The Greens in Eden-Monaro have welcomed statements by the new Prime Minister Julia Gillard that she does not support an unsustainable move towards a large population for Australia and is renaming the Population portfolio accordingly.

“This policy shift is the first time we have seen a Federal Government for a long time, if ever, question uncontrolled growth while recognising that there is still room for immigration,” said Greens candidate for Eden-Monaro, Catherine Moore.

“Let’s hope that any immigration policy as part of a sustainable population policy makes a priority of the compassionate welcoming of asylum seekers into our country. It is time we started treating asylum seekers the way we would wish our own families and friends to be treated if they were forced to leave home.

“If we as a nation can focus on working with the rest of the world towards achieving peace and democracy in every country, and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions enough to stop catastrophic climate change, we will dramatically reduce the numbers of people who need to seek asylum in the first place.” (more…)

Dear Prime Minister Julia Gillard

Congratulations on becoming Australia’s new PM.

As a Green I hope you will give serious consideration to reversing the recent decision by your Government to allow the burning of forests for “clean energy”, thereby making this form of biomass burning eligible for carbon credits as renewable energy.

For years I have watched with distress and dismay the destruction of Australian forests, and in particular the destruction of the forests of SE NSW, where I live. These forests have been woodchipped and sent to Japan with no regard to the disastrous effects this industry has had locally and nationally. The general public has largely been duped into thinking that it is only forest “waste” that has been chipped, but on any day you can see the whole logs from what were once often magnificent trees in diverse forests being transported down the road into the chipmill. (more…)

(letter to the editor, sent to Express, Post, Echo, published in the Cooma-Monaro Express June 24 edition)

I wanted to let your readers know about the very enjoyable and informative weekend that I have just spent in Cooma. I arrived on Friday night and met some fellow Greens at the pub where we discussed some of our plans for the Federal Election campaign locally. I also heard more about some of the great initiatives that are happening in Cooma at the moment, such as the community garden and the formation of several groups and forums including Sustaining Our Towns and Cooma Unlimited, to look at economic and environmental sustainability for the town. Planning for the future to ensure strong, healthy and sustainable communities is inherent in Green’s policies, and it is very good to see the strong interest in this that exists in the community.  (more…)

Greens Candidate for Eden-Monaro Catherine Moore is calling on the major parties to back Greens legislation currently before the Senate that would provide mortgage and financial relief to struggling Australians by placing a cap on mortgage profiteering by the banks and make bank fees fairer.

“I urge all political parties to support The Greens’ legislation to cap the profits that banks can make from families struggling with mortgage debt and stress,” said Catherine.

“Senator Bob Brown introduced the Banking Amendment (Delivering Essential Financial Services for the Community) Bill to ensure mortgage relief and improve fairness within the banking system. (more…)

Recent media reports are highlighting the effect that the scare campaign about the resources super tax is having on the wider community. It is hard to know exactly what the consequences of the tax will be at this stage, but some issues are clear.

First, it was not that long ago that the mining industry was asking for a tax that better reflected the up and down times of the industry.  At that time, there was a downturn. Currently, there is a mining boom.

Second, what we are talking about here is a tax on super profits. Mining magnates did not get to be some of the richest people in the country without making enormous profits from resources that, as has been pointed out throughout this debate, belong to all Australians. Why are we even questioning that there should be fair return from this industry to the Australian economy?

If the tax will only apply to “super profits”, it is hard to imagine that so many local industries will be affected as is being suggested, and of course that would not be a desirable outcome. But if those in the mining industry who are making the largest profits are prepared to ensure that the tax will not be passed on to the community and small businesses through higher prices to compensate, or a reduction in worker safety, this need not eventuate. (more…)

The Greens in Eden-Monaro have marked World Environment Day, June 5, 2010, by saying there is little to celebrate, and humans will need to act soon if there is to be any hope of reversing some of the problems that we have caused.

“The highlight of environmental wins in recent times would have to be the conservation of 107,000ha of River Red Gums in the Riverina, and the creation of the Batemans Marine Park,” says Greens candidate for Eden-Monaro, Catherine Moore.

“It is great to see that many homes in Eden Monaro have had solar panels installed over the last 12 months with the Federal Government subsidy that was stopped before the end of its time but which also involved quite an outlay by some home-owners. This shows the level of community support for action to prevent climate chaos.

“But we need to go a lot further if we are serious about protecting some of the remaining areas of forest and grassland and having real impact on the ever-increasing threat of climate change,” she says. (more…)

Today, June 5, is World Environment Day. Sadly, there seems to little to celebrate. Our crimes against the environment include clearing forests, draining rivers, polluting air, soil and water, killing off whole species and changing the climate. Is there any hope that humans will realise the error of our ways before it is too late?

Conservation groups in three states, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania are holding protests today against proposals to burn Australian native forests for electricity.

“The woodchip industry is advancing plans in these three States – at Eden, Orbost and the Huon Valley – for woodchip fired power stations to exploit loopholes in the Rudd Federal Government’s renewable energy programme,” said spokespersons for the groups.

“These loopholes are simply an extension of the big lie for the past forty years that woodchips are only the waste from sawlog operations when in fact the logging industry is driven by woodchipping.”

Peter Cundall, a living ‘green’ legend known to most Australians has called the proposals an “obscenity”.

“This is a new threat to Australia’s forests already badly damaged by an insatiable logging industry turning our forests into woodchips for paper”, said spokespersons for the groups. (more…)