Struggle, Solidarity, Socialism!
Saturday May 22, 11am -5pm Redfern Community Centre, 29-53 Hugo Street, Redfern.
Socialist Alliance members and supporters from Wollongong, Newcastle, Blue Mountains, Dubbo, Northern Rivers, Armidale, Sydney and Sydney West will gather to launch the Alliance's Federal Election campaign, and plan the Alliance's work in NSW. All-in sessions plus workshops on topics including Aboriginal and refugee rights; climate change action; union struggles; queer & womens rights + much more. All welcome.
Donation entry for the day $10/5.
Ph Paul 9690 1977, 0410 629 088.
Draft agenda:
11::00-11:15am Aboriginal community welcome
11:15am-12:15pm Opening panel: A socialist vision for the Federal Elections
Featuring Socialist Alliance NSW based election candidates Rachel Evans & Soubi Iskander (NSW Senate), Jess Moore (Cunningham), Zane Alcorn (Newcastle), Duncan Roden (Parramatta) & Pip Hinman (Grayndler) outlining a grassroots vision that puts people and the planet ahead of profit.
12:15-1:45 Educational & Campaign workshops
* Climate Action campaigning - the issue of our age
* Sexism & queerphobia under capitalism – our fightback
* Origins of racism & our campaigns for Aboriginal & refugee rights
* International Solidarity: Supporting red shirts: from Thailand to Venezuela
1:45-2:30 Lunch
2:30-3:45 Activist skills and Campaigns workshops
* Skills for using 21st century technology for social change
* How socialists get our ideas across
* Creative socialism - visuals and design to inspire change
* Lessons for community campaigning
3:45-4 – Afternoon tea
4-440 – Workshop report backs and adoption of proposals
440-5 – Organising and building Socialist Alliance
Conference After-Party! Food, drinks, & post-conference festivities!
From 6:30pm @ 17 Holmesdale St, Marrickville
Showing newest posts with label NSW. Show older posts
Showing newest posts with label NSW. Show older posts
Thursday, 20 May 2010
Friday, 15 January 2010
NSW: Free EDO Seminars - Climate Law after Copenhagen
How can global warming be kept to 2 degrees, as proposed in the Copenhagen Accord?
Free public seminars with the Environmental Defender 's Office Northern Rivers.
- An insider 's view of the Copenhagen summit.
- The implications of Australia's proposed CPRS and alter natives.
- Recent Australian and international climate change court cases
Where: PORT MACQUARIE, Sea Acres Rainforest Centre, Pacific Dve
When: 5.45 for 6 pm sharp to 8 pm, Thursday 4 February 2010
Where: BELLINGEN, Uniting Church Hall, cnr Waterfall Way + Ford St
When: 5.45 for 6 pm sharp to 8 pm, Friday 5 February 2010
Where: BALLINA, Richmond Room, Regatta Ave
When: 5.45 for 6 pm sharp to 8 pm, Wednesday 10 February
Where: MURWILLUMBAH, CWA Hall, 20 Queen St
When: 5.45 for 6 pm sharp to 8 pm, Thursday 11 February
Light refreshments provided. No booking necessary. Presented by the EDO NSW Northern Rivers office
For more information please call Mark Byrne on 66228470 or email edonr@edo.org.au
Please note that the science supporting anthropogenic climate change will NOT be debated at these seminars
http://www.edo.org.au/edonsw/
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
Climate Litigation in NSW Supreme Court
MEDIA ALERT – 2nd DECEMBER 2009
CLIMATE LITIGATION IN NSW SUPREME COURT
The NSW Land and Environment Court will decide on Wednesday if a case against Macquarie Generation, operators of the state’s largest power station at Bayswater in the Hunter Valley, should be allowed to proceed.
The landmark legal challenge commenced in July, brought by climate change activists Peter Gray and Naomi Hodgson from the Newcastle based group Rising Tide. The activists are being represented by the NSW Environmental Defender’s Office.
The case alleges that Bayswater power station is unlawfully releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and thus causing harm to the environment through its contribution to global warming. Carbon dioxide is the greenhouse gas primarily responsible for human-induced climate forcing.
Macquarie Generation have asked the court to throw out the proceedings, claiming they have lawful authority to dispose of any amount of carbon dioxide they wish.
“Bayswater power station is the biggest single point source of CO2 in NSW, emitting 12-15 million tonnes of CO2 every year, and those emissions are presently entirely unregulated,” said Peter Gray.
“This power station is a major contributor to a global problem, and should be controlled by strict environmental standards. The continued unregulated disposal of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere at Bayswater power station is an affront to any Australian concerned about our nation’s contribution to climate change.”
The activists will be represented in court on Wednesday by Ian Lloyd QC, Craig Lenahan, and the Environmental Defender’s Office.
For further comment
Peter Gray: 0406 716 792
CLIMATE LITIGATION IN NSW SUPREME COURT
The NSW Land and Environment Court will decide on Wednesday if a case against Macquarie Generation, operators of the state’s largest power station at Bayswater in the Hunter Valley, should be allowed to proceed.
The landmark legal challenge commenced in July, brought by climate change activists Peter Gray and Naomi Hodgson from the Newcastle based group Rising Tide. The activists are being represented by the NSW Environmental Defender’s Office.
The case alleges that Bayswater power station is unlawfully releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and thus causing harm to the environment through its contribution to global warming. Carbon dioxide is the greenhouse gas primarily responsible for human-induced climate forcing.
Macquarie Generation have asked the court to throw out the proceedings, claiming they have lawful authority to dispose of any amount of carbon dioxide they wish.
“Bayswater power station is the biggest single point source of CO2 in NSW, emitting 12-15 million tonnes of CO2 every year, and those emissions are presently entirely unregulated,” said Peter Gray.
“This power station is a major contributor to a global problem, and should be controlled by strict environmental standards. The continued unregulated disposal of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere at Bayswater power station is an affront to any Australian concerned about our nation’s contribution to climate change.”
The activists will be represented in court on Wednesday by Ian Lloyd QC, Craig Lenahan, and the Environmental Defender’s Office.
For further comment
Peter Gray: 0406 716 792
Saturday, 24 October 2009
Hunter Residents Defeat Overdevelopment
By Duroyan Fertl
The NSW Environmental Defender’s Office (EDO) and community democracy activists celebrated a second victory in a month on October 19, when the State Government withdrew its approval for the Huntlee New Town Project in the Lower Hunter.
The development, near Branxton in the Lower Hunter, was to build 7,200 houses, and was the subject of a controversial 7,000 hectare land-swap with developers Huntlee Holdings, similar to the failed development at nearby Catherine Hill Bay and Gwandalan.
Last month, the Land and Environment court kyboshed those two developments, declaring the approval “biased”, and described the actions of then-Planning Minister Frank Sartor as amounting to a “land bribe”.
The Minister had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the developers well before applications had been lodged for development approval in exchange for conservation land being handed over to the government.
EDO solicitor Melissa Jolley, who represented residents opposed to the Branxton project – organised as Sweetwater Action Group – described the land-swaps in both cases as “virtually identical”.
As in Gwandaland, an MOU was signed between the Minister and the Branxton developers, swapping development approval for land of environmental significance. On October 19, however, the Planning Minister, Kristina Keneally, withdrew both the approval and the rezoning for the land, before the court had a chance to overturn approval.
The Minister also admitted that granting the approval – made under the controversial and undemocratic Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, which bypasses local councils – was unlawful.
The decision has virtually put an end to direct ministerial approval of any other major developments in the Lower Hunter, but it doesn’t put an end to the government’s plans to house more than 160,000 more people in the region over the next two decades under the Lower Hunter Regional Strategy.
In fact, the $1.8 billion Branxton development, as well as numerous others at Catherine Hill Bay and close by, could still go ahead despite recent events, as they will be referred by the Minister to an independent committee, handpicked by the government.
