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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

  • It’s never been clearer 350 org

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    Quote of the Day – Sammy Davis, Jr. – “You always have two choices: your commitment versus your fear.”

    It’s never been clearer

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    Charlie Wood – 350.org Australia <350@350.org>
    5:33 PM (9 minutes ago)
    to me

    Dear friend,

    Never before has the need to divest and keep fossil fuels in the ground been so clear!

    Just last week, a groundbreaking report in the prestigious journal Nature stated what we’ve known all along – the vast majority of oil, coal and gas must stay in the ground if we are to have any chance of a liveable future.[1]

    In Australia, this translates to at least 90% of our coal needing to stay in the ground. But as the science speaks louder than ever, our politicians are determined to bury their heads in the sand and let the fossil fuel industry dictate their decisions.

    And this is why, now more than ever, we need you to join us on February 13 – 14 to divest from fossil fuels as part of Global Divestment Day.

    Watch this animation to learn more..

    The fossil fuel industry’s plans fly in the face of logic and science. They know that their business-model has us committed to an unthinkable future yet they’re prepared to go right ahead and rip out as much fossil fuel as they can to turn a profit, before it’s too late.

    This December, world leaders will head to Paris for what may be their last real attempt at forging a global climate deal. What we do between now and then will set the stage for those negotiations and help reduce the power of the fossil fuel lobby to hijack our future.

    Now is the time to show our leaders that we expect them to rise to the occasion — and that the people are rising too.

    See you on the streets in February!

    Charlie

    [1] The Nature paper estimates that a third of the world’s oil reserves, half its gas reserves and 80% of its coal reserves must be left untouched to avert 2 degrees of warming – an extremely dangerous level of global warming. At present we are on course for around five degrees of warming by the end of the century.

    350.org is building a global climate movement.You can connect with us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and become a sustaining donor to keep this movement strong and growing.

  • Gender reporting under threat FAIR AGENDA

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    Gender reporting under threat

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    Renee, Fair Agenda <info@fairagenda.org>
    12:30 PM (16 minutes ago)
    to me
    Fair Agenda
    Neville,

    Australia still has a lot of work to do on workplace equality. The latest data shows that our gender pay gap has now blown out to 18.2% — but despite that, less than a quarter of Australia’s biggest employers have done analysis to check for gender pay gap issues.[1]

    How do we know? Workplace gender reporting requirements — requirements that Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick has called “absolutely critical as a piece of gender equality machinery in this country”.[2] But now they’re at risk.Yesterday the government said they’re considering allowing changes to these reporting requirements – and big business groups are already lobbying hard to have them watered down, if not abolished entirely.

    The media have already deemed this one of Prime Minister Abbott’s “first major tests as Minister for Women”.[3] Can you help show him that Australians won’t stand for attacks on workplace gender reporting provisions?

    The Government has tried to change these gender reporting provisions before. Early last year they announced a proposal to wind back the reporting requirements. Then, a massive public backlash forced them to step away from most of the proposed changes. This time, key business groups are out in the front of this lobbying and PR battle — which means showing the government this issue will cause voter backlash is critical. Can you help sign and share the petition on this issue now?

    Want to know more about gender reporting? Here’s a quick 101:

    • Right now, under the Workplace Gender Equality Act, any Australian employer with more than 100 staff is required to collect and report important data about gender in their workplace. This includes things like: women’s representation, gender pay gaps, and flexible working arrangements.
    • The most recent (and first) data from these reports showed that:
      • The gender pay gap in our largest organisations sits at 19.9% for ‘base remuneration’ and 24.7% for ‘total remuneration’ (once you incorporate things like bonuses).
      • The representation of women in our biggest businesses steadily declines when moving up the management levels, with women making up just 26.1% of ‘key management personnel’, and 17.3% of CEOs.
      • One-third of our biggest employers have *zero* women in ‘key management personnel’ positions.
      • Less than one in four of our biggest employers have even conducted a gender remuneration gap analysis.
    • The data collected through the workplace reporting has been described as a “game-changer” by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency.[4]

    Having good data on issues is critical to understanding, and addressing them. As senior business leader Jon Williams, from PwC has said: “If we are serious about addressing gender equality in Australia, we need data”.[5]
 The most recent data on workplace gender equality (or more accurately, the lack thereof) has shown just how far Australia still has to go on this issue, and if we’re to ensure progress, maintaining gender reporting will be critical.

    Can you join the call for Prime Minister Abbott – as the declared Prime Minister for Women – to ensure workplace reporting requirements don’t get watered down? Click here to sign your support now.

