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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

  • We’re happy the Liberals are having a bad day, but…

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    We’re happy the Liberals are having a bad day, but…

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    Luke Hilakari
    1:31 PM (1 hour ago)
    to me

    Dear NevilleLast night Australians celebrated the political demise of Tony Abbott. Here is a list of his contributions to a just and democratic Australia.

    We celebrated last night. But this morning we woke up to a hangover in Malcolm Turnbull.

    In his first speech, Turnbull said he would lead a “thoroughly Liberal government” committed to his core values of “freedom, the individual and the market”.

    We don’t claim to be fluent in Liberal, but here’s a rough translation.

    Freedom: The freedom for big business to exploit working people for outrageous profit. The freedom to send jobs overseas. Freedom, to a Liberal, means the protection of privilege.

    The individual: Individual bargaining between a powerful boss and a worker held down by unfair work laws. The celebration of individual profit without fair tax contributions. The triumph of the individual over the community.

    The market: Profits come first, people come second.

    Liberal Party values speak to a system of winners and losers, of exploitation and isolation. Our values seek to build a community that respects everyone’s contribution. 

    Neville, we think you share our values. So maintain your rage.

    We still have a Liberal Government to defeat.

    15.09.15_Turnbull_billboard.jpg
    (Share on facebook or tweet this pic)

    In unity,

    Luke Hilakari
    http://www.weareunion.org.au/

  • A new day? CLAIRE SOLAR CITIZENS

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    A new day?

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    Claire, Solar Citizens
    9:08 AM (5 minutes ago)
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    Dear Neville —

    It’s not every day you wake up to a new Prime Minister (or Prime Minister designate, to be precise).

    Within a few hours of Malcolm Turnbull challenging Tony Abbott for the leadership of the Liberal Party he’d won a party room ballot. Now, with a new leader of the country we’re presented with a fresh opportunity to secure Federal government support for the solar future the overwhelming majority of Australians want to see.

    Under Tony Abbott’s leadership the Coalition Government did its best to destroy Australian solar. We need to be sure that Mr Turnbull doesn’t follow with the same old-hat harmful and destructive policies his predecessor was so keen to pursue.

    Can you write your personal message to our new Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, asking him to Stand Up For Solar, including a goal of at least 50% renewable energy by 2030?

    DSCN6551_500w.jpg

    Yesterday Mr Turnbull announced to the nation that he wanted to be the type of leader who “explains the challenges and how to seize the opportunities”, a leader who “respects the people’s intelligence”. 

    We’re glad to hear it. Here on the sunniest continent on earth, the majority of Australians want to see more solar and renewables, not less. The Australian people want to harness our plentiful solar resources to power our economy, create jobs, cut electricity bills and leave a better world for our children. I reckon that’s simple and pretty smart for the country too, but he needs to hear from you. Let Malcolm Turnbull know what you think by writing your personal message – use our simple online tool by clicking here.

    Stand Up For Solar is our nationwide campaign to make this dream of a sunny future a reality. Dismayed by the Abbott Government’s dinosaur thinking on solar and renewables, we saw that Australian politics was in desperate need of a circuit breaker, a way to raise debate in this country out of the doldrums.

    So far we’ve made strong progress, with the ALP committing to at least 50% renewable energy by 2030 in its National Platform. This week dedicated Solar Citizens volunteers are ramping up our snap campaign in Canning ahead of Saturday’s by-election, hitting the streets, tracking the candidates, getting hundreds of solar signs up in front yards and readying to rally at the candidates’ offices on Thursday.

    And if you were watching the live coverage of last night’s leadership spill, you may have seen a shining Solar Citizens sun popping up in the background at Liberal candidate Andrew Hastie’s press conference!

    Hastie.jpg

    I’ll be writing my message to Malcolm Turnbull, telling him that I hope to see a step change from Canberra soon – and that I expect nothing less than full support for a strong, solar and renewable future for all of us.

    Let’s grab this moment together: make sure your personal email is one of the first to hit our new PM’s inbox. Send a quick message calling on the new leader of our nation to back jobs, growth, investment, affordable power – and sunshine! – by clicking

    For sunshine, every time,

    Claire, National Director

    Claire O'Rourke

    PS. The government might still be working out what’s next, but we’re clear on our vision for a clean renewable energy future. Make sure our new Prime Minister knows that thousands of people want a new vision from the Federal government – send Malcolm Turnbull your personal message today using our easy online tool.

