EcoRadio

Category: Sustainable Settlement and Agriculture

The Generator is founded on the simple premise that we should leave the world in better condition than we found it. The news items in this category outline the attempts people have made to do this. They are mainly concerned with our food supply and settlement patterns. The impact that the human race has on the planet.

  • Labor announces trade cadet plan to help combat skills shortage

     

    However, the funding would be offset over the forward estimates to meet Labor’s pledge to return the budget to surplus in three years.

    Ms Gillard made the announcement at Richmond High School in the western Sydney electorate of Macquarie, which Labor holds by 0.3 per cent.

    If re-elected, the government would aim to introduce the measure by 2012 and framed it as a decision to provide employers and industry with greater access to a skilled workers.

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    “Currently around 220,000 students do study vocational education and training at school,” Ms Gillard.

    “That’s around 41 per cent of kids going into senior secondary certificates.”

    Two streams of the national trade cadetship would be available including one stream which lays the foundation for further training and a second which focuses on achieving an apprenticeship in a specific area or trade.

    The nationally recognised cadetships will be developed by the Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority, in partnership with industry and states and territories.

    They will be delivered in the governments new trade training centres, which are still being constructed under a $2.5 billion investment by Labor.

     

  • Population. water key election issues: QFF

     

    “Politicians, when talking about a growing population, tend to focus on the south-east Queensland corner,” he said.

    “But we know there’s a number of marginal seats right up and down the coast and certainly in central parts of Queensland and these areas will be critical to being re-elected.

    “They are also critical to promoting population growth outside of a our major population centres.”

    Both Labor and the Coalition are promising further announcements on climate change before the election on August 21.

    Mr Galligan says both parties are taking a cautious approach on the issue and more details are needed.

    “From an agricultural perspective climate change has two aspects,” he said.

    “How do we deal with emissions trading, and from a farming perspective, we have solutions that can be offered and also a management problem in dealing with emissions.

    “There’s also a lot of positive signs that farmers can be part of the solution for emissions.”

    Mr Galligan says the major parties need to look at how a forthcoming Murray Darling Basin Plan will affect regional communities in Queensland.

    “From a QFF’s perspective we would like a new federal government to be looking at issues around water reform and certainly declining productivity in an agricultural sense,” he said.

    “[Also] our sustainable management of our natural resources, particularly as they relate to the growing population.

    “Both parties have identified managing a growing population will be central to their election campaign.”

    Tags: community-and-society, population-and-demographics, environment, government-and-politics, elections, federal-government, rural, agricultural-crops, agricultural-policy, livestock, rivers, murraydarling-basin, water-management, federal-elections, australia, qld, bundaberg-4670, cairns-4870, longreach-4730, mackay-4740, maroochydore-4558, mount-isa-4825, rockhampton-4700, southport-4215, toowoomba-4350, townsville-4810

  • Here’s to the next 33 days

    Dear friends,

    Hi there – I’m Ebony, the national campaign coordinator for the Australian Greens. With just 33 days until Election Day on 21 August I wanted to write and introduce myself, and give you a frank assessment of where we’re headed.

    The Greens are in a stronger position than we’ve ever been before: today’s Newspoll puts the Greens primary vote at 12% nationally. This year, we have an unprecedented opportunity to attain the balance of power in the Senate.

    The Australian Greens aren’t here to just keep the bastards honest – we’re here to change the dynamic of politics and deliver the best possible outcomes for our country on climate change, education, health, water, public transport, and the other issues that matter to you.

    Unlike the old parties, our strength comes from the grassroots, from people like you. Whether you are a lifelong Greens supporter, or voting Greens for the first time, this election I’ll be relying heavily on you. We’ll be asking you to come to events, to volunteer your time, and to be our eyes and ears on the streets when the inevitable smears and attacks do come. You’ll also get the first look at our latest ads, election announcements, strategies and decisions as we give you, the people behind this movement, the inside scoop on our campaign.

    Today, I want to share the very latest on preferences. There will be a lot of media attention on preference arrangements, but here’s what they won’t tell you: you and every other voter in Australia have the power to choose where your preferences are directed. The Greens will hand out how-to-vote cards on Election Day as a guide for voters who choose to use them, but that’s all they are: a guide.

