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  • Greens say policy belongs with Hollowmen

    Greens say policy belongs with Hollowmen

    Updated: 12:00, Friday July 23, 2010

    Greens say policy belongs with Hollowmen

    Labor’s climate change policy has been described as a farcical stunt straight from the script of television’s political satire The Hollowmen.

    Prime Minister Julia Gillard outlined the policy on Thursday, pledging $1 billion over 10 years to make the national electricity grid more friendly to renewable energy.

    Ms Gillard also promised tougher standards for new coal-fired power stations.

    The prime minister also outlined plans for a citizens’ assembly of 150 people to discuss issues including an emissions trading scheme, which Labor will review in 2012.

    The Australian Greens were less than impressed, saying the announcement added hot air to the global warming problem.

    Climate change spokeswoman Christine Milne described the assembly as a ‘gabfest’ and ‘ideally suited to the Hollowmen’, the ABC’s hit comedy series.

    ‘The real community representative assembly is actually up for election right now,’ she told reporters in Canberra.

    Labor will try to ‘hide behind’ the assembly’s mandate to reach community consensus, when the Greens insist on a carbon price, Senator Milne warned.

    ‘The prime minister is not going to be able to get away with (that).’

    Senator Milne welcomed the $1 billion investment but said it wouldn’t ‘take the grid very far at all’.

    Business- and climate-conscious voters would have ‘nowhere to go’ but the Greens if they wanted to see action, she said.

    ‘Vote Green and give us the power in the Senate to … embarrass whichever party is in government into (action) on a carbon price.’

  • GET- UP takes enrolment issues to High Court

    Click here to read more about the High Court and Federal Court challenges we’re mounting today.

    These court cases are a new direction for GetUp, but they’re also a powerful continuation of a campaign that began four years ago. In 2006, the former Government introduced laws that made it harder for people to vote by ordering the electoral rolls to close at 8pm on the same day the election is officially called.

    GetUp members fought it then – and we’re continuing to fight it now.

    The amendments were entitled the ‘Electoral Integrity Act’, even though they led to a huge increase in the number of Australians missing from the electoral roll – particularly young people, Indigenous Australians, prisoners, and recent migrants.

    Now that we’ve made the decision – together – to go to court, we’ll keep you updated on this historic legal challenge to strengthen Australia’s democracy. If you’d like to contribute to this campaign, we’d really appreciate your support – please click here to chip in.

    Thanks for being part of this movement,
    Simon, for the GetUp team.

    PS – If you know anyone who may still be missing from the electoral roll, they may still be able to vote if our High Court case is successful. Please encourage everyone you know to get their enrolment forms in to the Australian Electoral Commission by this coming Monday at 8pm.

    PPS – Today Julia Gillard announced the first elements of her climate change plan – but unfortunately she is following Tony Abbott into climate inaction. Stay tuned for more updates on how as a movement we can continue to fight to reduce carbon pollution and achieve the strong action on climate change Australia demands.

     

    __________________________

    GetUp is an independent, not-for-profit community campaigning group. We use new technology to empower Australians to have their say on important national issues. We receive no political party or government funding, and every campaign we run is entirely supported by voluntary donations. If you’d like to contribute to help fund GetUp’s work, please donate now! If you have trouble with any links in this email, please go directly to www.getup.org.au. To unsubscribe from GetUp, please click here.

     

    Authorised by Simon Sheikh, Level 5, 116 Kippax St, Surry Hills NSW 2010

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Gillard defends climate change ‘gobfest’

    Gillard defends climate change ‘gobfest’

    By online political correspondent Emma Rodgers

    Updated 2 hours 43 minutes ago

    Julia Gillard examines a toy helicopter

    Julia Gillard examines a toy computer-controlled helicopter during a tour of the University of Queensland in Brisbane. (AAP: Alan Porritt)

    Julia Gillard has defended her plans for a new climate change “citizens’ assembly” amid claims it is nothing but a “community gobfest” designed to pave the way for the introduction of a carbon tax.

