protected. Ken said we must stop gas and go with âbig solar!â ... 1,000 kids in detention. âMy mum is crying .....
GREEN VOICE News from the NSW Greens
Free - June 2013
FOOD NOT GAS Greens leader Christine Milne visits a Kahlua near Gunnedah, where Santos want to drill for coal seam gas. Farmers are fighting to protect their land and water. The Greens want to stop coal seam gas on productive agricultural land, urban areas and in water catchments.
Communities around NSW are rejecting coal seam gas in a grassroots backlash that has governments and industry scrambling. Australian Greens leader Christine Milne committed to use the Greens’ power in the Senate to oppose coal seam gas and protect land, water and communities. "How is it possible that you would be compromising groundwater? How is it possible that you would be handing over agricultural land to a fossil fuel industry at the end of the fossil fuel age? It makes absolutely no sense," she said. Extracting coal seam gas involves the controversial fracking technique where sand, water and often toxic
“Coal seam gas is unwanted, unnecessary and unsafe. The community has not given it a social licence to operate,” chemicals are pumped underground at high pressure to crack open a coal seam to release methane gas. There is concern fracking can contaminate or deplete ground water and release salt, methane and toxic chemicals into the water and air. Communities around NSW have fiercely resisted coal seam gas with community blockades stopping drill rigs from accessing drilling sites. The O'Farrell Government recognised this community opposition,
Fracking
this proce ss uses toxic chem icals and can pollute water and air
announcing a ban on coal seam gas within two kilometres of urban areas. However, this move left many farmers angry that they have not been provided the same level of protection. Greens mining spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham told GreenVoice "Coal seam gas is unwanted, unnecessary and unsafe. The community has not given it a social licence to operate." Continued on page 2
Ecological Sustainability ► Grassroots Democracy ► Social Justice ► Non-Violence ► www.nsw.greens.org.au
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GREEN VOICE Continued from page 1
The gas industry has reacted by claiming that coal seam gas is necessary to avoid gas shortages and price rises. Buckingham rejects this claim. "There is no shortage of gas. It is the industry's move to export gas to Asia that is causing all gas on the East Coast to be sucked up to export terminals. "The answer is not to let coal seam gas rip on our farms, water catchments and under our homes. The better solution is for governments to reserve some gas for Australian use. Candidates for the federal
Farms not gas
“Only the Greens have been consistently and strongly opposed to coal seam gas.” election of all parties are seeking to capitalise on the issue by spruiking their credentials. Buckingham is sceptical. "Labor granted all the coal seam gas licences in the first place, while the Liberal and National parties have renewed these licences and support the industry. Only the Greens have been consistently and strongly opposed to coal seam gas. We're the best option if you want to say no to coal seam gas."
(Above) Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham with anti-gas activist Drew Hutton in Pavillion, Wyoming. The gas company must now truck in drinking water after fracking contaminated the local ground water so much it smells like diesel and can be set on fire.
From his nursing home in the South Coast village of Gerringong, 94 year old Greens member Ken O’Hara (left) battles coal seam gas. A regular letter writer and participant in rallies, Ken recently organised a meeting at Gerringong Townhall to discuss the issue. 300 residents attended, including the local member for Kiama, Gareth Ward who promised to stop coal seam gas in water catchment areas. Mr O’Hara told the meeting that his experience living on a farm in the 1930s depression taught him that agriculture is precious and must be protected. Ken said we must stop gas and go with “big solar!”
Australia lags on marriage equality While politicians dither, everyday Aussies are expressing their support for equality. After the state government erased the Oxford Street rainbow crossing, do-it-yourself rainbow crossings appearing on pavements and facebook around the country. It even caught on overseas.
If marriage equality was a horse race, Australia would be a long way back. New Zealand recently passed the post. France has greeted the judges. Many other states and nations have finished and are back in the stables. Australia is still galloping or more precisely trotting slowly and the going, as they say in racing, seems very heavy. The leadweights in the saddle bags include party leaders Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard. Labor members now have a conscience vote on the issue but Julia Gillard is voicing strong opposition.