The development approvals throughout the Hunter also carries the stench of political corruption. Both Hardie Holdings – which part-owns Huntlee – and Catherine Hill Bay developers Rose Group donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the NSW ALP in the lead up to the 2007 election, and shady Labor identity Graham Richardson has been retained as a lobbyist for Hardie.
Greens Councillor for Cessnock, James Ryan, has called for a new Lower Hunter Regional Strategy to be drafted, free from MOUs “infected” with developer donations.
The NSW Environmental Defender’s Office (EDO) and community democracy activists celebrated a second victory in a month on October 19, when the State Government withdrew its approval for the Huntlee New Town Project in the Lower Hunter.
The development, near Branxton in the Lower Hunter, was to build 7,200 houses, and was the subject of a controversial 7,000 hectare land-swap with developers Huntlee Holdings, similar to the failed development at nearby Catherine Hill Bay and Gwandalan.
Last month, the Land and Environment court kyboshed those two developments, declaring the approval “biased”, and described the actions of then-Planning Minister Frank Sartor as amounting to a “land bribe”.
The Minister had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the developers well before applications had been lodged for development approval in exchange for conservation land being handed over to the government.
EDO solicitor Melissa Jolley, who represented residents opposed to the Branxton project – organised as Sweetwater Action Group – described the land-swaps in both cases as “virtually identical”.
As in Gwandaland, an MOU was signed between the Minister and the Branxton developers, swapping development approval for land of environmental significance. On October 19, however, the Planning Minister, Kristina Keneally, withdrew both the approval and the rezoning for the land, before the court had a chance to overturn approval.
The Minister also admitted that granting the approval – made under the controversial and undemocratic Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, which bypasses local councils – was unlawful.
The decision has virtually put an end to direct ministerial approval of any other major developments in the Lower Hunter, but it doesn’t put an end to the government’s plans to house more than 160,000 more people in the region over the next two decades under the Lower Hunter Regional Strategy.
In fact, the $1.8 billion Branxton development, as well as numerous others at Catherine Hill Bay and close by, could still go ahead despite recent events, as they will be referred by the Minister to an independent committee, handpicked by the government.
The development approvals throughout the Hunter also carries the stench of political corruption. Both Hardie Holdings – which part-owns Huntlee – and Catherine Hill Bay developers Rose Group donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the NSW ALP in the lead up to the 2007 election, and shady Labor identity Graham Richardson has been retained as a lobbyist for Hardie.
Greens Councillor for Cessnock, James Ryan, has called for a new Lower Hunter Regional Strategy to be drafted, free from MOUs “infected” with developer donations.
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Spring offensive to be launched against Rees’ government privatisation plans
Spring offensive to be launched against Rees’ government privatisation plans
Power to the People Media Statement
October 13, 2009
“The fight against the privatisation of New South Wales’ public assets and services is entering a new phase”, Colin Drane, the convener of the Sydney-based anti-privatisation coalition Power to the People, said today.
Drane was announcing a four-pronged spring offensive against the New South Wales government’s “fire-sale of community assets and services”:
1. An awareness campaign about the anti-union private prisons operation GEO (recently awarded the management of Parklea Prison). Drane called GEO “the James Hardie of prison corporations”;
2. An October 31 public meeting to mobilise community opinion against privatisation. “The meeting will boost support for struggles against privatisation, like the Maritime Union of Australia’s battle to keep Sydney Ferries in public hands.”
3. A November 14 rally outside the NSW Labor conference, in support of the rank-and-file ALP delegate and union opposition to privatisation.
4. An open letter to all members of parliament demanding that they clearly and openly state their position on the privatisation of public assets. The results will be made known in every NSW electorate.
Drane said: “The NSW government may think that it is finally winning the battle for the sell-off of the State’s assets because they got a deal with the Coalition over NSW Lotteries and have handed Parklea management over to GEO.
“They are sadly mistaken. The vast majority of the community still opposes handing over its services to private profiteers; the ALP rank-and-file membership oppose it as much as when they voted down the Iemma-Costa electricity sell-off; and significant sections of the NSW union movement and many Labor MPs remain opposed.”
“Drane, a community activist and assistant secretary of his local ALP branch, concluded: “Some in Sussex Street may have decided the ALP cannot afford another internal struggle over privatisation only 16 months from the next state election, but ALP members and unionists are in tune with community feeling. For them, stopping the vandalisation of public assets is the most important issue.
“The NSW Government should not forget they must face the electorate in March 2011. Power to the People – Sydney will do all it can to build community support against privatisation and raise public awareness about the need for better public services”
For further information: Colin Drane 0419 698 396
Thursday, 1 October 2009
Action alert - NSW Govt sells Parklea prison
In a sign that it has stopped listening to the community, the NSW Government announced it will hand over the Parklea prison keys to US-based company GEO Group.
Read the Public Service Association's media release below.
The misguided decision will be bad for prison inmates, bad for prison officers and bad for the entire community.
Despite Cessnock prison and transport services being saved from the sell-off, the Government is hell-bent on selling off an integral part of the NSW justice system.
As a result of this announcement, prison officers around the state have walked off the job in protest to the Government's preference for big business over community values.
But the fight isn't over yet. You can tell the Premier Nathan Rees and Minister for Corrective Services John Robertson what you think of their decision by emailing them:
Premier Nathan Rees: thepremier@www.nsw.gov.au
Minister for Corrective Services John Robertson: office@robertson.minister.nsw.gov.au
Thanks for your ongoing support for the Stop The Cell Off campaign, and stay tuned for more news.
Regards,
Matt Bindley and the Stop the Cell Off team
Read the Public Service Association's media release below.
The misguided decision will be bad for prison inmates, bad for prison officers and bad for the entire community.
Despite Cessnock prison and transport services being saved from the sell-off, the Government is hell-bent on selling off an integral part of the NSW justice system.
As a result of this announcement, prison officers around the state have walked off the job in protest to the Government's preference for big business over community values.
But the fight isn't over yet. You can tell the Premier Nathan Rees and Minister for Corrective Services John Robertson what you think of their decision by emailing them:
Premier Nathan Rees: thepremier@www.nsw.gov.au
Minister for Corrective Services John Robertson: office@robertson.minister.nsw.
Thanks for your ongoing support for the Stop The Cell Off campaign, and stay tuned for more news.
Regards,
Matt Bindley and the Stop the Cell Off team
PSA PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday 30 September, 2009
Rees’ Parklea Shame
The NSW Government today sold out the people of Western Sydney by announcing that a multi-national corporation, GEO Group, will take over the operation of Parklea Correctional Complex, according to the Public Service Association (PSA).
PSA General Secretary John Cahill said the Premier’s announcement was a shameful betrayal of the local community and flew in the face of ALP policy.
“The community does not want its prisons to be run by corporations. That’s why the Government was forced into backing down on the privatisation of Cessnock Prison earlier this year.
“Private prisons make money by cutting corners. That means prisoners are less likely to get rehabilitated, and more likely to reoffend.
“Ultimately, the people of NSW will pay the price of company profits when inmates are released back into the community.”
Mr Cahill said handing over the keys to Parklea to a private company would not deliver cost savings to the taxpayer.
“The Public Service Association put forward an offer that would achieve $5 million in annual recurrent savings without compromising the quality of prison operations at Parklea.
“No matter how you look at this deal, the people of NSW will lose out.”
Mr Cahill said the NSW Government’s announcement coincided with the release of the Western Australian Government’s response to the gruesome death of an inmate in a privately-operated prison transport van.
“The Western Australian Government yesterday flagged that it would consider taking prison transport operations back under public control – but its hands are currently tied by contractual agreements.
“It beggars belief that the NSW Government is wilfully going down the same path of contracting out vital correctional services to a private company.”
Prison officers have voted to walk off the job for 24 hours in response to today’s announcement.
