Climate change action = a citizen's assembly? Surely that's what we call Parliament? What Twiggy said and more..

Gillard heckled at climate policy launch (ABC)

Prime Minister Julia Gillard faced a small but vocal group of protesters

as she launched Labor's climate change policy at the University of

Queensland in Brisbane this morning. The centrepiece of Labor's plan is a

so-called "citizens' assembly" which would gather together volunteers to

sound out public support for a price on carbon. The assembly would be made

up of up to 200 volunteers and would work alongside a group of scientists

appointed by the government to advise it on climate change. But the

measures did not go down well with protesters from climate action group

Six Degrees who were gathered outside the open-air venue. And the plan has

also been roundly attacked by opponents from both sides of politics and

environmentalists, who accused Ms Gillard of abdicating responsibility on

climate action. One protester was tackled to the ground only metres away

from Ms Gillard after he tried to rush the podium during the speech. The

young man was handcuffed and led away by police as the Prime Minister

pressed on. Later identified as PhD student Bradley Smith, he told triple

j's Hack program why he disrupted the speech. "Scientists have been

telling us we need to take action on climate change for a long time. The

government have had a mandate to take strong action on climate change for

the last three years. "That's what the election was about three years ago,

and we've seen no action. So I feel the need to do whatever I can because

it's not just about me, it's about the whole planet." The protest

threatened to overshadow the announcement of Labor's plans to tackle

climate change. And the citizens' assembly plan has already been roundly

criticised by the Opposition and Greens.

An ideal opportunity to write a Letter to the Ed. Surely we already have a

citizen's assembly.. it's called Parliament!!! You can also comment online

in support of Greens long hard push for real action right now. And don't

forget your blogs, tweets, forums and facebook.

PUT SENATOR BROWN IN LEADERS DEBATE!! 7PM Project and more..

Pressure is building to put Senator Brown in the leader’s debate this Sunday. There's online opportunities for you to be involved in this, as well as writing Letters to the Eds. Some points on this are below. 

*** PUT SENATOR BROWN IN LEADERS DEBATE ***

• Australia is a vibrant democracy.  We pride ourselves on hearing different points of view.
• The Australian Greens put forward alternative policies that more than a million Australians voted for in 2007.
• This election The Greens are the clear third party.
• If ALP/Coalition are confident in their party’s policies and their ability to debate, they should be willing to include Senator Brown in the debate.
• Many other democracies around the world include smaller parties in their political debates.  The inclusion of the Liberal Democrat leader, now Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in Britain was credited with making for a much more open, informative and interesting debate.

*** LETTERS TO EDs ***

letters@theaustralian.com.au

letters@couriermail.com.au

letters@theage.com.au

letters@smh.com.au

Preferences, voters rights and more...

The biggest story today is obviously The Greens/ALP "preferences deal".

Preferences are a damaging issue as it makes voters think a vote for the

Greens is not meaningful - that it is being stolen from them and put

somewhere they didn’t decide, and that politics is about back room deals

they are not part of. We've therefore been asked by the National Committee

to focus on countering negative messages and providing correct and

positive information on this issue over the next few days.

Some points to note in your letters, blogs, posts, calls:

- Preference arrangements between parties are only valid to the voter if

they vote above the line. If I vote below the line then my preferences go

where I choose for them to go.

- Senator Bob Brown is saying voters should Vote 1 Australian Green and

after that it is up to them to decide where they vote based on each

candidate, their party and its policies.

- The preference arrangement between parties does flow down into "how to

vote cards" but they are a guide only. Each voter can and should put their

preferences in their own chosen order according to what they think of the

other parties and their policies. No one should feel their vote is being

decided by any party’s external arrangement.

-  By law all political parties must lodge a preference arrangement with

the AEC for the Senate.

Tony Abbott - ignorant on climate, Greens confident in election, Beware The Greens, UCG fails safety test and more..

This afternoon, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott commented that China and
India would not introduce a carbon price so Australia would not have to do
so. This comment clearly shows that the Opposition has little
understanding of what action is actually being taken against climate
change by our regional neighbours. A full press release from Senator
Christine Milne is below. Please consider writing a Letter to the Editor
of the national papers on this issue - Australia is being left behind, and
the would-be governing party doesn't seem to know it. 


***
Greens confident as election underway (SBS World News)


The Australian Greens are confident they will steal votes from both major
parties, as the federal election campaign kicks off. Greens leader Bob
Brown says people are disenfranchised from the major parties due to their
lack of action on climate change. "Somebody said last week that the Greens
are more Labor than Labor, more Liberal than the Liberals and
unsurprisingly greener than both," Mr Brown told Sky News. "That's a
pretty good accolade, I think it sums it up," he said, referring to voter
sentiment. The party is hoping to pick up seats in both the upper and
lower house, to add to its current representation of five senators. 