The Opposition do not as yet have a conscience vote. Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young currently has a bill for marriage equality before the Senate. “Australia is becoming more and more isolated in the international community as it fails to act on marriage equality,” said Greens spokesperson on sexuality, Sarah Hanson Young. “Political leaders from around the world have lead the charge for marriage equality in their countries and it is high time our parliament brought equality to Australia.”
Putting Communities First The Greens always doubted the Coalition’s election promise of ending Labor’s planning nightmare and “returning planning powers to local communities”. The O’Farrell government’s proposed planning reforms now promise to deliver a developers paradise on unsuspecting communities. As always the Greens are standing up for the community and the environment.
STAND WITH US: davidshoebridge.org.au/planning
Bank Super Profit Tax The Greens have called for a super profits tax on the big banks saying it is fair given the guarantees and other forms of assistance they receive from taxpayers. Adam Bandt, the Greens MP for Melbourne, made the call saying "the Budget is in deficit because we helped Australia avoid the worst of the global financial crisis, caused by the finance sector and banks.," Mr Bandt said. "While others were hit hard by the crisis, the banks have continued to make record profits, now at more than $20 billion a year and more than $40 billion since the GFC. It's about time they gave back a fair share," he said. In 2012 the big four banks made profits: ANZ $5.7b, NAB $4b, Commonwealth $7.1b and Westpac $6b.
Adam Bandt wants banks to pay a fair share
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1,000 kids in detention Call to end mandatory detention of asylum seekers as harsh policies fail
The Greens are calling for a change in policy as the mandatory detention of asylum seekers appears to be failing everyone, except a few politicians using it as a political football. The Gillard government has embraced the harsh policies of the Howard Government, including off-shore detention on Nauru and Manus Island, and detaining over one thousand children in detention.
“One child in detention is too many” However, these harsh policies appear to be failing in their objective to stop asylum seekers travelling by boat to ask for refuge in Australia, with a record number of boats arriving in recent months. Greens immigration spokesperson, Sarah Hanson-Young recently travelled to Manus Island to inspect
the detention centre and was horrified by the conditions she witnessed. "The Nauru and Manus Island detention centres are hot houses of mental illness and injustice and they need to be shut down, whether by legal challenge or the Australian Government,” she said. The Greens argue that the perceived threat posed by asylum seekers is artificial, manufactured by John Howard during the Tampa episode of 2001, and regularly stoked by politicians and the media since. They say the numbers are small compared to our population and world standards, and that most of those who travel by boat are found to have a legitimate case for seeking refugee status. “The government’s eagerness to beat up on refugees, including children and their families, in this race to the bottom with the coalition is embarrassing our country on an international stage,' says Senator Hanson-Young. “One child in detention is too many, but 1000 children behind bars in Australian detention centres is an absolute disgrace.”
Fixing teeth under Medicare
Greens health spokesperson, Senator Richard Di Natale is also a medical doctor. He wants Medicare extended to cover visits to the dentist. Almost $5 billion will go to provide millions of children with Medicare funded dentistry and to improve access to public dental care for low income adults and those in rural and remote areas. The package was delivered by the Australian Greens who made progress towards dental care under Medicare a condition of their agreement to support the Labor Government. Greens health spokesperson, Senator Richard Di Natale said it was the most significant reform of dental care in Australia's history. "For too long we've treated the mouth as separate from the
rest of the body, which has resulted in an oral health crisis in this country. One in three people are unable to afford to see a dentist, but all that is about to change," said Dr Di Natale. "Today we have laid the foundations for Denticare, with 3.4 million Australian children now eligible for Medicare funded dental treatment. Soon, taking your kid to the dentist will be just as easy as taking them to the GP." Children aged up to 17 years from eligible families will get subsidised dental treatment, public dental waiting lists will be slashed and services expanded.
“My mum is crying and I am sad” - Arrih (Above) A drawing by a child in immigration detention centre on Manus Island. (Below) a refugee washes clothes in squalid conditions.
Confused at the range of eggs on the supermarket shelf? Companies are using deceptive marketing and genuine free-range farmers are being cheated by those fudging the definition. Greens MP John Kaye has moved a ‘Truth in Labelling Bill that would set what constitutes ‘free range’ in law. “Consumers are being exploited by the big industrial egg producers who are using ‘free-range’ as little more than a marketing term,” he said.
