Posted by Steve on February 12, 2012
Greens MP Adam Bandt has criticised the ANZ Bank for hiking its loan rates by 6 basis points in defiance of the Reserve Bank decision to keep interest rates on hold.
Mr Bandt said the big banks were breaking their social contract with the Australian people.
Mr Bandt said the decision was also a serious challenge to monetary policy at a time when the economy is facing serious challenges from the global situation.
He said the government should now get behind the Greens’ bill to require banks to provide a tracker mortgage with rates that would rise and fall with the cash rate.
“The banks are breaking their social contract with the Australian people,” Mr Bandt said.
“The time for tough talking from the Treasurer and the Opposition is at an end. Now it’s time for action and the government should support the Greens’ bill to rein in excessive profiteering.”
“ANZ’s decision is also a challenge to monetary policy at a time when the global economy may mean action is needed.”
“Wayne Swan should not let ANZ get away with it.”
The Greens’ Banking and Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Mobility and Flexibility) Bill, currently before parliament, would force banks to provide loan products that track changes to the Reserve Bank cash rate and also make it easier for consumers to switch mortgages by changes to mortgage lenders insurance.
Posted by Jim McDonald on February 7, 2012
The Greens candidate for Noosa, Jim McDonald, called for the State Government to restore Unity Water assets to the Councils that developed them.
Dr McDonald said, “Ratepayers funds helped develop Noosa’s water supply and so it belongs to the community. It should never have been grabbed by the Bligh Government to be corporatised in preparation for selling off another public asset. Lake Macdonald was a Noosa Council project.
“Unity Water has done nothing but slug consumers and adopted practices that look more like a mafia operation: exhorbitant metre reading guesses and residents slugged for costs even if they are not connected to the grid are, frankly, unethical standover tactics.
“Separating Unity Water from the Council is also dysfunctional. Subsided trenches crossing Noosa’s streets remain unrepaired despite the Sunshine Coast Regional Council having just completed asphalt road repairs throughout Noosa.
“In one case, a subsided trench on Hill Street in Sunshine Beach lies unrepaired not 10 metres away from the recent round of resurfacing. The Council claims maintenance of the trenches is Unity Water’s responsibility.
“We can blame Labor for that nonsense. But what does the LNP propose? Their so-called “CanDo” policy States that Glen Elmes’ party will combine Unity Water into an even larger body, claiming it would be more efficient. What that will do is make it easier to sell it off to private enterprise and the LNP should come clean about their plans.
“Not being known for its consistency, the party that tries to tell us that the amalgamated Sunshine Coast Regional Council isn’t efficient for Noosa ratepayers argues for State centralisation of water assets developed by the Noosa Shire!
“In no case in Australia has the sale of publicly owned utilites resulted in cheaper prices for consumers whether they have been sold by Labor or Liberal/Nationals.
“Voters are entitled to straight answers from the LNP for their ultimate plans for Unity Water and other publicly-owned assets. Mr Elmes should come clean and state unambiguously that the LNP will return Noosa’s water assets to a reconstituted Noosa Council.
“The Greens are committed to retaining essential public services in public ownership to be run in the public interest.
“I will work in the Parliament for residents to get back Noosa Council control over the assets their rates paid for.”
Jim McDonald
Greens Candidate, Noosa
Media Release, 6 February 2012
Posted by Jim McDonald on January 25, 2012
The Greens candidate for Noosa, Dr Jim McDonald welcomed the announcement for an election date by Premier Anna Bligh, this morning.
Dr McDonald said that the LNP and Labor leaders had descended to a schoolyard level of debate on the election date.
“I have no doubt that the decision will be controversial concerning the decision to push back the Council elections, but people have been confused between coverage of State and local government elections.
“The Greens policy supports fixed terms and the adoption of that principle will take away the demeaning argy bargy that we have seen this week between Campbell Newman and Anna Bligh.
“However, the biggest problem we face in Queensland is that no party once in government seriously commits to any long term action planning.
“People often say to me that The Greens can never win government so it is a wasted vote. But voting for The Greens is a vote for the future. We must leave behind the dysfunctional ratbaggery that has characterised the Queensland Parliament and deal with long term issues beyond the three-year electoral cycle instead of short-term, populist programs.
“If I am elected to the Parliament for Noosa I can focus my contribution in representing Noosa on the solutions requiring long-term strategy and action, such as a commitment to the infrastructure planning and programs necessary to prepare for the effects of climate change in the region and economic prosperity for Noosa in the post-carbon economy.
“This is not something you ever hear from Mr Elmes or the Young Labor candidate from Brisbane.
