NSW Greens MPs are supporting a call for a parliamentary inquiry into Frank Sartor’s new planning Bill, describing the Bill as having potentially devastating consequences for the state’s environment and heritage and being an open invitation for corruption of the planning system.

“This Bill will affect billions of dollars of developments. It will affect the rights and the amenity of every citizen in this state,”
said Greens MP and planning spokesperson Sylvia Hale.

The government today refused a Greens motion to release the submissions that had been received about the planning changes.

Ms Hale referred to a report of the cross-party Legislative Review Committee that raised significant concerns with the planning Bill including that it would trespass on individual rights to have views heard and represented, procedural fairness, access to justice and may erode the rule of law and individual property rights. (more…)

Greens MLC Colleen Hartland is happy to wait another two weeks for the second reading of her Physician Assisted Dying bill.

“The longer we wait, the more support we get”, said Colleen Hartland.

“Support has grown to an overwhelming 80% of Australians calling for the right to obtain assistance to die, should they need it. The bill has been available for over a month.  I’m ready, and Victorians are ready.  Let’s get on with it.

“The bill provides compassion and support for people who are suffering intolerably, and who want to die.  But it also provides safeguards, and regulates a process that is currently going on in the dark,” said Colleen Hartland, MLC for Western Metropolitan Region. (more…)

The Tasmanian Greens today delivered to Police on their request all the reassembled shredded documents and remaining shreddings received by them from a whistle blower, which originated from the office of former Deputy Premier Steve Kons and are integral to the Shreddergate affair that saw Mr Kons resign his portfolios for lying to Parliament.

Greens Member for Bass Kim Booth MP who received the shredded documents is co-operating with Police and will also be making a statement when he attends the Police headquarters in Hobart. (more…)

The latest victim of poor governance in NSW is the state’s clean, green agricultural reputation. It is now legal to grow commercial quantities of genetically modified canola in NSW.

“The biotech companies will be the only winners from today as the GM horse bolts out of Parliament House,” said Upper House Greens MP Ian Cohen.

“The Canadian experience demonstrates that Bayer and Monsanto will rake in over 90% of the profits from the introduction of GM canola by selling their herbicides and from collecting maximum royalties and crop technology licence fees. (more…)

Greens leader Bob Brown has called on the Rudd government and Environment Minister Peter Garrett to read and take action to rectify the absurdity of today’s Federal Appeal Court’s decision on Tasmania’s Wielangta forest and to nullify the Regional Forest Agreement.

While the appeal bench ruled 3-0 that section 38 of the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act exempts logging from environmental law, it left intact Justice Marshall’s finding that logging had a significant and unacceptable impact on the endangered species. (more…)

In the wake of a decision announced today to lift the blanket ban on GM food crops – specifically canola - NSW Greens MP Ian Cohen will move a motion in the NSW Upper House tomorrow in an attempt to protect farmers who want to remain GM free.

“The Greens intend to fight tooth and nail to protect farmers who want to exercise their choice to remain GM free,” Mr Cohen said. (more…)

Greens MLC Mark Parnell has introduced a private members bill into the SA Upper House to protect farmers who want to remain GMO free.

“The Greens want the moratorium on GM crops to continue.  But if that is ever lifted, we intend to fight tooth and nail to protect farmers who want to remain GM free,” Mr Parnell said.

The Greens Bill, the Genetically Modified Crops Management (Right to Damages) Amendment Bill 2007, will enable a person who suffers damages as a result of genetically modified plant material contaminating their land to sue companies promoting and selling the technology. (more…)

(councillor column for November 22 edition of Bungendore Bulletin; shorter version sent to local papers in Eden-Monaro and the Canberra Times)

The election is only days away and like most campaigns before it, this one has been dominated by the major parties, as if there were only two voting options. It would be good if we could release ourselves from the ALP/Coalition stronghold and let them know that their policies are not good enough for a just and environmentally sustainable future. Every time there’s an election, The Greens are vilified by one group or another, including the major parties. (more…)

In Victorian state parliament, The Greens have voted against the Graffiti Prevention Bill, which introduces tough new laws including up to two years jail for marking graffiti and fines of up to $2700 for possessing a graffiti implement without a ‘lawful excuse’.

‘These penalties are unnecessarily severe and are likely to impact disproportionately on young people, who are the majority of those who do graffiti,’ said Sue Pennicuik, Greens MP.

‘The Greens have many concerns about this bill, and we are not alone in this. The Law Institute of Victoria, Federation of Community Legal Centres, Youth Affairs Council all raised concerns during the consultation stage, and yet few changes were made as a result,’ she said. (more…)

Greens Senator Kerry Nettle tonight welcomed the announcement by the government that they will remove the superannuation discrimination faced by same sex couples in the public service but asked what about the other 57 discriminatory federal laws?

“After 11 years the government is still announcing promises to remove same sex discrimination,” said Senator Nettle.

“On the last day of parliament the government voted against a Greens amendment to remove this same sex discrimination for judges and yet two and half weeks before the election they promise the gay and lesbian community that they will vote differently next time. (more…)