Carbon taxes key to stopping runaway climate change

Responding to the CSIRO report that places Sydney in the forefront of climate change causalities, Greens MP Lee Rhiannon today called on the NSW government to introduce state-based carbon taxes in order to fast track a shift from coal generated electricity to wind and solar energy sources and energy efficiency.

The CSIRO Report predicts that if emissions continue to increase at the current rate Sydney*s average temperature in 2070 will be nearly 5C higher than current readings and rainfall will drop by 40 percent. The International Panel for Climate Change is likely to issue a prediction of a 3C rise in average temperature across the world.

"In the absence of any sensible response from the Howard Government, Premier Morris Iemma has the responsibility and the power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are causing this runaway climate change," Ms Rhiannon said.

"Now is the time to introduce carbon taxes. This will provide the economic signal to industry and electricity generators to phase out their reliance on fossil fuels.

"It is time Premier Iemma gave clear leadership in response to the climate crisis. If he fails to introduce a tax that makes greenhouse polluters pay we will see more jobs and more technologies going overseas.

"The CSIRO Report shows that Sydney is in the firing line. Words will no longer do. Urgent action is needed to reduce greenhouse gases.

"Without carbon taxes future generations will be condemned to coping with a climate burden that will bring personal hardship, huge health consequences and economic downturn as well as environmental devastation.

"It will not be possible to meet even modest greenhouse gas emission targets without making the polluters pay. Taxing emissions is the best way to create an energy market that gives low carbon sources a fair chance to compete against coal.

"Carbon taxes can raise enough money to massively boost the renewable energy industry and provide economic assistance to individuals and communities as the impacts of climate change grow.

"NSW has the opportunity to get in early and get ahead of other states and countries. The Greens are determined to not let it be squandered," Ms Rhiannon said.

Greens are in with a chance in Newcastle

Newcastle Greens

MEDIA RELEASE
30 January 2007

Greens are in with a chance in Newcastle

The locally-endorsed Greens candidate for Newcastle, Councillor Michael Osborne, has welcomed the decision by Mr Gaudry to contest the seat of Newcastle.

Councillor Michael Osborne said: “This election represents a unique opportunity for Novocastrians to break the strangle-hold that the Labor Party has held over Newcastle, to the detriment of the electorate.

“The Greens and Independents could well have the balance of power in the new Parliament to be elected on 24 March.

“I understand the disenchantment with the Labor Party that has prompted Mr Gaudry to run as an independent, especially the undemocratic way Sydney Labor selected their candidate, Ms McKay.

“Mr Gaudry has been humiliated over recent years when Mr Costa and other Sydney Labor powerbrokers have been courting the Lord Mayor, Councillor Tate, to be the Labor candidate.

“Mr Gaudry has backed Greens policies such as keeping the Newcastle rail line and not privatising public utilities such as electricity. This has earned Mr Gaudry the wrath of Sydney Labor.

“Mr Gaudry has shown courage to cast himself loose from the party and now has free rein to criticise the Sydney Labor government for its lack of action on climate change, the water crisis and the public transport shambles in the Hunter.

“The Greens call on Bryce Gaudry to publicly announce his platform so that the community can judge him,” Councillor Osborne said.

The Greens candidate for Newcastle is the only candidate for Newcastle that has a comprehensive range of policies presented to the electorate. The 53 Greens policies can be found at: The Greens website

“The Greens present a real choice for the people of Newcastle in the March election,” Councillor Osborne said.

Threadbare Liberal climate ideology

It’s disappointing that the first public statement on climate change by the Liberal’s weatherman candidate for Newcastle, Martin Babakhan, takes refuge in the now threadbare Liberal ideology that only the market can provide the solution to the climate crisis [“The market will turn us green”, Herald, 30/1].

The market certainly has a role to play, but it is no substitute for the kind of political leadership that Australia needs - and that John Howard’s and Mr Babakhan’s political party has failed to provide – to deal with the climate crisis.

Since forming in the early 1990s, The Greens have pushed for political recognition of this major policy challenge, and for the kind of political leadership needed to fund serious research and development of renewable energy and to reduce energy consumption – which the market alone has failed to do.

During this period, Mr Babakhan’s party – blinded by its ideological commitment to the marketplace and funded by the vested interests who pocketed the dividends from this commitment – simply ignored the seriousness of the emerging climate crisis, losing valuable time and making Australia an international environmental pariah in the process.

More recently, after being forced to confront the reality of the climate crisis in the face of overwhelming scientific and experiential evidence and mounting public pressure, the Liberal Party, chanting its market mantra, has been able to come up with nothing more than the hoary old chestnut of nuclear power.

Instead of trying to divert voters’ attention from the failure of his party to deal with climate change, Mr Babakhan would do voters and the Liberal Party a greater service by telling them which way the wind is really blowing on this key issue.

Greens call for two years of free pre-school

Monday, 29 January 2007

Greens call for two years of free pre-school

Greens MP and education spokesperson, Lee Rhiannon today pledged the Greens' support for the call by welfare groups to provide at least two days a week of free preschool to NSW families, saying that the Greens policy would give NSW children two years of universal, free pre-school education.

"The Greens strongly support the call for at least two days per week of free preschool for every child in NSW," said Ms Rhiannon.

"In fact, the Greens policy calls for every child in NSW to receive two years of universal, free public pre-school education.

"The dollars NSW is putting into preschools is declining. We now invest less than any other jurisdiction in Australia and we have the lowest participation rates.

"This means preschools are becoming less and less affordable and harder to get into.

"Increasing numbers of preschool-aged children are being forced to use child care centres, yet the majority of these are privately owned and run for profit, pricing them out of the reach of many families. Child care centres should not serve as a substitute for a universal pre-school system.

"Last year the Greens called on Premier Iemma to integrate pre-schools with public school kindergarten programs, in line with the recommendations of Professor Tony Vinson.

"Children from disadvantaged backgrounds tend to attend pre-schools less often, especially families living in rural and remote communities where there is poor transport access to preschools.

"Quality free pre-schools integrated with local public schools would ensure that all children are able to attend pre-school.

"Pre-school education brings benefits to our whole society and that is why it is worth the investment," said Ms Rhiannon.

Greens ready with euthanasia bill

Monday 29 January 2007
Greens ready with euthanasia bill

Greens Leader Bob Brown will introduce a private member's bill to the Senate next week to rekindle the debate on euthanasia.

