Last night I attended the Sustainable Living Celebration at Kernot Hall in Morwell. Locals from around Gippsland came together to hear and tell stories of sustainability, looking back at what's happened in the last year whilst looking forward to what's possible in the future.
It was terrific to talk to community members about their local groups and actions, there's certainly a great deal of enthusiasm for a more sustainable future in Gippsland. Of key importance was the development of a sustainability hub for Gippsland which would provide local economic stimulus and create new green jobs for the valley.
I look forward to talking more to locals in Gippsland as part of campaigning for the upcoming state election. They look forward to a healthy and sustainable future and that's what the Greens can deliver.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
sustainable living celebrated in morwell
Sunday, August 22, 2010
greens victory
Me with Adam Bandt at campaign HQ in Fitzroy.
Congratulations to Adam Bandt, our first Green to win a seat in the House of Representatives in a General Election and to Dr Richard di Natale, Victoria’s first Greens Senator.
Me campaigning in Warburton with Dr Richard di Natale last week.
You will do us proud and help to make this country a forward thinking, compassionate and progressive place to live.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Top 10 Reasons to Vote Green this Saturday
2. It’s the Party everyone’s heading to. The Greens are the third largest political party in Australia, with five national Senators, 22 State MPs and more than 100 local Greens councillors already playing a positive and constructive role across Australia. More than a million Australians voted Green in 2007, and we're the fastest-growing party in the country.
3. Break the deadlock in the Senate between the Government and the Opposition. Last time the Government of the day also got control of the Senate, we got WorkChoices. Or, Tony Abbott's Coalition could easily win control of the Senate, which would deliver Australians nothing but three years of deadlock. We deserve a Senate that will work for us and deliver strong, sensible action – not just spin.
4. Provide future generations with clean air, clean water and a stable climate. The Greens will tackle climate change by putting a price on carbon for big polluters in the next term of government. It’s time we created new clean energy jobs and started investing in the economy of the future.
5. Make legislation better. When the Coalition tried to block the stimulus package that kept Australia out of recession, the Greens passed it with added environmental and small business benefits. The Greens will do the same thing to improve the mining super profits tax.
6. The Greens have vision. When Bob Brown first spoke to the Senate about climate change 14 years ago, his Labor and Liberal colleagues actually laughed at him. Now the Greens are the only party working to end all forms of legal discrimination against Australians based on sexuality. The Greens focus on what’s right for the next generation, not just the next election cycle.
7. An environmental party. The Greens have always worked to protect Australia’s magnificent natural environment for future generations – whether that’s protecting our native forests and their wildlife, or our pristine beaches and marine ecosystems.
8. An environmental party and much, much more. The Greens stand for much more than just cutting carbon pollution, securing our water supplies and protecting our environment. Think better public schools, more funding for hospitals and fixing our broken mental health system. The Greens also drive great new ideas, like building high-speed rail between Australia’s major cities, which is now gaining momentum but would never have gotten up otherwise.
9. For a more powerful vote. Another Labor or Liberal candidate will just vote the way they’re told. With the Greens, every vote is a conscience vote. If you’re disappointed with Labor but don’t want Tony Abbott, you can send a powerful message to Julia Gillard. And if your Greens candidate doesn’t win, your vote will simply go to the next candidate of your choice at full value.
10. Bob Brown. A genuinely decent politician and the most experienced party leader in Parliament.
Together, we can let everyone know that this Saturday, the voters of Australia do have a choice, and who we vote for matters.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
green loans assessors left high and dry by both labor and libs
The Greens recognise that energy efficiency is the fastest and cheapest way to reduce greenhouse emissions, reduce energy bills and improve the liveability of our homes, offices, schools and hospitals and strongly support the expansion of the sustainability assessment industry.
"The Greens are inspired by the thousands of Australians who have chosen to build small businesses to help others reduce their energy bills and their impact on the climate," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, SenatorChristine Milne, said.
"But both Labor and the Liberals have left this incredibly prospective industry high and dry.
"The Green Loans program promised by Labor before the last election wasa great idea that was mismanaged to the point of collapse.
"Now assessors, including 67 Tasmanians, face an uncertain future, with question marks hanging over the program's proposed replacement, GreenStart.
"I called last week for the government to extend the deadline for tenders from this Friday out to after the election, to at least give assessors more flexibility before making a decision about the future of their businesses. We have had absolutely no response.
