Category: General news

Think twice before you throw away your business waste.

The New Year is often a time for companies to sweep out their cupboards – out with the old and in with the new! But what happens to all of the valuable and useful materials that get thrown out?

Reverse Garbage is helping to keep these materials out of Brisbane landfills and encouraging businesses to think twice before wasting valuable resources.

Companies having new year clear outs can now do the right thing by the environment, and help to reduce their waste disposal costs by using the services of Reverse Garbage – for free!

Reverse Garbage collects an infinite array of clean discards that include pre-consumer waste materials (eg. factory offcuts), used items from retailers (eg. mannequins and shop displays), outdated stock (eg. fabric sample books), mis-prints (eg. vinyl banners), packaging (eg. foam) and more.

“We get a great response from local manufacturers, retailers and businesses” says Director Louise Gillard.

“Most people know that the materials they throw out are too good to be wasted but they are just not sure what else to do with them and this is where Reverse Garbage can help” Louise says.

Reverse Garbage diverts approximately three tonnes of waste from going to landfill every week and collects from approximately 300 businesses in the greater Brisbane area. This includes both regular and one-off collections.

Louise explains that “business owners are happy to know that their offcuts are being used by schools, childcare centres, artists, students and home renovators.”

“What makes it even more appealing is that the service we offer is free so it saves businesses from paying disposal fees, while also helping them to reduce their environmental impact” Louise says.

Business owners with clean waste materials can check out the Reverse Garbage website for more information on this service and to contact Reverse Garbage.

What – Reverse Garbage Discards Collection Service

When – All year round

Where – Reverse Garbage, 20 Burke St, Woolloongabba

Cost – The service is free of charge

Contact – (E) info@reversegarbage.com.au or discards@reversegarbage.com.au

(P) 07 3891 9744

(W) www.reversegarbage.com.au/discards-collection

Healthy Waterways hosts Brisbane launch of ‘Talking Trash Tour’

Healthy Waterways has bid farewell for the launch of Talking Trash Tour on its ocean voyage from Brisbane to Sydney.

Healthy Waterways, in partnership with Tim Silverwood (from Take 3) and Canadian adventurer Adrian Midwood (from Ocean Ambassadors), launched the S.V. Moana catamaran on its ocean voyage to raise awareness about the impacts of plastic pollution on our oceans and wildlife.

The Talking Trash Tour aims to profile solutions to this growing problem and inspire local communities to take action.

Julie McLellan, CEO of Healthy Waterways, said that plastic never biodegrades, it breaks up into smaller and smaller pieces, gradually turning our waterways and oceans into a ‘plastic soup’.

“Healthy Waterways is calling on the general public to join our Plastic Pollution Revolution on Facebook and pledge an action to reduce their plastic footprint,” Ms McLellan said.

“Every person who makes a pledge will not only help to reduce the harmful impact of plastic on turtles and other wildlife, they will also go in the draw to win a family holiday to Tangalooma Island Resort,” Ms McLellan said.

“Healthy Waterways joined forces with Take 3, Ocean Ambassadors and local residents to raise awareness about the damaging impacts of plastics in our oceans, and to showcase the innovative technologies that are being developed to help turn this waste product into a valued resource” Ms McLellan said.

Adrian Midwood, Founder of Ocean Ambassadors said that he is excited to be in Australia visiting communities along the east coast of Australia with his vessel S.V. Moana.

“It is evident that plastic pollution is a big problem globally, so it’s great to be in Brisbane advocating real solutions to the community,” he said.

“The S.V. Moana is the flagship of the Ocean Ambassadors, and serves as a demonstration vessel equipped with the latest technology in the fight against plastics, including Japanese Blest technology that converts plastic waste into oil,” he said.

Tim Silverwood, Director of Take 3, said that in every square kilometre of Australia’s coastline there is over 4,000 pieces of plastic rubbish.

“The Talking Trash Tour is about visiting coastal communities and igniting conversation about plastic pollution and illustrating how we can all make a positive difference. We want people to come to our events, learn more about the problem, discover exciting solutions and walk away feeling like they can contribute,” he said.

Healthy Waterways is a non government, not-for-profit organisation working to protect and improve waterway health in South East Queensland.

More info: www.healthywaterways.org

 

 

I welcome the announcement today that the by-election for the seat of Griffith will be on February 8 2014. Terri Butler – ALP candidate for Griffith

This will be a hard fought campaign and it’s a fight I am ready for. The people of Griffith deserve a strong voice.

