Chronic illnesses and contaminated land and waterways: these are the serious health and environmental impacts of coal pollution. For years, the Central Coast and Latrobe Valley communities have been speaking out - and the United Nations has taken note. In August 2023,...
Did you know that last year in September, out of the blue, more than 15,000 fish and rays washed up dead on the shores of Lake Macquarie? Residents were seriously concerned that Deta Electricity’s nearby coal fired power station, Vales Point, was to blame – and it...
Do you know Australian law is lagging behind its international counterparts in protecting human rights? And that your right to live in a healthy environment is not protected at all in Australia?Different states and territories have different approaches and regimes,...
The Victorian Government has passed a Bill to gut Victoria’s mining laws – and literally take the word ‘sustainable’ out of mining regulation. De-regulating the mining industry is the last thing our government should be doing as Victoria prepares for a surge in mining...
The Latrobe Valley community has fought to reduce the health impacts of toxic coal waste for generations. Over the last few months, we’ve seen two huge moments for holding coal mining companies accountable for protecting community health and the local environment....
We have an encouraging update on Delta Coal’s proposal to expand the Chain Valley mine at Lake Macquarie. Last year, we asked you to make a submission on Delta Coal’s proposal to expand its Lake Macquarie mine, keeping it open for another two years and extracting an...
When the Hazelwood coal mine closed in 2017, it left behind giant hole and tonnes of toxic coal ash. Now, the mine's operator, Engie, must clean up the site. We have serious concerns that Engie wants to dodge its responsibility and cut corners on properly...
The PR departments of Australia’s power stations might prefer we didn’t track their emissions of 93 toxic substances. But we think everyone who breathes air has a right to know about – and stop – toxic contamination. That's why we’ve spent the last few days carefully...
AGL Energy has plans to expose the Latrobe Valley community to coal ash pollution for another 20 years. The company wants to build another six enormous coal ash dumps where waste from coal production is mixed with groundwater, creating a cocktail of lethal heavy...
The federal government has agreed Engie’s plans to take billions of litres of river water to flood the old Hazelwood coal mine will be scrutinised under federal law. This is a huge win for the community and environment, and for every person who took the time to make...
Thanks to the community raising its voice, Delta Coal’s plan to mine more coal will undergo thorough scrutiny by the NSW Independent Planning Commission! Last month, we asked you to make a submission on Delta Coal’s proposal to expand its Lake Macquarie mine, keeping...
Until Friday, 16th December you can make a submission on Delta Coal’s plans to consolidate two of their mines at Lake Macquarie, which would produce another 9.5 MILLION tonnes of coal. EJA is making a submission on behalf of our client, the Nature Conservation Council...
Reflections on the Coal Pollution Case from Senior Lawyer Charley Brumby-Rendell. Last week, I sat in the Supreme Court for three long days, alongside our small but mighty legal team and client. Before the judge’s vast, carved wooden bench, we made our arguments – for...
During October 2022 our client, Environment Victoria, went to the Supreme Court against the EPA and three of Australia’s biggest energy companies. This landmark case was the first test of Victoria’s key climate change legislation, the Climate Change Act 2017, and the...
Decades of brown-coal mining has left the Latrobe Valley with enormous mine pits and toxic coal ash dumps contaminating the land and groundwater. As Australia transitions to clean energy, rehabilitating these sites properly will be crucial to protect community health...
Communities in the Latrobe Valley have powered our homes, offices, and schools across Victoria for decades. As coal mines close, mining operators need to be held responsible for cleaning up their mess, to ensure that the Latrobe Valley community aren’t stuck with the...
Lawyers at Environmental Justice Australia have today lodged a complaint at the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission to stop a brumby preservation group from racially vilifying Monica Morgan, a senior member of the Yorta Yorta Nation. The Barmah...
The future health of Gippsland Lakes, an internationally recognised Ramsar wetland, lies firmly in the hands of the Victorian and Commonwealth governments, writes senior EJA lawyer Ellen Maybery. As a Party to the Ramsar Convention, Australia has a responsibility to...