Cagey
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GREEN VOICE
Single parents slugged as mining tax fails The mining tax has only raised $126 million in its first six months of operation sparking calls to change the tax to increase the income it generates. The figure comes in far below the 2012-13 budget forecast that predicted the mining tax would raise $3 billion.
a political win and the mining companies a massive profit win." The Greens want changes to remove loopholes and broaden its base, saying it could deliver billions to fund infrastructure and services.
“Now is the time to fix the mining tax, not rely on further cuts to education or vulnerable people like single mothers.” After replacing Kevin Rudd in 2010 as Prime Minister, Julia Gillard call for an advertising truce with the mining industry, and negotiated changes to the tax with the three big mining companies. It now appears that these changes have led to a dramatic fall in revenue. Speaking after a parliamentary inquiry into the Tax, Greens leader Christine Milne said, "witness after witness makes it perfectly clear the government did a deal with the mining companies which essentially gave the government
“This is a core issue for democracy in Australia. The public interest requires a fair return on our country's resources so we can fund schools, dental health and disability insurance," said Senator Milne. She also points out that the government is taking more money off single parents than it has collected from the mining tax and called on the government to have the guts to stand up to the big miners. "Now is the time to fix the mining tax, not rely on further cuts to education or vulnerable people like single mothers."
Billboard question Single mother Rose Ljubicic took matters into her own hands spending $3,000 to hire a 4m x 6m billboard in Melbourne to protest cuts of Single Mother’s payments. The billboard graphs the difference between cuts to single parents payments of $207 million, and revenue from the mining tax of $126 million, asking the question: "Why is Labor taking more money from single parents than from big mining through the mining tax?"
Uni dollars slashed University class sizes are expanding, course options shrinking and students are facing larger debts as the government announced a savage $2.3 billion cut from the higher education budget to fund the Gonski schools reforms. “Choosing to rob higher education to pay for much needed Gonski reforms just doesn’t add up,” said Greens higher education spokesperson Lee Rhiannon. “Labor’s education revolution is now well and truly in tatters.” In response to the cuts, university
Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon says cutting university funding doesn’t add up
Research shows that every public dollar invested in tertiary education grows the economy by $26 professors around Australia, signed an open letter to the Prime Minister opposing the drop in funding. The Coalition has backed Labor’s cuts, opening the door for further cuts and the resurrection of full-fee paying domestic students under an Abbott government,” said Senator Rhiannon. “Research shows that every public dollar invested in tertiary education grows the economy by $26 and
increases tax revenues by $8. “Our goal should be to move Australia’s ranking from one of the bottom to one of the top OECD countries for public spending on higher education,” She said. The Greens have pledge to continue to work for an immediate 10 per cent increase to base funding per student at public universities, to maintain current standards.
Destroying a forest for coal Farmers and environmentalists have condemned the approval of two adjoining coal mines that will destroy the largest remaining woodland on the Liverpool Plains, including an important koala habitat. Maules Creek farmer Phil Laird, who has been fighting the proposed mines for years, said the approvals were "proof positive that the NSW Government has turned its back on the community and delivered busi-
was employed as a lobbyist for the mine. Political donations also flowed from interests connected to the mine to the National Party. Coal Baron Nathan Tinkler donated $5,000 to the NSW Nationals and $45,000 to the federal Nationals. Aston Resources donated another $1,000. While two former directors, Todd Hannigan and Thomas Todd donated $4,250 and $5,000 respectively.
Coal Baron Nathan Tinkler donated $5,000 to the NSW Nationals and $45,000 to the federal Nationals. ness as usual for multi-national mining companies." Greens Environment spokesperson, Cate Faehrmann, who spotted koalas during a recent visit to the forest, criticised the federal approval of the mines. "How can any Environment Minister in their right mind approve this? Tony Burke has just approved a coal mine which will wipe out a small and vulnerable koala population," she said. Ms Faehrmann also expressed concern over links between the National Party and the Maules Creek mine. Former Nationals Leader Mark Vaile was chairman of Aston Resources, the mine owner, while former Nationals President and staff member to Barry O'Farrell, Liam Bathgate
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are financing the Maules Creek mine and were the target of a hoax press release by activist Jonothan Moylan
(Right) Greens MP Cate Faehrmann with a koala in the Laird Forest. (Below) The Boggabri coal mine eats into the Laird Forest. Two coal mines will leave a 1km buffer between their pits, effectively destroying the forest.