You can add a comment online in support.

The rise of the Greens? - ABC Sydney - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

The rise of the Greens? - ABC Sydney - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Meet The Greens Lead Senate Candidate for QLD, Larissa Waters

Liberals want three election debates; Everyone (except The Greens) fails on climate report card.

Liberals want three election debates (ABC)

As Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott battle

it out over who is more fiscally conservative, the Liberal Party has

challenged Labor to hold three debates during the election campaign. The

parties are yet to settle on the conditions of the face-to-face leaders'

debates during the campaign but Greens leader Bob Brown wants to be

there...

You can post a comment online and/or write a Letter to the Editor agreeing

that The Greens should be an integral part of leaders debates. At the 2007

Federal election the Greens recorded 7.8% of the vote, up from 7.2% in

2004, 5.0% in 2001 and 2.6% in 1998. Current polls suggest up to 13% of

Australians will vote Green in the 2010 election. The Greens also believe

that the public should be involved in these very important debates.

Bob Brown at NPC, Indigenous singer is new Greens star, Carbon Courage and more..

Liberal and Labor have caused 'political depression' (ABC)

In a speech to the National Press Club yesterday, Australian Greens

leader, Bob Brown described how he sees Australians turning away from the

major parties and their squabbling. "THIS YEAR WILL BE another milestone

in politics for the Australian Greens. The sole balance of power in the

Senate and a breakthrough into the House of Representatives are both

within reach. Australia's voters are looking for more progressive politics

and the stable, experienced leadership which we alone have produced over

the past three turbulent years in Canberra..."

Senator Brown's speech yesterday was inspiring and his responses to

questions from the floor are something all Greens can be proud of. You can

post a comment in support online at ABC.

Garrett stalls Qld coal seam gas project, Galaxy poll shows 55% support for Greens performance, Can Greens direct preferences? Greens unplug Melbourne & more..

Garrett stalls Qld's coal seam gas projects (ABC/AFR)

The Federal Government has ordered two mining companies to submit revised

environmental impact statements (EIS) for multi-billion-dollar coal seam

gas projects in Queensland. Santos and BG want to convert coal seam gas in

the Surat Basin in southern Queensland to liquefied natural gas (LNG) for

export from Gladstone in the state's central region.

This story doesn't mention the Greens, but kudos to the Greens for pushing

the issue and seeking the direct involvement of the Minister. You could

write a Letter to the Editor of the Courier Mail and The Australian. Whilst the 
Minister's action to intervene is commended, the Greens believe

the current laws are inadequate to have the impacts comprehensively

assessed, and are calling on Minister Garrett to visit the farmers in the

Darling Downs, like Senator Brown and Lead Senate Candidate for Queensland

Larissa Waters did last week. 

Larissa Waters said: “Minister Garrett's assessment is limited to impacts on 

threatened species. Without a trigger in our federal environment laws, the full 

impacts of CSG mining on farmland, groundwater and climate change cannot 

be assessed. If Minister Garrett is not considering the impacts of CSG mining 

on prime food producing land, then who is?" The full media release from QLD Greens is here. 

Please consider writing a letter calling for the Minister to meet with farmers and/or The Greens to

get a full understanding of this important issue for QLD.

RELATED STORIES

Garrett pauses on LNG (Gladstone Observer)

Greens welcome gas project delays (Gladstone Observer)

Dr Richard Di Natale, Greens Senate Candidate Vic, wants Australia to lead the world on preventative health.

East Timor, Climate Fix, Afghanistan & more. Opportunities to participate in online discussion.

***

Australia dumps on East Timor again (The Age/National Times)

Greens Victorian senate candidate Richard Di Natale has an article posted

at The Age on East Timor. This story is open for comment. The Greens

Refugee Policy is detailed further down for your reference.

***

The Climate Fix (SMH/National Times)

Victorian Energy Minister Peter Batchelor says, ''the single, most

effective way to drive changes in how we use energy is the introduction of

a carbon price at a national level. ''A clear signal on a carbon price has

been lacking for the last decade, and has been further complicated by

domestic politics and ever-changing international expectations.

The Energy Minister and the Greens agree that real action is long overdue

and needed right now. This article has on online poll and is open for

comment. Senator Brown says the Greens' policy of a carbon tax will save

households and businesses money as power costs soar. More info detailed

below for your reference.

The Punch says Greens should look at replacing leader Bob Brown

This online article attracting attention and comment from all sides. Please do consider posting a comment online with your views.