For more information, please contact:
John Cahill, 0419 413 577
Stewart Little, 0418 610 792
Friday, 4 September 2009
Community victory at Catherine Hill Bay
Via Socialist Alliance's NSW site:
Duroyan Fertl
Local activists scored a resounding victory against over-development on August 31, when the NSW Land and Environment Court overturned consent for a proposal to build 600 houses in the small coastal village of Catherine Hill Bay, near Newcastle, and another 187 houses at nearby Gwandalan.
While Justice Lloyd didn’t mention the $143,500 donation made by the developer Rosecorp to the ALP before the last state election, in his ruling he described the consent process as "biased", and a "land bribe in exchange for rezoning and associated development".
Last September, then planning minister Frank Sartor signed a binding deed with the developer that "committed" him to look favourably on the development, before the proposal had even been submitted for approval under the controversial Part 3A of the Planning Act.
The decision is likely to set a precedent preventing approvals that involve land swaps, where developers receive government development approvals in exchange for handing over private land for conservation purposes.
The case – run by Kirsty Ruddock for the NSW Environmental Defender's Office – could also have implications for a similar project at Branxton in the Hunter Valley, which locals are taking to the Land and Environment Court in October.
The battle against the development is not over, however. Planning Minister Kristina Keneally has promised that Rosecorp could still resubmit their plan for assessment by the Independent Planning Assessment Commission.
Duroyan Fertl is a Socialist Alliance activist in Sydney.
Find out more about the campaign here.
Friday, 21 August 2009
SOS - No privatisation of Sydney ferries!
Privatisation spoils a nice day on Sydney harbourBy Peter Boyle
Sydney, August 21 - It was a nice day to be out on Sydney harbour. But we were at Circular Quay not to go on a relaxing ferry ride but to protest against the planned privatisation of Sydney ferries by the NSW Labor government. The Maritime Union of Australia had organised the rally but it drew support from a range of other unions, including the Nurses Federation, whose members are in the frontline of a hospital system in severe crisis after years of cutbacks by neo-liberal Labor governments.
O'Bray Smith, a midwife representing the Nurses Federation, told the protestors that she had been taught at school that in the late nineteenth century the trade unions had formed a party to represent the interest of the working class. But today, she and other trade unionists are fighting a privatisation- mad NSW Labor government.
"I've spoken to many rank-and-file members of the Labor party and they can't believe what is going on. And many are not going to vote Labor in the next elections as a result."
This echoed the angry sentiment at another anti-privatisation rally in Sydney organised by trade unions less than a month ago, that one being against the Rees Labor government's attempts to privatise jails. And before that it was the privatisation of the power industry that workers had to mobilise against...
Pictures here
Thursday, 28 May 2009
May 30 ‘Stop the Sell-Offs’ day of protest to relaunch campaign against privatisation
May 28, 2009
“Unless he abandons his plans to privatise NSW public services and assets Nathan Rees is headed for electoral oblivion”, Colin Drane, convener of the Sydney Power to the People coalition1 said today.
Drane was announcing the first in a series of “Stop the Sell-Offs Saturdays” on the privatisation issue. They will feature campaigning stalls in shopping centres and protests outside MPs’ offices.
The protests are part of the campaign to force the Rees government to drop its plans to sell off management of prisons, wholesale and retail electricity distribution, NSW lotteries , NSW Waste Services, Sydney Ferries and Pillar, the NSW superannuation fund administrator.
The campaign has the support of Unions NSW, the South Coast Labour Council, Newcastle Trades Hall Council and individual unions.
Drane said: “80% of people in NSW oppose privatisation. They know it means worse services, higher prices and job losses. But, with a few honourable exceptions, the pollies still don’t get the message.
“The ‘Stop the Sell-Offs’ Saturdays will give the people a chance to remind our forgetful MPs that ‘No means No’ when it comes to selling off NSW public services.
“Power to the People has already sent a letter to all NSW MPs demanding that they clarify their stance on Rees’ sell-offs. We shall be publishing the results on our web site (at http://powertothepeoplesydney.blogspot.com/) and letting all communities know the position of their MP. Any MP who doesn’t respond will be regarded as a supporter of privatisation.”
Drane said that the campaign would build on the protests of NSW prison officers, which have already blocked the privatisation of Cessnock Gaol . The prisoner officers, members of the Prison Officers Vocational Branch of the Public Sector Association, are presently maintaining 24-hour protest pickets outside the electoral offices of the premier in Toongabbie and of minister Jody McKay in Newcastle.
“This campaign won’t stop until the Rees government gets over its privatisation addiction”, Drane concluded. “One day the premier may thank us for it, because the government won’t survive the next election unless it drops a policy the vast majority of New South Wales rejects.”
Media contact: Colin Drane 0419 698 396
1. The Power to the People coalition consists of organisations and individuals committed to maintaining public services and assets in government hands.
Saturday, 25 April 2009
May 1 - Rally Against Prison Privatisation!
Tell Robbo "No means No" on prison privatisation!A rally will be held next Friday, May 1, outside ALP HQ, 377 Sussex Street, 10am to show support for those opposing privatisation of our Prisons and other Public Services and Utilities (see flyer below).
The rally will coincide with the meeting of the ALP Administrative Committee. At this meeting, corrective services minister John Robertson will ask the Administrative Committee to accept that privatisation of Prisons is consistent with the ALP Policy of opposing Privatisation of Prisons!
Download the Flier HERE (PDF)
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Rally against prison privatisation!
Stop the Cell-Off Rally, April 2, Parliament House
Assemble St James ( Hyde Park ) 10.00 to 10.30am,
March down College St to Macquarie St, arrive at Parliament House for 11.00 am kick off.
All members who can make time are urged to be there and support the prison officers and the principle of public ownership and operation of prisons and prison services.
Please distribute these details far and wide, and repeatedly.
For further information
| Contact: | Les Carr |
| Union: | PSA of NSW |
| Phone: | 02 9290 1555 |
| Email: | lcarr@psa.asn.au |
| WWW: | http://workers.labor.net.au/ |
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Take a stand against prison privatisation!
While the date to make submissions to the NSW Legislative Council inquiry into the proposed sell-off of state prisons has passed, the Stop the Cell-off campaign against the privatisation (administered by none other than John Robertson, once famous for his role in the campaign to stop the privatisation of state electricity, now a sell-out to all and sundry.) continues.
There is a good background article in the current Green Left Weekly, reproduced here.
The actual campaign - run by the Public Service Association and the prisoners' rights group Justice Action - replete with petition (which we have published here earlier) and plenty of background information, can be accessed here.
Evidently NSW Labor is, in fact, as corrupt as we thought they were. It is of almost no surprise to discover that today's Sydney Morning Herald carries this lovely news: Labor MP Paul McLeay - head of the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee - has been receiving donations from none other than the company - GEO Group - running the only currently private prison in NSW - Junee prison.
In fact, he received donations at the same time that the company's contract was under review by the committee McLeay chaired! Hardly surprising, then, that the committee's report found - with some satisfaction - that it was cheaper (sorry, "good value for money") to house prisoners in private jails.
The profit motive is clearly a winner here. After all, who really wants to be treated like a human being when they're in prison, and be given all those crazy, whacky, perks like "edible food", "hope of rehabilitation", and "not being beaten half-to-death by the screws"?
If Queensland prisons are anything to go by, NSW prisons (and prisoners) are in for one hell of a ride, especially if - as is likely - GEO Groups (the second biggest operator of private prisons in the USA, with all the confidence that instils: think prison factories and squalor) gets Parklea and Cessnock jails in the privatisation process.
In the meantime, however, who could do more than trust the lovely NSW government. After all, it's not like their on the take from slimy developers, denying our right to due process in court, invading our homes, or run by an incompetent fool or anything.
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Lavington: Workers' picket after mass lay-off
The 'divide and conquer' method the bosses are using In Lavington is one that is leaving the workers in an extremely hard position over being able to effectively fight back. This is a major issue for the town on the border of NSW and Victoria, and is not the last we will see of similar.
