM in 2017 for services to the environment, particularly arboriculture. And a reminder about Cath Olive, She is the Development Manager (and much more) of the Euroa Arboretum …. Cath has worked in environmental education and landscape restoration in the Goulburn Broken catchment for the past 28 years. She is passionate about plants, people and wildlife – working to balance the needs of community and farmers with positive environmental outcomes. She is inspired by biodiverse landscape restoration and working alongside Traditional Owners in managing country. camping and my dad and I would go plant hunting. The natural world is where I am happiest and content. I have been lucky to have been able to share this love of plants for the last 30 years through my various jobs, generally on Taungurung country – currently at the Arb. Important links: Dr Greg Moore recommends having a good look around the many free resources on the not for profit TreeNet website which supports Urban Forest Research & Education for Communities:- treenet.org Dr Moore will be speaking at an event in Euroa on July 22 from 9.30 - 12.30 venue to be announced - please check the Euroa Arboretum website closer to the date to find out its location: - euroaarboretum.com.au/ . And take a good look around at their many offerings while you’re there.

This week on EarthChat Marie chats with Ivan Carter on the detection and control of Serrated Tussock, the working party tasked with its detection and control and the impacts of it. How do we dispose of Serrated Tussock, what are suitable herbicides for controlling it? What help is available to farmers who detect it on their property? Check out the Working Party website for more information https://serratedtussock.com/

This week on EarthChat we want to focus on some of the key issues facing Australia’s energy future including excellent progress being made towards sustainable transport options and the policy developments and behavioural changes needed to meet our future energy needs and climate change challenges. Our first guest is Mr Stuart Locke, General Manager, Seymour Coaches and President of the Bus Association of Victoria who has been responsible for the successful implementation of the Zero Emissions Electric Bus Trial here in Seymour over the last 3 years. Stuart will discuss the findings of the program and how this is influencing future decisions and purchases that will reduce emissions and provide cost effective options in regional areas. Our second guest is Mr Thom Woodroofe, a Senior International Fellow with the Smart Energy Council and author of the recently released book “Power, Prosperity and Planet: Climate and Energy Policy for All”. With an extensive background in policy development, diplomacy and international climate change negotiations, Thom is well placed to recommend practical solutions for an optimistic energy future that addresses the economic and climate related concerns of all Australians. SHOW NOTES Seymour Coaches – Seymour Passenger Services https://seymourcoaches.com.au/ Seymour Bus officially unveils first Victorian all-electric bus network - Australasian Bus and Coach https://www.busnews.com.au/seymour-bus-officially-unveils-first-victorian-all-electric-bus-network/ Seymour leads the way with first regional Victorian ZEB network - Australasian Bus and Coach https://www.busnews.com.au/seymour-leads-the-way-with-first-regional-victorian-zeb-network/ Why electric buses are the future of public transport https://www.commbank.com.au/business/brighter-perspectives/why-electric-buses-are-the-future-of-public-transport.html The environmental and public health benefits of electric buses https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/the-environmental-and-public-health-benefits-of-electric-buses/50046/ Why Australian Cities Are Betting on Electric Buses (And What It Means for You) - Sustainable living guide https://www.sustainablelivingguide.com.au/why-australian-cities-are-betting-on-electric-buses-and-what-it-means-for-you/ Thom Woodroofe - Monash University Publishing https://publishing.monash.edu/authors/thom-woodroofe/ Power, Prosperity and Planet: Climate and Energy Policy for All” , 2026 Smart Energy Council https://smartenergy.org.au An independent body accelerating Australia’s clean energy future by promoting smart energy solutions in national policy and promoting investment and secure jobs in the transition from fossil fuels to widespread deployment of renewable energy souces, improved battery technology and industry led stewardship programs that recover valuable materials like copper, aluminium and silver for future infrastructure and significantly cut landfill waste United Nations 2015 Paris Agreement Https://unfccc.int A legally binding international treaty on climate change aiming to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid more severe climate change impacts including more frequent and sev ere, droughts, heatwaves and storms. In January 2026 there were 194 Parties to the Agreement who submit National Climate Action Plans (known as Nationally Determined Contributions). Each successive NDC is meant to reflect an increasing level of ambition in their 2030 targets compared to the previous version. Australia’s current 2035 target is 62-70 percent reduction below 2005 levels, and this aligns with Australia’s net zero plan of Net Zero by 2050 https://www.dcceew.gov.au Sun Cable/Australian Renewable Energy Hub, www.solardirectory.com.au The A$30 billion Sun Cable crash is a setback but doesn't spell the end of Australia's renewable energy export dreams https://www.thetimes.com.au/world/19603-the-a$30-billion-sun-cable-crash-is-a-setback-but-doesn-t-spell-the-end-of-australia-s-renewable-energy-export-dreams Australian Renewable Energy Hub https://research.csiro.au/hyresource/australian-renewable-energy-hub/ Beyond Zero Emissions www.bze.org.au Australian based climate change think tank creating solutions for a prosperous, zero emissions future including regional Action Plans and promoting Australian clean technologies that can accelerate progress. The Superpower Institute www.superpowerinstitute.com.au A not for profit organisation, founded in 2023 by Ross Garnaut and Rod Sims dedicated to helping Australia seize the huge economic opportunities for Australia to become a major exporter of renewable energy and green industrial products. By demonstrating the comparative advantage of this approach they seek to influence policy and industry to ensure that Australia capitalises on the global energy transition. Australian Climate Service www.acs.gov.au Established to provide improved data and expert advice on climate risks and impacts to support preparedness and decision making including Climate services for Agriculture and a Drought Resilience Assessment Tool.