"A decade after the Northern Territory laws were overridden by Canberra, my bill proposes a similar law for death with dignity for Australia. It is mostly a state legislative matter but public feeling is strongly behind the right of terminally ill people, if supported by loved ones and doctors, to be able to die with dignity. That is what the bill proposes," Senator Brown said.

"I was stunned last year when both the government and opposition blocked debate on a Greens motion "that the Senate supports the right of Australians to die with dignity".

"It is as if both the government and opposition don't even want to debate the issue," Senator Brown said.

Double standards on climate crisis

Monday, 29 January 2007
Double standards on climate crisis being exposed

Greens candidates around NSW are highlighting Labor's inconsistencies on the coal industry as a key campaign tactic, according to Greens MP and Upper House candidate Lee Rhiannon.

Ms Rhiannon who is today touring coal mines in the Hunter Valley to expose their contribution to global warming,\ said: "We are particularly targeting Labor candidates who talk big on climate change but refuse to buck their party's commitment to the coal industry.

"In the seat of Balmain where we have our best of breaking through into the Lower House, Labor candidate and Sydney City Councillor Verity Firth voted on Council to support a motion to stop the proposed massive coal mine at Anvil Hill in the Upper Hunter.

"Greens candidate for Balmain and Leichhardt Councillor Rochelle Porteous is running a strong campaign linking climate change and the coal industry.

"If elected to parliament, Ms Firth will be bound by ALP rules to support her party's expansion of the coal industry.

"This is not only a disaster for the environment but also will cost NSW jobs and export opportunities. As Australian ideas and engineers head overseas where real commitment to reducing emissions has created a strong business environment for renewable energy, this state is being left behind.

"The future is in exporting renewable energy technologies, not coal.

"Addressing greenhouse gas emissions requires more than pious sounding words and a few boutique demonstration projects. It requires both a serious commitment to renewable energy and phasing out this state's economic dependence on coal.

"Greens candidate for Sydney and Deputy Lord Mayor Chris Harris is showing the way by promoting solar thermal electric energy to power the City. This is just one of many renewable technologies that can provide a reliable and affordable supply of electrical energy without destroying the climate.

"Labor candidates across NSW will find it increasingly difficult to hide behind words. The Greens are demanding action," Ms Rhiannon said

Use it or lose it?

Sunday. 28 January 2007
Water – use it before you lose it.

The NSW Government is ignoring community sentiment in rejecting recycling and further water restrictions and marching headlong towards desalination, according to NSW Upper House Greens MP Ian Cohen.

“Morris Iemma has said that he won’t introduce recycled effluent into Sydney’s water supply until there is community support for it. It’s a pity his government didn’t insist on a similar level of public acceptance before making plans for an unpopular, expensive and environmentally disastrous desalination plant,” said Mr Cohen.

“The Greens believe that capture and reuse are the key to guaranteeing Sydney’s water needs. The Iemma government and Sydney Water are both stuck in a 1980’s out of sight out of mind mentality. The continued one off use of this scarce resource is unsustainable and will be a future social and environmental disaster.

“I don’t believe the community is opposed to drinking recycled water. A poll in the Daily Telegraph this weekend found 57% were prepared to drink it. Another poll by ABC radio found that less than 20% of respondents were opposed to further water restrictions for Sydney. Whilst these are admittedly only straw polls, they certainly don’t suggest that there is widespread opposition to either option.

“The government also continues to make it difficult for people to install water tanks. If the $1.3 billion earmarked for desalination was instead directed at water tank installation it would fit out two thirds of Sydney’s homes without homeowners having to spend a cent. It would also effectively move the catchment to the coast, which is where the majority of Sydney’s rain falls.

“Water tanks would save more water than desalination for the same money. This could be happening much sooner than the two and a half years it will take for a desalination plant to become operational.

“The NSW Government would also be better off spending $1.4 million on advertising that educates people on the benefits of drinking recycled water rather than using it to promote a desalination plant that will stand as a monument to this government’s incompetence on water issues.

“Sydney currently regurgitates 450 billion litres of effluent into the ocean each year. How ridiculous to spend $1.3 billion of taxpayer’s dollars on a greenhouse generating desalination plant merely to regain something we shouldn’t have thrown away in the first place,” concluded Mr Cohen

Greens call for a Carer Card

Sunday, 28 January 2007
You've got to hand it to them: Greens call for a Carer Card

Greens MP Lee Rhiannon today called on the Iemma government to develop a Carer Card, based on the NSW Seniors Card model, to reduce financial stress for carers and promote recognition for the important role they perform.

"Carers shoulder an enormous burden. They suffer financial stress, sleep deprivation and difficulty maintaining a job. Many crave increased recognition for the relentless and difficult work they do," Ms Rhiannon said.

"A Carer Card would be a low cost but useful way of demonstrating the Iemma government's commitment to these forgotten people who contribute so much while saving public money.

"There are an estimated 750,000 people in NSW caring for the elderly, people with a disability, mental illness or chronic health problem. 150,000 of these are primary carers who provide the majority of informal support to a family member.

"A Carer Card could offer transport concessions, discounted goods and services, special rates to galleries, clubs and holiday venues and cut-price legal and insurance services.

"Eligible carers would be sent an annual Discount Directory outlining a range of discounts on goods and services.

"Carers NSW has prepared a detailed proposal which the Iemma government should study. A Companion Card already exists in Victoria and there are useful models in the UK which could help guide the development of the card.

"The proposal suggests offering the card to those receiving a Carer Payment and/or the Carer Allowance who are under 60 years old (carers over 60 receive a Seniors Card).

"It is estimated 80,000 carers would be eligible for a card, costing the government a fraction of the Seniors Card. Like the Seniors Card, the Carer Card would be administered by the Department of Ageing Disability and Home Care.

"The NSW government provides very little for carers. The NSW Carers Program has seen no increased funding since it began in 2003. The program attracts $5.1 million a year representing $5 per carer a year, or $34 for every primary carer.

"A Carer Card is a small but important offering, with a minimal drain on the public purse, that Premier Iemma should have the generosity to provide," Ms Rhiannon said.

Howard waters the crop

Friday 26 January 2007
Howard waters the crop with one eye on the global market

Greens NSW water spokesperson and Upper House MP Ian Cohen applauds the Prime Minister’s $30 billion water funding plan but is concerned that rhetoric does not guarantee environmental flows.

