ABOUT US > NTN REVIEW & AGM 2003
NATIONAL TOXICS NETWORK REVIEW & AGM - August 2003
It is now over a decade since the National Toxic Network was formed so it was an appropriate time to review what we are doing, what has worked and what hasn’t. Over the 2-3 August weekend, the NTN Committee, comprised over a dozen chemical campaigners from across the country, came together for a NTN planning and strategy Weekend.
With the help of a community facilitator, John Craven (himself a chemical campaigner in contaminated land management) we identified and acknowledged the huge scope of toxic issues we address nearly every day. These included chemical contamination of the environment, people and wildlife and the injury and illness that causes; the issues of right to know and freedom of information access to monitoring data versus the confidentiality of commercial business information such as analytical standards as well as a strong focus on the scientific integrity in risk assessment for hazardous waste management, food safety and GMOs.
The work that all groups did in ensuring environmental principles such as the precautionary principle, intergenerational equity and the maintenance of biodiversity are incorporated in policy and chemical legislation was seen as crucial to our campaigns.
Issues were addressed under four categories:
 Legislation/policy
Scientific
Community
Awareness
Legal
Strategies on how to address them were discussed with the focus on winnable battles and workable alternatives, in order to achieve a sense of positive outcomes rather than being overwhelmed with the negatives we all face every day.
What type of organisation is NTN ?
One of the crucial consideration was what type of organisation is the network ? While our aim is clearly stated as “to increase awareness of the chemical load on the planet and support the prevention and mitigation of pollution through appropriate environmentally sustainable technologies and policies”, there are many ways to achieve this.
One of the most pressing needs was to address the growing number of inquiries and requests for support. Through discussions, it was clarified that the support function of the network was for other NTN organisations not really the general public.
To address the ongoing need of individuals requesting help, we considered responses such as FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) sheets, leaflets and flyers hosted on our website. It was also decided to forward individual inquiries including media to the most appropriate regional and local organisations, thereby decentralising our responses.
Acknowledging NTN lack of resources, it was also decided that the problem of Government Departments referring to NTN had to be addressed; one response suggested was a media release called “The end of the line.”
We also committed to developing a formal management structure and response procedure which would focus on group autonomy with good co-ordination by NTN.
Each group to report on their projects using a developed template, ensuring compatible information is fed into a central spatial database using GIS mapping.
The issue of participation in unresourced consultative committees received a lot of attention with a preferred position being not to serve on government or industry committees without receiving a sitting fee and ensuring that when joining a committee there is a clearly defined constituent. In other words we do not sit on consultative committees as individuals. NTN intends to prepare a fact-sheet on representational committees.
Strengths and Weakness
An interesting exercise identifying our strengths and weakness demonstrated that our collective skills were many, particularly in relation to the long term knowledge built up over years of campaigning. Our weaknesses were more focused on lack of funds, the pressures of family responsibilities and personal limitations.
Focusing on what each of us wanted and needed from NTN, we brainstormed a range of solutions and options. The issue of funding and resources was discussed at length as was the option of not achieving funding and how we could continue our campaigns.
Communication Strategy
In response to the growing pressures on all of us, particularly in the light of our limited resources, we considered what could best be done and what could be let go. A result of these discussions was the decision to phase out the hardcopy NTN News Journal and replace it with a more responsive communication strategy. This included the re-establishment of the electronic NTN Alert System and better internal reporting and improved use of the website.
In summary, the structure of our communication, both internal and external will be based on:
NTN alerts;
maintenance of the current NTN e-group;
establishment of an NTN Committee e-list ensuring up to date reports from participants to provide the basis of ;
an e-bulletin every three months (internal) which would be consolidated into;
a yearly report, ensuring relationship between central, core and other groups.
A communication strategy is to be developed, reviewing distribution lists and identifying key stakeholders for our messages. A final journal both notifying people of our new communication channels and seeking input will be developed in the coming weeks.
Related to the phaseout of the hardcopy journal was the review of how to raise money through subscriptions. A suggestion that received considerable support was the notion of NTN ‘Toxic Avengers’ where supporters could register via the Internet and be provided with a badge/stickers and stay in touch with the work of NTN via the website.
Media Strategy
In order to better target the media (while still acknowledging our remarkable successes including 4 Corners, ABC Background Briefings, The Bulletin, SMH, Readers Digest, etc) it was decided to retarget NTN Alerts to include key media people (requiring us to update all media contacts) and to ensure that the media had the option of more than one spokesperson.
Scientific Strategies –power imbalances and scientific integrity
There was considerable discussion over the issue of scientific integrity and related power imbalances in toxic issues; how are we to address issues of risk assessment, access to chemical information and validated monitoring ?
The concept of a Toxic Activist Handbook received lots of support and much of the preliminary work has already been completed.
All in all, the weekend was a great success. It provided much needed inspiration and support as well as the comfort of knowing we have a strong and supportive network in which to participate. NTN while changing some focus and activities will continue the fight for a cleaner and healthier environment for all, while still ensuring our participating organisations are given the much needed support they deserve.
NTN AGM
At the AGM held on Sunday afternoon both in Canberra and via teleconference, the following NTN committee was elected.
Mariann Lloyd-Smith (president)
Anne Stanton (vice-president, Schools Campaigner)
Theresa Gordon (secretariat)
Mick Hoeg Staun (treasurer)
Jane Bremmer (WA)
Dorothy Bowes (Qld)
Jo Immig (NSW)
Peter Brotherton (Vic, National Climate Campaigner)
Julia Pitts (Legal policy)
John Craven
Don Want
John Wickens although stepping down from the committee will continue as GIS Adviser. |
