News - Friends of the Earth Australia

Big Tech says data centres are necessary - here's why they're wrong

Anna Mackiewicz — Fri, 22 May 2026 13:01:00 +1000

While Big Tech and many politicians are presenting the unprecedented growth of data centres as an inevitability, or even a necessity, the truth is that this energy- and water-thirsty industry threatens to throw our energy transition off course.

Last month, Friends of the Earth made a submission to the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into data centres, which is considering the scale, impacts and implications of data centre development in New South Wales.

Help protect the rare mountain pine forests of Tasmania

Cam Walker — Thu, 21 May 2026 11:54:00 +1000

Around Australia, many important ecological communities face an uncertain future due to the impacts of climate change. Friends of the Earth is currently seeking federal threatened species listing for snow gum forests given the existential threats being posed by climate change driven fires and dieback (you can read more about the campaign here).

The pencil pine (Athrotaxis cupressoides) is a much loved and wonderfully charismatic tree of the Tasmanian mountains where it is largely restricted to sub-alpine areas above 800 metres. It is one of the Gondwanan species – dating back to the times of the Gondwana super continent – and often grows around tarns, streams and lakes because of its intolerance to fire. Pencil pines can reach ages in excess of 1,200 years, but have little chance of recovery after a fire.

It is hard to imagine the mountains of lutruwita without these wonderful trees (check here to get a sense of the beauty of these trees).

Sadly they face a very uncertain future. But this campaign aims to secure a future for both pencil and King Billy pines.

Federal Budget: funding will hand federal environmental decision-making to states and territories

Sam Cossar — Thu, 14 May 2026 16:49:00 +1000

In the 2026 federal budget, the Australian government announced measures that could undermine protections for world heritage places like Kakadu and the Great Barrier Reef by accelerating a handover of federal environmental approval powers to state and territory governments, fast-tracking decision-making and establishing a new “pay to destroy” offsets scheme.

The Federal Budget allocates $153.5 million over four years to progress bilateral agreements with states and territories that would see decision-making under the newly reformed Environment Protection Biodiversity and Conservation Act 1999, and enhance the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in progressing environmental approvals. It will establish ‘environmental regulatory reforms that accelerate approvals by reducing duplication with states and territories and by modernising applications, including through the use of AI’.

Much of the reporting on the use of AI focused on plans to use an AI tool to help housing developers get projects through the Commonwealth's environmental assessment process. However, the funding for use of AI in environmental approvals, while intended to increase productivity, could have enormous negative impacts on natural places if the process allows developments such as mining or mass housing in new areas to proceed without appropriate oversight.

Conservative parties often use the distraction of ‘Reducing green tape’ as a justification for supporting destructive projects. It is deeply concerning to see an ALP government pursuing the same ideas.

The decision to fast track developments must also be seen in the context of massive cuts to nature protection elsewhere in the 2026 budget.

And the rapid development of AI (and the data centres that are required for AI to function) are facing growing backlash around the world because of the enormous demands of these centres for both water and electricity.

Please sign our open letter to the federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers opposing this move.

It will be sent at the end of May.

To add power to this campaign, please consider grabbing the text and sending it to your local federal MP via email.

Further information

From ReNew Economy: as the global race to establish more centres in Australia gains momentum, technology and environmental experts have questioned whether the nation can support their high energy and water demands

Trace Levels of PFAS found in Adelaide’s Tap Water

Anthony Amis — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 12:53:00 +1000

New important research from the University of Adelaide (1,2) and reported by Channel Seven on April 12, 2026 (3) highlight fertility issues concerning trace levels of PFAS found in Adelaide’s tap water. This research found that “The results showed exposure to PFAS chemicals, even in trace amounts, disrupts female fertility, causing cellular damage to ovulated eggs and embryos”. (2) The researchers however failed to question how the PFAS ended up in Adelaide tap water?

The PFAS in Adelaide drinking water in the new report contradicts all previous SA Water PFAS raw water test results which have found no PFAS chemicals in the SA drinking water system. SA Water state on their website in regards to where PFAS testing has been conducted at 16 locations: "There were no ‘detectable PFAS levels within any of the above sources.”

The key issue regarding 'negative' SA Water tests appears to be that SA Water tests are limited to PFAS levels only as low as 0.002μg/L parts per billion (2ng/L parts per trillion).

What Actually is in Your Drinking Water?

Anthony Amis — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 14:59:00 +1000

What actually is in your drinking water? The answer to this question will depend entirely on your location. Are you on mains water or do you get your water from drinking water tanks? Are you living in an urban area or are you in a rural location? Do you get your water from surface flow, bore water or are you reliant on rain water?

Is your water supply catchment area covered in native forest, or is it covered in farmland? What is the geology of the area where your drinking water is sourced from? What type of water treatment is used by your water authority? What season did the water testing occur?

Who is responsible for testing your drinking water and how often do they test it? If the water is tested what does the water authority actually test for? If you are living in Queensland or NSW in a rural environment, the water authority will most likely be the local shire. Have they got the resources to adequately test your drinking water? If you are living in a very isolated location there will probably be no testing and no treatment of your water. Do you have a home water treatment system such as filters?