“Water efficiency is long overdue and with John Howard calling himself ‘a climate realist’ and admitting ‘the prospect of long-term climate change’, one can only hope that his economic priorities are subsumed by a long-term vision for sustainability.

“We need radical and permanent change if Australia is going to meet John Howard’s vision as a sustainable food producer for global markets.

“Propping up industries such as cotton and rice with big water allocations will mean that economic priorities will not guarantee an adequate allocation to the environment.

“The potential is there but so is the abuse. If we are having a nationally co-ordinated approach to water usage, it is important that eminent scientists have a degree of control that removes the decision from vote hungry politicians.

“Efficiencies are to be applauded and there is a sound argument for Federal oversight of a resource as important as water. However there must be no trade-offs between states. South-east Queensland is thirsty for northern NSW water. We need to ensure that water is not over-allocated to places like Cubbie Station to maintain unsustainable crops like cotton to the west.”

“The Prime Minister has not addressed the issue of returning environmental flows to the Murray River but focuses on water security based on irrigation infrastructure to pipe water to farms. This may be efficient for the agricultural sector but cannot be interpreted as a help to the environment. A healthy environment should be the starting point.

“It is unclear to me how Mr Howard will go about restoring water to the Great Artesian Basin. This water has taken millions of years accumulate. A ten-point plan is a start but great resourcefulness and imagination are also required.

"Premier Iemma’s acquiescence is either pre-election political expediency or an acknowledgement that NSW has failed on water reform."

Australia Day 2007

The values that John Howard proclaims as uniquely Australian - tolerance, respect for diversity and the right to a fair go - are values common to all humankind.

Australia Day 2007 is a good time to reflect on this tradition of tolerance that has stayed strong despite ten years of both major parties flirting with the politics of xenophobia.

The Greens believe that half a century of multiculturalism is precisely the reason why the country has developed a strong culture of tolerance and respect for diversity. The Government is playing with fire when it exploits racial tensions for political purposes.

This Australia Day, let's celebrate the the majority of Australians who decisively reject the politics of fear.

Brown visits Palm Island as Street Report is Released

Greens Leader Bob Brown who is in Townsville this morning, and will be on Palm Island for the rest of the day, has welcomed Justice Street's recommendation that charges be laid against Senior Sergeant Hurley.

"The Aboriginal community is celebrating. The Street recommendation will return a sense of justice, not just for Aboriginal Australians, but for all Australians. This nation could have had no pride in the system which laid no charges over an indigenous death in police custody, but at the same time had a mother of four in jail and separated from her children for damaging the bricks and mortar of the police station," Senator Brown said.

This news will also restore the right of police officers around Australia to have pride in what they do for all Australians. That pride can only rest on knowing that justice is the same for police officers as every other citizen.

On Palm Island Senator Brown will assure the indigenous community that the Greens are committed to turning around the appalling health, education and housing statistics which make the First Australians second rate in their own land.

"If we regain the balance of power in the Senate in this year's elections the Greens will use that power to insist that spending on Aboriginal people in these areas be lifted to at least the same level it is for all other Australians, whoever is in Government," Senator Brown said.

In an earlier statement in Townsville today, Greens Leader Bob Brown marked Australia
Day by calling for all political parties to jointly work to lift Aboriginal health from its current 'Third World' status.

"The average First Australian dies 17 years short of the age other Australians can expect to live to (83 for women, 78 for men)," Senator Brown said.

"Yet less is spent on health programs, education or housing for Aborigines than other Australians. The Greens will work with any other party or government which pledges to end this deadly discrimination," Senator Brown said.

"Surely the 17 year loss of Aboriginal life can be fixed in 17 years."

Later today Senator Brown will revisit Palm Island to join the community for its Bwgcolman Survival Day.

Action for Human Rights in West Papua

Earlier in 2006, the disturbing situation in West Papua was once again brought to the attention of the Australian public when 43 West Papuans fled to Australia in fear of being killed by the Indonesian military due to their involvement in the Free West Papua movement.

Like the East Timorese, the people of West Papua have suffered horrifically at the hands of the Indonesian military. According to church groups at least 100,000 West Papuans have been killed since the beginning of Indonesia's occupation of West Papua in 1962. Many of the Indonesian military commanders and personnel responsible for war crimes in East Timor have since been given promotions and are now stationed in West Papua.

Torture and other human rights violations perpetrated by the Indonesian military continue today under the leadership of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and are well documented by various international agencies.

The people of West Papua have consistently been denied the right to determine their own future. This must be addressed. Unfortunately, far from being able to freely discuss ways to achieve greater levels of political and financial autonomy, West Papuans can be imprisoned for 15 years for merely raising a flag.

Australia can, and should, play a central role in finding peaceful and meaningful ways to address the challenges faced by our neighbours in West Papua.

Australian businessman Ian Melrose has funded the following TV advertisements featuring West Papuan refugee, now PNG citizen, Clemens Runawery. Clemens witnessed the Indonesian takeover over his country and in 1969 was arrested by Australian officials (at Indonesia's request) when attempting to travel to United Nations to tell the world of his peoples' plight and of the failure of the UN to conduct a fair election. Read more here.

Sustainable growth, they're kidding aren't they?

Developers and others are always saying how we NEED growth. Growth is GOOD. You can never have TOO much development.

As an example, check out Sydney Labor's plans for our city here.

Professor Albert Bartlett, emeritus Professor of Physics at the University of Colorado, believes sustainable growth is an oxymoron and here's an extract from a speech he gave.

Bacteria grow by doubling. One bacterium divides to become two, the two divide to become four, that becomes eight, 16 and so on. Suppose we had bacteria that doubled in number this way every minute. Suppose we put one of these bacterium into an empty bottle at eleven in the morning, and then observe that the bottle is full at twelve noon.

There's our case of just ordinary steady growth, it has a doubling time of one minute, and it's in the finite environment of one bottle.

I want to ask you three questions.

Question One: at which time was the bottle half full? Well, would you believe 11:59, one minute before 12, because they double in number every minute.

Question Two: if you were an average bacterium in that bottle at what time would you first realise that you were running out of space? Well, let's just look at the last minute in the bottle. At 12 noon it's full, one minute before it's half full, 2 minutes before it's one quarter full, then one eighth, then one sixteenth.

Question Three: Let me ask you, at 5 minutes before 12 when the bottle is only 3% full and 97% open space just yearning for development, how many of you would realise there's a problem?