"Meanwhile, the Liberal Party has confirmed that it will not support Green Start and has provided no answers on the future of any similar programs.
"While I welcome the Liberals' offer of compensation to assessors who have been left out of pocket, I cannot understand why Greg Hunt is doing nothing to ensure these generous Australians have jobs into the future.
"The Greens have proposed an array of programs to drive energy efficiency upgrades in homes, offices, schools, hospitals and industry across Australia.
"These programs will provide great employment opportunities for assessors who want to stay in the industry and expand their skills. We know from surveys conducted by the Association of Building Sustainability Assessors that the great majority in the sector want to stay in it, even though they have been treated so poorly by thegovernment and opposition.
"The clear choice for Australians who want to see energy efficiencygiven the priority it deserves, and who want to see jobs growth in building a zero emissions economy, is to vote 1 Greens on Saturday."
Monday, August 16, 2010
a week on the campaign trail
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Senator Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson on Education, says the current compromise scheme which passed through Federal Parliament earlier this year was far from perfect and has created an unfair system that doles out or denies assistance with no real reference to students' needs.
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"We know many students in regional areas have missed out on access to the full rate of Youth Allowance under the new scheme,'' Senator Hanson-Young said. "For example in Yarram in Victoria, students who go to the same school and live across the road from each other get help or miss out depending on which side of the road they are on."
The week also saw a fundraiser for the Greens Casey and Latrobe campaigns at Earthly Pleasures Organic Cafe in Belgrave.
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Jim and Brendan compare campaign notes.
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Supporters came out to hear from our candidates, Jim Reiher (Latrobe) and Brendan Powell (Casey) who talked about the importance of campaigning to assist Dr Richard di Natale for a seat in the senate.
.Many people expressed concerns about logging in the local Healesville region. .
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I spoke about the lack of emphasis on climate change from Liberal and Labor and that many in my community were telling me this was a key issue for them. Thanks to Brent Lukey for the photo.
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Thursday was also a celebration of the momentous Brown Mountain decision. The Supreme Court upheld the injunction of logging of Brown Mountain where Justice Robert Osborn held that the detection of long-footed potoroos and other endangered species meant that steps must be taken to protect their habitat.
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It was a landmark decision for the environment, I gathered with Environment East Gippsland campaigners on the steps of Parliament to ask Minister for the Environment, Gavin Jennings, to respond to the Supreme Court decision. 
Here I am pictured with Colleen Hartland (Greens MLC for Western Metropolitan), Michael Bond (Greens candidate for Gippsland) and Greg Barber (Greens MLC for Northern Metropolitan). The Brown Mountain decision is a great victory for those endangered species threatened by logging activities in Victoria.
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greens will use senate to ensure workplace fairness
The Australia Greens have voiced serious concerns that a Coalition Government would bow to pressure from big business to make unfair changes to Australia's workplace laws.
Senator Rachel Siewert, Greens IR spokesperson, notes media reports today have highlighted how changes to industrial relations could be made without altering the Fair Work Act, risking the job security and employment conditions of many Australian workers.
"It is clear, as Professor Stewart is reported as saying today, Mr Abbott can make significant change to workplace laws, without actually changing the Fair Work Act," Senator Siewert said.
"Mr Abbott can use regulations to make unfair dismissal easier for small business or allow overtime and penalty rates to be abolished, without needing to do anything to the Fair Work Act.
"If these measures came before the Senate, the Australian Greens would act to protect the rights of workers across the country.
"The Greens have a proven track record in this area. We strongly opposed Work Choices when the Howard Government dominated the House of Representatives and the Senate, and we helped the Rudd Government introduce the Fair Work Act after the last election.
"We're committed to improving the Fair Work Act, not regressing to the bad industrial relations regime of the last Coalition Government. Thousands of Australians are more secure in their jobs today than they were under Work Choices.
"The Greens in the balance of power is the only protection against these retrograde steps," Senator Siewert said.
academy of sciences climate report exposes farce of 5% target while gillard fails to mention climate change
The Science of Climate Change report released by the Australian Academy of Sciences today shows once again that both Labor and the Coalition must significantly lift their patently inadequate 5% emissions reduction targets.
The report comes as Prime Minister Gillard failed to mention climate change in her campaign launch speech today.
"Delay and denial on the climate crisis is simply unacceptable in the light of ever clearer scientific evidence," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.
"Prime Minister Gillard and Tony Abbott are completely out of step with the scientists, with economists and with the community - it's time for them to catch up.