Treaties between First Peoples and governments have been signed in many other countries, like New Zealand and Canada, but until October 2025, Australia was the only Commonwealth country without a treaty with its First Peoples. Now, at last, Australia’s first Treaty is legislated, and on November 13, 2025, the Victorian Statewide Treaty Bill 2025 was officially given Royal Assent by the Governor of Victoria. What followed was the creation of Gellung Warl, the formalized, permanent umbrella name for the Assembly and its expanded structures under Victoria’s historic Statewide Treaty. While the Assembly operates as the negotiating body for Traditional Owners, Gellung Warl, (which means "tip of the spear" in the Gunaikurnai language), is the ongoing institution established by law to action the practical outcomes of the Treaty. Gellung Warl also provides independent oversight and accountability for Government on behalf of First Peoples. It continues the truth-telling and healing process so all of us who call Victoria home can understand our shared past, heal and move forward together. The First Peoples' Assembly continues to exist as the central, democratically elected decision-making arm within Gellung Warl, and in the recent (2026) Assembly elections, EarthChat regular, Levi Power, was re-elected as one of four North East Regional Representatives of the Assembly. Levi Power joins Ruth Yeatman and Phil Bourne on EarthChat to explain more about the different aspects of Gellung Warl, and to fill us in on Victoria’s Statewide Treaty journey over its first six months since being legislated, other exciting developments, and what’s planned for the next six months. Thanks to FPAV for giving us permission to use this Photograph The First People’s Assembly of Victoria in front of Victoria’s State Parliament building with outgoing Co-Chairs centre front: Ngarra Murray and Rueben Berg (term: 2023 - 2026) Footnote: The 2026 newly elected Assembly members of all five regions Victoria chose their new leadership team at the Assembly’s inaugural meeting in early May this year - Meriki Onus and Djaran Murray-Jackson were elected to serve as the next Assembly Co-chairs. For the latest news and speeches by the outgoing Chairs of FPAV, Ngarra Murray and Rueben Berg: https://gellungwarl.org/news/ You can explore the elected representatives on the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria website. For the latest updates on current negotiations, upcoming treaties, and official resources, you can also visit Victoria's Treaty portal. And for ANTAR’s Treaty Fact Sheet: https://antar.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Treaty-in-Vic-Factsheet-V5_March-2026.pdf

Would you risk physical injury, sexual assault and more from a foreign militia just to get baby food and emergency supplies to people cut off from humanitarian aid? Violet Coco did and was prepared to take on these risks because she knows the people of Gaza have endured and continue to endure so much greater hardships and suffering. Why? Violet is a previous guest on EarthChat (one of our most popular conversations) when she talked about her motivation and actions to highlight the climate crisis and her determination to speak truth to power and to those who want to sweep the world's problems under the mat. She is back on our program this week, having recently returned to Australia after her participation in the global flotilla, an international effort to highlight the appalling conditions faced by people in Gaza and the impact of Israel's war on their land. In the last 2.5 years, 72,900 Gazans have been killed with over 173,000 injuries. Lifesaving medicines, food and emergency supplies continue to be blocked by Israel from getting to the Gaza Strip. Violet and other people on the boats were abducted in international waters, taken to Israel, assaulted and expelled. Since their return to Australia, their stories have been met with silence and no real interest from government. Violet's involvement in the flotilla is part of her commitment to environmental and social justice. She sees that issues of global heating, geopolitical alliances and irreparable climate damage are all linked and that all Australia and the whole global population are suffering because of empires, companies and institutions which are colluding to prevent real justice. Violet is a passionate, eloquent and convincing exponent of non-violent protest and she walks the talk. Listen in to EarthChat this week when she talks about the experience of the flotilla, her commitment to social and environmental justice and the importance of connecting local actions to global issues. SHOW NOTES: https://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/there-s-no-bridge-too-far-for-this-climate-activist-s-cause-20250415-p5lruf.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violet_CoCo https://www.patreon.com/u77513512 https://linktr.ee/FreeGazaAustralia

