“We don’t understand the essence of how amazing we are!”
Gloucester Sustainable Futures Convention 2019
This story is part of an ongoing series of conversations with people around the country about the public good. Over the coming months we’ll be sharing snippets of our conversations and the voices and insights of people we’re talking with.
If you’d like to share your thoughts, details for getting in touch are at the end of the blog.
The women of Gloucester seem to have a sense of agency on a scale I haven’t come across in previous groups. And I probably shouldn’t be surprised. Between them, over the past decade they’ve stopped coal seam gas and the proposed Rocky Hill Coal mine. This second victory in particular was an extraordinary accomplishment with significant implications for the climate change fight (you can read more about it here).
They’ve worked with and as a part of the local Council. They know how to organise a community event (we had an amazing time participating in their Sustainable Futures Convention in 2019), participate on a committee, front up to court, run for election, and look out for their neighbours. As a community they’ve faced fires, severe drought, and are ranked second lowest for socioeconomic status of all of NSW’s regional towns — primarily because of the very low payments for those on the pension.
Image from Sustainable Futures Convention social media
These women are clearly part of a community with a very strong sense of care for people and the land and you can tell they are proud of both.
“We’ve got people with significant mental health issues. And we’re a community where people are seen as humans first, illness second.”
“We’ve got the incredible Barrington Tops World Heritage Area right here”
“Our park and local swimming pool and hydrotherapy complex is amazing. I don’t think people know. We need to celebrate this and tell people about it so that people think ‘I’m in Gloucester, I want to stop!’”
“There are over 90 volunteer run groups — impressive for such a small town!”
These are women in a community who are experienced in seeing a gap and then stepping in to fill it. But as one reflected — it’s hard to maintain all this volunteering and people are getting tired.
In part, I think those on the call want others in the area to see just how wonderful so much of the community already is: “We don’t understand the essence of how amazing we are!” They can see how building on what is already good, and helping people to know about it could be a way to connect people to community, work, skills and place.
“It’d be amazing to have a truly independent local newspaper that wasn’t hamstrung by personalities and politics.”
“Imagine a Barrington Tops sustainability centre with workshops and tours and people could get skills training and jobs.”
“Business has a role to play but I want a salary cap on what you can earn, the rest can go back into the community.”
“I’ve always thought a community library that did more than books would be great. We could have tools and skill shares and workshops. Maybe an expanded men’s shed for the community.”
The passion, the commitment, the drive is there. What would it look like to free up these women, to give them space to breathe away from the fear of climate change and the need to fight tooth and nail for government action?
After the conversation I had an email from one of the group (which I’ve edited slightly for length and clarity):
I feel we let the government and corporations off lightly. So I would like to add that we require “public good” policies from governments. For example environmental protections like no-go areas for coal and gas mining, protection of water, protection of land (reduced land clearing), stringent pollution and air pollution standards. We need enforcement and accountability of corporations; support and investment in renewable energy infrastructure with policies that develop renewables as the major energy supply.
In their victory against the coal mine these women have made a huge contribution to steering governments and corporations down this path. But imagine if they didn’t have to fight…
I can see them building the youth centre they talk about, re-starting the movie night, supporting others to develop cottage industries, helping people source and grow and cook healthy food, setting up repair centres and drawing on the knowledge in the town about repair and re-use.
Gloucester is a town full of people who know all about the public good and how to provide it.
Imagine if they were supported and freed up to do it!
We’d love to hear about what is important to you and your community. Send us an email or comment below.
What should be provided to your community in terms of goods and services, laws and protections, or capacity to enable participation?
Who should provide these things and how?
DR MILLIE ROONEY
Millie is the National Coordinator for Australia reMADE. Millie has a qualitative research background and has spoken in-depth with hundreds of Australian's about their lives, communities and dreams. She has worked in and around universities for over a decade building student capacity and enthusiasm for tackling wicked problems. Millie is also a carer for her family and community and is passionate about acknowledging this work as a valid, valuable and legitimate use of her time.
Other blogs by Millie: From trepidation to transformation: democracy, indi- style
Making space for utopia: the power of knowing and saying what you’re for
Listening in: using the election results to create a better Australia
