In this article long term forest campaigner John Corkill explains who NCEC is, what it does and plans for the Council's future.

NCEC who are we?

NCEC is the regional umbrella body for over 40 community based non-government organisations on the north coast of NSW. Our area of interest is bounded by Newcastle in the south, a line 15 kms west of the New England Highway to the west, by the Queensland border in the north and the state's coastal waters (3 nautical miles off-shore) to the east.

NCEC was formed in 1977 to fight woodchipping and in that time has taken on all manner of issues as you'll see from the summary below. The council is a member of the NSW umbrella body the Nature Conservation Council of NSW and through the NCC we nominate representatives of the environment movement to sit on a wide range of state and regional advisory or consultative bodies. NC'EC is you: the local member groups and their members. We aren't city based, nor do we have paid staff or a large budget, but instead rely on the work of volunteers and the efforts of our 10 person committee, drawn from across the region. Our other officers are: President: Susie Russell; Vice Presidents: Terry Parkhouse and Linda Gill; Treasurer: Peter Wrightson.

NCEC is an Incorporated Association under the Associations Incorporation Act 1984, which means we operate formally to meet the various requirements including taking of minutes, audited accounts, membership, Constitution etc. We are also a Registered Charity under the Charitable Collections Act 1934 which means we are able to receive tax deductible donations. Our very modest budget is largely made up of an annual $8,000 grant from the Commonwealth government, donations, subscriptions, and occasional grants.

NCEC is a formidable opponent and a valuable ally, since we have recognised standing in the Federal Court of Australia following our challenge of export woodchipping licences in 1994 and considerable media, legal and political expertise within our ranks.

What do we do?

Many of the Council's activities are ongoing:

• Giving advice and assistance to local groups in their activities
• Receiving and making donations to member groups consistent with our aims and objectives;
• Making media statements on regional environment issues and in support of local campaigns
• Writing letters to Ministers and Departments
• Meeting Departmental staff e.g. NPWS SFNSW EPA DUAP etc re government policies and their implementation
• Lobbying Ministers and other Members of Parliament: both NSW and Commonwealth
• Sitting on and actively influencing government committees: such as Water, Vegetation and Bushfire Management Committees, regional planning advisory committees, plantation advisory committees, National Registration Authority for Chemicals etc.
• Participating in other regional bodies such as the management committee for the Northern Rivers Regional Strategy and NOREDO (the Northern Rivers Economic Development Organisation) now known as the Northern Development Task Force (where our message is that development must be ecologically sustainable development
• Making submissions to and appear at Commissions of Inquiry
• Exhibiting displays at major functions and events
• Holding meetings, issuing minutes, convening special meetings or conferences
• Attending conferences hosted by unis, departments, industry groups.

Council is otherwise involved in a number of current issues and campaigns:

• Developing a weeds policy
• Northern Rivers Regional Strategy • Part1 Part 2 to do! • not whole of region
• The review of the 'plan making' Parts of the EP & A Act: northern rivers region an 'example'
• Enforcement and improved implementation of NSW Coastal Policy: e.g. Belongil Beach in Byron Shire
• North Ocean Shores: long term campaign to protect Billinudgel Nature Reserve
• NPWS restructuring: what does it all mean:
• Enforcement of NPWS licence issued for forestry operations
• Regional forest assessments: beyond Comprehensive Regional Assessment's & RFA's
• Legal advice re export woodchipping
• Toxic Action: chemicals registration and application; Right to Know legislation
• Fire / burning on roadside reserves
• Water management committees: Healthy Rivers Commission Inquiry into the Clarence River
• Wetlands protection, rehabilitation and sustainable management: Yarrahapinni

What does NCEC want to do in the future?

Our initial short term aim is to achieve a successful change over of office bearers after the stability of last 17 years! and to ensure that the good work of the previous President and Secretary are carried on without interruption. Beyond that our goals are to maintain and develop the regional network of environmental activists: explore new locations, make new contacts; and develop skill building, training options for the region's activists. A further immediate goal is to develop NCEC's presence on the World Wide Web and to assist local environment centres and groups to develop their web presence, so that the tyranny of distance is overcome and our messages and campaigns are accessible globally.

How can you help?

As a regional body, NCEC is keen to have interested people attend our regional meetings raise concerns and contribute to discussions. As a regional network, we need people to join, support and volunteer your time at your local environment centre or conservation group, and to participate in region-, state- and nation- wide campaigns which link us all up into a wide and powerful movement.