    Solar Citizens
    http://www.solarcitizens.org.au/

    -=-=-

    Solar Citizens is an independent community-based organisation bringing together millions of solar owners and supporters to protect and grow solar in Australia. You can keep up with Solar Citizens on Twitter or like us on Facebook.

  • Nothing has changed labor

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    Nothing has changed

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    George Wright Unsubscribe
    10:41 PM (8 hours ago)
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    The latest politics update from the Australian Labor Party | Unsubscribe
    .
    Neville —

    We have a new Prime Minister, but nothing has really changed – not when it comes to what matters. Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed he’s sticking with Tony Abbott’s horrendous policies.

    He’s told the media that he’s not going to improve the abysmal climate targets, despite what he’s previously said. He’s not going to legislate marriage equality. And he’s also backed all the measures in the budget, that’s the GP tax, $100,000 degrees, cuts to pensions, and cuts to schools and hospitals.

    So, when you’re talking to friends and colleagues tomorrow by all means celebrate the reprieve from onions and speedos, but don’t let them imagine we’ve had a shift on what’s really important.

    You’ve already taken action which has helped to bring down Tony Abbott as Prime Minister, thank you for helping to change Australia. But we’re now looking at a different kind of fight. This won’t be an easy fight, but we need to win it. We need to win it for students, pensioners, for those who rely on bulk billing, for our kids’ education and for our climate.

    Thanks for your support,

    George Wright
    National Campaign Director

    P.s. With the change in PM we might be looking an earlier election. We’re going to need to be ready for it. Can you contribute so we can hit the ground running?

  • They’re listening! Tell Myanmar to release its innocent prisoners now Amnesty international

    They’re listening! Tell Myanmar to release its innocent prisoners now

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    Hannah, Amnesty International Australia <actioncentre@amnesty.org.au> Unsubscribe
    2:02 PM (26 minutes ago)
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    Demand the release of prisoners of conscience in Myanmar
    View email online
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    Amnesty International
    Myanmar must release prisoners of conscience
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    Freedom of expression is dangerous in Myanmar. But now is a time of hope. With the world’s spotlight on this tiny nation, the government is under pressure to show its commitment to protecting the people’s rights.

    Myanmar’s next general elections are approaching on 8 November 2015. It’s the perfect opportunity to drive this momentum forward and push the government to release its many innocent prisoners.

    Together we can create change.
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    Phyoe Phyoe Aung in prison for student protests - TAKE ACTION
    Phyoe Phyoe Aung in prison for student protests - TAKE ACTION

    Phyoe Phyoe Aung is a young student activist that was imprisoned for peaceful demonstrations. She was simply protesting against a new law which she believes limits freedom of education. Student activism is not a crime. Demand her immediate release.

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    Five journalists in prison for doing their job - TAKE ACTION
    Five journalists in prison for doing their job - TAKE ACTION

    Reporters for the ‘Unity Newspaper’ were sentenced to seven years imprisonment for their journalism. The five men were charged with disclosing state secrets when they reported on an alleged chemical weapons factory. Demand their immediate release.
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    “Please use your liberty to promote ours”

    ~ Aung San Suu Kyi
  • More

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    Just 5 days left

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    George Wright Unsubscribe
    1:27 PM (9 minutes ago)
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    The latest politics update from the Australian Labor Party | Unsubscribe
    .
    Neville —

    This Saturday, the voters in Canning have a chance to send Tony Abbott and the Liberals a message. We need him to hear very clearly that we don’t like what he’s doing to our country. Right now volunteer and organisers in Canning are putting in a huge effort to persuade undecided voters.

    Can you give them a hand? Tomorrow Tuesday 15 September we’re running another National Phone Banking Night. All across the country people will be making phone calls to voters in Canning to help our local candidate Matt Keogh.

    Can you show your support for sending Tony Abbott a message? 