Housing affordability crisis

Calls for greater land releases to address Sydney’s housing affordability crisis are unsustainable and won’t solve the problem according to NSW Greens MP and housing spokesperson, Sylvia Hale.

The Greens are proposing instead that all new housing developments across Sydney include affordable housing units for low and moderate income workers, subsidised by a combination of developer levies and government investment.

“The Greens proposal is based on similar schemes in other global cities like London, Paris and New Jersey. What we are suggesting is not radical or unusual - it has been implemented successfully in many other cities,” said Ms Hale.

“Sydney is one of the least affordable cities in the world. Housing is more affordable in New York. Housing affordability indicators are deteriorating and home ownership is rapidly retreating into the distance for first homebuyers,” said Ms Hale.

“While one generation of Sydney-siders is enjoying the benefit of increased housing prices, the next generation is suffering the consequences by being forced out of Sydney to find somewhere they can afford to live. Where will Sydney be when key workers like teachers, nurses, police and aged and child care workers can’t afford to live here?” asked Ms Hale.

“Endlessly releasing more land is not the answer. There’s not much point releasing $450,000 house and land packages on Sydney’s fringe if the median income earner can’t afford the deposit or repayments. Even for those who can afford to buy in, the commuting costs are prohibitive.”

“New greenfield housing releases are already chewing up the fertile agricultural land that surrounds Sydney- land that we are going to need more than ever to grow food as the effects of climate change make the inland less productive.”

“We can’t rely on concreting Sydney’s hinterland and the coast, or twiddling around with stamp duty formulas. We need a mechanism to provide genuinely affordable housing within all suburbs,” said Ms Hale.

Australia left behind

Tuesday, 23 January 2007

US, Aust industry emissions trading shift further isolates Howard Govt

The Howard government's stubborn refusal to introduce a national emissions trading scheme has become even more untenable as major companies in Australia and the US call for the urgent introduction of a cap-and-trade scheme, the Australian Greens said today.

In the US overnight the United States Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), which includes major greenhouse gas polluters like Du Pont and General Electric united in a call for swift legislative action to introduce a cap-and-trade emissions trading scheme to aggressively and sustainably slow, stop and reverse the growth of greenhouse gas emissions.

At the same time, a new Australian business and climate risk working group has formed to accelerate the take-up of low-carbon technology.

"The Howard government is now alone in resisting carbon pricing and it has no further excuses for delay, especially since business does not want uncertainty about a price signal on carbon prolonged," Greens climate change spokesperson Senator Christine Milne said.

"It should now take on the responsibility of developing a national emissions trading scheme from the state governments who have already made progress, and introduce a national scheme to commence in 2008.

"The Howard government's emissions trading taskforce is just another delaying tactic because it is looking only at a global scheme and will not examine a national emissions trading scheme.

"If Prime Minister John Howard wants to trade emission rights with other nations all he has to do is ratify the Kyoto Protocol."

Inaction, inaction, inaction

Tuesday, 23 January 2007

Young Libs meeting: time to be very afraid

Reported motions from the NSW Young Liberals to their national meeting are a frightening insight into Liberal party political ideology and cast a large shadow over the direction of a future Coalition government in NSW according to Greens NSW Upper House candidate John Kaye.

Dr Kaye said: "The NSW Young Liberals exposed themselves as climate change deniers and nuclear power supporters, who want to force working people to delay their retirement until they are 70.

"While some of this might not be official NSW Liberal policy, it is frightening to think that the people who framed these motions are the future leaders of the party. It is even more frightening to realise that this might be a significant current of thought within a party that is vying for government in NSW.

"The Greens are concerned that what we are seeing here is a glimpse of Peter Debnam's 'bottom draw' agenda that would only come out after an election victory.

"We saw this happen after the 1988 election of Nick Greiner, whose extremist education, welfare and transport policies damaged public services for decades.

"NSW could expect very little action on climate change from a Debnam government and even less if it is influenced by its youth wing which opposes doing anything until there is 'conclusive scientific evidence' of 'alleged man-made global warming'.

"The real fear is that many senior NSW Liberals secretly agree with their youth wing's agenda to build nuclear power stations and raise the eligibility age for the aged pension to 70, but are staying quiet in order to not frighten the voters.

"The extremism of the Young Liberals is a reminder of the importance of a strong Upper House that is not dominated by either major party," Dr Kaye said.

Govt must show leadership

Goverment must show leadership at global tuna forum

Senator Rachel Siewert today renewed her call for the Federal Government to take a strong stance at this week's meeting of the joint tuna regional fisheries management organisations meeting in Kobe, Japan.

"Global and regional tuna stocks are under serious threat," said Senator Siewert.

"We urgently need to see better management in our regional tuna fisheries, that reduces by-catch and enforces precautionary catch limits to ensure the recovery and long-term survival of the species," said Senator Siewert.

"The Australian delegation must advocate strongly for an ecosystem management based approach to ensure the sustainability of the fishery. This needs to be backed-up by a system of monitoring and surveillance that uses independent observers to ensure catch limits are adhered to," she said.

"We don't want to see a repeat of the situation last year, where it was revealed that $2 billion of illegally caught tuna found its way to the Japanese markets."

"This both threatens the viability of southern bluefin tuna populations and undermines the Australian fishing industry," said Senator Siewert.

"Fisheries around the world are crashing as a result of overfishing. We need to make sure that we take a precautionary management approach to ensure our fisheries don't suffer the same fate," she said.

"Australia must also reduce our tuna quota because the scientific evidence shows that our current fishing levels are not sustainable," said Senator Siewert.

"I've moved a motion in the Senate to disallow the latest national catch allocation, which will be debated when Parliament resumes in February," she concluded.

Water needs must be above politics

Monday, 22 January 2007

Central Coast water needs must be above politics

Both major parties need to stop playing politics with the Central Coast’s water supply and work at finding real solutions to the crisis, according to NSW Greens MP and water spokesperson Ian Cohen.

“The people of the Central Coast have suffered as Labor and the Coalition focus on each other’s shortcomings rather than finding real solutions,” said Mr Cohen.

“The Central Coast’s water supply became a political football in Macquarie Street late last year as both major parties fought over the wording of a piece of legislation that was all about blaming each other. The water needs of the Central Coast got lost in the political point scoring.

