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.
Posted by Steve on July 7, 2011
Greens MP and banking spokesperson Adam Bandt has released a new banking bill that will ensure direct debits and credits follow customers when they switch banks, making it easier for consumers to move their accounts.
The Banking and Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Mobility and Flexibility) Bill 2011 contains a mechanism for account portability. If a customer asks, banks will be required to forward all direct debits and credits to the customer’s new bank for 13 months after they switch.
The bill will also include requirements that banks issue a pro-rata refund of lenders mortgage insurance when consumers switch loans and ensure people can make an informed choice before rolling over term deposits.
“The Greens Bill will mean direct debits and credits automatically follow customers when they switch banks, if the customer so chooses” Mr Bandt said.
“A customer’s old and new banks will have to make sure there is a seamless changeover.”
“This will remove a big barrier to switching accounts and help businesses who can lose out when their customers change banks.”
“This bill is an important step towards full account portability.”
“Mortgage insurance can cost thousands of dollars. If someone wants to switch banks, they lose that money and have to pay it again to their new bank.”
“The Greens Bill will require banks at the start of a mortgage to tell people they are entitled to a pro-rata refund if they leave their mortgage early. If customers do switch mortgages, their old bank will be required to give the customer a pro-rata refund of the unused insurance premium, removing a big barrier to switching mortgages.”
Posted by Steve on July 1, 2011
Responding to a report today on lucrative contracts awarded to consultants from the overseas aid budget (Daily Telegraph, “Foreign advisers raking in millions”) Greens Senator and overseas aid spokesperson Lee Rhiannon has called on the Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd to move quickly to clean up this waste.
“The Australian Government has been warned on many occasions that our overseas development programs are too reliant on highly paid consultants,” said Senator Rhiannon who takes up her new position today.
“The latest revelations that millions of dollars of public money are going to a handful of ‘technical advisers’ reveals that AusAID has not done enough to reduce the reliance on highly paid management consultants to meet the needs of recipient countries.
“Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd should give this problem his urgent attention.
“These new developments further underline the need for overseas aid to have its own minister.
“Australians in the main support overseas aid. I am sure the public want to know that our aid dollar is used to help empower local communities and to improve education and health standards and is not wasted on overpaid consultants.
“With Australia’s aid program increasing in size this needs to be a priority for the Minister. Aid should not be a tool of our foreign policy. Establishing a separate ministry would be an important step towards achieving this.
“Our aid budget by 2015 is due to reach $8 billion, making AusAID the fifth largest government agency by spending.
“The Greens do support an increase beyond the current level to 0.7% of GNI as many developed nations have done as part of helping to meet the Millennium Development Goals.
“Minister Rudd needs to give urgent priority to getting Australia’s aid program back on track.
“AusAID has estimated that about 2.7 million people in Pacific Island countries to Australia’s north do not have the means from either income or land use to meet their basic human needs.
“These are alarming figures that reflect the urgent need for a shift away from millions of dollars of the aid budget going to consultants paid six-figure tax-free salaries to provide technical assistance.
“This problem could be even more serious. A 2009 report from the Australian National Audit Office of Australia’s aid found that 70 per cent of Australia’s bilateral aid was spent on managing contractors.
“Last year AusAID Director General Peter Baxter committed to tighten up on consultants earning six-figure contracts. The ball is now with Minister Rudd to act,” Ms Rhiannon said.
Posted by Steve on June 19, 2011
Greens say Budget leaves Noosa out in the cold
The State Government has targeted very little for the Noosa electorate in the State Budget according to the Greens candidate for Noosa, Dr Jim McDonald.
There are some welcome initiatives in Health for the Sunshine Coast and a continuation of the bicycle path program. The building of a State school and pre-school at Peregian Springs is essential spending to meet the growing demand in the school population.
But the infrastructure needed by the Sunshine Coast to link Noosa to improved rail services connecting the Coast to Brisbane is lacking.
Dr McDonald acknowledged the impact of the extreme weather events during summer, but he asked what Budget provisions would address the likelihood of more of these events with global warming.
He welcomed the Government’s commitment to funding new cardiac and vascular surgery facilities, an endoscopy unit and improvements to neurosurgery at Nambour Hospital. He said these have been sorely needed for years. However Noosa Hospital seems to have missed out.