In light of these questions, FoE decided to look at three locations in urban environments South Australia on one particular day of the year. The water was tested and provided by SA Water. The locations selected were Adelaide, Craigmore and Sellicks Beach. It should be pointed out that it is impossible for water authorities to test for water in every location that they supply, so instead, sampling locations usually occur at one or a couple of locations in a suburb or town, with testing occurring just at those locations, unless there is an emergency or a serious complaint.

Inner Adelaide sources water from the Central Metropolitan Area (Happy Valley Water Treatment Plant (WTP)), Craigmore from the Northern Metropolitan Area (Anstey Hill, Happy Valley, Barossa, Little Para WTP's) and Sellicks Beach from Myponga Metropolitan (Myponga WTP).

There may also be less frequent testing for substances such as pesticides or PFAS* chemicals in raw water supplies prior to treatment. If these substances are detected above drinking water guidelines, then treated water may also be tested. (*Recent independent testing - published in 2026, has revealed PFOS and other PFAS chemicals in inner city Adelaide drinking water at ~14% of guideline levels. PFAS chemicals however have not been detected in raw water tests by SA Water, indicating that the PFAS may be coming from within the reticulated system itself - post treatment).

If you found this blog informative consider donating to our water and toxics research here

Friends of the Earth Australia calls for peace, public transport, a tax on polluters & electrifying everything

Sam Cossar — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 09:59:00 +1100

As violence escalates across the Middle East, the human costs of the US and Israel’s illegal attacks on Iran are devastating and rising fast. Lives are being lost and families are being torn apart. It has always been the ordinary people of the Middle East who have paid the heaviest price for coups, illegal wars and occupation in the region. From Iraq to Palestine these wars and genocides have often taken place with the complicity of Western governments, including Australia.

Violations of international law, from targeting civilians and destroying livelihoods, to poisoning the environment and fuelling climate disasters, are the inevitable results of these illegal wars.

False claims from The Australian do a disservice to public debate

Cam Walker — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:41:00 +1100

A number of false and misleading claims have been made about Friends of the Earth in The Australian newspaper today (April 1, 2026).

In a long piece focusing on funding for environmental organisations, a number of false claims were made about us and our work.

We categorically reject claims made in that article that FoE Australia has colluded with Danish investors Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners to support the controversial Chalumbin wind farm and we are demanding a correction of the record from the Australian. However the newspaper has refused to retract the claims or apologise for the false claims in their story.

Illegal US-Israel attacks on Iran risk repeating horrors of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

Pat Simons — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 16:43:30 +1100

Illegal bombings of Iran by the US and Israel risk repeating the horrors of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars that killed close to a million people and completely destabilised the region.

PM Anthony Albanese’s immediate support for the war is shameful and reveals that the federal government’s claim to support international law is hollow. Amidst reports of hundreds of civilian casualties, including over 100 schoolgirls in Minab on the first day of the conflict, Australia is making itself complicit in escalating warfare that could kill hundreds of thousands more, undermining the international laws that also keep this country safe.

Friends of the Earth Australia's statement on police violence against anti-racism protestors

Sam Galvin — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:39:00 +1100

Sydney Water PFAS detections 2025

Anthony Amis — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 16:52:16 +1100

In July 2024, Sydney Water faced a crisis after detecting dangerously high levels of PFAS chemicals in drinking water in the Blue Mountains. 41,000 homes in areas such as Blackheath, Leura, Mount Victoria, Catalina and Katoomba had probably been drinking water with high levels of PFAS for decades. In late 2024, the NSW Government installed a $3.5 million mobile water treatment plant using Granular Activated Carbon and Ion Exchange Resin at Cascade Water Filtration Plant in an attempt to resolve the contamination. The NSW Government has also committed $80-$100 million for an upgrade to Cascade which should be operational by 2026-2027.

Sydney Water began publishing some PFAS detections in 2024 (North Richmond WFP was tested for in 2019 & 2023), but Friends of the Earth applied under GIPA legislation to gain access to the full suite of detections in late 2024. In 2025 Sydney Water started publishing all their PFAS detections via their website. The following information has been compiled from these published results, some of the most extensive PFAS testing in the country. (As a comparison, the Water Corporation in Western Australia refuses to release any PFAS information, including under Freedom of Information legislation).

In June 2025, the National Health and Medical Research Guideline updated Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) for PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid): 200 ng/L (0.2μg/L), PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid): 8 ng/L (0.008μg/L), PFHxS (perfluorohexane sulfonic acid): 30 ng/L (0.03μg/L), PFBS (perfluorobutane sulfonic acid): 1000 ng/L (1μg/L), GenX chemicals (hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid and its ammonium salt): no health-based guideline value can be derived at this time.

