The Australian Greens

Australian Greens Senators for WA Rachel Siewert and Scott Ludlam will today launch a comprehensive plan for servicing the Perth metropolitan area with light rail.

“Light rail – in other words, modern, electrified trams – is quiet, clean and efficient and carries between 10,000 and 28,000 people per hour,” Greens Senator for WA Rachel Siewert said.

“It reduces congestion and speeds up travel times and is the most practical way of linking up our suburban centres with the existing train system – the Greens are proud to be at the forefront of pushing this agenda in Perth.

“The Greens, through my colleague WA Senator Scott Ludlam, have worked extensively over the past two years with lead government agencies, local governments in Perth, the transport industry, the WA Sustainable Energy Association and community groups to come up with a blueprint for how light rail would work in Perth,” Senator Siewert said.

“We are now calling on the Federal Government to start investing in this sustainable public transport option for Perth to transform this city we all want it to be in the 21st century.

“Studies from around the world show that where you have light rail, public transport use increases and investment and property values go up along the route.

“Today we urge the public and the State and Federal governments to ‘Get On Board’ the plan for Perth Light Rail.”

Senators Ludlam and Siewert have invited people to attend public meetings on light rail that they will address across Perth in the next two weeks.

“Find out the meeting dates by calling 9335 7477 or check the dedicated website at www.perthlightrail.org.au and send in your feedback,” Senator Ludlam said.

“We want to hear from the public about what they think about the routes we have proposed.

“From the 1890s onwards, Perth actually had a successful tram system but this was disbanded in 1958 with advent of cheap cars,” Senator Ludlam said.

“Now, with congestion increasing and future fuel cost increases inevitable, it’s essential that we invest in the public transport infrastructure that will serve us best now and into the future.”

It's time for all politicians and all political parties to demonstrate leadership and to end the use of bigotry and hatred as an election tool, says Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Christine Milne.

Senator Milne today signed a pledge offered by the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community asking for all parties to refrain from inciting hatred against LGBT people during the federal election campaign.

"The Greens are the nation's fastest growing political party, and I am proud to say that we have achieved this through progressive social justice policies, rather than acts of bigotry as often demonstrated by other parties.

"It was my Bill that secured gay law reform in Tasmania in 1997 taking this state from the worst to the best in the nation at that time."

"I am therefore proud to be signing this pledge as a person, a politician and a Greens Senator for Tasmania.

"Political parties and elected representatives should never input prejudice, discrimination, hatred or bigotry into public discourse in order to influence the vote. This has been too often the case in Tasmania with political parties using third parties to incite hatred and discrimination."

"The Greens are the party with the strongest record in recognising, supporting and protecting the rights of the LGBTI community."

"We support same sex marriages, the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity into national anti-discrimination legislation, and government funding of a national peak body to represent and advocate for LGBTI Australians."

"We will only free ourselves of hatred and bigotry if those charged with leading the way free themselves of it also."

The Australian Greens today welcomed the Gillard government's decision to reject the Cooper Review's recommendation to remove art from Self-Managed Superannuation Funds.

Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said: "Ensuring that art can still qualify for DIY super investment will help keep the art market and the creative culture in Australia alive and kicking, especially for new and emerging and indigenous artists whose work particularly benefits from this ongoing investment. This is a very welcome decision which has clear tri-partite support."

“The Australian Greens are extremely concerned that neither of the major parties are showing any evidence of taking the emerging crisis in aged care seriously,” said Greens Health and Ageing spokesperson Senator Rachel Siewert today.

“Tony Abbott’s message that, he admits there is a serious problem, but cannot commit to the kind of funding that is needed to fix it is a very short-sighted one,” said Senator Siewert.

“He is missing the point that when aged care facilities go broke and shut their doors it will be much more expensive to care for residents in our hospital system – to the tune of around five times the cost per bed.

“The cost of failure will be much, much higher.

“The problem is not just about money, and sensible reforms to the system can help us deliver quality care more effectively in the longer term, but if either the Coalition or the government think that they can fix the current crisis- let alone get prepared for the significant increase in demand of coming decades, without investing significant resources- then they are clearly deluded.

