Earth Matters

Bec Horridge, Claudia Craig, Mia Audrey & Keiran Stewart-Assheton.
  • 5.0 (23)
  • News
  • Updated Fortnightly

Local and global environmental issues from grassroots, activist perspectives with a strong social justice focus. Distributed nationally on the Community Radio Network.

  1. 16 hrs ago

    Data Centres Part 2: Are They Really That Bad?

    Off the back of part one—an interview with independent climate expert Ketan Joshi last month—Mia brings in other perspectives on the data centre boom.  You’ll hear from Professor Priya Rajagopalan of RMIT Univeristy; Dr. Thomas Nann, CEO of Allegro Energy and a globally recognised expert on long-duration energy storage.; and Britney Henderson, Greens candidate for the western metropolitan region in Victoria’s upcoming state election and a vocal opponent to the major data centre expansion in Narrm/melbourne’s west. Guests: Professor Priya Rajagopalan is the Director of the Post Carbon Research Centre for Infrastructure and the Built Environment and Associate Dean (Research and Innovation) in the school of Property, Construction and Project Management at RMIT University. She is a building scientist with extensive experience in energy and indoor environmental quality of buildings and urban climatology. Dr Thomas Nann is a globally recognised expert and pioneer on micro-emulsion storage technology. He can speak about long-duration energy storage, climate policy and data centre energy profiles as well as Australia’s clean energy future. Britney Henderson is the Greens’ Lead Candidate for Western Metropolitan in Victoria. She is a Bunurong person living and raised in Narrm (melbourne)’s West, by a big, staunch queer Aboriginal family. Links: Wiki community for the campaign for a data centre moratorium: https://datacentremoratorium.net/index.php/Data_Centre_Moratorium_Wiki:About(link is external) Western Warrang (sydney) resistance: https://swelteringcities.org/2026/04/21/data-centres-ai-urban-heat-and-community-action-comes-together-in-western-sydney/(link is external) Petition: Stop the expansion of data centres in New South Wales: https://www.megaphone.org.au/petitions/halt-the-expansion-of-data-centres-in-nsw Petition: Stop the AI Data Centre Frenzy: https://greens.org.au/vic/campaigns/stop-ai-data-centre-frenzy  Earth Matters #1572 was produced by Mia Audrey on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country.

  2. 23 Aug

    The Importance of Protecting Dingoes

    This program is all about the important role dingoes have in the environment. We were joined by Co-Founder of the Dingo Conservancy Jo Samuel-King. She shed light on the difficulties in protecting dingoes, their lack of protections, common misconceptions and how beneficial they are in ecosystems. To find more information search The Dingo Conservancy on Facebook or go to dingoes.net We then hear from Sonya Grant, First Nations dingo coordinator from the organisation Dingo Culture. She speaks on the connection First Nations peoples have with dingoes, explaining how First Nations Rangers traditionally survey for dingoes and debunks the “wild dog” theory.For more information go to dingoculture.com

  3. 16 Aug

    US offshore mineral extraction in American Samoa waters. / Human rights abuses and deforestation for sugar in West Papua

    Interviewed by Priya Kunjan, Dr Sabrina Suluai-Mahuka, founder of youth-centred environmental organization Finafinau, joins us from Pago Pago to discuss recent progress in the United States government's moves to advance offshore mineral extraction in the waters off American Samoa in the face of significant resistanceSabrina spoke with us about the cultural and environmental impacts that deep sea mining for critical minerals will cause, and the ongoing fight to prevent this from happening in the waters off the islands of American Samoa. Interviewed by Priya Kunjan, Louise Byrne of the West Papua Women's Office discusses the connections between Sugar Research Australia, the Indonesian sugar industry, and alleged rights abuses and illegal deforestation in Merauke, West Papua. In December 2025, Greenpeace published the report 'Sweet Promises, Bitter Reality: Inside the Merauke Sugarcane Project' detailing serious concerns about the role of the Indonesian state and agribusiness in land theft and mass deforestation in Merauke. More recently, Royce Kurmelovs of Deepcut News has written about the connections between the Australian government-funded body Sugar Research Australia and land clearing in Merauke. Louise has been working for West Papua's freedom and self-determination since 1999, and helped found the West Papua Office in Docklands in 2014. Utube Video Pesta Babi: Kolonialisme di Zaman Kita (Pig Feast: Colonialism in Our Time), an investigative documentary examining contemporary colonialism, militarisation, and large‑scale development projects in West Papua YouTube . For more information, you can visit the West Papua Women's Office at 211/838 Collins Street, Docklands 3008 (VIC), and contact them at frwpwomensoffice@gmail.com(link sends e-mail) or via SMS at 0424 745 155. I would like to acknowledge the Kulin Nation – true owners, caretakers and custodians of the land from which we broadcast. 3CR pays respect to Elders, past and present of the Kulin Nation. We recognise their unceded sovereignty.Earth Matters #1570 was produced on Widjibul Weiable lands in the Budjalumg Nation by Bec Horridge

  4. 16 Aug

    Great Barrier Reef: A divers tale. [and transcript]

    We delve into the critical state of the Great Barrier Reef through the lens of Tony Fonts, President of the Whitsunday Conservation Council and a veteran diver with 45 years of immersive experience. Tony upacks the impacts of poor water quality, unsustainable fishing practices and that: "the greatest threat to the reef by far is climate change."He describes the devastating effects of coral bleaching he witnessed firsthand.He also comments on the new federal nature laws and the Queensland "fast-track development bill that threatens to dismantle critical environmental protections, eroding public consultation and transparency. "It's not too late. Every little bit of a degree that we pull back on gives the Great Barrier Reef... a better chance of a good future." Earth Matters #1569 was produced on Widjibul Weiable lands in the Budjalumg Nation by Bec Horridge