"The fact that the Prime Minister failed to mention the climate crisis in her campaign launch speech today speaks volumes for how seriously it is being taken by the old parties.
"Both Labor and the Coalition must lift their sights to science-based emissions reduction targets, support the Greens' call for an immediate effective carbon price, protect our forest carbon stores and start planning for a complete transformation to zero emissions.
"The Academy of Sciences report released today outlines settled science and confirms what the natural world is already telling us.
"From fires and drought in Russia to the horrendous tragedy of the flooding in Pakistan and Niger to the 260km2 island of ice that has broken off Greenland, climate change is accelerating around us.
"In now warmer Tasmanian waters, the invasive sea urchin is destroying the giant kelp beds and the rock lobster industry with them because of climate change.
"This report should put paid to any suggestion by the ALP or Coalition that they take the science seriously. If they did, they would leave their 5% target far behind them and start planning for zero emissions.
"Climate consensus was on display in the streets yesterday, as Australians demanded that the government walk with them and not with the big polluters.
"The Greens are on the side of scientists and economists who say that deep cuts in emissions and urgent action are the right scientific and economic response. Denial and delay are more expensive in human and dollar figures than the strong early action that the Greens propose.
"Whose side are Labor and the Coalition on?"
The Academy of Sciences report is available at www.science.org.au/policy/climatechange2010.html.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
in the press – clean energy & youth allowance
Greens launch policy in Valley
Latrobe Valley Express
by Ebonnie Lord
12 Aug 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
greens act for national water efficiency plan
Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown will announce the new plan to help Australian cities plan for and cope with a water-restricted future at the sustainable 60L Building in Melbourne today with Victorian Senatec andidate Dr. Richard Di Natale.
"Despite many Australians' hard work reducing their water use, Australia still has the highest per capita water-use in the world," said SenatorBrown.
"With climate change we'll face a hotter drier future and we need a national plan to cope with the water crisis in our cities.
Greens Victorian Senate candidate Richard Di Natale said the hard work by householders to conserve water needed to be matched with better government regulation.
"Everyone who's lugged a bucket from the shower to their garden knows how stupid it is that still today new buildings are going up without basic water efficiency measures," said Dr. Di Natale.
"That's particularly important in commercial and industrial buildings where initial design makes a huge difference.
"100,000 litres per person of fresh water a year is too much. With more Greens in the Senate, we'll push for a better national system to conserve water."
The Greens new plan includes:
* Mandatory water efficiency standards for all new residential and industrial or commercial developments, including basic minimum water sensitive design features such rainwater capture, water efficient showerheads and a second pipe network for non-potable water
* Incentives and tariffs for developers to encourage better water sensitive design
* Increasing the ability of local councils to get funding for local public stormwater harvesting projects.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
greens scholarships scheme to get our best and brightest into teaching
The Australian Greens will tackle the ongoing teaching shortage by using a Commonwealth Scholarships Scheme to attract our best and brightest students to work in the education system, according to Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.
Senator Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson on Education, says the party's education plan is designed to make practical improvements to the system, such as investing to secure the future supply of good quality teachers to educate our children.
Teacher shortages are a real and serious concern in Australia, whether it is in particular subject areas or particular geographical areas, Senator Hanson-Young said.
As an example, reports suggest that half of NSW teachers will reach retirement age by 2016.
There's no time to waste, we need to start training up our next generations of teachers now.
That's why the Greens will set up a Commonwealth Scholarship scheme that will provide incentives to top students to become teachers, offering guaranteed work at the end of studies in return for staying in areas of need for at least three years.
The scheme would:
Provide up to 3000 scholarships a year, divided between states on a per capita basis
Make scholarships available for up to five years - at $5000 a year to allow students to finish degrees
Provide tax-free scholarships which would not effect eligibility for Youth Allowance Guarantee recipients a teaching job in a public school in an area of need,
Require recipients to remain in full-time employment in areas of need, such as public schools, for at least three years.
The Greens will also work to improve the levels of Asian language literacy in Australian schools. In 2008, less than 6 per cent of students in Australian learned an Asian language, and the figure is falling.
We will restore levels of Asian language literacy in Australian schools, by increasing funding to pre-Howard levels, establishing national leadership groups for the four Asian languages taught in schools and establishing partnerships with international institutions, Senator Hanson-Young said.
