a public transport plan for the east

I joined with Greg Barber MLC, Greens spokesperson for Public Transport, and Damian Magner, Greens candidate for Eastern Metropolitan to launch the Greens Public Transport Plan for the East of Melbourne at a mock station in Doncaster.

Pictured left to right: Samantha Dunn - Greens candidate for Eastern Victoria, Greg Barber MLC - Greens spokesperson for Public Transport and Damian Magner - Greens candidate for Eastern Metropolitan. It's a disgrace that commuters in the outer east have to wait 30 minutes for train services and up to an hour for connecting bus services, The Greens are committed to fast, frequent, well connected, safe and accesible public transport.

It was a fitting place for the launch, at the old council offices, built in 1892, sited there as it would be right on the railway line, the people of Doncaster have been waiting for their railway line ever since.

Initiatives in the plan that specifically cover Eastern Victoria include:
>Duplication of the single track sections of the Lilydale and Belgrave Lines (the Belgrave line will be limited to Upper Ferntree Gully due to significant topograhical constraints and environmental impacts)
>Triplication of the Box Hill to Ringwood line - this will allow more express services to Lilydale and Belgrave
>A new train station at Hull & Mooroolbark Rds on the Lilydale line
>Implementation of all of the recommendations of the Bus Service Review
>Ensuring all vehicles and stations are fully accessible to all
>Establishing a Public Transport Authority to plan, manage and integrate all public transport services across Victoria

If you'd like to know more about the Greens Public Transport Plan for the East, click here.

a week on the campaign trail

A busy week on the campaign trail, my week started in Gippsland with Senator Sarah Hanson Young, Greens candidate for the Senate Dr Richard di Natale, Michael Bond candidate for Gippsland and Dr Malcolm McKelvie candidate for McMillan. Richard was there to announce the Clean Energy Plan, whilst Sarah was there to announce the Greens policy on Student Income Support.

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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.

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No fundraiser is complete without a raffle, here I'm supported by Jim and Brendan for the barrel draw. If you'd like to buy your own Greens t-shirt or other Greens merchandise to support the campaign visit http://vic.greens.org.au/shop.

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On Thursday Jon Faine visited McEwen, the country's most marginal seat held by the Liberals by 31 votes, to talk to candidates from the Greens, Labor and Liberal.

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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Thursday also saw a Meet the Candidates Q&A for Latrobe. Curiously the candidate for the Australian Sex Party wasn't allowed to join the panel even though he was there, the Liberal incumbent Jason Wood didn't attend, which left Greens candidate Jim Reiher and the Labor candidate to talk policies whilst attendees were treated to thought provoking commentary by panel members Karen Alexander (Landcare) and Kenneth Davidson (Dissent).

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Jim Reiher discusses Greens policies to locals gathered at the Upwey Hall. If you'd like to know more about the full range Greens federal policies click here.

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Locals came out in force on a chilly Thursday night to hear the policy views of candidates.

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Sunday saw senate candidate, Dr Richard di Natale, visit Warburton in the seat of McEwen to talk to locals about the potential for their town to have a major tourist attraction like the Otway Fly in the region.

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Locals were keen to quiz Richard about a full range of Greens policies.

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Greens candidate for McEwen, Steve Meacher joined Dr Richard di Natale and me to talk to locals. It was a cold misty day in Warburton, but people were keen to talk to the Greens about the upcoming election.

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If you'd like to follow the campaign in its final stages visit the Victorian Greens website here.