Our local MP Anthony Albanese had a busy day last Thursday, with 100+ of you turning up on a work day to his office to say yes to the carbon price and support renewable energy not negative energy!
(Photos copyright 2011 Erland Howden – More photos up on flickr and on facebook).
Thanks and good work for coming along at such short notice! We were an enthusiastic and positive crowd, and a sharp contrast to the 300 anti-carbon tax protesters who arrived shortly after we left, attacking Albo, shouting angrily and even at one point, yanking Albo’s tie!
The media on the day focused on the heated scenes of the anti carbon-tax protesters, who carried a coffin labelled “democracy is dead”, booed loudly, hurled insults, and held signs proclaiming amongst other things that “tolerance is our demise”. Eventually, Albo addressed those assembled atop a milk crate, although his words were intermittently drowned out by the crowd – see Sky News video here and there’s a youtube video here.
We reckon Albo did bloody well to retain his composure given the abuse he copped, and we’re also pleased it didn’t deter him from announcing this week that the Government will be introducing the carbon price legislation into Parliament next Tuesday.
But we’re a little concerned that the renewable energy parts of the carbon price package are being delayed, given that renewable energy is one of the most significant ways that we can kickstart the transition to a clean energy future, and take action on climate change.
If you’re also happy to see the legislation being passed but want to know where the renewable energy bills are, let Albo know!
Email him at A.Albanese.MP@aph.gov.au to say “good on you, but let’s get some renewable energy happening ASAP to counter all that negative energy”! Or if you’re on twitter, tweet him at @AlboMP.
And from our state Government, we’re still facing some uncertain times for renewable energy with a fading solar industry thanks to Premier Barry O’Farrell slashing the feed-in tariff a few months back – and last month he also announced on talk-back radio that ‘if he had his way’ there would be no new wind projects approved in NSW! Our friends in Victoria aren’t doing much better with Premier Baillieu cracking down on the rules for wind energy projects.
Can you take two minutes to join us in telling Barry and Ted that this is just not on? Send them a clear message here.
This Thursday Tony Abbott’s fear campaign around the carbon tax will hit our very own inner west.
The NO carbon tax protesters are targeting our Federal member Anthony Albanese at 12 noon this Thursday after his comments that last weeks under-attended rally in Canberra was a “convoy of no consequence”.
Shock-jock Alan Jones is busy promoting their event – so it’s important we show that Australians and Inner Westies want climate action and a clean energy future by holding our own, alternative, positive event before hand.
JOIN Climate Action Newtown to counter Abbott’s fear campaign.
MEET at 11am Thursday 1st September, at Anthony Albanese’s office, 334a Marrickville Rd, Marrickville.
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT for renewables and climate action – we will have a big banner that reads “We want renewable energy not negative energy!”
BRING your smiling faces and clever placards!
We’ll leave solar panels and wind turbines in our wake and skedaddle before they arrive (mostly cause we want to avoid the sight of Alan Jones!).
RSVP on facebook here and see you there!
CEO leaves St Peters gas mine meeting early
ANGRY St Peters residents roundly booed the CEO of the energy company planning exploratory coal seam drilling in the suburb for his early exit from a public information session.
More than 200 people packed into St Peters Town Hall on August 16 to hear what Dart Energy representatives had to say about their plans for coal seam gas drilling at the Dial-A-Dump site in Holland St.
If you’re angered by this as well, join us and the Sydney Residents Against Coal Seam Gas to call on the NSW Government to prohibit CSG mining in Sydney until all water, health, and other environmental impacts are revealed.
CSG mining risks are enormous for urban Sydney: massive water contamination, land subsidence, air and surface contamination, fire hazards from leaks, and the production of more greenhouse emissions over 20 years than coal.
Rally at Camperdown Park, march down King St to the proposed drilling site, then speakers, music and food in Sydney Park – just 100m from the drilling site.
RSVP on facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=128983783863341.