***

Greens aim for power role after elections (Business Spectator)

"The Australian Greens party is on course to win the balance of power in

the Senate at elections within months and will seek to push environmental

policies to the fore of the next government's agenda. The Labor government

is expected to snare a narrow victory at the election, possibly in late

August, but regardless of who wins the poll, the next government will

likely rely on the Greens to pass legislation on the economy to the

environment. Greens leader Senator Bob Brown has flagged he will be

expecting green policies in exchange for his party's support. "It's all

very strong for us," Mr Brown told Reuters in an interview. "It is very

likely we are going to be the balance of power in the Senate after the

election."

Resources Minister Ferguson shows contempt for Bob Brown and democracy

Resource Minister Martin Ferguson vows not to make Greens deal (AAP / Herald Sun / The Epoch Times)

"FEDERAL Resource Minister Martin Ferguson has vowed not to do a Senate deal with the Greens on the mining tax, assuring miners that the government will stick by its agreement with the industry. Mr Ferguson assured Queensland miners that the Greens would not be tinkering with the agreement should they gain the balance of power in the Senate at the next election. "In two and a half years I've never had a meeting with (Greens Leader) Bob Brown."

You might wish to write a Letter to the Editor or post online suggesting that Minister Ferguson's blatant disregard for not only Senator Brown but the essential role of the Senate in Australia's federalist system of government seems typical of Labor's recent demonstrations to the Australian people that democracy is no longer theirs. Whilst the Minister represents the view of the three big mining companies he conducted closed-door negotiations with, the Greens represent the view of a significant proportion of Australian voters and Senator Brown was right to question the true cost of the government's backdown on the mining tax.

Mining Tax: Bob Brown will pursue better outcome for Australians

Senator Brown has said The Greens will work hard for a better outcome for small business when the mining tax comes to be reviewed in the Senate. This includes a push to return the tax rate to the promised 28%.

You might want to write a Letter to the Editor today in support of this action by the Greens, noting that unlike the Opposition The Greens do not want to block the tax, but they do want to work together with the Government for a better outcome for Australians - just like they did with the stimulus package last year.

You may also choose to point out that the front page of The Australian today notes that "..the government had given up about $4.5bn in potential revenue when it renegotiated the tax... which is three times more than the government claimed last week." 

This vindicates Senator Brown's position that the full cost of the backdown needed to be explained to Australians.

Call for new laws to protect farms and water from coal seam gas mining

Greens leader Bob Brown, in Toowoomba today, is calling on Environment

Minister Garrett to place a moratorium on coal seam gas mining and

exploration until adequate environmental protections are in place. 

Greens support in WA reinforced in new polls

"Colin Barnett is strengthening his grip on power in the west. The WA

Premier's recent battles with Canberra over the mining tax and health

reform have resonated with West Australian voters. The latest Newspoll

also reveals troubled times ahead for Labor leader Eric Ripper, who is

struggling to be heard on various issues dominating talkback radio and

public debate. He trails Mr Barnett as preferred premier by 60 per cent to

19 per cent. And the new figures, taken exclusively for The Australian

between April and last month, reinforce record support for the Greens.

Abbott Point coal hub: environment must not come second to coal exports

Queensland jobs at risk - Greens (Bigpond News) "The Greens say billions in revenue and thousands of jobs are at risk if the environment comes second to coal exports. Australian Greens leader Bob Brown says any expansion of the Abbot Point coal hub near Bowen in north Queensland could see world heritage waters off the Great Barrier Reef affected. Dr Brown says such an expansion would see more coal ships travelling through the area putting Australia's 60 billion dollar tourism hub at risk."

Brown slams major parties over asylum seekers on 7.30 Report - video and transcript

Transcript 

Isn’t a vote for the Greens a wasted vote?

A great post here from An Onymous Lefty.  


"Several of my friends are Labor voters, despite disagreeing with 90% of what the party actually does in office. “Why waste my vote by voting for the Greens?” they ask. “They’ll never be in power!" 


For progressive ALP voters there’s a very simple answer to this question: because voting Greens will make the ALP a more compassionate, humanitarian party...."

Greens call for a ban on BPA in all baby products

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that bottles with BPA are to be phased out following rising public concern and a safety review ordered by US health regulators.  There's an interesting article also at the Herald Sun.

The Australian Greens are actually calling on the Federal Government to immediately ban BPA for use in all baby products as our food regulators can not guarantee the safety of such products.