Please distribute as best you can in solidarity with the workers, they are shattered over the position they are in, with no income they are are at the beck and call of the company, with Centrelink being used to stop them from effective protest. They need the money, and the company not telling them who will be employed possibly in the next few weeks (no timeline) has left them in the position they cannot refuse the work, or any benefits will suffer.
Why are the offshore banks being placed above the workers?
Why are suppliers etc being placed above the workers?
Why is management still on full wages?
Where has the workers entitlements gone between December and now?
The only thing the workers have left is for people to show solidarity in getting the message out there over how they have been shafted. They hope that we can raise the profile so that their struggle is heard in the capitals.
------------ --------- --------- --------- -
Three hundred and thirty eight workers at Drivetrain Systems in Lavington (Albury) have been sacked without pay or entitlements as management proceeds to strip the factory of an estimated $17 million in assets. Sacked: Workers and families gather at Drivetrain Internation on Kaitlers Rd in Lavington.
Workers are camped at the gates of the Kaitlers Road factory demanding the $5 million dollars in entitlements owed to the workforce. In December management and the AMWU assured employees that their entitlements were safe at the troubled business. On Friday workers were sacked without pay, and informed that there was simply no money.
"Between now and December they've been spent our entitlements" said one worker "we don't know what on".
Whilst all workers were sacked without pay, management and executive staff were retained on full wages. Management still occupies the factory.
Workers say that there are still $17 million dollars worth of gear boxes still at the Kaitlers Road factory, but they fear they wont see a cent. The administrator has announced that the payment of financial creditors comes before giving workers their due entitlements.
The Kaitlers Road factory used to employ 1024 workers, this is not the first time that mass sackings have occurred. The factory is the only manufacturer of gear boxes in Australia, and was until the recent sackings the largest AMWU shop in the state.
Management has embarked on a deliberate campaign to split workers at the Kaitlers Road factory. Management has said they will re-employ a third of the workforce for a period of eight weeks, but have not stated which third of the workforce will be re-employed.
Action by workers has been hamstrung by this move. Desperate workers struggling to support families have said they cannot afford to jeopardize the possibility of eight weeks pay. If workers refuse the eight weeks work, they jeopardize future claims to Centrelink payments. Workers find out who will be re-employed on Wednesday, and will vote on whether to return to work on Wednesday morning.
Support the picket line on Kaitlers Road, workers appreciate all supporters who drop in. In you're not in Albury-Wodonga, you can join the Facebook group, contact media outlets, and raise this issue with your local member.
Why will workers entitlements only be paid after debts owed to banks and suppliers? Surely the families of workers must have a higher priority than the profits of foreign banks, when a business like Drivetrain International collapses?
This report from the picket by:
Dave Fregon - 0434000234
Kieran Bennett - 0430509913
If you need information or contacts for the workers, please contact:
Dave Fregon
NetAxxs Workers Collective
Ph: +613 5721 7777
Mob: 0434 000 234 25A
Ely Street
Wangaratta 3677
Australia
Sunday, 15 February 2009
No Private Prisons! Stop the Cell-off!
Sign our "not-for-sale" petition
http://www.stopthecelloff.org.au/subscribe/index.php?customlist=petition
The State Government wants to privatise two prisons - Cessnock and Parklea. The Government also wants to privatise vital prison functions across the state, including prisoner transport and court security.
Giving our prisons to corporations will guarantee:
- Increases in costs
- Lack of scrutiny and transparency
- Increased risks for the prisoners and the surrounding communities
Essential parts of our justice system should not be sold to corporations to run at a profit.
Help us tell the State Government not to privatise our prisons by signing the petition below.
In two weeks, we will be personally delivering the petition to the Minister.
**************
About stop the cell-off
NSW prison officers oppose these plans because we do not believe corporations should be trusted with a fundamental part of the justice system.
Join us in our campaign to keep prisons in public hands.
What Are Private Prisons?
Large multinational corporations run private prisons for profit.
These companies typically enter into agreements with local, state or federal governments that commit prisoners to their facilities and then have to pay a per diem or monthly rate for each prisoner in that facility.
This means the more people in prison and the longer they are there for, the more money these private companies make. The result: over-crowded prisons that are poorly managed for profit.
Who will buy our prisons?
- GEO – previously known as Wackenhut this is the second largest prison company in the US, and currently runs Junee Correctional Centre – the only privately run prison in NSW.
- Group 4 Securicor (G4S) – previously known as Group 4 Falck, G4S now owns US company Wackenhut and has the contract to run Australia’s immigration detention centres.
- Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) – the largest private corrections company in the world. CCA ran the Metropolitan Women’s Correctional Centre in Victoria until the State Government was forced to reclaim control.
- Australasian Correctional Management (ACM) – is a private company owned by Wackenhut, which ran Australia’s immigration detention centres until 2003.
- Australian Integrated Management Services (AIMS) – recently lost the Acacia Prison contract in WA due to serious under performance and budget blow-outs.
- Serco – a British company that has been criticised in the UK for running prisons with appalling disciplinary and safety records.
The Risks
- Frequent escapes are commonplace.
In the case of the Victorian Metropolitan Woman’s Correctional Centre, the Government was forced to take control of the prison after repeated escapes, severe contract breaches including inadequate staffing, a lack of proper security services, rampant illicit drugs and excessive lockdowns.
- Assaults increase.
A 2001 US Department of Justice study showed that in comparable prisons, private facilities had a 49 per cent higher assault rate on staff and a 65 per cent higher assault rate on other prisoners.
- Higher likelihood of prisoner recidivism.
Recent research demonstrates that private prison inmates have a significantly greater risk of committing more crimes after release than those in public prisons.
- More complaints.
Junee Prison in NSW, which is run by GEO Group, has consistently been the subject of significantly more complaints to the Ombudsman than any other correctional facility in the state.
- Private prisons perform poorly.
Thursday, 11 September 2008
Update on the Electricity Sell-off
With the recent turmoil in NSW Government, there was some uncertainty as to whether the new Rees/ Tebbutt ALP government would continue with the policy of selling off the electricity it inherited from the Iemma/ Costa circus. On September 5, Nathan Rees indicated that he intended to follow through with the sale of the retail arm of the power industry.
Since then, Unions NSW asked the Power to the People group to call off a rally it had planned on September 20, which has now been replaced with a large campaigning stall and a speak out/ media stunt outside of Parliament on September 23, the first sitting day of the Parliamentary session.
On September 9, the Employment & Industrial Relations, Industry & Infrastructure and Finance & Economic committees of the ALP (comprising representatives of around twenty ALP-affiliated unions) met to consider the issue, and have reaffirmed their opposition to the sell-off.
The next meeting which will have a bearing on the direction of the campaign against the sell-off is this Friday, September 12, when the NSW ALP Administrative Committee meets, and which, according to assistant-secretary Luke Foley (August 29 edition of Stateline) will decide on “whether that plan complies with the ALP platform”.
The Wombats will keep everyone informed of developments as they unfold (see below for upcoming actions).
NEW MODEL MOTION
(Note: This motion has already been carried unanimously by the Concord Hospital Banch of the NSW Nurses Association)
Stop the Sell-Off
This meeting of ______________________ (union/workplace/organisation) calls on the NSW State Government, the Premier and cabinet to respect the opinions of 86% of people in NSW, and to abandon, once and for all, any plans to privatise NSW electricity (including retail, generation and distribution).
We express our concern with recent media reports that the sell-off of electricity retail may still be on the government's agenda, and we commit to active solidarity and support with the continuing union and community campaign against the sell-off.
While affirming our opposition to the sell-off of electricity retail, we also acknowledge the threats against other public services such as transport, including Sydney Ferries, rail maintenance, roads, and water, and commit to support an ongoing campaign to save our public services and to keep them in public hands.