As part of the Asia-Pacific, Australia should be promoting the learning of Asian languages in schools, advocating to parents and their children the benefits of learning these languages and working to increasing the language skills and proficiency of students.
These two initiatives are examples of the Greens making sensible investments to generate better outcomes for Australians, Senator Hanson-Young said.
Monday, August 9, 2010
greens to kickstart clean energy sector
It was terrific to join with Victorian Senate candidate Dr Richard Di Natale, out in Gippsland, as he called for the implementation of a Gross National Feed-In Tariff to kick-start the renewable energy sector in regional Victoria.
Research by Access Economics and the Electrical Trades Union has shown that a gross national feed-in tariff would lead to the creation of an additional 5,400 jobs in Victoria, particularly regional Victoria, over the next ten years.
It makes good sense, it's good for the economy, good for the environment, good for regional Victoria.
Pictured left to right: Malcolm McKelvie – candidate for McMillan, Dr Richard di Natale – senate candidate for Victoria, Michael Bond – candidate for Gippsland, Sarah Hanson-Young – Greens Senator and Samantha Dunn – candidate for Eastern Victoria (state), in front of Hazelwood Power Station, the developed world's most polluting power station. Victoria's greenhouse gas emissions from power generation are continuing to grow due to our ongoing reliance on brown coal.
Over 22 thousand jobs could be created in Australia over the next 10 years in the renewables sector if we implemented a gross national feed-in tariff.
For Victoria and in particular regional Victoria, this would translate to around 5,400 extra jobs over the next 10 years.
Renewable energy employs on average 4-6 times as many people than fossil fuel energy and most of these jobs would be in regional areas.
"So far, Federal Government initiatives have failed to stimulate the market and keep solar manufacturers within Australia. Australia's last solar manufacturer left Australian shores in April 2009. There was a time when the majority of our panels were Australian-made but now all our solar panels are imported," said Greens senate candidate, Richard di Natale.
• According to a report produced by Sustainability Victoria for the Victorian Government, a gross feed-in tariff set at 40 cents per kWh with a cap of 200,000 units would lead to $2.1 billion in investment and would generate 3,000 new jobs in Victoria by 2015. This would increase retail electricity prices by just 1%, equating to an increase of 17 cents per week for Victorian electricity consumers.
• At 60 cents per kWh, a gross feed-in tariff would generate 5,400 new jobs within Victoria in the next ten years.
• According to Access Economics, "the cumulative employment in the solar industry in Australia delivered from a gross national feed-in tariff from 2010 to 2020 is just under 40,300, compared with a cumulative 17,750 under the existing set of feed-in tariff policies. This amounts to an increase of 22,550 jobs for the forecast period."
• For Victoria, employment peaks at just below 500 per annum under existing policies, whereas under a gross state feed-in tariff, employment would peak at just under 1,200 per annum. When aggregated across the period 2010 to 2020, the existing feed-in tariff and solar credits will create around 4,200 jobs in Victoria, compared with 9,600 created by the joint operation of a gross state feed-in tariff and the solar credits scheme.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
a green weekend
Samantha Dunn (Yarra Ranges Councillor and candidate in the state election for Eastern Victoria) and Jim Reiher (Latrobe candidate) at Kallista Market, locals were keen to hear what the Greens had to say.
Saturday night saw the launch of the Latrobe and Holt campaign in Doveton.
Candidate for Latrobe, Jim Reiher and Holt, Frank di Mascolo, were joined by me and fellow Greens councillor from Casey, Cr Lynette Kelleher.
Sunday was the launch of the Victorian Greens Federal Campaign at the Northcote Town Hall. It was a day of courage and compassion with leadership and vision.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
labor, in reverse, adopts greens high speed rail proposal
Greens Leader Bob Brown who has been vigorously advocating High Speed Rail throughout the election campaign, is delighted with Labor's back flip.
"However the first phase should be between Sydney and Melbourne (including Canberra), the world's third busiest air route, Senator Brown said.
Senator Brown said the Labor announcement comes despite Lindsay Tanner likening the Greens proposal to putting an Australian on the Moon on SBS Insight on Wednesday night.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
farmers must be central to food security plan
With food security now firmly on the Federal election agenda, it is critical to ensure that keeping farmers on the land is central to the strategy, the Australian Greens today.
The Greens are troubled that the food security plan is in danger of becoming all about consumers and food affordability without recognising the critical importance of continuing to produce food here in Australia.