"The Government is potentially exposing Australian babies to unnecessary harm by leaving products containing BPA on supermarket shelves," said Australian Greens Health spokesperson, Senator Rachel Siewert. "There is a growing body of evidence that the chemical BPA used in plastics, including food packaging, is harmful to humans even in minute quantities and is unsuitable for use in baby bottles or other products. "

Asylum Seekers, Mining Tax, Abbot Point coal facility, coal seam gas moratorium

Major issues for Australians seem to be having limited focus in the media

over this past week.

The Asylum Seeker issue is a key topic of discussion on the radio, in

print and online today. The issue is expected to be the key media

topic in the coming days and we'll keep you in the loop on specific

stories. In short, The Greens support a compassionate and human 

response to asylum seekers and on-shore processing.

Some new media stories are below on the Mining Tax. The Greens 

support the tax in principle but Senator Brown believes that the

full cost of the backdown needs to be explained to Australians. Senator

Brown also states small businesses who employ up to 5 million Australians

will be worse off and jobs will now be at risk.

The Mining Tax

In a race to the last, the Mining Tax has overtaken Climate Change Action

as the weeks biggest story. The Greens view on the revised tax is highlighted below in

two press releases from Senator Brown and Greens MPs. You may consider

taking action by expressing how this revised tax package (and the process

undertaken to get here) affects you.

Coal seam gas expansion & carbon tax

Two key impact points today. Firstly, as you'll see below, Senator Bob

Brown has said he will support Qld farmers against the State Government's

coal seam gas expansion. It would be worthwhile commending Bob Brown's

commitment whilst at the same time spreading the message that QLD would do

well to have its own representative in the Senate.

On the carbon tax, well now even Tony Abbott is saying the PM should sit

down with The Greens and talk climate change action! Does it get more

impressive than that? Unfortunately not with Qld Premier Bligh dismissing

the tax and attacking the Greens.

Greens write to PM re: Carbon Tax

Much discussion on radio news this morning surrounding Senator Bob Brown's

offer to the PM of a solution to the failed ETS - the long campaigned for

carbon tax. The media and (some) online discussions are demonstrating a

positive reaction to this story. We can reinforce this by keeping up the

messages we have been spreading over the past several days. 

Greens say to new PM "take some action on climate change!"

Thanks to the Greens, climate change action has been a big issue in the

media since the new PM took office. We have plenty of opportunity for

reinforcing Greens messages of real action, right now.

Its a... new PM. And its time to work constructively with the Senate.

Julia Gillard is the new Prime Minister of Australia. Working with the Greens on climate change is crucial for the new Prime Minister. Key points to consider when writing, calling, blogging etc.:

• The Prime Minister has an obligation to work constructively with the Senate and Julia Gillard needs to do much better than Kevin Rudd in this regard.
• The priority for Julia Gillard now should be to dump the Government’s failed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) and work with the Greens to deliver immediate action on climate change.
• The new Prime Minister should pick up the phone, call the Greens and get action on climate change!!

The Greens aren't to blame for the failed ETS (it was bad policy) and the Wild Rivers Bill

"Why you shouldn't vote for The Greens" (Q&A Discussion Board)

A follow on from Monday night's Q&A with Sarah Hanson-Young, this

discussion board has some positive but largely negative views about the

Greens. It would be great if you could post a comment on here in support

of Greens messages and policies. Some points to consider:

SHY on Q&A tonight

Greens Senator, Sarah Hanson-Young is a

panellist on Q&A on ABC, tonight 9.35pm. Other panellists are Malcolm

Turnbull, Craig Emerson, Graham Richardson and Jessica Brown.

Greens call for voting rights for all Australians

Greens call for lower voting age (AAP / Sydney Morning Herald)

"The Australian Greens have used a Senate report on electoral matters to

advance their case for lowering the voting age to 16. An upper house

committee made up of Labor, Liberal and Greens senators released its

findings on two electoral bills on Thursday. One would require more

detailed authorisations to be printed on how-to-vote cards, a move

designed to reduce the potential for voters to be misled, and

non-compliance made a crime.

The Greens gain ground

Greens gain ground (The Australian - opinion)

"A DOUBLE dissolution would very likely give the Greens more Senate seats.

I suspect this is the real reason why we will not have a

double-dissolution election. In Queensland, for example, at the last

election the Greens had just over half a quota before preferences and

hence would have a senator in a double dissolution even on those numbers,

let along the swing predicted by current polls. With a stronger Greens

presence in the Senate, a Labor government has two options to get

legislation through if it's not widely supported: make it more

conservative to appeal to the Coalition, or more progressive to appeal to

the Greens. Does Labor want such clear options? I doubt it. As it stands,

the ALP can make a big deal of trying to push through legislation that

isn't very good, and blame whoever it likes for failing."