There is some commitment to skills training, which is essential, but where are the measures to stimulate job generation in the region?
A first look at the Budget suggests there are no extra funds to support our network of State forests and national parks.
Dr McDonald said “Mr Fraser called it a budget for the future of Queensland. I call it unimaginative. It leaves Noosa out in the cold.”
Pubished in Noosa News, 17 June 2011
Jim McDonald, Greens Candidate, Noosa
Posted by Steve on May 8, 2011
Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown will move in Parliament this week to get the Productivity Commission to examine the development of a sovereign wealth fund, after urging the government for more than a year to set aside funds to help provide for the needs of future generations.
“Looking beyond Tuesday’s centre-right federal budget set to be delivered by the Labor government, Australia needs a sovereign fund to future-proof our economy, in addition to the Future Fund which is not tasked with generating returns for the nation, Senator Brown said today in Sydney.
“Prosperity, and meeting the growing health needs of an ageing population, should not be left to the vagaries of whether individuals can set aside enough to provide for themselves in their later vulnerable years. The two, tired major parties need to think longer-term.”
The Australian Greens will move that the Productivity Commission draw on international experience to develop options around the regulatory framework, how funds are invested and managed, funding mechanisms, transparency and accountability, governance structure, and how capital and interest should be used.
“A sovereign wealth fund could underpin Australia’s move to a low-carbon future, looking beyond the current mining boom. It would serve as a source of funding for long-term projects such as high-speed rail and metro light rail.”
“This concept is not new – Norway’s future prosperity, for example, is underpinned by a $500 billion sovereign wealth fund, in anticipation of the day when its non-renewable riches are exhausted – but it is common sense,” Senator Brown said.
Posted by Steve on May 7, 2011
The Australian Greens continue to push for action on dental care to be included in Tuesday’s budget.
“We need to see some action from the Government as a down-payment on their commitment to improve Australia’s dental health,” Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens health spokesperson said today.
“This was a key part of our post-election agreement with the ALP,” said Senator Siewert.
“Improved national dental care has the capacity to dramatically improve the health of millions of Australians, and we’ve been working hard towards that outcome.
“A modest first step is required from the Government on Tuesday, with more substantial action to be delivered the following year,” concluded Senator Siewert.
Posted by Steve on May 6, 2011
Reports in the media suggest that the Greens’ long campaign to remove the incentive to drive more in the fringe benefits tax concession will finally be included in next week’s federal budget.
Treasury costings, undertaken at the request of the Greens, show almost $1 billion in revenue would be restored over the forward estimates if the Australian Greens’ proposal to introduce a flat rate fringe benefits tax concession for company cars, regardless of kilometres travelled, is adopted.
“Overhauling the fringe benefits tax concession would be a $1 billion victory for common sense and a big first step in removing the perverse fossil fuel subsidies that see billions of taxpayers dollars actually encouraging pollution,” Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.
“FBT reform is so obviously a win for the environment and the budget that it has been expected in every federal budget for years. We mustn’t count any chickens unless and until we see it in black and white next week.
“Reforming the FBT would be a great first step, but much more can be done in this area.
“The Greens have long argued that the best way to reduce our vulnerability to oil price spikes and reduce pollution from transport is to help Australians to drive less and, when they do drive, to drive more efficient vehicles.
“That means investing in public transport, cyclepaths and pedestrian paths, bringing in appropriate mandatory vehicle fuel efficiency standards in line with those in Europe and Asia, and reforming perverse subsidies including the FBT concession and the diesel fuel rebate for miners which means they pay no tax on the fuel they use to dig more
fossil fuels out of the ground while commuters pay through the nose.
“The Greens have also called for subsidies to the car industry in Australia to be tied to high standards of vehicle fuel efficiency or manufacture of electric cars, and new government procurement policies which prioritise getting efficient or electric cars into the fleet.
“Successive governments have completely failed to act on any of the unanimous, cross-party recommendations of a Senate Inquiry I established into Australia’s future oil supply 5 years ago. The recommendations clearly pointed to the need to invest properly in oil-proofing Australia.
“If reports are correct, Wayne Swan is finally about to take a small but important step down this road next week.”
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