    In the Greens, our local branches make preference decisions. At this election, some Greens local branches have chosen to preference Labor ahead of the Coalition in a number of lower house seats, including some but not all marginal seats. Some local branches of the Greens have chosen not to direct preferences to either party.

    I can also tell you that the Labor Party will be directing its Senate preferences to the Greens ahead of all political parties in all States and Territories.

    But at the end of the day, you decide where your preferences will go.

    You can find out more at our website.

    Here’s to the next 33 days,

    Ebony Bennett
    National Campaign Coordinator

    PS Your address details on the electoral roll can be updated until 8pm Thursday only. Visit the AEC online to make sure you’re details are accurate.

  • Lee Rhiannon’s resignation from NSW Parliament

    MEDIA RELEASE
    19 July 2010

    Lee Rhiannon today resigned from the NSW Parliament to run as the Greens
    lead Senate candidate for the August 21 election. She has outlined her NSW
    campaign priorities and urged young people to enrol by 8pm tonight.

    “NSW needs a strong Greens voice in the Senate and I’m looking forward to
    the campaign”, said Ms Rhiannon.

    “Today I handed in my resignation as a Greens NSW MP to the NSW Governor. It
    has been a privilege to represent communities across the state in the NSW
    Parliament for the last 11 years.

    Ms Rhiannon listed her priorities as:

       – real action on climate change, with a shift from coal to renewables
       – a sustainable NSW, including world class public transport, an end to
       overdevelopment and the logging of native forests
       – better funding for public services including health services
       – political donations reform.

    “If elected to the Senate I will focus on amplifying the campaigns of local
    communities across NSW, bringing their voices to Federal Parliament.

    “I will continue my work alongside coal communities and farmers for a future
    beyond coal and take the battle to save the South East forests to Canberra.

    “A sustainable NSW will need better public transport and improved funding
    for public services. Federal funding is central to making this happen.

    “The major parties have paid lip-service to electoral funding reform, hoping
    it will go away. If elected I will keep the heat on to clean up the
    corrupting influence of corporate donations.

    “The clock is now ticking for voters to get on the electoral roll to have a
    say. The Greens are running a last-minute blitz to urge young people to
    enrol to vote before 8pm tonight.

    “Winning back a Senate seat for NSW is a tough job, with election experts
    rating our chance as 50/50. With lots of hard work and a touch of luck I
    hope to join Senator Bob Brown and my other Federal colleagues in the
    Senate,” said Ms Rhiannon.

    Contact: Lee Rhiannon – 0427 861 568

    Visit http://greens.org.au/leerhiannon to view a campaign video featuring
    Bob Brown and Lee at last Friday night’s Greens NSW federal campaign dinner.
    Recent photos of Lee available on request.

    —
    Lee Rhiannon
    Greens NSW MP
    0427 861 568
    —
    Another message from the Greens Media mailing list.

  • Greens confirm preference deal

    Greens confirm preference deal

    Updated: 10:36, Monday July 19, 2010

    Greens confirm preference deal

    The Australian Greens have confirmed they have reached agreement with Labor over preferences for the August 21 federal election.

    Details of the deal will be announced later on Monday, just a day after Greens leader Bob Brown admitted he was ‘at odds’ with his own party over preference negotiations.

    Senator Brown on Sunday refused to say whether the Greens would direct preferences to Labor in lower house seats, just as the minor party did at the 2007 election.

    Under the deal, the Greens will direct preferences to Labor in lower house contests in return for receiving Labor in the upper house race, paving the way for the minor party to hold the balance of power in the Senate in its own right from July 1, 2011.

    ‘The Greens party will be putting out a media release about that in an hour or so,’ Senator Brown told ABC Radio on Monday, adding he did not know details of the deal .

    Despite the deal, Senator Brown is arguing that voters settle on their own preference rather than be dictated by an particular political party.

    Senator Brown dismissed as a negative approach suggestions the Greens should have sought concessions from Labor in return for preferences.

    Prime Minister Julia Gillard says the deal is important for Labor.

    ‘Obviously people will choose to exercise their vote and where they want to put their preferences,’ she told ABC Radio.