Category: Sustainable Settlement and Agriculture

Carbon farming: Another important idea mismanaged by Labor

 

Launceston, Saturday 14 August 2010

 

The Australian Greens strongly support efforts to increase carbon in the landscape, but Labor’s plan announced today is yet another example of the government causing more problems than it solves because it doesn’t understand either the climate challenge or land management.

 

“The government is dancing around the climate crisis, coming up with more ill-thought-out non-solutions because it refuses to do the right thing – protect our forest carbon stores and introduce an effective, well-designed price on pollution,” Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

 

“Those in the offset market we have spoken to this morning are crying out for more detail. It sounds like, at best, this announcement is not new it is simply trying to address the vacuum left when the Greenhouse Friendly scheme ended in July leaving businesses in the voluntary carbon offset markets in limbo.

 

“We are also concerned that it could create more problems for farmers and other land managers if it focuses solely on carbon without at the same protecting farming land, water and biodiversity from perverse outcomes.

 

“Farmers across Australia will also be confused, and troubled that this could cause the same problems for them as managed investment schemes. Schemes designed by the city for the city without thinking about the impact on people on the land have a bad history.

 

“Perhaps worst of all, this is yet another new badly-designed climate promise funded by taking money away from renewable energy.

 

“Just like with cash for clunkers, the government has robbed Peter to pay Paul, taking another $45.6 million out of the Renewable Energy Future Fund for something that has nothing to do with renewable energy. $220 million from Solar Flagships plus $150 from solar hot water rebates plus today’s $45 million totals $415 million out of renewable in this election campaign alone.

 

“The government needs to get serious about the climate crisis. That means coming to talk to the Greens about a real price on pollution, policies to shift our economy from coal to renewables and energy efficiency.

 

The Greens will be available for further comment once the details of the Government’s proposal become available.

 

It is the group’s second court win in as many weeks.

Last week the High Court ruled Howard government changes that closed the electoral rolls on the day writs were issued were unconstitutional.

GetUp! national director Simon Sheikh says today’s decision is historic.

“Today we’ve proven that in this country, enrolment can be submitted online,” he said.

“With 1.4 million Australians not on the electoral roll earlier this year, we need to do every single thing we can to get bureaucracy and red tape out of the way.”

“What it means is that in future the AEC should provide a safe and secure form on their own site for people to enrol to vote online.

“It is now upon the AEC to provide such a website themselves. It’s appropriate that they enrol people online, not just a third party.

“The AEC had argued that they couldn’t accept online enrolments [by law], but we shouldn’t be discriminating between enrolments – faxing it or submitting it online should be the same.”

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says it is vital to have safeguards in place to ensure people do not enrol for invalid reasons.

“I think it’s very important that we maintain the integrity of our electoral system,” he said.

“I have a lot of trust in the Australian Electoral Commission, but I do think it’s important there are safeguards in the system.”

Tags: government-and-politics, elections, law-crime-and-justice, courts-and-trials, federal-elections, australia, nsw, sydney-2000

First posted 1 hour 24 minutes ago

Hi there,

My name is Jenny Rose. I’m a mum of two grown up daughters, a retired teacher and a keen gardener. I started volunteering with the Greens several elections ago, because I was disgusted with the Howard Government’s lack of action on climate change.

Over the years I’ve watched the Greens support continue to grow and I’ve learned something that’s kept me coming back to the polling booths, election after election: a major reason the Greens historically don’t do as well as pre-election polls predict is because too often, we’re out-numbered at the polling booths. So this election, I’m asking for your help to change that.

Sign up to volunteer at your local polling booth, or at another strategic location, on Saturday 21 August – even if it’s just for an hour or two.

For an undecided voter, no amount of leaflets in letterboxes make up for the lack of a real person to speak to as they walk in to vote. The Greens have monitored results at booths with and without a large volunteer presence, and we know beyond doubt that having people on the ground speaking to voters makes a real difference.

When I first helped out on polling day, I was surprised at how easy and enjoyable it turned out to be. I soon realised I was having a lot of fun asking people, “would you consider voting Green?” and handing out how to vote cards. The day flew by – and before I knew it, I was at the election night party for all the local Greens’ volunteers.

Best of all – it’s something anyone can do. You don’t need huge amounts of time, money or experience to take part in the process and make a tangible difference to your community this election.  

Come along on August 21: you’ll be glad you did.

It’s the only way a few hours of your time next Saturday will make a difference to Australia for the next three years and beyond.

Sincerely,

Jenny Rose

P.S. I didn’t just make this up. The Greens’ national office shared this analysis from polling company Roy Morgan yesterday revealing that the “biggest barrier” the Greens have this election is finding enough volunteers for polling booths. Roy Morgan said: “In previous elections…the Morgan Poll has overstated the Greens vote achieved on election day – a major reason for this is because the Greens have not been able to be…handing out ‘how-to-vote Greens’ cards at all polling places. Overcoming this problem remains the Greens’ biggest barrier to winning the seven Senate seats expected at this half-Senate election.” You can see the article here and sign up to volunteer on August 21 here.

P.P.S Did you catch the ad everyone’s talking about on Gruen Nation last night? If you missed it, click here to see it!

 

 

* Donations over $2 and up to $1500 per annum are tax deductible.

Authorised by Derek Schild, 8-10 Hobart Place. Canberra
www.greens.org.au

 

 

The conversation on twitter has exploded – you can join in by following @Greens @GruenHQ @GreensMPs or by using the #GruenNation hashtag.

Throughout the campaign we’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response to all our TV ads and together with the help of thousands of individuals supporters, making $10, $25 and $100 donations, we’ve raised more than $100,000 to buy additional TV, print and online advertising spots to put them on air.

As we head into the final week of the campaign, the Greens campaign is gaining momentum as more and more voters respond to the Greens values, our policies and our positive vision for Australia’s future. You can help keep that momentum going by sharing this video with your friends on Facebook and Twitter using the buttons below.