“The Greens have long proposed sustainable and effective solutions to urban water problems around NSW. Peter Debnam has picked up on some of these, and it is heartening to hear him talk today of increased rebates for water tanks and funding for stormwater harvesting and large scale recycling.

“If Peter Debnam is serious about implementing the reuse options he has proposed for the Central Coast then the Tillegra dam would be surplus to requirements.

“The fact that both major parties continue to support the expensive and environmentally damaging Tillegra dam shows that they have not overcome the once use only mentality that led to the Central Coast’s water problems in the first place.

“It’s easy for Morris Iemma and Peter Debnam to make promises in the heat of a campaign, but whomever wins the election should remember that sustainable water use has long been an absolute priority for The Greens. We will be making sure they keep any promises they make on the issue,” concluded Mr Cohen.

Ian Cohen will be addressing Wyong Shire Council during its debate on desalination this Wednesday the 24th of January at 4.45pm.

Last year Mr Cohen chaired a parliamentary inquiry into Sydney’s water supply with specific reference to its proposed desalination plant.

All governments need to get serious

Rudd must deliver States for water reform

We won't get true water reform until both State and Federal governments stop making short-term political decisions on water and face the fact that desperately hard decisions are needed in the face of the impacts of a drying environment and climate change.

The last Water Summit was a joke. A few hours were spent on Melbourne Cup day hosing down public concerns, but no serious long-term commitments were made and no real outcomes have been delivered to date.

We have seen little progress since then, and the blame-game continues.

Australia's water bureaucracy is overcomplicated, but simplifying the federal system will not solve our water crisis while Labor state governments are reluctant to make difficult decisions.

Ultimately what is needed is an independent body that can make decisions on water management free from the constraints of tied funding and political interference.

With water management predominantly a state responsibility, the challenge for Mr Rudd is to get the states to move forward on solving the problems of over-allocation and complex water titles within the Murray Darling Basin.

If the states agree to a national model for water security the Commonwealth will be forced to play catch-up and put resources into it.

Both state and federal governments need to start taking long term planning seriously and put more resources into water conservation, demand reduction and waste water recycling..

Until all parties acknowledge the long-term impacts of climate change through reduced rainfall and increased evaporation on our water security our systems will remain over-allocated and our water resource planning insufficient.

Uni scandal creates enrolment chaos

Friday, 19 January 2007

"Uni for cash" scandal creates enrolment chaos

The Greens today called on NSW Education Minister Carmel Tebbutt to convene an emergency meeting of her state and territory counterparts to demand that the Howard government impose a moratorium on full fee paying University places.

Greens NSW Education Spokesperson and Upper House Candidate John Kaye said: "The university entrance system has been driven to the edge of collapse by the Howard government's deregulation of full fee places and their systematic under-funding of public institutions.

"The quality of tertiary education is being compromised by the Howard government's grab for cash. Carmel Tebbutt has an obligation to work with her Labor colleagues in the other states and territories to put a stop to this undermining of Australia's universities.

"Two years ago the union, student bodies and the Greens warned state and federal governments that the system would be placed under unacceptable pressure by deregulation.

"Universities have begun to abandon the coordinated admissions index system in favour of their own criteria. While this may work for some courses, it can also produce massively unfair outcomes for many students.

"State and territory ministers have a unique opportunity to stand up to the federal government and force changes that protect the integrity of the assessment system and ensure that admission is based on ability, not wealth.

"So far Carmel Tebbutt and her seven Labor colleagues have been quite spineless in dealing with federal ministers like Julie Bishop.

"The current crisis gives them the opportunity to display some serious resolve and, for once, drive the agenda on education.

"If they don't, the next three years will see the collapse of the university entrance system and the uncontrolled growth of full fee paying courses," Dr Kaye said.

Tick tick tick

Thursday 18 January 2007
Doomsday Clock: Reason to repudiate Howard's nuclear policy

Australians should use this federal election year to repudiate the Howard government's unethical nuclear ambitions which are fuelling the escalating threat to civilisation, the Australian Greens said today.

Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Senator Christine Milne said the resetting of the Doomsday Clock overnight sounded a warning of the threats that nuclear expansion poses to all life on Earth.

"The Doomsday Clock has served as a warning to the world about the dangers of nuclear weapons and nuclear war for 60 years. It was moved forward two minutes overnight, and now stands at five minutes to midnight," Senator Milne said.

"The scientists who keep the clock have assessed that the world stands at the brink of a second nuclear age because of growing nuclear ambitions of Iran and North Korea, unsecured nuclear weapons, escalating terrorism and expanded civilian nuclear power under the guise of combating climate change.

"Prime Minister John Howard's nuclear ambitions for Australia, including expanding uranium mining for export and supporting domestic nuclear power, are contributing to this escalating global threat.

"Advocating more nuclear power to combat climate change is unethical and the government's nuclear policy stands in stark contrast to Prime Minister Howard's rhetoric on values.

"We do not need nuclear power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions because we have safe, renewable, clean alternatives but the government refuses to embrace them.

"Australians have the opportunity this year to repudiate the government's unethical nuclear policy by voting the coalition out of office and supporting the Greens who stand for a nuclear-free Australia."

Police pledge: no safety in numbers

Thursday, 18 January 2007

Debnam’s police pledge: no safety in numbers

Greens MP and police spokesperson Lee Rhiannon says Opposition Leader Peter Debnam’s pledge of 1100 more police will not make communities safer or reduce crime.

“Peter Debnam’s announcement represents his futile tussle with the Iemma government to win the law and order vote at the cost of public service jobs,” Ms Rhiannon said.

“The Opposition Leader is pursuing an American style model of ‘zero tolerance’ policing which will fail to find real, long term solutions to crime.

“Mr Debnam is happy to exploit the community’s fear of crime in the same way he exploits race.

“NSW is shaping up as the Police State, with the major parties’ race to out-bid each other with more police who will be armed with unprecedented new powers and weapons.

“Research shows just increasing police numbers will have little impact on crime.

“A recent US study showed an increase in police numbers of 10% only reduced crime by very small margins.

“The community deserves more intelligent and strategic policing and preventative measures to tackle family stress, economic disadvantage, drug and alcohol abuse.

“Youth crime is in the headlines, but the solution is not to increase police numbers but invest in prevention and diversion programs.

“Young people in trouble need supportive community workers, schools and safe homes.

“More police will drain the budget available to fund innovative solutions to crime.

“The major parties are beating a tired old law and order drum.