These donations were not declared as part of the planning application process as required by law, and will be subject to court action. Finally a former Minister and Nationals MP for Orange, Gary West, was a member of the Planning Assessment Commission that made the decision. Ms Faehrmann said the links between the mine and the National Party were a cause for alarm, particularly given corruption inquiries into other coal mining leases. "The public has lost confidenence in the approvals process. “This is why the Greens have campaigned so hard to stop corporate donations to political parties and for transparency in decision making,” she said.
First Muslim woman to enter Parliament Dr Mehreen Faruqi will be the first Muslim woman to sit in any Australian Parliament after being preselected to represent the Greens in the NSW Upper House, replacing Cate Faehrmann when she leaves to contest a federal Senate seat. She migrated to Australia from Pakistan and has worked as an environmental engineer and sustainablity expert. “As the first Greens MP in NSW from a migrant background, I’m excited about building stronger relationships between the Greens and migrant communities,” said Dr Faruqi. “I’m looking forward to working hard for the people of NSW and continuing Cate’s excellent work in protecting our national parks, fighting for gender and marriage equality.”
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GREEN VOICE
Public housing flogged off
NSW Public Housing stock is being privatised by stealth according to Jamie Parker, the member for Balmain. Mr Parker’s electorate office is in the heart of the Glebe Estate, a concentration of public housing on the edge of the Sydney CBD, which he says is being systematically whittled away as the NSW government sells it off, piece by piece. “This insidious, piecemeal privatisation often goes unchallenged because it’s not part of a larger sell-off and it’s difficult for most people to identify exactly which public assets are being lost,” said Mr Parker. For the financial years 2011 and 2012, the sale of residential properties generated over $360 million for the Land and Housing Corporation. “My electorate office sees the distressing impacts of this
NSW, Mr Parker warned that housing was a valuable public asset and much needed social service, but was falling into disrepair and then quietly sold off. Parker's electorate office is
This insidious, piecemeal privatisation often goes unchallenged
Balmain MP, Jamie Parker inspects public housing in Glebe that was recently sold. $360 million in public housing was sold in 2011 - 2012 privatisation every day – we deal with people who have been waiting for public housing for months and sometimes
years,” Mr Parker said. in urgent need and are incred“Often these are people who ibly vulnerable.” have qualified for ‘priority’ The first Greens MP housing, which means they are elected to the lower house in
Forest rip-off NSW taxpayers are subsiding the logging of native forests to the tune of $7 million per year. Greens MP David Shoebridge investigated the industry. “For every hectare logged, NSW taxpayers lose $671, and this ignores theloss the public suffers from the fact that our forests are destroyed,.” said Mr Shoebridge. “The current industrial logging practices used in our State Forests are not only damaging the environment, they are damaging the State’s finances.”
GreenVoice is published by The Greens NSW. GPO Box 1220, Sydney NSW 2001 p 9045 6999 f 95192177 e
[email protected] w nsw.greens.org.au All copyright remains with the authors. An opinion expressed in GreenVoice is not necessarily the opinion of The Greens NSW unless specifically stated. Authorised by Bruce Knobloch for the Greens, 19 Eve St, Erskineville. Edited by Max Phillips & Colin Charlton. Printed by .....
largely dedicated to advocating on behalf of public housing residents who are struggling to be heard by an uncaring bureaucracy. “As a community we need to care for people, not ignore and abandon them when they are at their most powerless,” said Mr Parker.
Fairer funding of Gonksi The Gillard and O’Farrell governments have committed $619 million per year to NSW public schools as part of the Gonski reforms. Greens MP John Kaye praised the decision saying the package “goes a long way to taking pressure off public school teachers and students and the money will have immediate impacts on educational outcomes for special needs students, remote and disadvantaged schools." However, Dr Kaye warned that the win was not without casualties. "The Gillard government has cut $467 million from the annual budgets of the state’s nine public universities, while Premier O’Farrell is about to inflict yet another round of fee increases on TAFE students. "This is setting one sector of public education against another and it is entirely unnecessary." Under the O’Farrell-Gillard deal, handouts to NSW non-government schools will rise by $206 million.