Moved by: _____________________________
Seconded by: ___________________________
FURTHER INFORMATION
Upcoming activities:
Saturday September 20 - Power to the People stall, collection of petitions, banner-signing from 11am at Town Hall Square
Monday, September 22 - Next Meeting of Power to the People. 6pm, level 1, AMWU Council Room, Tom Mann Building, Devonshire St, City.
Tuesday, September 23 - Power to the People lunchtime action outside NSW Parliament on the first day of sitting.
Telephone Colin Drane on 0419 698 396 for further information
Monday, 8 September 2008
The Wollongong Democracy Charter
Wollongong Against Corruption, a grass-roots democracy organisation in the Illawarra, has released a draft Charter for Ethics and Good Governance,which they are panning to launch at a mass community rally in Wollongong on September 13.
While the rest of New South Wales will be tottering out of bed, down the street, through the coffee-shop and into the polling booth to vote in the local government elections on Saturday, September 13, Wollongong and Shellharbour residents, along with residents of a few other councils around the state, have the option of a long sleep-in.
The Wollongong council was sacked in March after corruption allegations began to hit home, and neighbouring Shellharbour council followed suit in July. Both councils are under administration, appointed by the (ever-so-popular, and not at all corrupt or inept) NSW State Government. As a consequence, local residents have had their democratic rights 'waived' until 2012, when they will be allowed to vote for a new council. In shorthand? ALP corruption = punish the electorate.
The local response? Well, WAC (and the local community) are revving-up to demand more, not less, democracy, and a royal commission into the corruption and filth that the local council had been mired in. To this end, and to begin putting their demands coherently, WAC has prepared the Charter to be launched this Saturday. There is also a good interview in the latest Green Left Weekly with Graham Larcombe, the secretary of Wollongong Against Corruption, which ends with this quote from Larcombe which I think is particularly useful:
The full text of the Charter (an excerpt of which is reproduced below), as well as more information about WAC, can be found on their website.
*************************************
4 Principles of the Charter
The basic principles of good governance to be asserted are:
(i) Decentralization of decision making. The Charter aims to deepen community democracy by empowering people at grass roots levels to participate in key decisions. More resources and functions would be channeled to the smallest or lowest competent authority. It is proposed to establish Community Democracy Forums (CDFs) to represent community interests in relation to local and city-wide issues, and to ensure that communities are fully engaged in Council’s decision-making process. Major decisions will be taken by Council only after a decentralised process of deliberation and dialogue. We proposed that CDF’s be established by a democratically elected Council. Community Democracy Forums will be involved in the preparation of local plans, budgets, rate changes and comments on major development approvals.
In Wollongong the NSW Government is seeking to slow down the return to democracy by appointing Administrators for four years, with no program of achievement milestones that could reduce the time. On the other hand, the Administrators are hastening the gazettal of a draft Local Environmental Plan (LEP), which was drawn up by a Council at a time when there was strong influence of “systematic corruption” over the local planning process. This Charter asserts that we should hasten the return to democracy and require a democratically elected Council to oversee wide-ranging consultations and input from newly established Community Democracy Forums that could then embody the visions of the broader Wollongong community.
(ii) Authority of the community in the decision-making process – i.e. the requirement that relevant development decisions above a certain level of funding and impact must be made available for review to relevant Community Democracy Forums. Submissions and recommendations from Community Democracy Forums must be carefully considered by Council, with written reasons provided if the community view is rejected.
(iii) Transparency of process Any community consultations by Council must produce minutes that are easily accessible to the community, and all decision-making meeting records must be freely available to the public;
(iv) Accountability of officials Public servants must be required to answer community proposals in writing and to ensure transparency of meetings. Sanctions are required for any official who deviates from the principles of the community consultation process, or who either accepts or does not report corrupt benefits or practices associated with Council decisions; accountability of officials requires adequate training to ensure they fully understand their responsibilities;
(v) Appeal processes The community requires an Office to respond to appeals for due process in decisions by Council that affect them, or against corrupt practices; and appeals from officials against whom sanctions may have been levied for deviation from community engagement responsibilities or for engagement in or non-reporting of corrupt practices.
5 Strategic directions to strengthen community democracy
The Charter proposes a number of initiatives which we will work with others to implement in our campaign to return democracy to our city, to improve ethical standards, to reduce corruption and to deepen participation of residents in the running of our city.
Decentralisation of Decisions
1 Establishment of action-based Community Democracy Forums
Council should support and invest in the establishment of Community Democracy Forums across the city. These Forums are the centerpiece of community democracy. They aim to empower and inform the community and reduce corruption. These Forums are much more than consultative forums. The latter are often cynically used to create a façade of community consultation. It would be mandatory for elected Councilors to respond to submissions from Community Democracy Forums.
These Forums should be required to work towards consensus through deliberation. They must give particular attention to giving a voice to those who have not been listened to. They should elect delegates to present neighbourhood and local views to Council. They must be provided with resources to increase community awareness, capacity building and local research. They must aim to empower residents to make inputs into strategic visions, Local Environment Plans, strategic plans, capital works priorities and rates. They must give attention to redistribution and city wide side solutions.
2 Extension of Independent Hearing Assessment Panels
The Charter supports Independent Hearing Assessment Panels (IHAP), which are being introduced in Wollongong by the Administrators and elsewhere across the state. They make use of expert independent specialists such as planners and lawyers. They are designed to reduce lobbying by developers and provide a check on undue influence on decision making. They make recommendations to Council and include community representation. IHAPs should be strengthened by strengthening community representation. Major and controversial assessments would include representation from elected representatives of Community Democracy Forums. Representatives of the Forums should be encouraged to be present at all hearings and make submissions to Council.
3 Determination of ward boundaries
Most Councilors represent wards. The establishment of ward boundaries can be changed from time to time to reflect local demographic change. In Councils, boundary changes to wards are drawn up by bureaucrats, following guidelines provided by the State Electoral Office, in consultation with elected representatives. The community must have confidence that ward boundaries are drawn up completely impartially and are free from political interference. An independent electoral specialist and/or statistician should be involved in reviewing any changes to ward boundaries before any recommendations are put to Council, whilst their independent assessment must be tabled along with the recommended change to ward boundaries.
Authority of the Community
4 Improving Council organisation design
Council in-door and out-door workers are employees of the community. They have a right to good wages and conditions and to be given opportunities for career advancement. They are encouraged to be active union members and hold a privileged and respected position in the community. They constantly interact with residents and they are an important asset to our community.
We propose that Council organizational structure should shift from a hierarchical and silo culture to a flatter structure that encourages greater responsibility of Council employees to work in team thats engages with and interacts with communities. The prime focus of Council workers should be on delivering economic, social and environmental outcomes to communities, with priorities for disadvantaged communities.
5 Community empowerment partnerships
Council has a key role in encouraging partnerships with different groups to strengthen the groups’ inputs into the future of the city. Council should aim to incorporate the perspectives of interested specific community groups such as indigenous, ethnic and youth groups into Council’s key strategic plans. Towards this end, Council should encourage and resource initiatives by such groups where they are seeking to develop solutions to key community concerns, the purpose of this support being to strengthen the groups’ ability to contribute.
Transparency of Process
6 Freedom of information
All residents are entitled to freedom of information. Public access to information should be available at no cost (except printing costs). We have too many cases where the public is denied access to information which is collected by public servants, paid for by the general public, and yet denied to the general public. In all cases where information is withheld Council must convince the Ombudsman (or, if established, an Office for Ethics and Good Governance) of reasons why information requested by the public should not be available to them.
Accountability of Officials
In Wollongong and NSW the democratic process by which Members are elected has largely been hijacked. The party pre-selection process guarantees that small, powerful and usually factional groups determine who their candidates are, who they will represent and how they will act. This is the antithesis of democracy. We believe that the Australian Labor Party, which has had a dominant position in all tiers of government in our city, must demonstrate that candidates are genuinely chosen on their merits through a genuine democratic process, as should any political party employing a pre-selection process in other electorates.