“Debnam and Iemma are content to misuse public money, while ignoring research that points the way to a more successful crime solutions,” Ms Rhiannon said.

TV ads for human rights in West Papua

TV advertising for human rights in West Papua

Many know that there is a strong group of Novacastrians who have been trying to highlight the plight of West Papuans for some time now. Their efforts will be boosted by the launch last week of a new TV advertising campaign to promote human rights for West Papua. The advertising campaign was launched in Sydney by:

* John Dowd, former NSW Liberal/National Attorney-General
* Sister Susan Connolly
* Lt-Col Lance Collins (rtd.) former military intelligence officer and author
* Dr Clinton Fernandes, University of NSW
* Clemens Runawery, an exiled West Papuan visiting from PNG
* Sonia Vitro, East Timorese whose father was killed by the Indonesian military
* Eko Waluyo, Coordinator Indonesian Solidarity
* Ian Melrose, human rights advocate

The TV advertisements begin screening in capital cities around the country today and will be followed in regional centres over the coming months. The TV advertisements will also screen in a selected neighbouring countries.

The advertising campaign highlights the dangers of the new security treaty between Australia and Indonesia which was announced last November and is currently before the Australian parliament.

"The yet to be ratified security treaty with Indonesia presents huge dangers for democracy and human rights. The treaty effectively targets human rights advocates concerned about West Papua and will encourage the Indonesian military to continue its 40 year reign of terror in the troubled province. The Treaty will also justify Australia's spy organisations' surveillance of Australians concerned with human rights injustices," John Dowd said.

The TV advertisements feature West Papuan refugee, now PNG citizen, Clemens Runawery. Clemens witnessed the Indonesian takeover over his country and in 1969 was arrested by Australian officials (at Indonesia's request) when attempting to travel to United Nations to tell the world of his peoples' plight and of the failure of the UN to conduct a fair election.

The advertising is being funded by Australian businessman Ian Melrose. Mr Melrose previously funded an advertising campaign in support of East Timor's right to oil and gas revenue in the Timor Sea after the Howard Government withdrew East Timor's right to have the dispute heard by an independent UN arbitrator. Mr Melrose was also involved in the successful campaign against the Howard Government's asylum seeker legislation in 2006.

"The more that Australian people that find out about West Papua, the more they will pressure their politicians to act. Presented with the facts, I am confident that Australians will want to help our neighbours in West Papua," Mr Melrose said.

Height comparisons

This image is a comparison of the heights proposed by Sydney Labor's "City Centre Plan" and Newcastle City Council's existing and proposed heights.

(click to enlarge)



You be the judge...

A floor in a "modern" building is somewhere between 2.5 metres and 3 metres (depends on use, commercial and residential uses have different floor to ceiling standards, which makes future retrofitting difficult!). So a 90 metre height limits means approximately 30 to 36 storeys (see Hunter St near Stewart Avenue) and a 60 metre height limit means approx 20 to 24 storeys.

What do you think? Will this help relieve poverty and homelessness in our city?

Need to investigate West Papua military operations

Thursday, 18 January 2007

Greens call for investigation of West Papua military operations

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer must seek answers from Indonesia about reports that one person has been shot dead and thousands of others have been displaced by military and police operations in West Papua, the Australian Greens said today.

"Church leaders in West Papua have reported that the Indonesian military and police have been undertaking operations in the Puncak Jaya region of West Papua, displacing up to 5000 people from Yamu district," Australian Greens Senator Christine Milne said in Hobart.

"Clergy have said that the people have been living in the jungle since last month when they fled military operations, and that civilians are being denied access to the region.

"A civilian has reportedly been shot dead by the military in Yamu and there are grave concerns for the health and wellbeing of women and children. There are also reports that civilian houses have been burnt and that the military has occupied government buildings.

"It appears that the military operations are a response to the killing of two military personnel near the town of Mulia last month.

"The Greens are deeply concerned about these reports and call on Foreign Minister Downer to seek information from the Indonesian government about what is happening in West Papua.

"These latest reports of violence directed at civilians should prompt the Australian government to reconsider its new security treaty with Indonesia.

"The treaty, yet to be ratified, will include a provision for Australia to endorse Jakarta's military control of West Papua. These latest reports of violence reinforce the need for the treaty to be subject to a Senate inquiry."

Establish a Hunter Transport Authority

Hunter Greens

MEDIA RELEASE
18 January 2007

Establish a Hunter Transport Authority: Greens fight to ensure that the Hunter doesn’t miss the Bus

Greens candidates from across the Hunter have called for the establishment of a locally-controlled Hunter Regional Integrated Transport Authority to develop an Integrated Transport Plan for the Hunter.

Councillor Michael Osborne, Greens candidate for Newcastle said: “Too often decisions about the transport in our region are made in Sydney, whether it is about changing bus timetables or the future of our rail line. We still don’t have integrated timetabling between buses, trains and ferries and we still don’t have proper integrated ticketing.”

Jane Smith, Greens candidate for Charlestown said: “It’s time that the profits from local public transport were not siphoned off by the Sydney-centred State Government to prop up Sydney’s crumbling transport system, and instead were used in innovative ways to improve our own.”

Councillor Keith Parsons, Greens candidate for Wallsend said: “Transport in the Hunter is backward and arguably the worst in Australia. It is bedevilled by low service standards, multiple operators, lack of planning, coordination and integration, poor infrastructure and a lack of recognition of local government. The Hunter has the highest bus fares in Australia.”

Charmian Eckersley, Greens candidate for Port Stephens said: “There should be an Integrated Transport Plan developed by local expertise and encompassing the whole of the Hunter. With a population of 500,000, the Hunter is a genuinely self contained regional area. The Plan needs to include public transport to the airport from Newcastle and Port Stephens.”

Councillor James Ryan, Greens candidate for Cessnock said: “It is scandalous that the Lower Hunter Regional Strategy recently released by Sydney Labor did not include a transport plan. Most areas designated for new residential opportunities in the Strategy are not near areas identified for employment. This guarantees that the distance travelled by cars and the number of people travelling by car will increase. There is no provision made for public transport.”

Jan Davis, Greens candidate for Maitland said: “The State Government seems incapable of making sensible decisions for the future. If the budgets of the Roads and Traffic Authority, State Rail and the Buses and Ferries were combined into a single authority then we could truly get integrated decision-making.”

The Greens candidates from across the region met at a regional meeting in Newcastle at the weekend and were addressed by Hunter transport planner, Len Regan.

