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Category: General news

Managing director of Ebono Institute and major sponsor of The Generator, Geoff Ebbs, is running against Kevin Rudd in the seat of Griffith at the next Federal election. By the expression on their faces in this candid shot it looks like a pretty dull campaign. Read on

  • You’re not imagining it Amanda McKenzie CEO Climate Council

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    You’re not imagining it

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    Amanda McKenzie – CEO, Climate Council via sendgrid.info 
    3:24 PM (1 hour ago)
    to me
    Dear Inga,

    Our latest report is in, and the findings are startling: from Australia to Austria and even Finland, 2014 smashed heat records around the world. Globally, last year was the hottest year ever in recorded history.

    Just take a moment to let that sink in.

    Unfortunately, the important stories often get drowned out in the news cycle – but this is one story that we need to keep on telling. Click on this infographic to share this news – because the world needs to know what’s happening:

    Hottest Year Infographic

    Your parents, your co-workers, that out-of-touch uncle, the friends who don’t pay much attention to climate change – they all need to hear that it’s not just their imagination, a few unseasonably warm days or freak bushfires.

    This is a long-term, scientifically-evidenced trend – 2014 is the 38th consecutive year with above average global temperatures.

    We are now half way through the decade for critical action to turn things around, and getting information like this out there on people’s radar is absolutely critical.  Let’s make sure this infographic appears in everyone’s newsfeed on Facebook this week; or click to share it on Twitter.

    Thanks so much,

    Amanda McKenzie

    P.S. Not on social media? You can still forward this email to your friends. 

  • What could you do with $14.6 million? BILL SHORTEN

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    Empty tissue boxes can provide easy and handy storage for plastic grocery bags.

    What could you do with $14.6 million?

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    Bill Shorten via sendgrid.info 
    2:36 PM (2 hours ago)
    to me
    .
    Neville —
    Does their shame know no limits?

    This tight-fisted Government, content to slash and burn essential public services, has splurged $14.6 million on misleading propaganda to sell its cuts to universities. We found this out just yesterday.1

    They know the truth won’t work: that people will never stand for American-style $100,000 degrees that condemn young Australians to a life of debt, and Australia to be less competitive on the world stage.

    So instead they spend your money to spread their lies. That’s why we’re fighting back.

    Can you chip in $5 to help plaster campuses with the truth when students return next month?

    https://debtsentence-australianlaborparty.nationbuilder.com/donation

    Your donation will allow us to put posters and other information up around campuses — where many new students will see it for the first time, and realise what’s at stake.

    We have the volunteers ready, and the plan in place, but we just need your help with the materials.

    Unless we want these students — starting uni for the first time next month — saddled with $100,000 US-style debt, we need to get out there with an urgent information campaign.

    Thanks for standing with me on this,

    Bill

    PS — Right now, students are being bombarded with false Government propaganda about the costs of their uni degree, to the tune of $14.6 million. We urgently need to get them the other side of the story. Click here to chip in for posters our volunteers will put up across campuses.

    1. See Kim’s letter in full here.
    Australian Labor Party
    Authorised by G. Wright, Australian Labor, 5/9 Sydney Avenue, Barton 2600 ACT

  • Media access denied GET UP

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    Media access denied

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    Alycia – GetUp!
    12:57 PM (3 hours ago)
    to me
    NEVILLE,

    This week it was revealed by The Guardian that government agencies have been referring journalists to the federal police.Their crime? Reporting the truth.

    When claims that asylum seekers on Manus Island were on hunger strike, sewing their lips and had even swallowed razor blades, first surfaced, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton flat out denied this was taking place. That was, until media reports proved otherwise.1 This week the Minister told the ABC that asylum seekers inside the centre had armed themselves with makeshift weapons, only to be contradicted a day later by the PNG Government.2 Now the Minister’s claims that PNG police only used “minimal force” when they entered the centre are being called into question.3

    Over the past year journalists from The Guardian, News .com.au and The West Australian have been investigated by the federal police for “unauthorised disclosure of information”. The curious thing is, this isn’t even information related to highly sensitive intelligence operations or national security, but rather to reports about Australia’s immigration policies.4

    Journalists should not be prosecuted for reporting matters in the public interest, nor should they be denied access to government operated facilities, which are funded by Australian taxpayers. These attempts to silence journalists from reporting the truth is an assault on the very heart of our democracy.

    Now’s the time when we need as many of us a possible to speak out and hold our government accountable. Click here to call on the Immigration Minister to uphold press freedom and grant media access to Australia’s detention centres.