    Thanks for all you do,

    Renee for Fair Agenda

    —

    References

    1. Women earn less than men as gender gap grows, News.com.au, 15 August 2014. Australia’s gender equality scorecard, Workplace Gender Equality Agency, November 2014.

    2. Pressure over gender reporting laws, Australian Financial Review, 6 February 2014.

    3. Gender reporting shaping up as a real test for Tony Abbott’s as the Minister for Women, Daily Telegraph, 14 January 2015.

    4. Australia’s gender equality scorecard, Workplace Gender Equality Agency, November 2014.

    5. PwC survey shows strong support for gender reporting, Workplace Gender Equality Agency, 2014.
    Fair Agenda
    http://www.fairagenda.org/

  • Chinese Green Revolution Tramples Australian Coal Exports

    Chinese Green Revolution Tramples Australian Coal Exports

    By MINING.com
    Posted on Tue, 13 January 2015 21:17 | 0

    ChineseAirPollution

    The ban is expected to encourage a more efficient use of coal, which has been blamed for China’s severe air pollution troubles. (Creative Commons image by: Francisco Anzola)

    Australian coal exporters are scrambling to clarify the fallout from China’s new coal import rules, which some fear could expose the industry to billions of dollars in lost sales as the Asian nation seeks to slash air pollution.

    According to Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ), the fact that China began this month banning coal with ash content of more than 16% and a sulphur level of more than 1%, has spawned a perceived greater risk of rejection at Chinese customs. This, reports The Australian, is creating uncertainty over whether the buyer or seller should shoulder the additional risk.

    Related: Natural Gas Overwhelmingly Replaces Coal

    “While ash content can be reduced through increased processing, higher costs of production and lower yields threaten the economics of these exports,” NZ head of industry economics and research Mark Pervan was quoted as saying:

    With as much as 70% of Chinese coal capacity loss-making at current prices, Pervan added the National Development and Reform Committee had forced cuts on imports and domestic production.

    “The success of these policy initiatives could see import and production restrictions continue in 2015,” he said.

    As much as a quarter of all coal shipped through Newcastle goes to China, the world’s biggest coal consumer, up from less than 10% a few years ago. Coal shipped through the port — the largest coal export port in the world — is currently running at about 170 million tons a year.

    Australia exports an estimated 49 million tons of thermal coal a year to China, and a large part of this could be at risk with the ban.

    Related: What If The World Can’t Cut Its Carbon Emissions?

    China’s dependence on coal is well known. Annual consumption exceeded 1 billion short tons per year in 1988 and has exploded since then, to about 4 billion tons last year. This means the Asian giant gets about 70% of its energy from the fossil fuel, a number the government hopes to reduce to 65% by 2017.

    In the past three years Australia’s coal industry has experienced challenging times with prices for thermal coal, which is consumed by power stations to generate electricity, dropping over 40%. More than 30,000 mining jobs were lost last year in Australia amid a slump in the price of key commodities like coal and iron ore.

    AustralianThermalCoalPrice

    Sources: IndexMundi | World Bank.

    By Cecilia Jamasmie

    Source – http://www.mining.com/

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    MINING.com

    MINING.com is a web-based global mining publication focusing on news and commentary about mining and mineral exploration. The site is a one-stop-shop for mining… full bio

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  • Exclusive: renewables campaign opportunity JAMES GET_UP

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    James – GetUp!
    4:56 PM (9 minutes ago)
    to me
    NEVILLERemember late last year when we emailed you about a limited opportunity to switch your power to cleaner, greener energy?

    Good news: Powershop have extended the deadline for GetUp members to participate in their exciting trial in NSW.

    It’s already worked for 4,530 people in Victoria – will you help kick this off for NSW? Email: nswtrial@powershop.com.au by Friday to ask any questions and let them know you’d like to take part.

    Check out the original email for more details below.

    We hope you’ll be up for being pioneers!

    James and the GetUp team

    ORIGINAL EMAIL

    ~~ Original email ~~

    Dear NEVILLE,

    The latest research finds an avalanche of support for renewable energy: 89% percent of Australian’s want the Renewable Energy Target to be kept or strengthened1.

    Yet Origin, AGL and EnergyAustralia are lobbying the Abbott Government to slash the RET, and they could even be using the profits they make from your electricity bill to do it.

    But here’s the good news: GetUp members in Victoria have worked out how to send a clear, unmistakable message to the government that they need to look after the people’s interests, not vested interests. But we need your help to bring this exciting new tactic to NSW.