Govt must explain rubbery figures

There should be an independent review of the national greenhouse accounts in light of a new report that shows discrepancies relating to land clearing.

The report finds significant discrepancies between the estimates produced by the federal government's National Carbon Accounting System and the Queensland government's State-wide Landcover and Trees Study.

Since Australia relies so heavily on reduced land clearing emissions to achieve its Kyoto target, the community must be confident of the accuracy of these emission estimates.

It will be a major global humiliation for the government if it has to admit to the international community that not only are its emissions in transport and electricity skyrocketing but the offset it claimed from reduced land clearance does not exist.

As the report states, without the decline in land clearing, total emissions would have increased by over 20 per cent between 1990 and 2004, well above Australia's Kyoto target of an 8 per cent increase between 1990 and 2012.

We should be worried that the Queensland government's estimates of land clearing since 1990 are significantly different from the federal government's estimates. Even the trends are different; clearly there needs to be a full and frank explanation of the discrepancies.

There must be an independent review of the figures and the method by which the government calculates Australia's greenhouse gas emissions so that there is real transparency.

The National Greenhouse Accounts and Land Clearing: Do the numbers stack up? by Australia Institute deputy director Andrew Macintosh was released today and can be found here.

82% want more action than Kyoto

News Limited is reporting on a survey of attitudes to climate change this morning that has found 82% of respondents said Australian policy should go further than the Kyoto treaty to tackle climate change.

The survey also found that:

--> Australians are more worried about climate change than terrorism or any other global issue
--> Three-quarters of respondents said they had given close personal attention to climate change
--> More than half said they believed Australians were poorly informed about
--> More than 82 per cent said they did not believe companies would make the right decisions when it came to protecting the environment

There were 3032 respondents to the survey, which was taken last month by Coredata in partnership with NEWS.com.au. The full News article can be found here.

Meanwhile, back in Newcastle, culture jammers have been busy...

Australia follows the US (again!)

Australia set to abandon nuclear NPT under pressure from Bush

Prime Minister John Howard's desperation to keep onside with US President George Bush will lead Australia to turn its back on the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Australian Greens energy spokesperson Senator Christine Milne said today.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has revealed that Australia is talking with the Indian government about arrangements for exporting uranium.

"Once the US decided to sell nuclear technology to India outside the NPT, it was only a matter of time before Australia followed suit by supplying uranium," Senator Milne said in Hobart.

"This is a further capitulation of Australia's foreign policy to US demands and will make the world less safe.

"As if it is not bad enough that Iran's nuclear ambitions are destabilising the Middle East, the Australian government is intent upon pushing as much uranium as it can into the global nuclear fuel cycle.

"The Indian government has made it clear that it has no intention of agreeing to any deals which rein in its nuclear weapons programme and ambitions.

"India has demonstrated a dangerous and cavalier attitude to the security of sensitive information about nuclear technology and has illegally tested nuclear weapons.

"It is irresponsible in the extreme for the Howard government to be undermining the nuclear NPT at this crucial time under the guise of responding to climate change.

"Exporting renewable energy and building capacity in renewable energy is a faster, safer and more globally responsible response to the twin dangers of climate change and nuclear proliferation."

Iemma should axe pensioner booking fee

Greens call on Iemma Government to axe CountryLink pensioner booking fee

The Iemma Government should axe the CountryLink 15% pensioner ticket booking fee, following revelations that since the introduction of the booking fee last year 50,000 pensioners have been forced to miss out on using their free travel vouchers.

"The Greens call on the Iemma Government to axe the 15% booking fee and restore the original spirit that the free tickets were introduced with.

"The new CountryLink booking fee has hit pensioners so hard that 50,000 people cancelled their travel plans last year. It’s a disgrace.

"The spirit of the free pensioner CountryLink tickets was to reward people for a lifetime of work with the opportunity to travel in their retirement. The 15% booking fee has soured the gesture.

"By slugging the most vulnerable people in our community with this unfair tax, the Iemma Government has put regional train travel out of reach for many retired people.

"Pensioners rely on their free travel tickets to attend medical appointments, visit family and to stay connected to their communities.

"I am concerned that the people who have cancelled their travel plans are the pensioners living in the lowest fixed incomes. This booking fee has denied them the opportunity to travel in NSW.

"The Iemma Government must axe the 15% booking fee to undo the harm it has caused to pensioners in rural and regional NSW.

Thinking globally, acting locally

Newcastle climate action 10 February 2007, 1pm

Climate change is the greatest threat to the future of our beautiful planet, to all its' species diversity, and to human safety, health, peace, and wellbeing.

It is up to us all to reduce our own impact and to contribute to broader positive change in whatever ways we are able. As citizens of NSW - a major coal exporter and contributor to the global climate crisis - we can set an example for the rest of the world by supporting a just transition from a fossil fuel based economy to a clean renewable energy future.

Why won't the State Government facilitate investment in renewables? Why can't we manufacture wind turbines and solar panels in the Hunter?

With plans afoot to double coal exports, Newcastle Port is at the coal face of global ecological disaster. Any expansion of the world's already largest coal port would be directly opposite to the changes we must make to achieve a positive future for the planet, the people of the world, the people of NSW.

At 1pm, 10 February 2007, Newcastle Harbour will see a peaceful vigil and press conference at Horseshoe Beach, accompanying a colourful floating community demonstration against NSW coal expansion.

Placards, banners, rubber duckies, kayaks, canoes, yachts, surfboards, rafts, floating banners, pontoons, peddle boats, row boats, water bikes, sail boats - people united for a sustainable future!

Kayak training days will take place in the lead-up to the event.

Trained First Aid practitioners will be present to ensure safety on the day.

Let's send a clear message to everyone in the lead up to the March State election:

--> no new coal loaders
--> no new coal mines
--> investment in renewables
--> a just transition for a sustainable future

Climate analogy

"Think of the climate as a small boat on a rather choppy ocean. Under normal circumstances the boat will rock to and fro, and there is a finite risk that the boat could be overturned by a rogue wave. But now one of the passengers has decided to stand up and is deliberately rocking the boat ever more violently. Someone suggests that this is likely to increase the chances of the boat capsizing. Another passenger then proposes that with his knowledge of chaotic dynamics he can counterbalance the first passenger and indeed, counter the natural rocking caused by the waves. But to do so he needs a huge array of sensors and enormous computational reasources to be ready to react efficiently but still wouldn't be able to guarantee absolute stability, and indeed, since the system is untested it might make things worse.