    Earlier this week, in an act that can only be described as blatant hypocrisy, Minister Dutton issued an official statement to the media warning them to “use caution when reporting claims from individuals and groups who may have a vested interest”.5 Yet, the Abbott Government have forbidden any media access to the notorious detention centre, making it nearly impossible to verify the government’s claims. If Mr Dutton genuinely wants the media to report the facts he should grant them access to the centre to obtain them. Which begs the question – what is the Government trying to hide?

    Australians deserve to know the truth about what our Government is doing. Click here to demand the truth: https://www.getup.org.au/stop-hiding

    Holding power to account is what GetUp members do best, and press freedom plays a core role in keeping the government accountable. If Minister Dutton truly has nothing to hide, he should immediately grant the media access to Manus Island and Nauru, and not seek to persecute journalists for disclosing unfavourable information.

    Let the minister know, we can handle the truth.

    Alycia for the GetUp team

    PS. It was the lack of government transparency surrounding asylum seekers that prompted more than 4700 GetUp members to crowdfund investigative journalism through the Shipping News project. These latest developments make it more necessary than ever. To find out more about the project and how you can be involved, click here: https://www.getup.org.au/stop-hiding

    References
    [1] Manus Island protest escalates, up to 700 detainees on hunger strike, The Sydney Morning Herald, 18 January 2015
    [2] Manus Island: PNG government contradicts Peter Dutton’s comments that protesting asylum seekers used weapons, ABC news, 22 January 2015
    [3] Dutton says ‘minimal’ force used on Manus, SBS News, 20 January 2015
    [4] Journalists reporting on asylum seekers referred to Australian police, The Guardian, 22 January 2015
    [5] Ongoing unrest at the Manus Regional Processing Centre, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, 19 January 2015

  • Our Most Powerful Petition Target Ever AVAAZ

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    Quote of the Day – Iris Murdoch – “Between saying and doing, many a pair of shoes is worn out.”

    Our Most Powerful Petition Target Ever

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    Ricken Patel – Avaaz
    9:21 AM (14 minutes ago)
    to me
    Dear amazing Avaaz community,

    The path to changing the world requires us to walk the longest journey – the journey within – to change ourselves. When 500,000 of us pledge to live 3 simple but powerful values in 2015, we’ll invite world leaders to join us:

    SIGN THE PETITION

    Dag Hammarskjöld, the great UN leader, once reflected that we’d never make sustainable progress in our world until we all “walked the longest journey”. The journey within.

    Each of our capacities to create the world we dream of depends on our own journey, from fear to love, towards believing in ourselves, and leaving our demons behind.

    We’ve come together as a community hundreds of times in campaigns, and created magic. At this most reflective time of a new year, let’s come together around this, most important campaign of all – the campaign for ourselves, to “be the change we wish to see” – for us, and for all the people we love and the planet we call home.

    Our community has chosen 3 simple but powerful values to support each other to follow in 2015. When 500,000 of us pledge, we’ll invite world leaders to join us, and we’ll check in 3 times this coming year to see how we’re all doing — click to see them and sign a new year’s pledge to ourselves:

    http://www.avaaz.org/en/three_principles_loc/?bhPqncb&v=51797

    Our journeys within are profoundly individual. But it’s amazing how similar we are in what we love and fear and hope for. Over 97% of our community strongly support every one of the 3 principles in our petition!

    Being part of a community can be a powerful influence, for better or worse. Avaaz is an extraordinary community of hopeful, practically idealistic people who choose to sign a petition or donate money when no one is looking. I’ve been blown away by the wisdom and humanity of the people in this community. Seems like we’re a good influence on each other :).

    Click to see the principles, and if they sound right, sign the pledge and join the culture list to kick off your 2015:

    http://www.avaaz.org/en/three_principles_loc/?bhPqncb&v=51797

    I wake up every day grateful for how we change the world together. It’s just a thrilling bonus that I might get a chance to hear inspiration and support from everyone on how I personally can grow and be better. And I think inviting our leaders to join us could powerfully impact some of their own journeys to be wiser for the rest of us. So excited to do this with you all!

    With hope and gratitude,

    Ricken, with Danny, Nataliya and the whole Avaaz team

  • Masdar Chairman: “Renewable Energy Has Graduated” & “Opportunity To Revisit Fossil Fuel Subsidies”

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    Masdar Chairman: “Renewable Energy Has Graduated” & “Opportunity To Revisit Fossil Fuel Subsidies”

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    January 21st, 2015 by Zachary Shahan

    Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, the Chairman of Masdar & UAE Minister of State, gave the opening remarks at the start of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and the World Future Energy Summit. Listening to them, it’s hard not to get the impression he could be labeled a climate hawk. Or maybe it’s just that speech on top of so many others, and so many Q&As I’ve seen with him, that makes me think so.

