Letter to the editor, Bungendore Mirror
It’s good as always to have an opportunity to talk more about Greens policy and what matters, in this case in response to correspondent Kerry Bos “Warming such a bad thing?”, Mirror, August 7. I have not reverted to calling global warming climate change – the latter is just what is happening because of the former. There is neither the space nor the need to explain it here. With the vast majority of scientists in agreement about it, and given that it is “science” not “hypothesis”, it is not something to be arguing about, a bit like gravity. Anyone who has kept up with the facts would have noticed that extreme weather events of all kinds have been happening and again, scientists agree that they are caused by global warming. We are heading towards a level of warming that even the most conservative scientists had not foreseen – witness the recent Arctic melt for example – and it’s down to us and our insatiable lust for fossil fuels. That is why there are so many people and organisations working on the issue, trying to find out more and bring about desperately needed change in government policy, with not nearly enough success. It’s way beyond the time to stop arguing about whether or not global warming is happening; we need to recognise our mistakes and do our best to rectify them.

Yes, The Greens have said that $42.7 billion of revenue can be raised. This has been calculated on available information and is part of the raft of our proposals costed by the Parliamentary Budget Office. In regard to the bank levy, the policy specifically talks about a 0.2% levy on bank assets over $100 billion. No, it does not go without saying that the customers would suffer, as it is only the big four four banks who have assets like that. Economic commentators have observed that it is unlikely that these banks would pass on the cost because it would not be in their interests to do so if they wanted to keep their customers.

What matters? Ensuring that people’s basic needs such as food and housing are met (and, for that matter, fair indexation of super for all public servants, not just the military – ALP announcement p. 2), providing quality education to maximise opportunity for work and vocation, looking after the people who are vulnerable and/or at risk, creating a compassionate and peaceful world that is fit for habitation.

Who decides what matters? Doctors, scientists, teachers, social justice and environment groups, people in the community who are concerned about more than what directly affects them personally, recognise the need for change and who would like to see a world worth living in passed on to future generations. These are the people from whom The Greens take their advice in order to develop a policy framework that reflects the issues that most affect us and the planet, and that offers a range of solutions to address them.

The Greens in Eden-Monaro have decided ahead of the final list of candidates to announce our preference recommendation decision. We have taken this course of action to end the speculation about this issue and allow us to get on with the important task of campaigning on real issues.

The four groups in Eden-Monaro have determined that, after a recommendation for voters to vote 1 Green, they number the ballot paper in favour of any like-minded independents. We will also be suggesting they number the ALP ahead of the Liberal Party candidate, but the final order of all other candidates will not be determined until after the draw, according to our usual practice.

The decision has been made independently by the four groups, based on an assessment of the current political situation. It has not been a straightforward decision, with Green voter opinions polarised. Some people say they will not vote Green unless we preference the ALP, others say they will not vote Green if we do. None of them wants to see us suggest a recommendation for the Liberal Party. Many Greens would prefer that we do not recommend a preference to anyone, so that the voter makes their own decision, and while many of us support this, we also acknowledge that we do not want to risk an Abbott-led Coalition government if there is a likelihood of informal votes resulting from that.

The rationale for our decision is based on the following:

• The Coalition’s ongoing refusal to act on climate change, beginning in 1996 at the start of the Howard era. This has set us back decades, especially now that the impacts of climate change have accelerated. Despite this, members of the current Coalition are still in denial.

• The Greens’ support for the National Broadband Network, particularly in relation to the benefits that will be felt in many rural and regional parts of Eden-Monaro.

• Introduction by the ALP of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

• The Coalition’s regressive tax proposals.

• WorkChoices, and the Liberal candidate’s involvement in its development and implementation during the Howard era.

• While we acknowledge that the ALP has shown itself to be at least as bad as the Coalition on the issue of asylum seekers, we also acknowledge that it was the Howard government who first created the climate of “fear and loathing” around some of the world’s most vulnerable people. It was also the Howard Government which took us to war with Iraq, which helped to create many of the problems we are now seeing and which are causing people to flee in the first place.

We would reiterate that as always, it is up to voters to make up their own minds, and numbering all squares on the small ballot paper will ensure that they cast a formal vote.