  5. 2 Aug

    Data Centres Part 1: Energy Vampires

    By now you would have heard the news: data centres are threatening to unravel the progress we’ve made on emissions reductions, as well as the health of communities throughout the continent. In fact, so-called Australia is a global investment hotspot, with 162 data centres in operation and at least 90 more on the way.  On today’s show, we’ll hear from a global expert on the newest and most ferocious force in this race towards disaster – AI data centres. Ketan Joshi is an independent climate, environment and sustainability expert, and lead author of a recent Greenpeace report entitled ‘Energy Vampires: The AI Data Centres Draining Australia’. Tune in for a confronting look at the disaster unfolding around us, and what to do if a climate-wrecking data farm pops up in your neighbourhood.    Ketan Joshi is an independent climate, environment and sustainability expert. He was the lead author on “The AI Climate Hoax”, published with several corporate accountability and environmental groups in 2026, and previously wrote “Windfall: Unlocking a Fossil Free Future” with the University of New South Wales Press. He worked for eight years in Australia’s renewable energy sector (corporate and government), and has worked with European NGOs working on climate communications and corporate accountability. ‘Energy Vampires’ report: https://www.greenpeace.org.au/static/planet4-australiapacific-stateless/2026/05/1032fdf5-data-centres-report-greenpeace.pdf 'The AI Climate Hoax’ report: https://beyondfossilfuels.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/AI-for-climate-claims-Report_FEB-2026_FINAL-2-16.pdf Rally for a data centre moratorium, August 9 in western Narrm (melbourne): https://www.facebook.com/events/1628575625533388/ Wiki community for the campaign for a data centre moratorium: https://datacentremoratorium.net/index.php/Data_Centre_Moratorium_Wiki:About  Western Warrang (sydney) resistance: https://swelteringcities.org/2026/04/21/data-centres-ai-urban-heat-and-community-action-comes-together-in-western-sydney/ Petition: Stop the expansion of data centres in New South Wales: https://www.megaphone.org.au/petitions/halt-the-expansion-of-data-centres-in-nsw  Earth Matters #1568 was produced by Mia Audrey on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country.

  6. 26 July

    30th anniversary special: Earth Matters founder Juliet Fox looks back on 30-years

    The first episode of Earth Matters aired on the 26th of July 1996 - exactly 30 years ago this week! In this special anniversary episode* we time warp back thirty years and listen to excerpts from the first ever episode of Earth Matters broadcast on 26 July 1996. We speak to founder and inaugural presenter/producer Juliet Fox – now Projects Coordinator at 3CR – who shares her memories of the first show as well as the role the programme has played in the broader environmental movement across three decades. Guests: Captain Derek Nicholls, Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior II talks about the boat’s drift fishing campaign work and energy sources. Murrandoo Yanner, then CEO of the Carpentaria Land Council about the CRA RTZ Century zinc mine in Queensland. Juliet Fox, founder and inaugural presenter/producer of Earth Matters, now Projects Coordinator at 3CR community radio in Naarm. *This is an extended version of the broadcast. Runtime 33-minutes. Further reading: https://www.clcac.com.au/native-title/our-story/02 https://www.greenpeace.org.au/article/the-rainbow-warrior-ii-retires/https://www.greenpeace.org.au/learn/bombing-of-the-rainbow-warrior/

  7. 19 July

    Art of Resistance Tour Protests on BHP's Olympic Dam Mine & Woomera Testing Range

    In July 2026 activists and artists from across so-called Australia came together, forming a collective known as the Art of Resistance Tour. The group traveled across the desert with the intention to protest militarism and extractivism with art and performance.We hear from activists at these protests shedding light on the impact BHP's Olympic Dam Mine has on sacred mound springs on Arabunna country, as well as the impacts it is having on neighbouring sacred Kokatha country. Activists on the tour also visit the nearby Woomera Testing Range, located in South Australia on sacred Kokatha country, highlighting the global and local repercussions of the military weapons that are being tested on this site.  The Art of Resistance Tour later joined up with the Close Pine Gap convergence in Mparntwe, Alice Springs - look back on the convergence last week, and The Art of Resistance tour at closepinegap.org.au and  instagram.com/art.ofresistance/   Earth Matters #1566 was produced by Hannah York

  8. 4 July

    Call for Richmond River Koala Parks /Spotlight on Australian Supers climate cop-out.

    Earth Matters Bec Horridge meets a persistent team: Fridays 4 Forests [ Facebook] who regularly protest outside Janelle Saffin MP's office in Lismore on Friday. They are calling for the creation of the Richmond River Koala Parks and to "Stop Native Forest Logging".Then we meet climate campaigner Brett, from Market Forces who dresses as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz to call out Australian Super's climate cop-out.  Australian Super has become the largest shareholder in Whitehaven Coal, which has plans to develop up to six new or expanded coal mines in New South Wales and Queensland.  This investment is seen as inconsistent with Australian Super's own net zero and Paris Agreement climate commitments. LinksRichmond River Koala Parks: NSW Nature Conservation Council

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About

Local and global environmental issues from grassroots, activist perspectives with a strong social justice focus. Distributed nationally on the Community Radio Network.

Information

  • Creator
    Bec Horridge, Claudia Craig, Mia Audrey & Keiran Stewart-Assheton.
  • Years Active
    2007 - 2026
  • Episodes
    555
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Earth Matters

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