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The fossil fuel divestment movement just keeps growing.
On Saturday, we had the pleasure of meeting hundreds of campaigners who came together in London for a day of talks and workshops from 350.org, the Guardian, Carbon Tracker and ShareAction among others. They came to share the lessons they’ve learned – so we asked them to share them with you too. “I wasn’t expecting to be swept up in the biggest divestment movement in history – but the snowball is unstoppable,” said Dan Goss from the University of Warwick, which last week surprised campaigners by meeting their demands to divest from fossil fuels. If you’re inspired to get involved too, check out the new divestment guide from 350.org. It will help you pick a campaign, choose tactics, engage those in power – and ultimately win. Thank you – let’s keep counting the victories, Emma Howard, Keep it in the Ground and Danni Paffard, 350.org |
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
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The fossil fuel divestment movement just keeps growing.
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An historic deal for all the wrong reasons CFEMU
2 of 40An historic deal for all the wrong reasons
Inboxx 
Michael O’Connor
2:55 PM (2 hours ago)
to meDear Inga,
Today the Senate Inquiry into our temporary work visa system is in Canberra.We’ve just heard about the 16 overseas workers housed in a four-bedroom house, each having to pay $225 a week. We also heard about Amy Chang, the whisteblower who worked at the meatworks in Wagga Wagga and was sacked for standing up for her fellow exploited visa workers. The meatworkers union also tell us that up to 50% of the time, holiday visa workers who are easier to exploit are given work over locals who are overlooked.This is just the tip of the iceberg. With the China Free Trade Agreement coming into effect, this exploitation and sidelining of local workers will only increase. In his rush to get the agreement signed, Tony Abbott has been out negotiated by the Chinese.
Tell your MP not to sign the China Free Trade deal.
The China Free Trade Agreement will allow Chinese companies to bring in their own workforces without having to advertise locally first. It will also stop mandatory skills assessment tests for these workers in jobs including cabinet makers, carpenters, and joiners.
This will impact negatively on safety and on local jobs.
Please tell your MP not to sign the China Free Trade deal.
Together we can stand up for local jobs and speak out against exploitation.
In unity
Michael O’Connor
CFMEU National SecretaryP.S. In a deal historic for all the wrong reasons, allowing semi-skilled workers on 457 visas for the first time who won’t even need to pass the normal English language requirements will be bad for safety and bad for all workers. Make sure you tell your local MP not to sign the China Free Trade deal.
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The John James Newsletter 69
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4 of 43
The John James Newsletter 69
Inbox x John James
2:56 PM (1 hour ago) The John James Newsletter 69
18 July 2015 – Provins, FranceMen prefer to believe what they prefer to be trueFrancis Bacon C16 Lord Chancellor of Britain
The corporate grip on opinion in the US is one of the wonders of the Western world. No First World country has ever managed to eliminate so entirely from its media all objectivity – much less dissent.Gore Vidal
The World is Defenseless Against the Next Financial CrisisThe world will be unable to fight the next global financial crash as central banks have used up their ammunition trying to tackle the last crises, the Bank of International Settlements has warned. The so-called central bank of central banks launched a scathing critique of global monetary policy in its annual report, claiming that central banks have backed themselves into a corner after repeatedly cutting interest rates to shore up their economies. These low rates have fuelled economic booms, encouraging excessive risk taking. Booms have then turned to busts, which policymakers have responded to with even lower rates. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11704051/The-world-is-defenseless-against-the-next-financial-crisis-warns-BIS.html
China Destroyed Its Stock Market in Order to Save ItThe enormously invasive measures Beijing used to stem trading losses may have damaged the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges for years to come.http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/07/16/china-destroyed-its-stock-market-in-order-to-save-it/
China’s real estate, credit and investment bubble risks global recessionChina is the number one threat to the global economy, analysts say, with an over-inflated “triple bubble” threatening to drag global gross domestic product below 2 per cent. http://www.smh.com.au/business/china/chinas-real-estate-credit-and-investment-bubble-risks-global-recession-20150717-giebmc