7 Ban donations to political parties
Under proposed electoral disclosure amendments, donations to individuals must be declared, when developers submit development applications to Council. But donations to political parties do not have to be disclosed when developers submit applications. Democracy would be strengthened if developer donations were banned altogether. In the interim all donations to political parties by developers in Wollongong should be disclosed when they are submitting a development application.
8 Financial statements of elected representatives
Like most citizens we want major donations to political parties and candidates banned. Our experience has taught us that there must be close scrutiny of the financial affairs of elected representatives, political parties and senior public servants. This includes assets, loans, business partnerships and relationships, donations and gifts.
9 Continuous learning
All Councilors and staff must be aware of their rights and responsibilities, including statutory requirements under ICAC, Local Government Act and Environmental Planning Assessment Act. Council must have a commitment to continuous training of Councilors and staff in anti-corruption, administration, planning legislation, community empowerment and budget management.
10 Protection of public servants
The General Manager and senior managers must be fully independent and free from political interference. They must be able to offer advice without fear or favour. Public servants in Wollongong must be guaranteed a right to free speech when they are exposing corruption, mismanagement and wastage, and to facilitate the public’s right to know.
Appeal Process
11 Office for Ethics and Good Governance
We propose that an Office for Ethics and Good Governance, headed by an independent Director, be established in Wollongong Council. The establishment of the Office would coincide with the return to democracy in Wollongong. The Office would replace the three Administrators. The Director would report to the General Manager, elected Councilors and the Director General of the Department of Local Government.
The Office should exist for three years, with a sunset clause. We believe it could be developed in other localities that have experienced systemic corruption. The aim of the Office would be to:
12 Third Party Appeals
Wollongong Council should advocate for the introduction of third party appeals in relation to development. The NSW Government should introduce legislation to provide for third party appeals. Currently residents cannot go to the Land and Environment Court to have the merits of a decision reconsidered. At most, residents can mount expensive legal challenges. According to leading planner John Mant, most states have third party merit appeals, with an independent body reviewing a case and coming to cost effective decisions. To protect the integrity of the process, costs could be awarded against frivolous appeals.
6 A broader agenda for change
The Wollongong Charter is about deepening community democracy in Wollongong. We believe the vision and principles will resonate with other communities across NSW. We will work with other communities to deepen democracy across the state. We recognise there are also national issues, particularly associated with the need for the Commonwealth to recognise local government in the Constitution and for national and state governments to provide a more secure resource base for local government. This would reduce pressure on Councils to develop close relationships with developers. The lessons of the Wollongong Council corruption experience have taught us to campaign for major changes at the State level. Proposed reforms include:
While the rest of New South Wales will be tottering out of bed, down the street, through the coffee-shop and into the polling booth to vote in the local government elections on Saturday, September 13, Wollongong and Shellharbour residents, along with residents of a few other councils around the state, have the option of a long sleep-in.
The Wollongong council was sacked in March after corruption allegations began to hit home, and neighbouring Shellharbour council followed suit in July. Both councils are under administration, appointed by the (ever-so-popular, and not at all corrupt or inept) NSW State Government. As a consequence, local residents have had their democratic rights 'waived' until 2012, when they will be allowed to vote for a new council. In shorthand? ALP corruption = punish the electorate.
The local response? Well, WAC (and the local community) are revving-up to demand more, not less, democracy, and a royal commission into the corruption and filth that the local council had been mired in. To this end, and to begin putting their demands coherently, WAC has prepared the Charter to be launched this Saturday. There is also a good interview in the latest Green Left Weekly with Graham Larcombe, the secretary of Wollongong Against Corruption, which ends with this quote from Larcombe which I think is particularly useful:
“Just protesting is not sufficient”, Larcombe said. “We need to think strategically about alternatives … We’re looking for ways to link up with other groups and community-based organisations to work towards this. People have concluded that the political model in NSW is bankrupt and very sordid … This community has decided we need to do something about it and that’s a really powerful thing.”
The full text of the Charter (an excerpt of which is reproduced below), as well as more information about WAC, can be found on their website.
*************************************
4 Principles of the Charter
The basic principles of good governance to be asserted are:
(i) Decentralization of decision making. The Charter aims to deepen community democracy by empowering people at grass roots levels to participate in key decisions. More resources and functions would be channeled to the smallest or lowest competent authority. It is proposed to establish Community Democracy Forums (CDFs) to represent community interests in relation to local and city-wide issues, and to ensure that communities are fully engaged in Council’s decision-making process. Major decisions will be taken by Council only after a decentralised process of deliberation and dialogue. We proposed that CDF’s be established by a democratically elected Council. Community Democracy Forums will be involved in the preparation of local plans, budgets, rate changes and comments on major development approvals.
In Wollongong the NSW Government is seeking to slow down the return to democracy by appointing Administrators for four years, with no program of achievement milestones that could reduce the time. On the other hand, the Administrators are hastening the gazettal of a draft Local Environmental Plan (LEP), which was drawn up by a Council at a time when there was strong influence of “systematic corruption” over the local planning process. This Charter asserts that we should hasten the return to democracy and require a democratically elected Council to oversee wide-ranging consultations and input from newly established Community Democracy Forums that could then embody the visions of the broader Wollongong community.
(ii) Authority of the community in the decision-making process – i.e. the requirement that relevant development decisions above a certain level of funding and impact must be made available for review to relevant Community Democracy Forums. Submissions and recommendations from Community Democracy Forums must be carefully considered by Council, with written reasons provided if the community view is rejected.
(iii) Transparency of process Any community consultations by Council must produce minutes that are easily accessible to the community, and all decision-making meeting records must be freely available to the public;
(iv) Accountability of officials Public servants must be required to answer community proposals in writing and to ensure transparency of meetings. Sanctions are required for any official who deviates from the principles of the community consultation process, or who either accepts or does not report corrupt benefits or practices associated with Council decisions; accountability of officials requires adequate training to ensure they fully understand their responsibilities;
(v) Appeal processes The community requires an Office to respond to appeals for due process in decisions by Council that affect them, or against corrupt practices; and appeals from officials against whom sanctions may have been levied for deviation from community engagement responsibilities or for engagement in or non-reporting of corrupt practices.
5 Strategic directions to strengthen community democracy
The Charter proposes a number of initiatives which we will work with others to implement in our campaign to return democracy to our city, to improve ethical standards, to reduce corruption and to deepen participation of residents in the running of our city.
Decentralisation of Decisions
1 Establishment of action-based Community Democracy Forums
Council should support and invest in the establishment of Community Democracy Forums across the city. These Forums are the centerpiece of community democracy. They aim to empower and inform the community and reduce corruption. These Forums are much more than consultative forums. The latter are often cynically used to create a façade of community consultation. It would be mandatory for elected Councilors to respond to submissions from Community Democracy Forums.
These Forums should be required to work towards consensus through deliberation. They must give particular attention to giving a voice to those who have not been listened to. They should elect delegates to present neighbourhood and local views to Council. They must be provided with resources to increase community awareness, capacity building and local research. They must aim to empower residents to make inputs into strategic visions, Local Environment Plans, strategic plans, capital works priorities and rates. They must give attention to redistribution and city wide side solutions.
2 Extension of Independent Hearing Assessment Panels
The Charter supports Independent Hearing Assessment Panels (IHAP), which are being introduced in Wollongong by the Administrators and elsewhere across the state. They make use of expert independent specialists such as planners and lawyers. They are designed to reduce lobbying by developers and provide a check on undue influence on decision making. They make recommendations to Council and include community representation. IHAPs should be strengthened by strengthening community representation. Major and controversial assessments would include representation from elected representatives of Community Democracy Forums. Representatives of the Forums should be encouraged to be present at all hearings and make submissions to Council.
