Government abandons principles over Malaysia deal
Blog Post | Blog of Sarah Hanson-Young
Tuesday 26th July 2011, 10:57am
by ParisLord in
Australian Immigration Minister Chris Bowen has visited Kuala Lumpur to sign the Malaysian solution and now he and Prime Minister Julia Gillard are promoting it.
Save and expand foreign aid
Blog Post | Blog of Sarah Hanson-Young
Tuesday 19th July 2011, 10:21am
by ParisLord in
This month the world is learning about the ongoing famine in the Horn of Africa, where about 12 million people have been hit by the worst drought in almost 60 years. Australia has pledged more than $11 million in aid. It's heart-wrenching to see malnourished children in refugee camps in Kenya with tubes in their noses to feed them because their hungry mothers cannot.
Why this is better than Rudd's scheme
Blog Post | Blog of Sarah Hanson-Young
Wednesday 13th July 2011, 1:27pm
by OgySimic in
There are more than 13 billion reasons why the climate package unveiled on Sunday is better at putting a price on pollution than its predecessor.
Western Australia will be the energy transition winner
Blog Post | Blog of Scott Ludlam
Monday 11th July 2011, 12:45pm
by RachelPemberton in
Published in The West Australian: 11 July 2011
Sunday's announcement of the carbon price package fires the starting gun on the long-overdue clean energy transition.
Western Australia is uniquely placed to benefit from the enormous shift in investment as polluting industries are taxed for the first time and the clean technology sector finally gets the support it deserves.
While all eyes have been on the dollar cost of venting a tonne of C02 into the atmosphere, the Greens have negotiated a broad range of additional measures intended to supercharge the zero emissions economy. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) will be responsible for disbursing more than $3 billion in renewable energy project funding. In addition, a new Clean Energy Finance Corporation will have a $2 billion annual budget funded from carbon tax revenues, a massive injection that is expected to leverage additional billions in private investment.
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20111204045817im_/http://greensmps.org.au/files/imagecache/preview/images/solar_power_tower.jpg)
Your personal MPCCC briefing this Sunday
Blog Post | Blog of Adam Bandt MP
Thursday 7th July 2011, 5:30pm
by DamienLawson in
The price on pollution announcement is just days away.The package contains some great measures for renewable energy, constitutes a platform for action and most importantly provides for upwards flexibility. This is an historic opportunity for the nation and a great win for all of you who have worked so hard to keep climate action at the top of the political agenda.
We want you and the community to know just what gains were made for the climate.
We also need to ensure that all your hard work is not undone. Tony Abbott’s scare campaign continues and whilst we have come a long way to finding the common points of agreement between the Greens, the Independents and the government and negotiated some very important reforms, the package still needs to be communicated effectively with our local community and passed through the parliament.
Please join Greens Senator, Richard Di Natale and me this Sunday for an emergency meeting so that I can provide you with a personal briefing on our important achievements, celebrate your work and plan for our next steps!
Where: 6pm Sunday 10th July Hayden Raysmith room, Ross House, 241-251 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. Click here to RSVP via facebook.
We want to hit the ground running on Monday and start telling Melbourne about this historic achievement. We’ll be hitting train stations, handing out leaflets at shopping centres and weekend markets. We will need your help to do this.
Please give whatever spare time you have to help with letterboxing and leafleting over the next two weeks - it's critical. If we don’t communicate directly with Melbourne, the community might not understand what an important reform this is, how it will affect them and transition us to the clean energy future we so desperately need.
Sign up here now to take action in your local community and get the real story out.
With new role comes greater responsibility
Blog Post | Blog of Sarah Hanson-Young
Tuesday 5th July 2011, 9:32am
by ParisLord in
- Environment
- Human Rights & Justice
- Family & Community
- Democracy & Governance
- Anti-environmentalism
- Balance of Power
- Detention Centres
- Elections
- Emissions Trading and carbon tax
- Environment & Planning Issues
- Gay Marriage
- Immigration
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Intersex (LGBTI)
- Refugees
- Renewable Energy
- Senate / Senators
Yesterday was a great day for the Greens. Our team in the Federal Parliament went from six to 10 with Governor-General Quentin Bryce presiding over the swearing-in of 12 senators from around the country who were elected in August last year.
New York spreads marriage equality news
Blog Post | Blog of Sarah Hanson-Young
Tuesday 28th June 2011, 9:53am
by ParisLord in
The colour and excitement of celebrations in New York at the weekend have been shown on TVs and in newspapers worldwide. People of all ages, ethnic backgrounds and even religions danced in the streets of the Big Apple, overjoyed with the decision of the New York Senate to pass a law allowing same-sex marriage.
The responsibility of Parliament
Blog Post | Blog of Bob Brown
Wednesday 22nd June 2011, 4:11pm
The following letter to the editor of The Australian was submitted on 21 June 2011:
Dear Editor
As I told your Canberra reporter on 20 June 2011, but you did not report to your readers, the difference between action on a republic and climate change is that the former requires a change to the Constitution and the latter requires a decision by the Parliament, as already empowered by the Constitution. The former requires a plebiscite and referendum, the latter requires neither - if you believe in the responsibility of Parliament.
Yours sincerely
Senator Bob Brown
Australian Greens Leader
Driving change in Saudi Arabia
Blog Post | Blog of Sarah Hanson-Young
Tuesday 21st June 2011, 10:02am
by ParisLord in
I love driving. While some readers may find that shocking, it's true. Like many everyday Australians, I relish the chance to jump in my car, a hybrid, with my daughter in the back and her favourite music on the stereo as we barrel through the Adelaide Hills.
Time for a pre-breakfast walk
Blog Post | Blog of Bob Brown
Thursday 16th June 2011, 2:46pm
by MarionRae in
The following comment has been submitted to The Punch in response to Malcolm Farr's piece:
Malcolm Farr is in such a sour mood! We all go to the press gallery ball and have a good time but he comes up with that anti-Greens grizzle. Yes, I did insist on paying for the tickets - that meant an extra $250 for charity - but Malcolm begrudges it. Though he didn't raise the matter with me at the ball.
And yes, I do have to consider whether this entertainment special should have precedence over the major issues now at critical mass - such as negotiations on saving our nation from the onrush of destructive climate change and the fate of budget bills that threaten hard times for disabled Australians.
After all, not all the press gallery's senior players went to the MidWinter Ball. I did and, as well, some kind donor is giving $3,150 for charity by buying the simple pleasure of a pre-breakfast walk with me in Canberra in coming weeks.
Malcolm is welcome to come along too - the fresh air won't do him anything but good.
Bob Brown