Sydney Water have detected 10 PFAS chemicals, meaning that six of these have no guidelines published in the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

Statement on terrorist bombing attempt at Boorloo Invasion Day rally

Sam Galvin — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:22:00 +1100

Invasion Day Events 2026

Sam Galvin — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 10:01:00 +1100

January 26th, the day we recognise as Invasion Day, also known as Survival day, is this Monday. This is a day of mourning for First Nations peoples.

FoE Australia launches Anti-Nuclear Fundraising Campaign

Sam Galvin — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 15:49:42 +1100

BETTER ACTIVE TODAY, THAN RADIOACTIVE TOMORROW! Friends of the Earth Australia launches a National Anti-Nuclear Fundraising Campaign.

Statement from Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean

Sam Galvin — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 12:55:22 +1100

Solidarity with the Venezuelan people in the face of imperialist aggression

Our statement on the Bondi shooting

Cam Walker — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 10:21:00 +1100

Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by the attack at Bondi Beach. Our hearts are with the victims, the survivors, and with their families, friends and loved ones. We extend our deepest solidarity to the broader Jewish community and the people of Bondi at this deeply painful time.

We acknowledge and thank the first responders who acted with courage and care in the face of such violence and tragedy.

We condemn this violence.

Friends of the Earth Australia stands in solidarity with all those affected. In moments like this, we are reminded that we are strongest as a society when we come together with compassion, reject hatred and violence in all its forms, and care for one another. We all deserve safety in this country.

Firefighting ideas for a warmer world

Cam Walker — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 16:38:00 +1100

As fire season gets underway, crews across many parts of the country have been very busy in recent weeks.

There are many things that go into effective firefighting: having adequate and well trained crews who can get on scene quickly, co-ordinated with air support, and solid logistics chains which keep the communications on track, provide the food and beds for fire crews, and the ‘public facing’ aspects of the machine, who engage with the community.

Apart from dealing with this summer's fires, we need to be preparing for future seasons. Check below to find out about our proposals for building Australia’s ability to respond to wild fire as fire seasons get longer and more intense.

GIPA requests concerning PFAS in Dubbo and Warialda Drinking Water Supplies

Anthony Amis — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 13:35:00 +1100

Over the past couple of months Friends of the Earth has received information from two GIPA requests from two NSW councils concerning PFAS detections in their drinking water supplies. The councils are Dubbo Regional Council and Gwydir Regional Council.

As far back as 2020, Dubbo (population 57,000) council acknowledged that PFAS had contaminated six bores in the town, with three of the bores used for irrigation and three used for domestic drinking water. Dubbo's drinking water treatment plant however recorded no traces of PFAS in 2020. Dubbo Regional Council is also responsible for drinking water at Geurie (population 700) where PFAS has recently been detected.

In November 2024 it was revealed by the NSW Government and Gwydir Shire Council that the small community of Warialda (population 1,500) had reported significantly high levels of PFAS in their drinking water supply.

PFAS concerns have also continued to plague the NSW town of Narrabri (population 5,500). Narrabri Regional Council's PFAS detections have been published via their website, results of which have been included in this blog.

If you think this blog has been useful please consider donating to FoE's pesticide and PFAS mapping work. The donation link is here.

A big day for nature

Cam Walker — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 13:16:00 +1100

Our national nature laws, which date back to the days when John Howard was prime minister, are broken. They have failed people and nature for decades. The federal ALP came to power on a promise to reform the laws, and make them fit for purpose for the 21st century.

And finally, a deal has been done to re-write the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act. It has been 5 years since the review of the laws, led by Graeme Samuel, which identified a blueprint to fix the broken system.

To get the legislation made into law, the federal ALP needed to do a deal with either The Greens or the Coalition. Having recently walked away from their commitments to Net Zero, we knew how disastrous the laws would be if the Coalition were the partner in creating these new laws.

It has been announced this morning that Labor has struck a deal with the Greens to overhaul the federal environmental protection laws on parliament’s final sitting day of the year.

The Liberals have caved to deniers, axed climate from agenda

Cam Walker — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 17:34:20 +1100

The news is in – the Liberal party has officially abandoned their commitment to net zero emissions. They have caved to the deniers and axed climate from their agenda.

It's another reminder that the Liberal party does not care about people being impacted by floods, by fires, or by any climate disasters. At a time when we need political leaders to make our world safer, the Liberals are committing to making it more dangerous.

As COP30 kicks off in Belém this week, the timing of this announcement seems even more out of touch, with nations from across the Global South demanding strong actions and commitments from those in wealthy countries like ours.

Australia needs strong environment laws

Cam Walker — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 08:14:00 +1100

Our federal environment laws (called the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, or EPBC) were created in the 1990s when John Howard was prime minister. They were never designed to really protect land and water from development and thousands of destructive projects have been approved under this legislation.

Federal Labor went to the last election with a promise to fix our broken nature laws. Now they need to deliver. After years of delays, the federal ALP has now introduced new nature laws to Parliament. But they’re not good enough and will fail to protect nature.

It is essential that these weak laws not be passed in their current form. The federal government needs to work with The Greens to deliver strong laws.