The state’s 110 wealthiest, elite private institutions receive $426 million in state and federal subsidies. The state's 110 wealthiest, elite private institutions receive $426 million in state and federal subsidies. "Ending state and federal subsidies to the wealthiest private schools and telling the other non-government schools their Gonski funding increases are going to the public system would free up $632 million a year,” claimed Dr Kaye. "That's more than enough to fund the public school component of the deal without cutting university budgets or forcing TAFE students to pay more.”
John Kaye - wants to see more funds for public education
Save t
from industrial
The right to die? This is Loredana Alessio-Mulhall. She has had multiple sclerosis for 37 years. She is 63. I want to help her to die with dignity, writes Cate Faehrmann.
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Volunt a euthan ry sia debate
Up until about five years ago, Loredana was a teacher of English, the last few years of which she did from her wheelchair. Now, Loredana’s body has finally succumbed to the insidious disease that is multiple sclerosis. Her healthy, sharp mind and soul are trapped in a body that will never again make the simplest of moves. Loredana wants to die. Perhaps not today, but one day, at a time of her choosing. Loredana lives alone, requiring assistance to do everything – to eat, to dress, to bathe, to toilet, to move an inch. She qualifies for the maximum care available which is seven hours a day. For the other seventeen, Loredana is alone in her flat either in her bed or her chair, unable to move, waiting for the next carer’s shift to start for some relief and company.
...she is a positive person and, under ordinary circumstances, of course she would not want to die. Her only connection to the world, her last form of control, is the device installed on her telephone which allows her to blow into a tube to make or receive calls. Sometimes, frustratingly, her mouth cannot reach the tube because it is millimetres too far away, and the call remains unanswered. Loredana still has sensation in her body. She just can’t move. Whenever I am there during the hours that a carer is not, she might ask me to move her leg, or her foot, or perhaps her fingers because they have started to dig in to her leg. She tells me how she can lie awake for hours at night, her fingers painfully clawing her leg, while she, unable to move, cries out to an empty apartment. It is not until her first carer arrives at 7.30 in the morning that she is provided with any relief. I have visited Loredana a number of times in the past year. She continues to tell me she is a positive person and, under ordinary circumstances, of course she would not want to die. But she is very afraid of what is ahead. The MS is now eating away at the nerve endings to her eyes and attacking her voice box. This understandably terrifies her. Loredana knows she is facing a future where her healthy mind and soul are smothered by a body that is slowly, excruciatingly, shutting down.
Loredana Alessio-Mulhall in her apartment with Greens MP Cate Faehrmann. Multiple Sclerosis has taken away Loredana’s ability to move her own limbs.
The right to die law
Loredana was searching for lethal medication in the years before she was totally incapacitated. Now her predicament is heartbreaking. Loredana, who receives assistance to stay alive in every undignified way imaginable, wants to die before her life becomes more wretched. If she was able-bodied she could suicide. But she cannot even lift a straw to her mouth. If anyone else, out of a sense of compassion alone, assisted Loredana by mixing a substance and guiding a straw to her mouth - all at Loredana’s command - they would be put on trial for manslaughter. The law as it stands is so senseless and cruel. We are given every assistance to live an undignified life, but none at all when we want to die with dignity.
the Barrier Reef
l development
Cate Faehrmann has introduced the Rights of the Terminally Ill Bill this year. The proposed legislation would ensure that a patient wh o has a terminal illness and who is experiencing unacceptable pain or suffering can receive assistance to end their life if that is their wis h. This assistance would take the for m of the provision of a substance that the patient would themselve s administer, or, in the case of sev ere physical disability, be provided assistance to administer.
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GREEN VOICE
DANGER!
Cost-cutting with fire
Many NSW fire stations will go unstaffed, prompting safety fears, after the O’Farrell government implemented a new policy of closing stations to fill gaps at other nearby fire stations. Fire Brigade Union State Secretary Jim Casey has accused the government of playing Russian Roulette with community safety. “It is simply a question of when, not if, these station closures lead to an entirely avoidable death,” he said.
“Any child can tell you that seconds count when you are dealing with fire.”