“Because I am not constrained by the vested interests that support Labor and the LNP, my focus will be on the benefits for the whole of the electorate and the region rather than select groups and the coal and gas industries.”
Dr McDonald said, “The Noosa and Hinterland Greens Branch are organised and ready for the long campaign.”
Jim McDonald campaigning for the Greens
Jim McDonald
Greens Candidate Noosa
Media Release, 25 January 2012
Posted by Steve on November 8, 2011
Today is an historic day for Australia and a boost to global efforts to reduce emissions as the Senate passes the Clean Energy Future legislation, according to the Australian Greens.
“Today is the day that Australia lays the foundation for a whole economic transformation and it’s the day we start serious action to tackle the climate crisis,” Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.
“It is a day when the parliament placed the well being of future generations front and centre.
“This is an exciting day in Australia. Laying this foundation stone means it is the beginning of building a clean, zero carbon economy and seizing the opportunities of creating jobs and investment and putting our economy on a 21st century track.
“Where the old CPRS that we rejected was a full stop at the end of the campaign to tackle climate change, this package is an opening paragraph. We have a lot of work to do in the months and years ahead to make the best use of the opportunities we have created.
“But today is also the beginning of the end for Tony Abbott.
“We have had to put up with a 12 month scare campaign from Tony Abbott and the big polluters, based mostly on lies and exaggerations.
“All that negativity is now out the window. There will be a psychological shift in Australia as people see less tax coming out of their pay or more in their support payments and then look to see how they can positively contribute to the task of tackling the climate crisis.
“Tony Abbott staked his entire political career on destabilising the Gillard government and on defeating the legislation to put a price on carbon pollution.
“He has failed on both counts and, instead of standing and facing the music, he has cut and run.
“Australia can now celebrate the passage of this historic package of bills, seize the opportunities it presents, and hold our heads up high internationally as our efforts for the first time bolster global negotiations and help to support carbon prices around the world.
“I will be travelling to Durban to attend the upcoming Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change where Australia’s efforts will be welcomed and celebrated.”
Posted by Steve on September 12, 2011
Greens MP and employment and industry spokesperson Adam Bandt released terms of reference for a Joint Select Committee Inquiry into Australian jobs and manufacturing.
“If best the government can do on jobs is a one day talkfest than the manufacturing sector is in big trouble,” Mr Bandt said today.
“It is left to the Greens to put forward a proposal for a proper inquiry into manufacturing.”
“I will give notice today of motion to establish a joint select committee on Australian Jobs and Manufacturing.”
Inquiry into Australian Jobs and Manufacturing
That a Joint Select Committee on Australian Jobs and Manufacturing be appointed to inquire into and report on:
(a) the state of the country’s manufacturing sector and the threats to jobs and opportunities in the sector;
(b) the significant role of commodities exports in Australia’s economy and the impacts of this on the economy, including on costs of capital and labour, infrastructure investment and the value of the dollar;
(c) policies to support and encourage innovation and adaptation in the manufacturing sector including local content rules for the resources sector and government procurement; and
(d) any related matters.
Posted by Steve on September 6, 2011
The federal government should not featherbed the big mining corporations by rebating state royalties, and Barry O’Farrell should get his facts right on the carbon price, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.
“The Gillard government is in a bind over its feeble mining tax. Already, $100 billion is being lost over the next 10 years from the public purse. This is money which should be going to hospitals, housing, schools, dental care or developing high-speed rail,” Senator Brown said in Hobart.
“Mining company profits leapt 15.2 per cent to near $25 billion in the three months to June. The states have a right to increase royalties. But the Commonwealth is wrong to repay that money to the miners.
“As far as saying to the states, ‘well, you can’t increase royalties’, that again will cost the taxpayer. Ultimately, unless the government amends its own watered-down mining tax, we may end up with the federal taxpayer subsidising the states and the mining companies getting off scot-free.
“But Premier O’Farrell’s claims on the carbon tax don’t add up. The carbon pricing package negotiated by the Greens will be a boon for clean energy jobs in New South Wales,” Senator Brown said.
“New South Wales has enough clean energy potential to power 3,000,000 homes, remove pollution equivalent to 3,300,00 cars and create 6,600 jobs.”
Clean Energy Jobs in Regional Australia, Climate Institute, 1/3/2011
“It is also notable that both the New South Wales and Victorian modelling has nothing at all to say about the damage that unmitigated climate change would wreak on their economies,” Senator Brown said.
Posted by Steve on August 30, 2011
Greens MP and spokesperson on industry and innovation Adam Bandt has said that if the government will not establish an inquiry into manufacturing the Greens will.
The Greens will move for a Parliamentary inquiry into manufacturing in two weeks’ time when Parliament resumes.