    Click here to sign up in Perth.
    Click here to sign up in Sydney.
    Click here to sign up in Melbourne.
    Click here to sign up in Brisbane.
    Click here to sign up in Hobart.
    Click here to sign up in Darwin.
    Click here to sign up in Canberra.
    Email info@sa.alp.org.au to sign up in Adelaide.

    Come along and join 100s of other supporters across the country who will be working to send Tony Abbott a message. If you haven’t made these kinds of calls before – don’t worry, we’ll have people there who can help you out.

    Thanks for your support,

    George Wright
    National Campaign Director

  • Our new ad – banned ALECIA GET UP

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    Our new ad – banned

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    Alycia – GetUp!
    1:54 PM (20 minutes ago)
    to me

    UPDATE: We just received word that Channel 9 has banned our new TV ad from airing during the evening news — and they refuse to say why. The ad simply shows, in irreverent fashion, what the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement will mean for Australian families. The Abbott government is trying to keep this deal secret from Australians, and now Channel 9 is joining in.

    But we won’t give up. We’re scrambling right now for ad spots during the news on other networks, before next Saturday’s critical Canning by-election (Channel 10 says they’ll air it!). Click here to check out the ad and donate to get it on the air in time.

    Dear NEVILLE,

    This is the decisive moment for the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP). Upcoming elections in Canada and the US mean if the TPP isn’t signed soon, negotiations could push back another year, or fall over altogether.

    You see, Trade Minister Andrew Robb is in a real bind. It turns out Australians hate the prospect of letting multinational corporations sue our government in secret corporate courts over laws that protect our children, our health and our environment — a clause being demanded by US interests.

    If Mr Robb has no political room to give in to this demand, the whole deal could fall over. Before the last-ditch round of TPP negotiations (predicted to take place within weeks), voters in Canning WA will go to the polls in a critical by-election that’s become a referendum on the Abbott agenda.

    This is our chance to prove once and for all how unpopular this deal is with Australian voters and leave Mr Robb no room to negotiate our sovereignty away.

    We have an attention-grabbing TV ad ready to run in Canning starting this Sunday with a message proven to cut through. Then we’ll expand to a national TV buy in the lead up to the next (and likely final) TPP negotiations. But with airtime scarce for the by-election, we need to lock in this advertising now.

    Click here to check out our new TPP ad and get it in front of Canning voters in prime time news spots starting this Sunday.

    A recent GetUp poll of Canning voters showed two things:

    1. More than half of Canning voters don’t know much about the TPP.
    2. However, those who know about it are much more likely to vote against the government, which is why we need to get this ad out there fast.

    Message testing shows the most effective way of reaching voters is explaining what the TPP means for their family. But it’s not always easy to cut through on a complex issue like the TPP. That’s why our new ad takes a cheeky approach to draw in voters.

    And because the next few weeks are so critical, we won’t stop with TV ads — we’ll saturate Canning through targeted Facebook and YouTube advertising to ensure we get as many eyes on the ad as possible, right up until polling day. Then we’ll do the same for marginal seat voters, who the Government fears most, in the lead up to critical TPP negotiations.

    Can you help air the ad during prime-time TV spots and online? https://www.getup.org.au/tpp-family

    TPP negotiations are at a precarious stage. The key to blocking the deal is making it impossible for Minister Robb to cave in to demands from the US about Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) clauses. US politicians are demanding them, so US corporations can sue Australian governments over laws that affect their profits, even if they protect us from harm.

    Tobacco has become a big sticking point, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — who represents Kentucky, one of America’s biggest producers of tobacco — lobbying on behalf of Big Tobacco.1 He wants to make sure they have the power to sue our government over plain packaging laws, which help prevent our kids from taking up smoking, but hurt corporate profits. If Australia doesn’t agree to these demands, it could be a deal breaker.

    Together, we can make sure Trade Minister Robb doesn’t cave in to US demands for Big Tobacco and other special corporate interests, and that could help kill off the whole TPP deal.

    Chip into air this new ad and build public pressure against the TPP.

    Let’s make sure Mr Robb doesn’t trade away the interests of Australian families – or Australian sovereignty – to multinational corporations.

    Keep up the pressure, because it’s working!
    Alycia, Mark, Nat and Daney for the GetUp team

    References
    [1] Will Trans-Pacific deal go up in smoke?, Politico, 12 August 2015