Nightcap National Park near Lismore was saved from logging in the 1970s. Greens MP Cate Faehrmann and local women express their opposition to the area being opened to hunting. There is growing public concern over the deal struck between the O'Farrell Government and the Shooters and Fishers Party to allow amateur and recreational hunting in NSW National Parks from as early as June this year. The Office of Environment and Heritage has identified death as a “major risk” of the government’s decision to allow hunting in national parks, while national park staff have
requested bright orange bullet-proof vests from the NSW Government to be issued as a standard safety measure. Fifty of the 77 designated hunting
“There is going to be a huge risk to public safety when the national parks are opened to shooters.”
parks will not be supervised, and Greens MP Cate Faehrmann is supporting the concerned families, ecotourists and bushwalkers who feel their safety will be at risk. “There is going to be a huge risk to public safety when the national parks are opened to shooters. The public do not want this dodgy deal nor do the officers of the National Parks and Wildlife service,” said Ms Faehrmann.
“People will be waiting longer for help when they most desperately need it. Any child can tell you that seconds count when you are dealing with fire.” Mr Casey also warned that the O’Farrell government’s cost-cutting agenda will lead to job losses in the next 3-4 years, increasing the safety risk to the public. The Greens are campaigning with the FBEU against these reckless cuts. “Fire stations are located where they are so that no property is outside a reasonable response time,” Greens MP David Shoebridge said.
““ “ “ Tony Abbott - his own words
The argument [behind climate change] is absolute crap. However, the politics of this are tough for us. Eighty per cent of people believe climate change is a real and present danger - Western Victoria, December 2009
If you want to put a price on carbon why not just do it with a simple tax - Sky News, July 2009
If we’re honest, most of us would accept that a bad boss is a little bit like a bad father or a bad husband … you find that he tends to do more good than harm. - Industrial Relations Conference, July 2002
Abortion is the easy way out. It’s hardly surprising that people should choose the most convenient exit from awkward situations - Adelaide University, 2004
I think it would be folly to expect that women will ever dominate or even approach equal representation in a large number of areas simply because their aptitudes, abilities and interests are different for physiological reasons - writing on feminism, 1979
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After ICAC... a Royal Commission? Serious corruption allegations by former NSW Labor MPs have been detailed in the Independent Commission Against Corruption. What should happen after ICAC has finished, asks Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham? Allegations of corruption, described by counsel assisting the ICAC "on a scale probably unexceeded since the days of the Rum Corps,'' involving former Labor Resources Minister, Ian Macdonald, factional power broker, Eddie Obeid and his family, as well as many senior business men in the mining industry, will be familiar to just about anyone living in NSW. The outright corruption of coal mining leases for personal gain alleged by ICAC will likely lead to recommendations for criminal charges and eventual jail time for some of those involved. But ICAC’s forensic investigation of exactly how mining licences are granted brings into question the whole system.
ICAC’s forensic investigation of exactly how mining licences are granted brings into question the whole system. The Mt Penny coal exploration licence at the centre of one corruption scandal was sold by the NSW government for $1 million. Cascade Coal then sought to on-sell the licence to White Energy for $500 million. At the heart of the other corruption scale concerning the Doyles Creek exploration licence, a friend and factional ally of former minister Ian Macdonald, John Maitland invested about $165,000, which was soon worth $15 million. How can such a windfall profit be
Here’s how it works Ian. Put this small token of your esteem here in the “Here’s how it works Ian. I put this small token of your esteem here in this slot of the TM slot‘Mates of theMachine’ ‘Laborand Mates Machine ’ and vast sums flow out the other end vast sums flow out the other end.” made? Either the government (and therefore the citizens of NSW) has undervalued and been severely ripped off, or the market has over-valued the resource by orders of magnitude. Part of the answer lies in the nexus between an 'exploration licence' and a 'production licence'. Premier Barry O'Farrell is keen to tell us that exploration does not necessarily lead to a production licence. However, applications to enter production are rarely rejected and the market clearly values an explo-
ration licence as a right to production. Chinese coal giant Shenhua paid the former Labor government $300 million to explore for coal on the rich soils of the Liverpool Plains, and promised a further $200 million if the mine was approved. Clearly Shenhua expect a return for their money. While outright corruption may be isolated to a few cases, there are huge questions over the general administration of the Mining and Petroleum Acts. Questions as to how senior public serv-
ants failed to provide Parliament with key documents. NSW is being failed by a development process that assesses only each mine or gas project in isolation, failing to take into account cumulative impacts? After the curtain has closed on the current ICAC inquiries, the Greens believe that NSW needs a Royal Commission into the administration of both the Mining Act and the Petroleum Act.