“Over the last decade, successive Federal Governments have presided over a widening gap between the costs of providing care to Australia’s ageing population and the level of funding being invested in the sector.

“The Greens are calling for the immediate reinstatement of the 1.9% CAP indexation as an immediate short-term fix, and a commitment to comprehensive aged care reform.

“Nothing coming from the Government or Coalition gives us any hope that this is about to occur.

“Further investment is needed immediately for improved wages and conditions for care staff to address the crisis in skilled care workers, to begin building the aged care services and facilities of the future and of course meet the shortfall in funding for the provision of care.

“In the longer term a shift to a greater focus on keeping ageing Australians healthy and mobile and providing them and their families with the kind of support they need to stay in their homes and communities and maintain their mobility and quality of life for longer can help to reduce the cost of providing residential care.

“We need to act now on aged care reform so we can build the quality aged care system of the future that all Australians deserve,” concluded Senator Siewert.

The Greens released a comprehensive discussion paper on aged care reform earlier this year, which has been very well received, and plan to release a final policy position based on public feedback and submissions shortly.

 Media Contact: Chris Redman 0418 401 180

The Australian Greens support the campaign for the Northern Rail Freight Bypass, and immediate action to relieve pressure on communities in the Adelaide Hills, according to Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

Senator Hanson-Young says issues of noise, inconvenience and bushfire risk emphasise the need to re-route freight trains.

"When the Belair railway line was built in 1883, no one could have known we would have freight trains more than a kilometre long regularly using the track,'' Senator Hanson-Young said.

"These longer trains mean more "wheel squeal'' noise - up to 120 decibels, as loud as an aeroplane. With no noise restrictions, and no public authority monitoring noise levels, this is an increasing problem for residents and a growing environmental problem for the area.

"The Northern By-Pass would reduce this disruption for residents. But it's not just a noise issue.''

In 2009 a Federal Government consultant found the curves of the track at Belair were far tighter than industry standards - and the track is one of the steepest conventional rail tracks in the world.

"The layout of the track poses a potential safety risk during bushfire season through the possibility of a train breaking down and blocking two or even three major level crossings,'' Senator Hanson-Young said.

"It's clear that the Northern Rail Freight Bypass would be the best option for the community, the best option for the environment, and the best safeguard for the rail network. The Greens support the bypass, and both myself, Greens' lead Senate candidate Penny Wright, and Greens' candidates for House of Representatives' seats in affected areas will campaign for quick action to solve this issue.''

The government should explain why their $5 million GP Super Clinic in Devonport fails to offer bulk billing services to the region's most vulnerable residents, says Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Christine Milne.

Senator Milne heard this morning that elderly patients are choosing to use local hospitals because they cannot afford treatment in the new super clinic.

"A hospice worker and carer for two elderly patients contacted my office this morning to inform me of the bitter disappointment felt among the Devonport community.

"I have heard that elderly patients expecting a bulk billed service have been shocked enough to get up, leave the super clinic where they were waiting to be treated and make their way to the hospital where they know treatment is free.

"Some of these patients actually shook hands with the Prime Minister during her fleeting visit to the clinic on Wednesday before learning of the unaffordable treatment on offer.

"This is not good enough. Yes it is welcome that these super clinics are being built, but what is the point of offering this range of services and health professionals when many in the community cannot afford to use them?

"One of the key objectives of the super clinics is to reduce pressure on local hospitals. The government must understand that in order for this to be effective the super clinics must duplicate a range of hospital services as well as their paying arrangements.

"The government is proudly spruiking onsite GP consultations in nursing homes as part of the services being offered, but how are elderly patients expected to benefit from this when the only treatment they can afford is at the hospital?

"I appreciate the clinics are run as private billing practices, but the government is spending millions of public dollars without a caveat that the super clinics offer bulk billing for Tasmanians eligible for a concession card."

Another GP super clinic being built in Burnie is being criticised for its ill thought location. Greens federal Braddon candidate, Scott Jordan says it offers poor access for the Burnie community.

"The clinic is being built at a bottleneck on the Bass Highway, and it sits on the Burnie to Wynyard bus route where buses come just once an hour and not at all on Sundays."

Prime Minister Julia Gillard should add semi-automatic handguns to her list of weapons to restrict from import Australian Greens leader Bob Brown said today. 

