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

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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.

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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.

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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. "