For more info, ph: Jacinta 0425 207 180; Moira 0420 504 411; Paul 0410 629 088
Full text from http://inner-west-courier.whereilive.com.au/news/story/residents-rage-at-st-peters-gas-mine-meeting/
ANGRY St Peters residents roundly booed the CEO of the energy company planning exploratory coal seam drilling in the suburb for his early exit from a public information session.
More than 200 people packed into St Peters Town Hall on August 16 to hear what Dart Energy representatives had to say about their plans for coal seam gas drilling at the Dial-A-Dump site in Holland St.
SBS TV personality Costa Georgiadis presided over the meeting which started at 6pm and was scheduled to end at 8pm, but CEO Robert de Weijer said he had a plane to catch- later leaving the hall at 7.35pm.
He was loudly criticised by the crowd for his early departure, with some residents jumping up out of their chairs to chase him out of the building.
PHOTOS: See more from the meeting
Before leaving, Mr de Weijer told residents his company had no plans to drill at the St Peters site for the next two to three years. Even then, he said, drilling would only for exploration, not gas production, purposes.
“The wider Sydney area is not a priority for us as a company,” he said.
He was forced to respond to repeated allegations from the floor that his company lacked transparency and had failed to be honest with residents.
“Are we perfect? No we are not, but we are trying our best,” Mr de Weijer said.
During the fiery one-hour question and answer session, company officials confirmed they would apply to renew their Sydney exploration licence, which is due to expire in October. Sydney Residents Against Coal Seam Gas have been petitioning against the renewal.
Dart Energy Exploration Geologist Malcolm Bocking said urban mine sites set up in the 1990s at Everleigh and Bunnerong had run successfully and would be similar to the mine at St Peters.
“Understand that work like this has been done in Sydney before,” Mr Bocking said.
But his address only attracted more criticism from people in the audience, such as Pip Hinman from the Socialist Alliance,
“In 1993 the community were not aware of the potential disasters from coal seam gas mining,” Ms Hinman said.
“In 2011, the community is very aware of the disasters that come with the industry.”
Company officials said they supported calls for a public inquiry into coal seam gas mining but not a moratorium on mining licences.
Public relations staffers and legal representatives for Dart Energy attended the meeting.
Former Premier Kristina Keneally, Marrickville MP Carmel Tebbutt, and upper house Greens mining spokesman Jeremy Buckingham MLC were also there.
What they said:Dart CEO Robert de Weijer: “There is absolutely no need for fracking.”
Paul Benedek, SRACSG: “For you to say you support a public inquiry but not a moratorium is saying you don’t care. Your boss has just flown out of here – well we can’t fly out of here – these are our homes.”
Jeremy Buckingham, Greens MLC. “If [the 2km no mining zone] is good enough for Queensland then it’s up to Barry O’Farrell to protect the people of NSW and do the exact same thing here.”
Want to know more about the carbon price? Hear more and ask questions of Ministers Albanese and Combet at this upcoming climate change forum!
- When: Wednesday 3rd August, from 6.30pm
- Where: Petersham Town Hall (107 Crystal Street, Petersham, directions here).
Come along and tell Albo and Combet what you think!
From www.anthonyalbanese.com.au
Minister for Climate Change, Greg Combet, will discuss the Gillard Labor Government’s action on climate change at a forum in Petersham on August 3.
The forum will be hosted by Member for Grayndler Anthony Albanese and will provide an opportunity for residents of the Inner West to hear about the Government’s plan to put a price on carbon and to ask questions of the Minister.
“This forum will allow local residents to get past Tony Abbott’s dishonest fear campaign and hear the facts of why we need to take action on climate change,” said Mr Albanese.
“There will also be an opportunity to discuss the government’s tax reforms which will benefit low and middle income Australians.”
Mr Albanese said it was important for the Government to engage with the community and expressed his gratitude to Minister Combet for taking the time to visit this area.
“In 2009, we tried twice to put a price on carbon pollution but were blocked by opposition parties in the Senate,” said Mr Albanese.