3 Determination of ward boundaries
Most Councilors represent wards. The establishment of ward boundaries can be changed from time to time to reflect local demographic change. In Councils, boundary changes to wards are drawn up by bureaucrats, following guidelines provided by the State Electoral Office, in consultation with elected representatives. The community must have confidence that ward boundaries are drawn up completely impartially and are free from political interference. An independent electoral specialist and/or statistician should be involved in reviewing any changes to ward boundaries before any recommendations are put to Council, whilst their independent assessment must be tabled along with the recommended change to ward boundaries.
Authority of the Community
4 Improving Council organisation design
Council in-door and out-door workers are employees of the community. They have a right to good wages and conditions and to be given opportunities for career advancement. They are encouraged to be active union members and hold a privileged and respected position in the community. They constantly interact with residents and they are an important asset to our community.
We propose that Council organizational structure should shift from a hierarchical and silo culture to a flatter structure that encourages greater responsibility of Council employees to work in team thats engages with and interacts with communities. The prime focus of Council workers should be on delivering economic, social and environmental outcomes to communities, with priorities for disadvantaged communities.
5 Community empowerment partnerships
Council has a key role in encouraging partnerships with different groups to strengthen the groups’ inputs into the future of the city. Council should aim to incorporate the perspectives of interested specific community groups such as indigenous, ethnic and youth groups into Council’s key strategic plans. Towards this end, Council should encourage and resource initiatives by such groups where they are seeking to develop solutions to key community concerns, the purpose of this support being to strengthen the groups’ ability to contribute.
Transparency of Process
6 Freedom of information
All residents are entitled to freedom of information. Public access to information should be available at no cost (except printing costs). We have too many cases where the public is denied access to information which is collected by public servants, paid for by the general public, and yet denied to the general public. In all cases where information is withheld Council must convince the Ombudsman (or, if established, an Office for Ethics and Good Governance) of reasons why information requested by the public should not be available to them.
Accountability of Officials
In Wollongong and NSW the democratic process by which Members are elected has largely been hijacked. The party pre-selection process guarantees that small, powerful and usually factional groups determine who their candidates are, who they will represent and how they will act. This is the antithesis of democracy. We believe that the Australian Labor Party, which has had a dominant position in all tiers of government in our city, must demonstrate that candidates are genuinely chosen on their merits through a genuine democratic process, as should any political party employing a pre-selection process in other electorates.
7 Ban donations to political parties
Under proposed electoral disclosure amendments, donations to individuals must be declared, when developers submit development applications to Council. But donations to political parties do not have to be disclosed when developers submit applications. Democracy would be strengthened if developer donations were banned altogether. In the interim all donations to political parties by developers in Wollongong should be disclosed when they are submitting a development application.
8 Financial statements of elected representatives
Like most citizens we want major donations to political parties and candidates banned. Our experience has taught us that there must be close scrutiny of the financial affairs of elected representatives, political parties and senior public servants. This includes assets, loans, business partnerships and relationships, donations and gifts.
9 Continuous learning
All Councilors and staff must be aware of their rights and responsibilities, including statutory requirements under ICAC, Local Government Act and Environmental Planning Assessment Act. Council must have a commitment to continuous training of Councilors and staff in anti-corruption, administration, planning legislation, community empowerment and budget management.
10 Protection of public servants
The General Manager and senior managers must be fully independent and free from political interference. They must be able to offer advice without fear or favour. Public servants in Wollongong must be guaranteed a right to free speech when they are exposing corruption, mismanagement and wastage, and to facilitate the public’s right to know.
Appeal Process
11 Office for Ethics and Good Governance
We propose that an Office for Ethics and Good Governance, headed by an independent Director, be established in Wollongong Council. The establishment of the Office would coincide with the return to democracy in Wollongong. The Office would replace the three Administrators. The Director would report to the General Manager, elected Councilors and the Director General of the Department of Local Government.
The Office should exist for three years, with a sunset clause. We believe it could be developed in other localities that have experienced systemic corruption. The aim of the Office would be to:
- Strengthen and implement corruption prevention measures.
- Implement ethical standards and protocols.
- Provide compulsory ethics and good governance training programs for newly elected Councilors and staff.
- Receive and report on complaints from the community and Council employees.
- Encourage community participation in good governance.
- Be accountable by providing an annual report highlighting individual and systemic ethical and good governance problems with solutions.
12 Third Party Appeals
Wollongong Council should advocate for the introduction of third party appeals in relation to development. The NSW Government should introduce legislation to provide for third party appeals. Currently residents cannot go to the Land and Environment Court to have the merits of a decision reconsidered. At most, residents can mount expensive legal challenges. According to leading planner John Mant, most states have third party merit appeals, with an independent body reviewing a case and coming to cost effective decisions. To protect the integrity of the process, costs could be awarded against frivolous appeals.
6 A broader agenda for change
The Wollongong Charter is about deepening community democracy in Wollongong. We believe the vision and principles will resonate with other communities across NSW. We will work with other communities to deepen democracy across the state. We recognise there are also national issues, particularly associated with the need for the Commonwealth to recognise local government in the Constitution and for national and state governments to provide a more secure resource base for local government. This would reduce pressure on Councils to develop close relationships with developers. The lessons of the Wollongong Council corruption experience have taught us to campaign for major changes at the State level. Proposed reforms include:
- Amendment of the ICAC Act to make it mandatory that public servants report possible corrupt behaviour, not only to their Principal Officer – such as a General Manager – but also report directly to ICAC itself.
- Development of new planning and environment legislation in NSW to make communities the centerpiece of the planning system, and to specifically repeal Part 3A legislation which provides the NSW government with interventionist powers in relation to local planning matters.
- Amendment of the Local Government Act to insist that the Minister must specify a timetable for local government elections when a Council is sacked. A Minister should call for elections within three months of sacking a Council and outline steps to strengthen local democracy. Administrators should be provided with benchmarks and milestones in addressing corruption and its sources.
- Broadening of Defamation Laws by introducing a “public figure” test which provides greater protection to free speech and criticism of public figures.
Saturday, 6 September 2008
Vote 1 Socialist Alliance on September 13
Socialist Alliance How-To-Votes for NSW Council elections on Saturday September 13:
Blacktown Council (Ward 3):
http://www.socialist-alliance.org/page.php?page=786
Marrickville Council (North Ward):
http://www.socialist-alliance.org/page.php?page=788
Newcastle Council (Ward 3 and Mayor):
http://www.socialist-alliance.org/page.php?page=787
Friday, 5 September 2008
NSW power sell-off: Iemma & Costa dumped, but what about the policy?
Dick Nichols
Following the August 28 decision of the NSW Labor government to implement its "Plan B" privatisation of the state’s three electricity retailers, tensions within the Labor Party reached breaking point.
Faction leaders, MPs and party administrators, already scrambling for a circuit breaker in the long-running power sell-off dispute, went into overdrive as electricity workers from the retail sector struck for three days. Ben Kruse, secretary of the United Services Union (the main union covering the sector) commented: "There are so many problems with this arrangement that it should not go ahead".
On August 29, NSW ALP assistant-secretary Luke Foley told the ABC's Stateline that a “special committee” to investigate the Premier's new plan would report to a September 12 meeting of the party's Administrative Committee on "whether that plan complies with the ALP platform".
Of course, it doesn't. The May ALP state conference resolution that voted down electricity privatisation by 702 to 107 opposes the sell-off of any part of the power industry. As Bernie Riordan, the NSW ALP president and state secretary of the NSW branch of the Electrical Trades Union said at the time: "The policy of the party has been set by the conference and that's what must be adhered to."
In the end the only circuit breaker with a chance of working had to be treasurer Michael Costa’s dumping from cabinet. Premier Morris Iemma was made to realise that there would no chance of his remaining premier or of Labor winning the 2011 state poll if his provocative and arrogant treasurer remained. But shortly after Costa announced his resignation, Iemma himself resigned as premier! He is to be replaced by former water minister Nathan Rees.