"Food security is not just about consumer prices and consumer choice - it has to be about keeping farmers on the land and preserving our agricultural land," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.
"Everywhere I go across Australia, in cities and in regional areas, people are telling me they want fresh, local, seasonal food and they want to support our farmers to produce it. This is what is behind the tremendous growth in farmers' markets across the country.
"Farmers need to receive a decent return for the food they grow. Instead, they are constantly subject to the downward pressures placed on them from cheap overseas imports and the Coles and Woolworths duopoly.
"Farmers are at a distinct disadvantage in trying to negotiate a decent price for their product with powerful processors and supermarkets.
"Governments are letting both the community and farmers down by signing up to free trade agreements that discriminate against Australian farmers, by refusing to reinstate anti-price discrimination provisions in the Trade Practices Act, by distorting the price of land with ill-thought out tax incentives like managed investment schemes and by prioritising coal over agriculture.
"In developing a food security plan, we have to prioritise the ability of our land and water to sustain agriculture and the development of policy settings that deliver a decent return to farmers so that they can stay on the land.
"With an aging farming population, there is a desperate need to find ways for young people to go on the land and be able to afford to buy land. They are now competing with agribusiness and often overseas corporate interests.
"There is a real danger that, if the debate focuses exclusively on lowering food prices to the consumer, we will see Australian producers closed down because they can't compete with cheaper food from overseas produced in environmentally and socially damaging ways.
"The short-sighted strategy of focussing on cheaper food from overseas leaves Australia completely vulnerable to the whims of overseas food producers and availability in a world increasingly challenged on food security.
"The plan must build in the impacts of climate change and peak oil from the start. These two crises will have a massive impact on agriculture and cannot be swept under the carpet."
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
greens national health plan
based on early intervention and prevention strategies, has been launched today in Perth and includes:
* Denticare - a national dental care scheme to end the waiting list of 500,000 Australians
* Incentives for more rural dental workers (including HECSrebates)
* A Minister for Mental Health
* $350 million per year for mental health
* $58.5 million over 4 years for rural mental health
* Better hearing screening to prevent or limit hearing loss -including assistance for Indigenous communities
* A 1.5% levy on junk food and alcohol advertising
* An end to junk food ads in children's TV viewing hours, until 9:30pm
* Traffic light labelling so shoppers can select healthier foods
* A floor price plan for cigarettes
* A safe alcohol consumption public education program
Senator Rachel Siewert, Greens Health spokesperson said "The Greens want to convert Australia's health system to one based on wellness not sickness."
"We need to be keeping people well and out of hospital.
"The combined cost of poor health and the associated social impacts from tobacco and alcohol use, obesity, and poor dental, mental and hearing health is $138.75 billion per year.
"Keeping people well not only provides a far better quality of life but it is less expensive.
"Our range of policies are designed around preventive health which is a much more sensible approach to healthcare," said Senator Siewert.
Greens Leader Bob Brown, in Perth for the launch, and himself a former GP said, "The Greens are leading both older parties in improving health care as today's Medical Journal of Australia revealed a huge problem with obesity for the nation."
Sunday, August 1, 2010
greens launch national election campaign
The Australian Greens election campaign was officially launched by Leader Senator Bob Brown today in Canberra.
Senator Brown said the Australian Greens, unlike Labor and the Coalition, offered voters stability, leadership and vision.
"The Greens record in the Senate demonstrates our ability to negotiate and deliver outcomes for the community when the Coalition has said no," said Senator Brown.
"We will continue to pursue innovative policies like High Speed Rail, an idea which the majority of Australians support," said Senator Brown.
A new Galaxy Research poll of 1009 people released today found that 74% of Australians are in favour of a High Speed Rail link between Australian capital cities.
"Today I am also announcing two new polices that show the Greens are the party that thinks about the future, cares about people and will stand up for the environment.
"The Greens call for a new National Marine Reserves Plan to protect 30% of our marine reserve areas from all extractive uses such as oil and gas exploration, whereas today less than 5% is protected.
"The Greens will also move to amend the Fair Work Act to extend the right to request flexible working arrangements for all carers.
"This entitlement is currently limited to parents of preschool age children and carers of children with disabilities. In extending to all carers, this right will include, for example parents caring for adult children with disabilities or people caring for elderly parents.
"This election the Greens are working hard for a historic breakthrough in the House of Representatives, but we are also the choice for voters who want to prevent an Abbott-controlled Senate."
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