“We can’t afford to lose another opportunity to put in place real solutions on climate change.”
The forum will be held at Petersham Town Hall on Wednesday 3 August starting at 6.30pm. People can RSVP by calling Mr Albanese’s office on 9564 3588.
Australia has just taken an historic first step in the right direction to reducing the nation’s carbon pollution and kick starting new investment in clean energy!
By now you’ll have all seen the big announcements about the carbon price – and whilst you’re probably being bombarded with headlines, analysis and political noise – we figured we’d share our thoughts so far, and let you all know what’s coming up next.
Overall we’re excited to see steps being taken in the right direction – the package isn’t perfect, and certainly not a silver bullet answer to climate change, but there is new money, new independent bodies and planning towards 100% renewable energy! In particular, we are excited about:
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A new independent Clean Energy Finance Corporation will invest $10 billion over 5 years, with $5 billion of that quarantined for measures to support renewable energy.
- A new independent Climate Change Authority (CCA) will take the politics out of climate change by setting Australia’s emission reduction targets based on the current science and international progress, for Parliament to approve.
- A new independent Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) will administer $3.7 billion of existing renewable energy programs to support innovation, job creation, research and development for renewable energy technologies.
- Funding to close down 2,000 megawatts of coal fired power stations (around 2 medium sized power stations) by 2020 – meaning we can finally close some Australia’s dirtiest coal fired power stations.
- The independent Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) will develop a plan and modeling for how the energy grid can deliver 100% renewable energy!
- $1 billion over six years to help our environment adapt to the impacts of climate change and to reduce our emissions by protecting forests from logging and establishing green corridors for our native wildlife.
- Lifting Australia’s 2050 emission reduction target from 60% to 80%.
Want a 2 minute explanation of how it will work? Check out this video from GetUp!
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, because there are a few things we’re not so happy about – for example big polluters (including coal fired power stations) are set to get billions of dollars in compensation under the scheme. And the minimum emissions reduction target by 2020 is still only 5%, which is nowhere near strong enough.
But we are glad that the talking is done – and now we need to make enough noise to make sure these promises get through Parliament to actually translate into action on the ground. And because the opposition and big polluters etc have already gone out fighting against these measures, we need to make sure we respond with a big show of support!
The most important thing you can do this week is help show a strong positive community response to this announcement. Here are some ideas:
- Write a letter the editor of the paper or call talkback showing your support for this renewable energy measure. See email and phone contacts and some talking points from the 100% Renewables campaign here.
- Write an email to our local MP to share your support for the renewable energy announcements. Email Albo’s on a.albanese.mp@aph.gov.au, and here are some ideas for what you might say.
- Post a message on your facebook (and ours!) showing your support for the renewable energy package!
Of course we’ve still got a long way to go to get to a truly low carbon 100% renewable energy powered future – and we’ll need your help over the next four months to make sure the new measures get into legislation but today we’ve made a good step towards that. And it’s thanks to the hundreds of you who’ve written letters, emails and made phone calls – like many thousands of others in local communities across the country – that we have won some really great outcomes for climate action and renewable energy.
We’ll be back in touch with further info on next steps for the coming months shortly – in the meantime, if you’re a keen letter-writer, phone-caller or flyerer, facebook or email us!
Yesterday, Climate Action Newtown presented the results of just under 1000 conversations on renewable energy with local residents to our MP, Anthony Albanese, asking him to unlock renewables, given the depth of community support. We’re now asking Albo to respond to all of you on these issues.
Conversation Results:
- 78% of residents feel the government is not doing enough to support the development of renewable energy like wind and solar.
- 93% think the government should be implementing strong policy to support new jobs and investment in renewable energy.
- 83% agree that more renewable energy should be introduced to help manage Australia’s energy prices.
- 90% of residents think Australia should develop a plan to move to 100% renewable energy.
- 78% agree that Australia should put a price on pollution as a incentive for renewable energy.