“The mining boom and high dollar are hurting manufacturing and something needs to be done”, Mr Bandt said.
“A strong manufacturing industry is vital to our future prosperity and economic security. The government can’t sit on its hands.”
“If the government won’t establish an inquiry, Parliament should.”
“The inquiry should look at union proposals, which the Greens support, for local content rules and the problem of the high dollar.”
“The inquiry should also consider whether green manufacturing projects – like east coast high speed rail – could be prioritised. This would spread the benefits of the mining boom and give much needed support to the struggling manufacturing sector.”
“If Labor won’t back my motion, I hope the Coalition will.”
Posted by Jim McDonald on August 22, 2011
Good luck on Thursday, Drew.
There is no doubt about the immorality of CSG extraction and coalmining on productive land and in people’s homes, but the laws are not geared towards what is best for Australia’s food security, nor what is best for the aquifers and the Great Artesian Basin, nor for the atmosphere as methane leaks, nor for the destruction of family lives and the peace of communities. On these grounds alone you have an absolute reasonable excuse.
The work you have done for the farmers and communities of the Darling Downs is sowing seeds across the country sustained by your’s and the farmers courage to stand up against multi-nationals and Australian companies out for a fast buck whatever the damage they do.
Drew, you should be proud of what you have achieved for all of us in bringing the pernicious industrialisation of our land and its resources to the public consciousness. I am!
Jim McDonald
Posted by Steve on August 12, 2011
Reports today of the Coalition’s own expenditure review committee acknowledging it needs to find $70 billion of savings demonstrates how the Coalition under Tony Abbott is rapidly losing its economic credibility, Australian Greens leader Senator Bob Brown warned today.
“$70 billion of cuts to the budget during a period of increasing economic insecurity overseas will put thousands of small businesses and Australian jobs at risk.
“This is on top of the massive cuts to the public service we know are a certainty under an Abbott government,” said Senator Brown.
“The Coalition is also committed to a surplus for purely political purposes, yet has promoted unspecified tax cuts with no explanation of how they’ll pay for them. If the global economy takes another significant downturn this $70 billion hole would most certainly increase, and these reckless Coalition policies could send the economy into recession.
“Tony Abbott’s opposition to the carbon price and the mining tax – both of which are supported overwhelmingly by economists – would force ordinary Australians to foot a multi-billion dollar bill while leaving big polluters and wealthy foreign-owned mining companies free to continue to send their profits off shore,” said Senator Brown.
Posted by Steve on July 10, 2011
The Australian Greens, the Labor government and the Independent MPs today announced an historic agreement on a climate action package that will put a $23 per tonne price on carbon pollution, as was first proposed by the Greens, support householders and invest billions of dollars in clean, renewable energy.
This package, which the Greens have helped shape, is the first vital step towards tackling the climate crisis and building a cleaner, healthier, more secure Australia for all of us.
Major steps forward on emissions reduction targets, support for renewable energy, energy efficiency and landscape carbon, closing coal-fired power plants, limiting the use of international offsets and a floor price mean that pollution cuts that were pushed into the distant future under the government’s original plans will now be pulled forward into the next few years.
While a climate action package designed by the Greens would have been more ambitious straight away, what we have achieved is a firm foundation for the future. Where the Rudd government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme acted as a ceiling on action, constraining our efforts for decades to come, this carbon price package acts as a platform on which stronger action can be built in the years ahead.
The carbon price agreement:
• Lifts Australia’s 2050 emissions target to 80%, lays the foundations for science-based climate action in the coming years and supports the effort to reach an ambitious global climate agreement;
• invests $10 billion in renewable energy, establishes ARENA, supports energy efficiency and starts planning for a 100% renewable energy future;
• helps the most vulnerable Australians;
• will begin to close coal-fired power stations and prevents the building of new commercial coal-fired power stations;
• ensures that emission intensive industry compensation will be based on rigorous independent analysis as soon as possible;
• limits the use of international offsets;
• begins to shift transport onto a cleaner base;
• makes voluntary action to cut emissions count; and
• invests $1.7 billion in protecting biodiversity and supporting farmers.
The Greens put climate action back on the political agenda after a federal election campaign during which it was a low priority for both Labor and the Coalition. By establishing a Multi-Party Climate Change Committee to deliver a carbon price as a condition for Julia Gillard to continue as Prime Minister, and by negotiating strongly and in good faith, the Greens have delivered a truly transformative package for the Australian community, economy and climate.
With this first step agreed, the Greens will continue to campaign for the much stronger action we need to effectively and efficiently tackle the climate crisis.
We acknowledge and respect the traditional owners of this country and the land on which we stand