    Ms Gillard has been roundly attacked by both sides of politics and by environmental groups after unveiling Labor’s climate change plan in front of rowdy protesters in Brisbane today.

    Her speech was also disrupted by protesters, one of whom was led away by police after he came within metres of Ms Gillard while she was talking.

    Ms Gillard had announced that a Labor Government would form a “citizens’ assembly” of up to 200 people who would seek community views about putting a price on carbon.

    She also committed Labor to putting higher environmental standards on new power stations and pledged $1 billion to help connect the electricity grid to cleaner energy sources.

    The Opposition, Greens and environmental groups have attacked the plan but Ms Gillard says Labor is acting on climate change.

    “The political consensus that emerged to support the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme was wrecked by Tony Abbott,” she said.

    “We need more than a fragile political consensus to deal with such a transformation to the way we live and work.

    “The approach I’m going to take is a steady one, a methodical one, that takes people with me.”

    Greens Senator Christine Milne has slammed the plan, saying both sides of politics are failing to deal with climate change by not putting a price on carbon.

    “What they’re both trying to do is not introduce anything through the parliament and just have a community gobfest around all of their discussions and initiatives,” she said.

    The Greens are likely to win the balance of power in the Senate in the next election and Senator Milne says Ms Gillard is trying to come up with an excuse not to put a price on carbon when she would be able to do so with the support of the Greens.

    Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says Labor will bring in a carbon tax no matter what the “citizens’ assembly” finds.

    Sooner or later even a Government as decision-challenged as this one will actually get something done – what that something will be is a carbon tax,” he said. “I am against it.”

    The Climate Institute says the policy is far short of a credible plan.

    “They have delivered only small steps forward toward a credible pollution and climate policy, when large strides are needed,” Climate Institute chief executive John Connor said.

    “A credible plan needs to have a limit and price tag on pollution, needs to make polluters take responsibility for pollution, and have investments and incentives to make clean energy cheaper.”

    Tags: climate-change, government-and-politics, federal-government, gillard-julia, emissions-trading, abbott-tony, federal-elections, australia, qld, brisbane-4000

  • Gillard’s climate change plan keeps NSW locked into coal dependence

    Media Release – 23 July 2010

    Gillard’s climate change plan keeps NSW locked into coal dependence

    Greens lead Senate candidate for NSW Lee Rhiannon has criticised the
    Federal Government for failing to provide leadership on the critical
    issue of our times, reducing greenhouse emissions. She says today’s
    announcement offers no transition plan to enable NSW to shift from
    coal to renewables.

    “The NSW economy is dependent on coal and nothing in this plan helps
    NSW  break the addiction,” Ms Rhiannon said.

    “A talk fest and a promise of emissions standards for dirty coal fired
    power stations are akin to slapping a bandaid on a festering boil.

    “No new coal power stations should be built in NSW. They can never be
    made climate safe.

    “$1 billion for the renewable energy grid is a welcome start but far
    more is needed to stimulate the renewable industry.

    “More than double this figure has been marked for carbon capture and
    storage technology which is a bankrupt solution that takes us nowhere.

    “We need to fast track the shift in NSW away from coal mining and coal
    fired power to clean, renewable energy.

    “NSW can build a strong and sustainable economy through investment in
    renewable energy options such as solar and wind power.

    “Putting a price on carbon is what’s necessary to tackle climate
    change, but the Federal government is rejecting the Greens offer to
    help deliver it.

    Ms Rhiannon dismissed the government’s plan for community consultation
    on climate change.

    “Involving the public in finding climate change solutions is
    necessary, but the Prime Minister’s announcement involves a two-year
    delay the planet cannot afford.

    “Federal Labor was given a mandate to act on climate change at the
    last election and it should not delay action now.

    “Renewables, along with public transport infrastructure that reduces
    greenhouse gas emissions, are key to reducing NSW’s emissions,” Ms
    Rhiannon said.