    In either case, this recent speech is worth closely listening to. It was at the end of the “Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Opening Ceremony” video I already shared, so I’m afraid many didn’t see it at all. If you watch the video starting here, but I’ve also pulled out the key sections to highlight in text format here:
    Renewable Energy Has Graduated

    “Our interconnected energy landscape has evolved beyond the point where the price of oil determines the fate of clean energy, simply because… renewable energy has graduated from an expensive alternative to a competitive technology of choice. Over the past 12 months, we have seen investments in clean energy rise by 16% to $310 billion. And installations of solar and wind increased by 26% to 100 GW [of capacity]. This growth has been driven by the sharp decline in costs, and the steady rise in technology efficiency. In fact, the drop in solar prices has been so dramatic that in many parts of the world, it is now competes with traditional sources of energy.”
    Opportunity to Revisit Fossil Fuel Subsidies

    “Ladies and gentlemen, what today’s evolving landscape presents is an opportunity to improve the overall economics of energy, economics that can support governments, industry, and people. With oil at a 5-year-low, there is indeed an opportunity to revisit fossil fuel subsidies, especially in countries where subsidies have become a heavy financial burden for their economic development and progress. In only 2013, fossil fuel subsidies cost countries $550 billion. Yes, $550 billion in one year only, money that can be otherwise redirected to improve energy systems and transform economies, by creating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and educating future generations.

    “Ladies and gentlemen, to embrace opportunity is the very reason why we are gathered here today at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, so let us do our part. Let us shape a future energy mix that will bring light to those without it, to electrify cities that do not yet exist, to power inventions that we cannot today imagine, and to ultimately ensure that growth is as sustainable as it is enduring.”

    For more exclusive content from this week, see our Zayed Future Energy Prize, World Future Energy Summit, and Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week tags.

    *Full Disclosure: My trip to and accommodation in Abu Dhabi for the Zayed Future Energy Prize, World Future Energy Summit, and other Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week events is being covered by Masdar. That said, I have full editorial control over the work and am even publishing it without feedback. I am only covering things that I find very interesting or important, and that I think others will find interesting or important.

    Keep up to date with all the hottest cleantech news by subscribing to our (free) cleantech newsletter, or keep an eye on sector-specific news by getting our (also free) solar energy newsletter, electric vehicle newsletter, or wind energy newsletter.

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    Share on Google+Share on RedditShare on StumbleUponTweet about this on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on FacebookPin on PinterestDigg thisShare on TumblrBuffer this pageEmail this to someone
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    Zachary Shahan Zachary Shahan

    Tags: Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, World Future Energy Summit

    About the Author

    Zachary Shahan spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as the director/chief editor. Otherwise, he’s probably enthusiastically fulfilling his duties as the director/editor of Solar Love, EV Obsession, Planetsave, or Bikocity. Zach is recognized globally as a solar energy, electric car, and wind energy expert. If you would like him to speak at a related conference or event, connect with him via social media. You can connect with Zach on any popular social networking site you like. Links to all of his main social media profiles are on ZacharyShahan.com.

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  • Direct to campus BILL SHORTEN

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    Direct to campus

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    Bill Shorten via sendgrid.info 
    4:33 PM (36 minutes ago)
    to me
    .
    Neville,
    No Australian receiving an offer of a uni place this week should need to ask themselves ‘can I afford to accept it?’

    But that’s the Australia Tony Abbott and his Government are trying to create.

    Under the Liberals’ plan, students stepping onto campus for the first time will be saddled with crippling debt they will struggle with for life. We already see it in the US.

    These students need to know the truth about what’s in store for them — right now, their only information is the Abbott Government’s multimillion dollar taxpayer-funded ads designed to fool them.

    When they hit campus for Orientation week next month, they need to know what’s at stake: that’s why we’re planning to launch an information offensive. Click here to help us do it:

    postersthumbnail.png

    https://debtsentence-australianlaborparty.nationbuilder.com/donation

    We’ve got posters designed, volunteers on hand, and a plan to make sure these students know about $100,000 degrees. We just need your help to make it happen.

    Your donation will help coat uni campuses in the truth about Tony Abbott’s plan to Americanise our unis with $100,000 degrees — chip in to take a stand against it. 

    I want to see a country where getting a place at uni is based on merit, not your parents’ bank balance.

    This Orientation Week is a unique opportunity to help get the word to new students and keep Australia fair.

    Thanks for standing with me on this,

    Bill

    PS — Next month new uni students will hit campuses for the first time. Unless we want them saddled with $100,000 US-style debt, we need to get out there with a massive information campaign. Click here to help pay for posters our volunteers will put up across the country.