Are Big Banks Using Derivatives To Suppress Bullion Prices?The bullion banks sell uncovered shorts on the gold futures market to drive down an otherwise rising price of gold. By dumping so many uncovered short contracts an artificial increase in “paper gold” is created, and this increase in supply drives down the price. http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2015/07/08/big-banks-using-derivatives-suppress-bullion-prices-paul-craig-roberts-dave-kranzler/
We Own The WorldNoam Chomsky: Is the empire worth building – and at what cost? http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article42337.htm
The Humanitarian’s DilemmaAs the humanitarian crisis deepens for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, Doctors Without Borders is trying to heal their wounds without enabling the occupation. As the suffering has become normalized, we have been questioning the wisdom of our presence. This is the humanitarian’s dilemma: how to alleviate the suffering of a population while not enabling the powers at the root of the pain. Today, due to settlements, byways, checkpoints, and military deployments, Palestinians can inhabit less than 40 percent of the West Bank.http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/07/15/the-humanitarians-dilemma-palestine-gaza-doctors-without-borders/
Unbridled capitalism is the ‘dung of the devil’The pontiff condemns the impoverishment of developing countries and apologised for the church’s treatment of native Americanshttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/10/poor-must-change-new-colonialism-of-economic-order-says-pope-francis?CMP=ema_565 Pope Calls on World Youth to Rise Up Against Global CapitalismHe assailed the prevailing economic system saying that the systemic “greed for money” is a “subtle dictatorship” that “condemns and enslaves men and women”.http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/07/13/pope-calls-world-youth-rise-against-global-capitalism Pope Calls For New Economic Order, Criticizes CapitalismPope Francis in one of the longest, most passionate speeches of his pontificate,: “We want change, real change, structural change,” the pope said, decrying a system that “has imposed the mentality of profit at any price, with no concern for social exclusion or the destruction of nature.”http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/09/us-pope-latam-bolivia-idUSKCN0PJ29B20150709 The Encyclical and its economicshttp://steadystate.org/the-pope-francis-encyclical-and-its-economics
Solar and battery storage already cheaper than grid power in AustraliaAdding one kilowatt-hour of battery storage raises that cost slightly, but is still well below the cost of the grid-sourced power. Even 5kWh of battery storage can be installed and still costs are below that of the grid.http://reneweconomy.com.au/2015/solar-and-battery-storage-already-cheaper-than-grid-power-in-australia-66169
Hungary Begins Building Border Fence to Keep Out MigrantsIt is the major route for immigrants into Europe.http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Hungary-Begins-Building-Border-Fence-to-Keep-Out-Migrants-20150714-0011.html
Greek Bailout Deal Highlights Monumental Scale Of Syriza’s BetrayalTsipras has signed an agreement that transforms Greece into a de facto colony of the EU and places the country under the dictates of Germany. What remains of the Greek economy, above all its most valuable assets, is to be pillaged so that Athens can continue to pay back loans. Greece is to be placed under the direct control of EU officials. The function of Greece’s parliament will be to rubber-stamp the transfer of real authority to Brussels and Berlin.http://www.countercurrents.org/marsden140715.htm The Crisis Made SimpleIn a single currency zone without the option of devaluation purchasing power will drain to the more competitive. To continue buying the less competitive have to borrow. Interest on borrowing makes the problem worse. The dilemma is unresolvable.http://www.countercurrents.org/davey120715.htm and this videohttp://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article42394.htm
Is the Australian drive to austerity any different?We Are All Greeks Now http://www.commondreams.org/views/2015/07/13/we-are-all-greeks-now
Everything you think you know about addiction is wrongin this deeply personal talk, are unearthed some surprising and hopeful thoughts about an age-old problem.http://www.ted.com/talks/johann_hari_everything_you_think_you_know_about_addiction_is_wrong
We’re Already In The ‘Worst Case Scenario’ For Sea Level RiseWhen we talk about Sea Level Rise in the year 2100 we need to realise It’s not going to stop then; it will keep rising after. It’s important to realize the decisions we make today will influence that trajectory.http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/07/10/3678948/ice-sheets-could-add-20-feet-to-sea-level-with-current-temperature-increase/Warming of oceans is now unstoppableSeas will continue to warm for centuries even if manmade greenhouse gas emissions were frozen at today’s levels, after record temperatures last year, bringing additional sea-level rise, and raising the risks of severe stormshttp://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jul/16/warming-of-oceans-due-to-climate-change-is-unstoppable-say-us-scientists700,000 