    So far 4,530 GetUp members have switched their home power provider to a pro-renewables company. Powershop recently ranked the ‘greenest energy company’ in Victoria by Greenpeace’s Green Electricity Index – and the exciting thing it’s working! Now it’s time to turn this momentum into a movement across Australia, and the next step is NSW and your local area.

    This is an exclusive opportunity to be one of the first people in NSW to make the switch as part of the campaign and ideally provide us with frank and fearless feedback.

    Powershop is in the process of moving into the NSW market and is looking for just 200 people in your area to switch to them now.

    To save renewable energy and transition away from the dirty power companies and their CSG and coal we need to start a consumer movement for better, cheaper, cleaner power. If you want to be part of this pioneering group you will need:

    • a good quality scanned or smart phone picture copy of your most recent electricity bill (all pages)
    • your full name, address, mobile phone number and email address
    • confirmation that you are the account holder or you have permission from the account holder to switch your electricity account to Powershop
    • confirmation that you are willing to participate in a trial to test Powershop’s systems and approaches in the NSW electricity market.
    • confirmation of whether or not you have solar PV installed.
    • confirmation of whether or not you are receiving any government concessions on your electricity.

    Ready to switch? Then contact Powershop at nswtrial@powershop.com.au with your details or if you have any questions.

    As a participant in the trial, Powershop will offer you a greater discount to their standard discount offers as compensation for your participation. Powershop will need to communicate with you more regularly than usual to enable them to assess the trial and gather your valuable feedback on your experience.

    The trial will run from December to the end of the January. If it’s successful you will be amongst Powershop’s first customers in NSW and recognised by GetUp! and Powershop as Better Power Pioneers. In the unlikely event that is not successful, Powershop will transfer you back to your previous retailer or to another retailer of your choice at no cost or disruption to you.

    Unfortunately Powershop won’t be able to select everyone who says yes to taking part in this early part of the trial as they are initially looking for people with specific meter configurations.

    Please indicate your interest to take part in this important trial by attaching the documents above and emailing nswtrial@powershop.com.au. Powershop need to receive your electricity bill and consent to participate, as outlined above, by 5pm on Wednesday 17th December.

    Don’t hesitate to contact Powershop at nswtrial@powershop.com.au if you have any questions.

    Thanks and we hope you’ll be up for being pioneers!

    Paul for the GetUp team

    PS – You can find out more about Powershop, its renewable energy parent company Meridian and its work to protect the Renewable Energy Target here: https://www.powershop.com.au/renewables

    And for more details on GetUp’s Better Power campaign in Victoria click on the link here: https://www.getup.org.au/BetterPowerFAQ

  • It’s your Medicare under threat BILL SHORTEN

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    It’s your Medicare under threat

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    Bill Shorten via sendgrid.info 
    2:49 PM (8 minutes ago)
    to me
    .

    Neville,
    Tony Abbott has never believed in Medicare. He believes Australians should pay a tax every time they visit the doctor.

    Having failed to win support in the Senate for his unfair GP Tax, Tony Abbott is now seeking to destroy Medicare via the back door. He has introduced regulation that will mean the end of bulk billing.

    That’s why Labor will fight Tony Abbott’s attempt to destroy Medicare. We will oppose this back door GP Tax — it’s the only fair thing to do.

    If you share my belief in universal health care, can you stand with me in this fight and share this graphic on Facebook today?

    save__medicare.png

    Forcing the sick and the vulnerable to pay every time they see a doctor is not reform.

    Labor built Medicare and we won’t let Tony Abbott destroy it. Together I believe that we can win that fight.

    Thanks for standing with me on this,

    Bill

    P.S Help us stand against this back door GP tax from Tony Abbott. Click here to share our graphic on Facebook today. If you don’t have Facebook, forward this email onto a friend or post this graphic on Twitter

  • Our most powerful petition target ever avaaz

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    Our most powerful petition target ever

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    Ricken Patel – Avaaz
    2:43 AM (4 hours ago)
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    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 Hammarskjold, 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:

    https://secure.avaaz.org/en/three_principles_51/?bhPqncb&v=51137

    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:

    https://secure.avaaz.org/en/three_principles_51/?bhPqncb&v=51137

    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

    Support the Avaaz Community!
    We’re entirely funded by donations and receive no money from governments or corporations. Our dedicated team ensures even the smallest contributions go a long way.
    Donate Now


    Avaaz.org is a 40-million-person global campaign network     that works to ensure that the views and values of the world’s people shape global decision-making. (“Avaaz” means “voice” or “song” in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 18 countries on 6 continents and operates in 17 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz’s biggest campaigns here, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.