This week on EarthChat, we discus a range of environmental issues that affect us here in Mitchell shire as well as those that affect our wider lives. Forecasts of very high humidity in our warming world causing health problems. How fungi contribution to a healthy soil and healthy forests What we mean by tipping points in nature and why they are important. Wallan wallan Regional Parkland improving development in the south of Mitchell Shire. The limiting of the inland rail. It will not reach into Queensland as planned. Beverage internodal freight Transport and the effects on road transport.

This week, Tim chats with Ellen Hunt from the “Impossible Dairy”, which is showing an "udder" approach to dairy farming. What if a small, regenerative dairy could not only produce milk, but also restore soils, retain water, and even help tackle climate change? And what if this little dairy could attract digital dairy devotees from across the world? Tim and Ellen explore how this bold experiment works in practice. From cows as ecological allies to the science of soil health and carbon, the discussion digs into how farming can shift from extractive to regenerative. It’s a look at both the promise and the challenges of building a system that aims to be environmentally positive, not just sustainable, and to get interest from across the internet with fascinating and thought provoking reels, videos and posts. Whether you’re passionate about food systems, climate solutions, or simply curious about where your milk comes from, tune in to discover how one small dairy is asking big questions—and why its answers might matter far beyond the farm gate. Want to learn more and join the thousands of the Impossible Dairy's followers? Check out their Facebook and Instagram feeds. Some links from the show: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bnWoqxMTh_M&ra=m https://www.groundbreakingpress.com/ https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vpTHi7O66pI&ra=m https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lGJoNXBLfQ0&ra=m https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vHDXWgzeplA&pp=iggCQAE%3D&ra=m

Many Australians do not know what a treaty is or could involve. To help answer this question and explore other major issues surrounding Indigenous-State treaty-making, Ruth is joined by Uncle Charles Pakana who is the founder and editor of Victorian Aboriginal News, which focuses primarily on Treaty, Reconciliation, Truth-telling and the sharing of positive First Nations stories from across Victoria. (See fuller bio below) Commonwealth countries with treaties, like New Zealand and Canada, report that all members of society benefit. Treaties move a nation from a foundation of conflict to one of mutual recognition, respect, stability, partnership and equity. By formalizing rights, acknowledging past injustices, and providing a framework for self-determination, treaties offer economic, social, and symbolic advantages for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations, and most importantly, lay the ground for unity and a shared cultural interchange which inevitably enriches the society. Until November, 2025, Australia was the only Commonwealth country without a treaty with its First Peoples, who as we know have lived on this continent and cared for country for 65,000 years, long before the British invaded and colonized Australia, without consent. Australia was therefore built on the denial and exclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with tragic consequences, including 438 (known) massacres which severely depleted the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations; and the late 1800s saw the beginning of the forcible removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, with large scale removals continuing until the 1970s. Join us to hear the facts about how Treaty will work to benefit all Victorians, and ultimately the whole country as other States investigate Treaties with indigenous people living in their regions. Uncle Charles will clear up any misinformation to help us sort fact from fiction and become better informed. Bio Charles Pakana (born Keir Wells) is an Aboriginal man of Tasmanian descent, yet identifying strongly as an Aboriginal Victorian. He is the second of three successive generations of Aboriginal journalists - his father, Fred Wells, having been the Industrial Correspondent at the Sydney Morning Herald up until his death (the result of his active service during WWII), and his daughter Karina Wells, a trainee journalist at Victorian Aboriginal News: https://vicaboriginalnews.com.au/ Charles is the founder of and editor at Victorian Aboriginal News, which focuses primarily on Treaty, Reconciliation, Truth-telling and the sharing of positive First Nations stories from across Victoria. He is an ex-infantry soldier (nine years) and, along with his journalistic work, which is carried across numerous Victorian community radio stations such as 3KND, Triple R and Phoenix FM, and the VAN Talks podcast, is a high-profile public speaker across the state, advocating for Treaty and Reconciliation.

Listen to EarthChat this week. Jacqui Fulton and Mark Lyons are exploring the truth about renewables, working their way through quite a few interesting topics of huge relevance to our times, including: The gap in availability of solar and other renewable power, which are being directly affected by wars. The reasons behind the drop in solar and battery prices, why are they collapsing. The misinformation that is in the community surrounding renewable energy. Why e-bikes are the latest thing to be disliked.