Australian buildings at risk from just 1 metre sea level riseThttp://takvera.blogspot.com.au/2007/03/700000-australian-buildings-at-risk.html Time is running out for marine life due to global warminghttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3147648/The-Earth-s-oceans-DYING-Researchers-warn-time-running-marine-life-global-warming.html#ixzz3frz2DvFc Shrubs in Arctic are spreading, disrupting snow cover and reducing the sunlight reflectedhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3152508/Are-shrubs-causing-global-warming-Arctic-plant-growth-changing-heat-sun-reflected-space.html#ixzz3fry1Fdb1 Seas could rise 6 metres even IF governments curb global warminghttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3155220/Seas-rise-6-metres-governments-curb-warming-study.html Heat hasn’t disappeared, it’s just been buried in the oceans between 300 and 1,000fthttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3155568/Have-seas-HIDING-true-scale-climate-change-Nasa-report-claims-global-warming-pause-never-happened.html
Violent Crime Is Surging In Major US Cities And The Economy Is Not Even Crashing YetI baelieve that we have entered a period when violent crime is going to skyrocket – especially in the next economic downturn.http://endoftheamericandream.com/
China and Russia Lay Foundation for Massive Economic CooperationRussia is aiming to retain its influence as the security guarantor in the region. This satisfies both China, which is wary of deploying troops beyond its borders, and Central Asian countries used to a Russian military presence. “Under this arrangement, China would be the bank and Russia would be the big gun”.https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/07/10/china-russia-sco-ufa-summit-putin-xi-jinping-eurasian-union-silk-road/ Putin Leads BRICS UprisingThere’s been a virtual blackout of news from this year’s seventh annual BRICS summit in Ufa, Russia. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article42359.htm andhttp://atimes.com/2015/07/putin-scores-points-at-brics-summit/ The history of the planet National Geographic – and fascinating!https://youtu.be/SYOarZKipnU
Pro-ISIS Airline Pilots Tracked by Law Enforcement in Southeast AsiaThere appears to have been a sharp increase in the number of Indonesians fighting with ISIS in the last few months. Between March 1 and June 1, 2015, 44 Indonesians have been killed in Syria and Iraq, The Australian document shows that ISIS appears to be “recruiting skill sets, professional groups”https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/07/08/australia-tracking-indonesian-pilots-supporting-isis/India launches record five satellites, plans 28 more The Friday multiple-satellite launch was its 120th successful space mission and 74th satellite launch. India’s space agency declared a hectic launch schedule of 28 satellites, belonging to seven countries, within the next three years.http://atimes.com/2015/07/indias-isro-launches-record-five-satellites-plans-28-more/
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Huge SUCCESS: Community Rights Restored in Qld! LOCK THE GATE ALLIANCE
1 of 17Huge SUCCESS: Community Rights Restored in Qld!
Inboxx Phil Laird via Lock the Gate Alliance <info@lockthegate.org.au>
1:39 PM (3 minutes ago)to me
Dear Neville,
Incredible news today. This morning, the Qld Parliament passed a Bill to restore the rights of landholders and communities to object to major mining projects!This is something that our movement has been fighting for since those rights were first stolen from us, at five minutes to midnight, by the Newman Government last year.
And it is just in the nick of time for landholders on the eastern Darling Downs. They will now be able to tell the Land Court about the impacts the Acland Stage 3 coal mine will have on their water resources, rich farming lands and community health.
This means the Qld Government has delivered on one of their most important pre-election promises. They deserve a big pat on the back for that.
It will only take one minute – just a short personal message of thanks – and we’ll deliver all the messages to them with a big card, and a box of chocolates!
This is an extraordinary outcome, which means so much to landholders and communities across Qld. And it is your actions that have delivered it.
Restoring objection rights has been one of the highest priorities for our movement over the last year. We tabled our Qld People’s Bill last year, our blueprint for mining reform, with objection rights at the heart of it. And people from right across the country stepped up in support.
Thousands of you endorsed the People’s Bill. Then you joined us in the lead-up to the Qld election to make the Acland coal mine, and objection rights, one of the biggest election issues.
You supported our radio advertising exposing the wrongs of the Acland coal mine, and the abject failure of a political process which allowed $950,000 in political donations from the mine owner, New Hope Coal.
You joined us earlier this year in the rally outside the Qld Parliament. And many of you visited your local Members of Parliament, and spoke to them about objection rights and the Acland coal mine.