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GREEN VOICE
Greening the country Northern Rivers MP Jan Barham says the Greens are strongly for country values ple, caring for the land and caring about the country,” she said. “The National Party, now they’re part of govvernment, have been showed up for not representing country people. Particularly on the issue of CSG, but also on local decision making for planning issues, and country transport issues.
Tim Duddy’s (left) farm on the Liverpool Plains is threatened by a proposed coal mine owned by Chinese giant Shenhua. Greens leader Christine Milne visits with fellow Greens MPs. Unusual alliances are being formed in the bush as the issue of coal seam gas rises to the top of the national agenda and the 'lock the gate' movement spreads in country areas. Environmentalists are understanding that farmers are key stewards of the landscape, while farmers are realising the environmentally friendly practices are necessary for their long-term future. IThe National Party promised to protect prime agricultural areas from mining prior to the 2011 State Election.
But, many farmers feel betrayed by the O'Farrell Government’s failure to implement this promise. President of the NSW Farmers Association, Fiona Simson criticised the government's Strategic Regional Land Use Policy. "What we and thousands of city and country people wanted more than anything else from this government was our land and water to be protected," said Ms Simson. "What did we get? We got an incom-
plete package with watered down water protections and a virtual green light for exploration and mining right across most of the state." State Greens MP Jan Barham, lives in the Northern Rivers region where the local population recently voted 87% against coal seam gas. A member of the CWA, Ms Barham sees her party as a natural fit to represent country areas. “For me the Greens are very strongly about country values. Caring for peo-
“Many country people are very aware of how important sustainability is for their livelihoods and are concerned about climate change.” Ms Barham’s colleague, Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham lives in the Central Western town of Orange. He believes that the Greens’ revamped sustainable agriculture policy is probably the most farmer friendly policy of all of the political parties. "Many country people are very aware of how important sustainability is for their livelihoods and are concerned about climate change, “ he said.
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GREEN VOICE
Clean Energy Future
(Above) A solar thermal power station in Spain. Mirrors concentrate the sun’s heat at a central tower that generates steam and electricity. Excess energy can be stored overnight, so that it provides power 24 hours per day. (Left) Wind power produces 3.8% of Australia’s electricty. In Portugal it produces 27% and in Denmark it provides over 30% of electricity.
Renewable energy supplied 54% of Spain's energy needs in April, while favourable conditions in Portugal saw 70% of energy supplied from renewable sources in the first quarter of 2013.
Australia lags behind these European countries, with only 12% of electricity needs generated from renewable sources in 2012. Coal power made up 74.8% of the National Electricity Market, although this is down from an 85% share four years ago. Despite these figures, Grant King, CEO of coal seam gas company, Origin Energy said “I think we will have to question the level of renewables again because we are now way out in front of the world in terms of the amount of renewables.”
Australia’s goal is to generate 20% of electricity from renewable sources by 2020. The Greens want to hasten the transition to 100% renewable electricity.
our realistic plan to make it happen. “The economic and environmental costs of fossil fuels are rapidly rising, while wind, solar and energy efficiency are
It’s Time. Over 1.6 million Australians voted Greens in 2010. It’s time the Greens were included in the Leader’s Debate
A 100% renewable energy sector is NSW is not only possible – it’s affordable and essential. NSW Greens MP John Kaye has introduced legislation to the NSW parliament that would launch the state towards a clean energy future, including closing coal-fired power stations by 2030. “A 100% renewable energy sector is NSW is not only possible – it’s affordable and essential. We are going challenge parliament to support
getting much cheaper." Mr Kaye claims that powering this state with a 100% renewable energy would create up to 73,800 new jobs. He also sees potential for regional development with renewable energy slated to be developed in areas with high unemployment such as rural and regional towns.
nsw.greens.org.au/debate