This week on Earth Chat we discuss all the ways to minimise our prolific and destructive use of plastics in our lives. Can we eliminate the use of single use plastics? What is the major damage that they cause and can we learn to use alternatives? What did we do before plastics became available? It's actually fairly recent history that they have been available.

What if regional communities owned their own power instead of multinationals? What if that power came from reliable renewables, instead of fossil fuels controlled by foreign powers and at risk to global geopolitics? What if locals got the dividends instead of big companies? The Goulburn Community Energy Co-operative in NSW (GCEC) is doing exactly that, all through the power and ownership of their own co-operative. Originally conceived in 2014, and supported by a feasibility study in 2016, the GCEC was formed in mid-2020 as an investment vehicle to produce and sell local, solar-powered energy. Anyone in the local region can invest in this project, receive a return on their investment, and be part of a community-led initiative to reduce Goulburn’s carbon footprint by producing electricity in their own region. Community energy projects are financed and owned by the community, who control, manage and operate the project. The community also share in the profits. There are many variations in Europe and the USA, and while it is a relatively new concept in Australia, there is now increasing interest in the idea. Interested? On EarthChat this week, we explore the power of the GCEC - and all co-operatives - with Michael Pilbrow who lives and works in the Yass Valley, NSW. Michael is a passionate advocate for rural and regional Australia. Michael has 16 years’ experience in supporting cooperative development. He co-founded the National Health Cooperative, Australia’s largest primary health-care co-operative, with around 32,000 active members. Michael has supported co-operative development and advised consumer and producer groups across a range of sectors in regional Australia, including aged care, childcare, sport and agriculture. Read more here: The co-op connecting everyday Australians to the renewable energy revolution - BCCM and here: Home - Goulburn Community Energy Cooperative Also https://www.ngardaraproject.org.au/ and don't forget the wonderful song Flag Day, which we didn't get to play! https://open.spotify.com/track/2YfuRUAfi2mmSbx4t9ehae?si=453436a216db4e6e

Ruth Yeatman invites Phil Bourne and Russell Fisher to join her to reflect on the interconnected crises threatening humanity and the planet today, primarily driven by climate change, extreme poverty, and geopolitical conflict. “Humans are social beings. We need to communicate, make connections, share how we feel, and truly listen to what others are going through. And to do all this, we need to talk. Not just quick messages or scrolling through social media updates—but real, meaningful (in person) conversations that help us feel understood and connected”. (David Kilcullen, Professor of War Studies at UNSW Canberra and an influential author and scholar of irregular warfare, urbanisation and the future of conflict) Coming together with others to make sense of these crises allows us to share our innermost feelings and connect with and learn from others. Together we more easily find the courage to turn toward our fears, face potential conflict and reach across difference, and to find pathways that lead us to more peaceful ways to meet our world. Join us as we reflect, explore, and question these times we find ourselves living in… Russell Fisher is an ecologist, strategist and adventurer. He has been actively involved in social, economic and environmental justice issues in different parts of the world for more than half a century. A degree in Ecology & Natural Resources Management has involved him in many environmental campaigns and projects, and a number of governance roles including past President of Environment Victoria and Chair of Bioregional Australia. Russell’s primary focus is in helping leaders, teams and communities create the space to cut through complexity and tackle their most stuck challenges. His main work with leaders and teams is on strategy, leadership development, governance, innovation, and problem solving. He has worked across a broad array of subjects including water, energy, climate change, environmental protection, waste, forests, natural resources management, health and well-being, community and economic development, transport, property development, community legal services, housing, media. A number of projects have helped his clients win national awards in training and development, sustainability and community action on climate change. Russell lives on a small property in the Central Highlands with partner Sue, where they are part of their local Landcare, and through a partnership with the local CMA, have dedicated 20% of their property to conservation and catchment protection. Phil Bourne was born and bred in Melbourne, Phil completed a bachelor of applied science (Occupational Therapy) in 1981 and then worked in support services for people with an intellectual disability. He moved to the Seymour area in 1984 where he co-founded Commonground, an organisation supporting social and environmental justice by hosting, facilitating, and generally supporting groups working in these areas including asylum seekers, aboriginal, peace keepers, and environment groups. Phil has also worked in local community development including being the inaugural Community Development Officer at Mitchell Shire, and a volunteer on groups such as The Seymour We Want, Mitchell Youth Affairs, Seymour Neighbourhood Renewal Project, and BEAM - Mitchell Environment Group, and Allies Supporting Treaty Seymour. Phil is currently spreading his time between work at Commonground and a new project called The Cape, a developing eco village at Cape Paterson. Thank you to johnhain for his image.