You sang with the Sadies, and you held stalls and events in all weathers, braving the elements to restore rights and achieve a fairer Qld. You wrote objections to the Acland Stage 3 coal expansion in your thousands; you facebooked, and tweeted and spread the word.
And earlier this week, some of you joined us to hand our community objection rights petition to the Speaker of the Qld Parliament, Peter Wellington, who then took it straight to the Premier.
That’s how great change happens; with you, taking action in all its forms, and standing together.
So today, we salute you for all the marvellous efforts you’ve made on this issue. We’re extraordinarily grateful.
This isn’t the end of the campaign of course; there’s still a way to go. The landholders around Acland face a long and arduous Land Court process. There are other crucial pre-election promises that still need to be delivered, and objection rights to mining leases and small mines still need to be restored.
So rest assured, we’ll be seeking your support again soon. But for today, let’s smile and rejoice that people power is still alive and well when we all stand together…..
Big thanks,
Phil Laird
National Coordinator
PS The Bill passed today with the support of the Katter Australia Party and the Independent, Billy Gordon, along with the ALP, but it was opposed by the LNP. A vote was not required by the Speaker.
PPS If you want to keep supporting a fair go for communities in Qld and around the country please consider a small monthly gift by becoming a Gate Keeper today.
Lock the Gate Alliance
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Good news and bad news THE AUSTRALIA INSTITUTE
3 of 46Good news and bad news
Inboxx The Australia Institute <mail@tai.org.au>
12:03 PM (1 hour ago)to me
Dear Neville —
Premier Palaszczuk delivered her government’s first state budget this week. Our Research Director Rod Campbell was in the lockup to get the low down.First the good news: the Palaszczuk Government has edged away from the last government’s promise to bankroll the construction of coal railways to the Galilee Basin (an estimated $455 million) and to fund major dredging of the Abbot Point coal port (estimated upwards of $1 billion) next to the Great Barrier Reef.
Better still, modest increases in health and education spending mean that Queensland’s dreadful record on per capita funding of vital services will improve. Queensland is amongst Australia’s lowest spending states on schools, hospitals and community services.
Now, the bad news: the Queensland state handouts to the fossil fuel industry continue, including:
- $100 million dollars to expand the coal terminal at Gladstone.
- Around $150 million benefit from cheap access to rail and port facilities
- $14 million “to continue port planning and development initiatives to meet industry requirements for coal export facilities.”
What does this mean? While the huge subsidies of the Newman era have been reduced, the Queensland Government is still spending more than a quarter of a billion dollars of taxpayers’ money subsidising the coal industry.
This Budget was an opportunity to draw a line in the sand. They missed it.
With the help of hundreds of supporters chipping in, we teamed up with The Explainers to create this short video, based on our research:
Thanks for backing research that matters,The Australia Institute Team
P.S. To put things in context, last year the State Government made about the same amount of revenue from vehicle rego as they did from coal royalties. Tell the Premier it makes more sense to spend Queensland’s money on Queensland’s people, not coal companies.
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Take action before next week AUSTRALIANS UNIONS TEAM
More1 of 43Take action before next week
Inboxx Australian Unions Team <info@actu.org.au>
10:24 AM (1 hour ago)to me
Inga — The Australian Labor Party is holding its National Conference next week, and we need to convince them to endorse a gas reservation policy. You can help by telling your local MP to Reserve Our Gas:
Tony Abbott and the Liberals are allowing foreign companies to ship our gas overseas, and then sell it back to us at higher global prices. Average gas bills are set to double, and 235,000 jobs are at risk. We need to raise the pressure on our elected politicians by telling them to Reserve Our Gas.
The Australian Workers’ Union campaign for a domestic gas reservation policy is incredibly important in changing the national dialogue about our domestic export policy to make sure Australia isn’t left behind. Want to understand why this is such a critical issue? This short video explains it all.Email your MP and tell them you won’t accept this betrayal.
This is our big chance to save Aussie jobs and keep the cost of living down. Supporters of the Reserve Our Gas campaign have been crucial to building up momentum around the country. So far it has gathered over:
* 15,000 petition signatures;
* 3000 emails to local politicians; and
* 150 resolutions passed in Labor Branches.Thanks for standing up for the national interest. Tell your local MP to Reserve Our Gas.
In unity,
Dave Oliver