So is the answer to a known and increasing human influence on climate an ever more elaborate system to control the climate? Or should the person rocking the boat just sit down?"

Gavin Schmidt, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies,

Mental Health: a shambles in the Hunter

Newcastle Greens

MEDIA RELEASE
15 January 2007

Mental Health: a shambles in the Hunter

Today the Greens candidate for Newcastle Michael Osborne called for an overhaul of the mental health system in the Hunter, calling it a ‘shambles’, particularly pointing to a lack of emergency mental health services.

“Due to chronic under funding of mental health resources in the Hunter, we are seeing wide ranging problems such as a severe shortage of beds in psychiatric hospitals, a lack of emergency services, a lack of ongoing rehabilitation and treatment, misdiagnosis, staff shortages and the absence of services for the treatment of drug and alcohol abuse.

“Carers desperate for help for their relatives and friends say that the right hand of the service does not know what the left hand is doing.

“Callers to the Psychiatric Emergency Centre at James Fletcher Hospital are increasingly unlikely to obtain long term treatment - with only 20 beds in Acacia Ward and only 16 to deal with the rapidly increasing number of patients with drug related problems or with the dual diagnosis of drugs and mental health problems. The services at the Mater Hospital are also stretched to breaking point.

“In the past, mental health crisis teams established in the mid 1980s, visited people in their homes and initiated treatment were disbanded in 2001. Now there is only one staff member available to provide emergency mental health services between the hours of 5pm and at weekends in the whole of Newcastle.

“Police often have to be called in to pick up the considerable slack of the mental health system – unfair to them and to the affected person. The increase in crime in the city could well be in part an outcome of the desperate situation in the mental health system.

“The State Government needs to significantly increase funding for mental health services; improve and integrate hospital and community-based mental health services; and, bring back the mental health crisis teams,” Councillor Osborne said.

Iemma urged to reject Turnbull's plan

Media Release
Saturday, 13 January 2007

Iemma urged to reject Turnbull's short-sighted water plan

The federal government's emergency water plan is a quick political fix that risks destroying the Murray Darling Basin ecosystem and bringing disaster to the smaller farmers and communities that depend on it, according to Greens MP Lee Rhiannon.

Ms Rhiannon said: "The emergency plan might work for the Howard government's political cycle but it would be a catastrophe for the lifecycle of communities in the Basin.

"Instead it is time to get tough on cotton. The future ability of the Murray Darling system to deliver quality water is being compromised to prop up big irrigators and their massive profits.

"If the Iemma government signs off on this plan, the system will be moved one step closer to collapse, with devastating algal blooms, widespread fish kills and the destruction of many wetlands.

"A dead river system cannot supply water that communities can use.

"The future of the townships and cities that depend on the system is being traded off to get the federal government through the next election.

"The Greens are calling on Premier Iemma to derail the plan by refusing to sign it. He can use NSW's position at the table to drive a far better deal for smaller farmers and communities and for the long term health of the Murray Darling.

"The cotton industry is highly profitable but it is draining the river system at the expense of its health and the survival of other water users. The NSW government must take a stand against the cotton barons.

"At the same time that the Howard government is driving us towards a dead river, Peter Beattie is trying to sell another 8 billion litres out of the Warrego.

"The Premier Iemma's ability to show real leadership on water is on trial," Ms Rhiannon said.

Corporate donations corrupting Government

Newcastle Greens

MEDIA RELEASE
12 January 2007

Corporate donations – a perceived corrupting influence on Government

The Greens candidate for the state seat of Newcastle, Cr Michael Osborne, questioned the Sydney Labor Government’s decision to award a construction tender to contractor FRH Group to build the Weakley’s Drive overpass.

“The official electoral returns show that Belmadar, which was purchased by the FRH Group in the middle of last year, have consistently made political donations to Sydney Labor since 1999,” Councillor Osborne said.

“It is reasonable that people would be sceptical that the process of awarding the tender has not involved political influence.

“Nobody believes that donations from developers are about philanthropy. In fact, it is a misnomer to even call them donations. They are not donations, they are purchases. Developers are buying influence, they are buying access, and they are buying government policy.

“The Sydney Labor Government should legislate to ban donations from developers so that decisions of government can be made free of direct or perceived inappropriate influence,” Cr Osborne said.

Research by the Greens on developer donations shows the NSW Labor Party has raised $8.78 million from the property sector since 1998-99, and the NSW Liberals and Nationals received $6.35 million.

The Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon introduced a private members bill into the NSW Parliament in 2004 to ban donations from developers. The bill was voted down when the Labor and Liberal parties voted together.

“The Greens will not accept developer donations. I call on John Tate, Jodi McKay and Martin Babakhan to pledge that they too will not accept donations from developers, either directly or indirectly,” Cr Osborne said.

Japanese whaling

Thursday, 11 January 2007
Minister Do-little cannot point the finger over whales - Greens

"Federal Minister for the Environment Campbell's failure to intervene on Japanese whaling in Australia's Antarctic waters leaves him in no position to criticise the Sea Shepherd and its crew," Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown said today.

"Senator Campbell has condemned the Sea Shepherd but refused to send an Australian observation vessel to the Japanese killing grounds," Senator Brown said.

"This summer the Japanese are even targeting Hump Back whales which have returned from their breeding migration along the Australian coastline. The Government should send a surveillance naval vessel to record the slaughter and show the world what a terrible business killing whales is," Senator Brown said.

5 years now for David Hicks

John Howard should listen to Brigadier McDade, director of the Australian Military Court, on the treatment of David Hicks and all parliamentarians should back the Greens Bill to remove recognition of the US Military Commissions.

John Howard should listen to the advice of our top military prosecutor rather than the prolonged excuses of the increasingly troubled Bush Administration.

David Hicks has been held for over five years now, in terrible conditions and with no prospect of a fair trial. The Brigadier is spot on in labelling his treatment 'abominable'.

It is not good enough for the Prime Minister to shift his rhetoric slightly. He can and should act by picking up the phone and calling George Bush to ensure David Hicks is brought home.

The Greens have introduced a Private Members Bill that would remove recognition of the flawed US Military Commissions from Australian law. Government backbenchers have an opportunity to signal their discontent about inaction on Hicks by voting for this bill when Parliament resumes.