The question for the people of Griffith is a simple one: do you want to give Mr Abbott’s LNP government a tick of approval?

Tony Abbott, Campbell Newman and the LNP have repeatedly let down the people of Griffith: the NBN has been scrapped for an outdated system that is 40 times slower; health funding has been cut and funding for childcare has been cut.

People are rightly concerned about the reported GP fees – really, a health tax. It’s a proposal that has been strongly criticised by the AMA. And it’s an attack on Medicare and Australians’ access to healthcare. Mr Abbott and his government have conspicuously failed to rule out this new tax, even though they made no mention of it before the recent federal election.

The people of Griffith are looking for a strong voice for our local community – they are looking for someone to stand up to Tony Abbott and to fight for the issues that matter to them. That’s why I’ll be fighting for access to fast broadband and affordable childcare for Griffith.
This by-election is an opportunity for the people of Brisbane’s Southside to send Tony Abbott a message that we deserve better.

The Australian Greens have welcomed the announcement of a February 8th by-election in Griffith as the first litmus test of Tony Abbott’s leadership.

Candidate Geoff Ebbs said the Coalition Government was hurting the people of Griffith.

“People in Griffith are already suffering from Campbell Newman’s harsh cuts and we can’t afford more pain to come from Tony Abbott.

“Here in Griffith we want action on global warming, a healthy reef and a compassionate society. Tony Abbott is out of step with our community.

Australian Greens acting-Leader Richard Di Natale said the Griffith by-election would be a test of Tony Abbott’s leadership.

“Less than six months into his leadership, Tony Abbott has left a trail of broken promises, cruelty and environmental vandalism.

“This is the people of Griffith’s opportunity to send a message that Australians deserve better.

Candidate Geoff Ebbs said the Greens would be running a strong people-powered campaign and would be aiming to doorknock 3,000 homes in the electorate. The campaign is data driven and powered by social media. The research and training for the campaign has been provided by Simon Sheikh, national director of Get Up for for years and then candidate for the Senate in the ACT.

“We might not have the resources of Labor and Liberal, but we will make a difference with our people-powered campaign.”

Local Brisbane GP and Vice President of the Doctors Reform Society, Dr Tracy Schrader has called on Dr Bill Glasson, LNP candidate for the seat of Griffith, to a debate on his support for mandatory copayments on GP visits.

“This will be the end of Medicare” said Dr Schrader.

“The government and Dr Glasson believing a $6 copayment is affordable are living in a different world. These costs add up and most of my patients have difficulties already affording medication and other care. This will be another deterrent in seeking care.” concluded Dr Schrader. “This won’t just stop at $6 either. These fees escalate”

“Price signals do not work in health care. This is not cups of coffee or luxury items you’re dealing with here. This is people’s lives and health. People don’t need to be hit with a financial hammer when seeking care. Preventative care, screening and chronic illness management will all be impacted,” Dr Schrader said “and down the line more illness that could have been dealt with more efficiently in the primary care setting.”

“Who determines what’s ‘affordable’ or who’s the ‘most vulnerable’? Most of us are all vulnerable in different ways at some time. Isn’t the taxation office the best place to determine who should pay what and not the doctor’s surgery where we sometimes do feel vulnerable? Free at the point of service is a fundamental principle of universal health care and Medicare. This will only create bureaucratic chaos and won’t save money. It will be more costs for the sick and less well off and less tax for the wealthy.” said Dr Schrader. “Yes, Dr Glasson, if you can afford to pay you should pay – through your taxes.”

“Doctors fees always blow out after the introduction of copayments. Bulk billing has been a cost constraint on doctors fees. Compare the cost to see a GP ($36/$72) with the fees private specialists charge often around $300 plus. Dr Glasson as a private ophthalmologist should be well aware of this. It is the thin edge of the wedge. The death of Medicare Dr Glasson claims to support.” said Dr Schrader.

“Is Dr Glasson also supportive of the proposal of extending the copayment to public hospital emergency departments to “stop the rush of Medicare patients to the state hospital ‘free’ ED”?” asked Dr Schrader. “Introducing a copayment in emergency departments would create an administrative nightmare. The practicalities are almost unthinkable. Who collects and when? Would you be sent a bill if unable to pay at the time? Would debt collectors be sent after people unable to pay? Remember back in the early seventies before Medibank/Medicare, failure to pay medical bills was the main reason for imprisonment for debt in South Australia. And then there’s interference with administrating care. The so-called frontline services the government proclaims to want to protect.”