September 20: Power to the People rally
Power to the People (which is a coalition of ALP members, unions, the Greens, Uniting Church groups, Socialist Alliance, Solidarity and environmental and community groups against the sell-off of the power industry in New South Wales) has confirmed that the September 20 rally against privatisation of electricity will go ahead. It will also be a rally against privatisation of ferries, water, rail, prisons...
Rally details:
11am, Saturday September 20
Sydney Town Hall Square
The pressure began building before the government’s August 28 defeat over the power sell-off in parliament. Backbench MPs from the Centre Unity (right) faction, many of whom face political extinction in their outer-metropolitan Sydney marginal seats, had had enough.
One of them told the August 25 Australian: "We're sending a team to let Morris know what backbenchers think, as opposed to what so-called powerbrokers [like Joe Tripodi and Eddie Obied] think. The delegation will be expressing support for him, but putting other points of view regarding Michael Costa's role in the scheme of things...If there was a quarter of an inch of give, and Costa was seen getting wacked over the head, the unions would readily acquiesce."
On September 4, Deputy Speaker Tony Stewart said that Costa had "made comments publicly on numerous occasions that he would resign if he doesn't get his way and I'm saying he should put his actions where his mouth is."
Stewart was backed by many cabinet ministers. Even Labor grandees like former prime minister Paul Keating—who backs electricity privatisation and ridiculed the ALP state conference vote—told Iemma that he could no longer afford loyalty to Costa if Labor was to have any chance of saving the privatisation policy.
But will the end of Iemma and Costa also bring the sell-off of the electricity retailers to an end (and mean a complete victory for the opponents of electricity privatisation)? Powerful pressure is now being brought within the ALP apparatus for a “compromise” solution. Luke Foley himself said on August 29 that “I am confident that we can resolve the issue of electricity policy and once we resolve that there will be complete unity again. The issue of generation is always the one that has attracted the most heat within the Labor Party.”
Similar pressure is coming from senior federal minister Anthony Albanese (a supporter of large-scale private involvement in infrastructure): “I want to see the parliamentary party, as well as the organizational wing of the party, unite in a constructive fashion to move away from any recriminations that have occurred.”
It is not at all clear what the basis of a unity compromise solution might be. Costa's counterattack after losing the battle to sell off the state’s electricity generators was a mini-budget that would push a Jeff Kennett-style wave of privatisation into nearly all other areas of the public sector--ferries, water, Lotto, rail maintenance and lots more. Its message to the NSW union movement was: “You bastards have stopped me privatising electricity generation, so now I´ll privatise the rest.”
On the very day of Iemma and Costa's defeat the ratings agency Standard and Poors (which, unlike its rival Moody's, usually just reflects the NSW treasury line) also announced that it was placing NSW's credit rating "under review". This provoked a sell-off of NSW government debt, increasing the interest repayment burden.
Will new Premier Rees and his new treasurer now try to implement “Costaism without Costa”? Iemma has been at one with his treasurer on the content of electricity privatisation. Indeed, his attack on opposition leader Barry O'Farrell as an "economic vandal" (written in the Sydney Morning Herald when Fairfax journalists were on strike) underlined the message to NSW's appalled corporate elite that Labor in Macquarie Street remains "open for business" despite everything.
Iemma and Costa’s message for the big end of town has been clear: if the union movement and the ALP party machine persists in defending public ownership, the NSW economy will be made to suffer. If the NSW ALP and unions think that they can buck the trend of the last 40 years--where ALP governments state and federal have been able to implement the corporate agenda irrespective of ALP policy — they have another thing coming.
The stakes in this fight are beginning to look like those in the two other major crises in NSW ALP history--the conscription battles of the First World War (which led to the desertion to the conservatives of NSW ALP premier and conscription supporter William Holman), and the splits produced by the Great Depression and the Lang government's 1932 rejection of the federal Labor Scullin Plan (which involved cuts in salaries, pensions and government spending).
In both cases ALP policy came into conflict with the needs of majority sections of the ruling class (and the Labor politicians supporting them). In the first Holman presided over a Nationalist government until 1920, when the ALP was returned to power (and Holman lost his seat). In the second, eight years of factional warfare was needed before "Industrial Labor" (later known as "Heffron Labor") finally defeated "Lang Labor".
The battle lines of the next stage in the electricity privatisation war will be decided very soon. If the ALP Administrative Committee cracks on September 12 and "finds" that the privatisation of the retailers is in line with Labor policy, the ball will pass to Unions NSW. In such a case it must continue to defend retail electricity workers jobs (and ALP policy) against its recent allies in the fight against Macquarie Street.
The answer to this latest conundrum in the ongoing power privatisation saga will--once again--be most influenced by the one factor that the mainstream media never wants to acknowledge — the persistence of the ongoing community and union campaign against the sell-off.
The next step in that campaign is the September 20 Sydney “Power to the People” protest rally. The bigger that mobilisation, the greater the chance of burying electricity privatisation in NSW once and for all. The overwhelming public opposition to electricity privatisation has toppled the former premier and his hated treasurer. Let's press on for a total defeat of the privatisers!
Dick Nichols is the National Coordinator of the Socialist Alliance.Thursday, 3 July 2008
Socialists call for defiance of anti-democratic pope visit laws
July 2, 2008 The Socialist Alliance today called on all people wanting to show their concern about the positions of Pope Benedict XIV on issues like same sex-marriage, condom use and abortion to collectively ignore the New South Wales government’s new powers to arrest and fine people up to $5500 for “causing annoyance” to World Youth Day participants.
(The new regulations, which were quietly gazetted by deputy premier John Watkins last Friday, could make it a crime to wear a t-shirt with an anti-papal message and empower police and volunteers with the State Emergency Service and Rural Fire Service to stop a person engaging in conduct which “causes annoyance or inconvenience in a World Youth Day event”.)“The Iemma government has lost it”, Dick Nichols, the Socialist Alliance National Coordinator said. “Faced with a peaceful July 19 protest against Pope Benedict’s mediaeval positions on issues like condom use, the ministerial clique in Macquarie Street has introduced laws that would be laughable if they weren’t such a violation of civil liberties.
Pic: Socialist Alliance member Rachel Evans is one of the main organisers of the NoToPope Coalition protest during the pope visit
“The laws give police the right to ban propaganda and strip-search people at hundreds of sites across the city, including at bus stops and train stations, checking to see if they are wearing an ‘offensive’ t-shirt.
“With their draconian regulations Iemma and Co. have decided to prevent the possibility of a Chaser-style stunt against the Pope by becoming a permanent Chaser skit themselves”, he said.
“These rules were deliberately gazetted while the parliament wasn’t sitting, stifling debate and removing parliament’s right to block them. So let’s all get those t-shirts out that proclaim our support for women’s rights, same-sex marriage and safe sex,” Nichols stated. “And then let Iemma and Co. try to apply their buffoonish laws against us.”Nichols commented that the Iemma government was showing “weird” similarities to the autocratic and unanswerable papacy.
“Not content with pushing ahead with an electricity privatisation plan opposed by 80% of people in New South Wales Iemma’s comedy team has now introduced regulations opposed by 89% of respondents to an online Sydney Morning Herald poll.
“It is also spending around $86 million to support World Youth Day: whatever happened to the separation of church and state?”
The Socialist Alliance spokesperson predicted that “just like the heavy-handed police powers introduced in the lead up to APEC last year to intimidate people out of protesting, Iemma’s latest effort will have exactly the opposite effect to its intention. “Most rational people, including many Catholics, are opposed to the dangerous and antiquated policies of the Catholic hierarchy on condom use, abortion and homophobia. Now the Iemma government has attacked their freedom of expression they have a powerful additional motive to join the July 19 NoToPope Coalition protest”, he concluded.Contact: Dick Nichols 02 9690 2508 or 0433 390 872
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