- 85% think that the government should stand up to polluting companies that claim that ‘investing in renewable energy is too expensive and too hard’.
Our conversations form part of the 14,000 conversations undertaken nationally by groups involved with the 100% Renewable campaign.
Read the 100% Renewables campaign full report here.
Photos from our presentation:
Messages to Minister Albanese
We also invited you all to ’send a message’ to our MP, which many of you took as an opportunity to ask for action and investment, and better representation of your concerns.
Get on with it!
- “The Government are not investing enough in renewable energy to create jobs and build the industry as a viable alternative.” Nick, Newtown
- “Act now before it’s too late, this issue is bigger than the next electoral cycle.” Justin, Enmore.
- “Man up and pull your finger out!” Ron, Enmore.
- “We need action now! It is the greatest moral challenge of our time!” Phil, Stanmore.
- “Take action now or there won’t be any future.” George, St Peters.
- “Please take a lead and guide Australia as much, as possible, into a cleaner energy production industry. Surely it can be done.” Marion, Sydenham.
Lead and represent us!
- “One of the key reasons you are in Government is because Australians want action now on climate change.” Martin, Newtown.
- “100% renewable energy is possible. The community wants 100% renewables. We demand action from all levels of government to make genuine policies to achieve this now.” Catherine, Newtown.
- “Lack of action on climate change will affect how I vote.” Annie, Marrickville.
- “More people are behind renewable energy than the government believe.” Nat, Newtown.
- “Listen to the people not corporates.” Denise, Ashfield.
Australia has clean renewable energy resources!
- “Aren’t you embarrassed that countries with less sun than us are doing more?” Joe, St Peters
- “We’re not utilising our resources!” Geoff, Dulwich Hill
- “We have the resources, why not use them?” Willis, Ashfield
- “Australia is perfect for solar – it’s a no brainer.” Eoin, Stanmore
The carbon price revenue must fund renewables!
- “Invest in the technology – the carbon tax must be reinvested in renewables.” Emma, Newtown.
- “We should have a price on pollution if a large amount goes to renewable energy.” Phillip, Stanmore.
- “Can’t put a price tag on our future!” Eloise, Newtown.
- “If carbon tax is a cash grab then it’s no good, but if it’s genuine, then it should be supported.” Gareth, Stanmore.
Stand up for the people and not the big polluters!
- “Corporations should be paying for pollution. Don’t give in to corporations.” Anthin, Marrickville
- “It’s time the government put the future first and not the mining industry.” Tahnee, Ashfield
- “Get serious about renewable energy and don’t be afraid of upsetting big industry. Time to lead.” Jess, Petersham
- “Do more research on science and stand up to polluting industries.” Rebecca, Marrickville.
Our doorknocking and market stall conversations have formed part of 14,000 conversations undertaken nationally by groups involved with the 100% Renewable campaign. Those 14,000 face-to-face conversations about renewable energy show overwhelming support for renewable energy among ordinary Australians.
Last week, representatives from the 100% Renewables campaign traveled to Canberra’s Parliament House to present their report on those 14,000 conversations to the members of the Multi-party Climate Change Committee.
Readthe 100% Renewables campaign full report here.
There are also more photos from the presentation and further discussion of the report on the 100% Renewable campaign facebook page.
You may have read the newspaper reports over the weekend and yesterday that say the next 48 hours of carbon price negotiations are crunch time. Today the Government, Greens and independents are sitting down again for their final stretch of negotiations.
Your successful efforts so far means that talk of a clean energy finance corporation is now on the table – a proposal that even weeks ago had no guarantee of getting interest.
But while this is a step in the right direction, Labor and the Greens are yet to agree on whether or not any money from the carbon price, even if it goes to a clean energy finance corporation, will fund renewable energy at all!
We want to ensure that the Climate Minister knows we are still expecting that the carbon price package will deliver for renewable energy. Can you ring and email Combet’s office today and let them know?