Our comprehensive election platform “Standing up for what matters” has been fully costed by the Parliamentary Budget Office and makes The Greens the obvious choice for all who want to see a change of focus in politics. If implemented, it would ensure a healthy, just and sustainable future for the people of Eden-Monaro.

Simple measures like a 0.2% levy on bank assets above $100 billion, the abolition of fossil fuel subsidies, an effective mining tax and 50% tax on all incomes in excess of $1,000,000 would raise $42.7 billion.

There is an urgent need to act on climate change. If we don’t, there is every likelihood we will see an end to snow this century, and farming will be even more difficult than it is now. The Greens want a swift transition to renewable energy, for which there is huge potential here, and which would create thousands of jobs. Imagine if Eden-Monaro became home to Australia’s first solar thermal energy plant!

Farmers are essential to our country’s future prosperity and a sustainable economy. We propose actions to strengthen the viability of farming and farming communities, and increase support for small business and local employment in general. (more…)

The Australian Greens’ food plan announced today is great news for food producers in the region, says Greens candidate for Eden-Monaro Catherine Moore.

“Farmers’ markets and community gardens have been springing up across Eden-Monaro for years, in Bega, Moruya, Braidwood, Cooma and Queanbeyan, to name a few places.

“This is happening for a number of reasons, ranging from concern about where our food is coming from and what is going into its production in the way of chemicals to recognition of the need to reduce ‘food miles’.

“It is about time farmers received a fair price for the food they are producing, but with the current supermarket duopoly, many can barely scratch a living from the low prices they are being paid.”

The Greens plan would boost local food production with an $85 million dollar injection of funds so producers can set up or strengthen farmers markets, food box sales, farmers’ co-operatives, regional marketing and food hubs. (more…)

In the wake of the launch of The Australian Greens’ policy platform “Standing up for what matters”, Greens candidate for Eden-Monaro Catherine Moore says that The Greens are the obvious party of choice for all those who want to see a change of focus in politics, and positive and meaningful proposals to take us into the future.

“If they were implemented, the policy initiatives that we have released for this election would ensure a healthy, just and sustainable future for the people of Eden-Monaro.

“By introducing simple measures like a 0.2% levy on bank assets in excess of $100 billion, the abolition of tax-payer funded fossil fuel subsidies, an effective mining tax and 50% tax on incomes in excess of $1,000,000, we could raise $42.7 billion over three years.

“These funds could then be directed into social and environmental policy actions that benefited all Australians. (more…)

Australian Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne has announced a plan to lower on-farm energy bills with $100 million in grants for efficiency and infrastructure on energy-intensive farms.

“The clean technology, food and foundry grants program for food processors has been one of the success stories of the package negotiated with the Greens to tackle climate change, but it didn’t go far enough,” Australian Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne said.

“Many farmers rely on cool storage and high energy usage with water heating, sterilisation, and irrigation pumps and they need help on the farm to upgrade their equipment to save money and become more efficient.

“The Greens understand that and are now ready to offer this additional help to farmers. (more…)

Thankyou for the opportunity to make a submission on Future Directions for NSW Local Government. I do so as spokesperson for Braidwood Greens and from the standpoint of Palerang councillor, 2004-2012. It has been endorsed by Braidwood Greens members.

This submission deals with the two main issues of funding and amalgamations, but it also touches on a number of other matters, especially those related to democracy.

Funding
The preamble on page 4 gets straight to the the big issue of funding, referring to “a local government system facing major financial problems with apparently little awareness of just how serious the situation has become. ”

Local councils cannot fail to be aware of how hard it is to fund the programs they are expected to run and the services they provide, and Palerang is no exception.

The paper states that new directions must allow local government to provide “better services, infrastructure and representation for the communities it is intended to serve.

“The Panel’s goal for local government is therefore:
A more sustainable system of democratic local government that has added capacity to address the
needs of local and regional communities, and to be a valued partner of State and federal governments.”

This goal is laudable, but it is hard to see how it will be achieved without the funding that is so desperately needed.

Nowhere in the sustainability and finance section of the preamble, or anywhere else, does the paper mention increased funding from external sources. Nowhere does it recognise the imperative for state and federal governments to stop cost-shifting. It is all about redistribution of existing funds and reassessing the current state government policy on rate-pegging. Indeed, the whole argument for amalgamation seems to be predicated on the basis of insufficient resources for the current number of councils. (more…)