“Dr Glasson is the endorsed LNP candidate for the Griffith by-election. He and the government have to come out and tell the Australian people exactly where they stand on this. Medicare is an issue at the heart of the Australian people. Why wasn’t such an important policy issue raised prior to the last federal election? Is it bad policy on the run or is there more to it?” said Dr Schrader. “I call on Dr Glasson to a public debate on this issue so the people of Griffith have the opportunity to make an informed decision prior to the by-election.”

(Dr Tracy Schrader also lives in the seat of Griffith)

When, just after Christmas, the Australian Centre for Health Research (ACHR) announced it had made a submission to the Government’s Commission of Audit proposing the introduction of a mandatory Medicare co-payment, there were calls on Twitter for the media to ask Dr Bill Glasson whether he would support such a proposal.

That seemed like a big ask: the first day back at work after the Christmas break, Dr Glasson’s answering service issued the message that his office would be closed until Monday, January 6.

Yet an enterprising ABC reporter managed to get hold of him, and the resulting report sparked a storm of interest, not just in the Griffith electorate, but nationally. Dr Glasson’s comments were a trending issue on Twitter this week, and have been reported in the mainstream media.

His response was always going to be of interest for two reasons: he is a doctor and past president of the Australian Medical Association (AMA); and he is Tony Abbott’s friend, a ‘hand-picked’ candidate for Griffith.

The ABC quoted Dr Glasson: “I do support an affordable price signal, but we have to make sure it wouldn’t impact on the most vulnerable in our society, especially children, the elderly, Indigenous and patients with chronic conditions”.

“If you can afford to pay, you should pay, to keep the system fair and affordable.”

Given the speed and ferocity of the negative responses to the proposal, not least from the current president of the AMA, Dr Steve Hambleton, Dr Glasson’s contributions to this debate sets him apart, because neither his leader, nor the Health Minister, have made their positions clear, preferring to leave any decisions to the Audit Commissioners.

The ALP’s Terri Butler, Dr Glasson’s challenger in the Griffith by-election, spoke to No Fibs today.

“As he (Dr Glasson) is standing for Federal parliament, I would like to think his comment was a considered one. I would hope that when radical ideas are proposed he gives them due consideration,” she said.

“If he is in favour of this initiative, is that then indicative of what Mr Abbott might be saying?”

Asked what reactions she is hearing in Griffith, Ms Butler said: “If people are floating an idea that undermines universal health care, people will react strongly”.

“People are really confused about what’s being suggested and why,” she said.

“If you look at what the proposed savings are, this proposal looks to be much more ideological than financial.”

Ms Butler said that people are rightly worried about how this might play out for them. For example, she said, the fee might start at $5 or $6, but some are worried it will be increased later.

“It has certainly been the case that co-payments for pharmaceuticals have increased substantially since they were introduced,” she said.

“It is confusing and worrying for people who have grown up with universal health care. There is confusion for people my parents’ age and older, who gave up pay rises in the 1980s. They are rightly saying: ‘well hang on, what’s happening to universal health care in Australia?

“Mr Abbott hasn’t ruled it out. Mr Dutton hasn’t ruled it out. The only member of the Liberal party who has been categorical in his support is my opponent, Bill Glasson,” she said.

The Greens’ candidate for Griffith, Geoff Ebbs, was quoted in a press release today: “Tony Abbott should be looking to his billionaire mining mates to help balance his books, not every day struggling residents”.

“The people of Griffith will be queuing up at our local hospitals’ emergency departments to avoid paying this extra cost,” Ebbs said.

“Alternatively, they just won’t go to the doctor themselves or take their sick kids because they can’t afford it.”

In a statement to No Fibs, Geoff Ebbs said: “These backwards ‘robbing hoods’ invent a new way every day to rob the poor. Ordinary working families are now struggling as the underclass in a two-speed economy. The Greens will stand up to these bullies and fight for ordinary Australians.”

Given the current political climate, the residents of Griffith might rightly be wondering, ‘what next?’.

STOP PRESS: Health Minister Peter Dutton says Medicare unsustainable without ‘overhaul’ (undisclosed before election).

– See more at: http://nofibs.com.au/2014/01/04/dr-glassons-new-years-medicare-resolutions-griffithelects-reports/#sthash.Za47kRcc.dpuf