Minister for Climate Change Greg Combet
Canberra office: (02) 6277 7920
Email: greg.combet.mp@aph.gov.au
Suggested talking points for the call:
- We support the proposal to establish an independent finance fund with the carbon price package.
- However, the fund alone is not sufficient. It must have carbon price revenue committed to it – at least $2-3billion revenue each year as recommended by Professor Garnaut.
- The government needs to ensure the revenue stream is for renewable energy technology only. Not gas and not so called clean coal.
- Ensuring renewables in the carbon price deal will help win popular support so please stand up to the big polluters and make sure you invest in renewable energy.
Even if you’ve called before it would really help if today you could call again. If Combet gets hundreds of calls today, he will well and truly know the strength of community desire for renewable energy. If we don’t call, all he hears is the chorus of big industry and polluting companies trying to make sure any carbon price money raised goes back into their own pockets.
We’re on the home stretch here, now we just need to give them both barrels whilst we can!
After months of negotiations, the carbon price talks are at the pointy end, with negotiations now around whether Australia’s biggest polluters will start to take responsibility for their carbon pollution and whether Australia will begin the shift to a clean energy future.
During the carbon price negotiations you might have noticed Minister Combet and Treasurer Swan increasingly refer to the potential for the carbon price to deliver ‘clean energy’.
However, if you’re a keen observer you might also have noticed that when Minister Combet and Treasurer Swan talk about clean energy they mostly mean gas.
Gas is not clean energy. It is a finite resource, uses massive amounts of resources to extract and its continued exploration and expansion is increasingly threatening some of Australia’s most pristine environments.
Coal seam gas in particular is in no way clean – and poses a huge threat to our farmland, water tables, health and regional and rural way of life.
Renewable energy, on the other hand, is clean, safe and will never run out. Renewable energy uses the sun and the wind, hot rocks, waves and tides to create clean, safe power that will never run out. It is also the only source of power that gets cheaper the more we install it and therefore the only power source suitable for managing energy price rises in the short, medium and long term.
Putting a price on carbon could see billions of dollars of revenue raised from polluters and invested back into renewable energy. But it will require a commitment from our decision makers to see this happen.
Right now the government is pushing for money for a proposed finance corporation to go to gas and so-called “clean coal” instead of renewable energy. There is also still no committment for carbon price revenue being invested back into renewable energy.
Can you help us tell the government that the only source of clean energy is renewable energy – and that we want the carbon price to deliver renewables, not just more gas? Click here to add your voice so that our leaders hear our message.
And did you know…?
31 European countries have had a price on carbon since 2005!
And major US states such as California (which has a bigger economy than Australia) have moved to put a price on carbon pollution. China will run a pilot in key provinces, as part of its current five year plan, and India already has a coal tax that works similarly to a carbon price. Even NZ has already priced pollution!
Reducing pollution could create more than 770,000 extra jobs by 2030!
Research shows that Australia could create more than 770,000 extra jobs by 2030 by taking strong action now to reduce pollution. The jobs identified are not just “clean energy” jobs, but new jobs in traditional industries such as agriculture, mining, manufacturing and the services sector.
Source: ACTU & ACF, Creating Jobs – Cutting Pollution Report, 2010.
You won’t pay, big companies will.
A price on pollution is NOT a direct tax on you. It’s not like the GST and it won’t be added to your annual tax bill. It’s actually a tax levied on Australia’s 1,000 biggest polluting companies – to encourage them to stop putting carbon pollution into our skies and instead invest in cleaner ways to do business.
All from http://www.sayyesaustralia.org.au/learn/, and a more detailed fact sheet is available here.
So what can you do?
1. Join the Say Yes campaign online on facebook and twitter to check out the photos from the rallies around the country last Sunday, and be kept up to date with future activities.
2. Talk to your family, friends and co-workers!
Share the 7 good reasons poster shown above (download it here), and the more detailed fact sheet, print off the poster pack
3. Stay tuned!