    Contact: Lee Rhiannon 0427 861 568

    —
    Lee Rhiannon
    Greens NSW lead Senate Candidate
    19 Eve Street, Erskineville
    0427 861 568

    greens.org.au/leerhiannon
    —
    Another message from the Greens Media mailing list.

  • China recruits 800 fishing boats to disperse Yellow Sea oil slick

     

    Economic activity in the north-eastern port has been seriously disrupted. Six “very large crude carriers”, with about 12m barrels of oil, were expected to be diverted, possibly to South Korea or other terminals in China with the capacity for such large vessels. Ships carrying imported corn have also been forced to dock elsewhere.

    Thousands of firefighters have doused the flames and port engineers have staunched the leak, but the clean-up mission will take at least four more days, according to the domestic media.

    Officials said the dispersal operation was making progress despite rough seas. Considerably smaller in scale than the BP leak in the Gulf of Mexico, the slick has reportedly shrunk by more than a third from its peak of 50 square kilometres.

    But local reporters said the crude was evident on nearby beaches, where patches of sand and rocks were coated in a layer of oil.

    The leak is likely to add to persistent calls for tighter environmental regulation in China. The need for improved standards was also highlighted by a toxic spill from a copper mine in Fujian month that poisoned a major river, killed countless fish and threatened the drinking supplies of downstream communities.

    The director of the Environmental Inspection Office, Zou Zhimin, told the local media that the state council – China’s cabinet – have arranged inspections of safety standards at petrochemical sites across the country.”

  • Gillard and Abbott should follow Brumby to feed-in tariff for baseload solar

    Gillard and Abbott should follow Brumby to feed-in tariff for baseload
    solar

    Hobart, Wednesday 21 July 2010

    The Greens today welcomed Victorian Premier John Brumby’s announcement
    of a gross feed-in tariff for large-scale solar plants and urged both
    Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott to embrace this world-leading policy at a
    national level.

    Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, has introduced
    a bill for a comprehensive feed-in tariff to pay a guaranteed fair price
    for all energy produced by all forms of renewable energy at all scales.*
    The bill was supported in principle by a Senate Committee but sent to
    COAG for consideration and never acted upon.

    “A properly designed feed-in tariff is recognised as the reason Germany,
    Spain and some US states have seen tremendous booms in renewable energy,
    creating jobs and investment, cleaning the air and reducing emissions,”
    Senator Milne said.

    “Premier Brumby is to be congratulated on his decision today. He is
    leaving Julia Gillard in his wake, although he still has a fair way to
    go to catch up with the Greens.

    “We need to set our sights as high as possible and establish a national
    feed-in tariff to support all forms of renewable energy.”

    Prime Minister Gillard is expected to announce individual grants
    programs for renewable energy during the campaign, including possibly
    the Solar Flagships projects. These grants are no substitute for a
    feed-in tariff.

    “One off, ad hoc grants do nothing to develop the industry. They will
    see Australia importing technologies we have driven offshore through
    lack of ongoing support.

    “If we want to create jobs and long-term investment, as well as drive
    the transformation to 100% renewable energy, we need a well-designed
    national feed-in tariff.

    “While I welcome Premier Brumby’s announcement, the expansion of
    state-based schemes can lead to perverse outcomes for investors,
    particularly in the context of the national renewable energy target.

    “The main obstacles to a national gross feed-in tariff are Penny Wong
    and Julia Gillard.

    “The Greens will continue to work hard in the Senate for a well-designed
    feed-in tariff to see renewable energy reach as high as it can and to
    stop the state by state inconsistency.”

    *NB: The Greens do not consider native forest furnaces to be a form of
    renewable energy.

    Tim Hollo
    Media Adviser
    Senator Christine Milne | Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Climate
    Change Spokesperson
    Suite SG-112 Parliament House, Canberra ACT | P: 02 6277 3588 | M: 0437
    587 562
    http://www.christinemilne.org.au/| www.GreensMPs.org.au
    <http://www.greensmps.org.au/>