"There have been nearly one hundred semi-automatic handguns stolen over the last eight years, presenting a large danger to the community. 

"There are very limited reasons to import semi-automatic handguns into Australia  - being for policy and security services."

The Australian Greens would use a stronger voice in federal parliament to push for increased funding for dental health, including a universal 'denticare' scheme.

A national Galaxy poll of over 1000 people shows that 82% of Australians would support the federal government establishing a universal dental-care scheme.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown, who will visit a suburban dental clinic in Sydney today, said that the Greens denticare system would help the 500,000+ Australians on dental waiting lists.

"The Greens will act in Parliament to establish a universal basic dental health care scheme, to be incorporated into Medicare," said Senator Brown.

The scheme would cost around $4.3 billion but produce savings to overall health costs of $2.3 billion.

"The Menzies centre estimates dental problems already cost Medicare around $350 million and poor oral health costs Australia a further $2 billion per year."

"Good teeth are fundamental to good health, and poor dental health can affect people's overall health, ability to find employment and general well-being," said Senator Brown.

Lead New South Wales Senate candidate Lee Rhiannon said improving access to dental care would improve the lives of many people.

"We're seeing a deep divide in this state between the haves and have nots when it comes to dental care, which would be bridged by the Greens denticare scheme," Ms. Rhiannon said.

"People on low incomes who can't afford high private dentist fees endure waits of 12 months or longer to see a public dentist in NSW.

"In rural or regional areas even accessing a private dentist can take months."

Far from their advertising slogan of 'record investments in solar and other renewables', the Labor government is pulling money out of solar power at a record rate, the Australian Greens said today.

In addition to the $220 million pulled out of the Solar Flagships program and $150 million from solar hot water rebates to fund cash for clunkers, the Greens have learned that the world renowned UNSW Centre for Excellence in Photovoltaic Research has been de-funded.

At the same time, the Liberals are proposing cuts to climate programs as part of their savings initiatives, leaving the Greens as the only party with credible policies for climate action.

"The government is cynically using Australians' love of solar power as an advertising slogan while ripping money out of what little funding programs they have," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

"After three years of ALP government, the Australian renewable energy industry is still struggling to compete with entrenched coal while, around the world, renewables are booming.

"The renewable energy industry has lost count of the number of times new programs have been announced and suddenly disappeared, to be replaced with new labels which still don't receive the funding promised.

"The uncertainty this causes means investment has stalled, and jobs and opportunities lost.

"The UNSW Centre for Excellence is celebrated around the world for its innovation. It trained the world's first solar billionaire, Dr Zhengrong Shi.

"But with renewable energy clearly such a low priority for both the government and opposition, there is no direct funding of the centre and the ongoing research funding has not been renewed.

"Australian governments have repeatedly made millions available to coal companies and car companies. Why are they so reluctant to actually properly fund world-leading renewable energy innovation, even though they are happy to claim credit for doing so?

"The Centre for Excellence is an investment of a few million dollars a year to create some 70 jobs, a great global reputation and, of course, wonderful technologies that will help us tackle the climate crisis.

"The Greens are the only party that has the vision to take Australia beyond coal, looking to plan the transition to 100% renewable energy and implement the policies to get us there."

The Australian Greens have criticised Tony Abbott’s announcement that a Liberal Government would consider a nationwide expansion of income management.

Senator Rachel Siewert, Greens spokesperson for Community Affairs today said the Greens are the only party who have consistently opposed income management, doing so since it was introduced as part of the 2007 Northern Territory Intervention.

“When these income management laws passed through the Senate, the Greens made it perfectly clear that the current or any future Government could force these measures on communities across the country,” Senator Rachel Siewert said today.

“As the laws stand today, income quarantining can be applied to any place in Australia that the Government decides is disadvantaged, and anyone on related Centrelink payments will be affected,” Senator Siewert said.

“It is totally misleading to claim that indiscriminate and mandatory income management has anything to do with dignity or anything to do with reducing dependence on income support.

“Income management doesn't work and Mr Abbott should go and review the evidence and develop a more compassionate policy that helps the disadvantaged in our community.

“This passed through the Parliament with little public awareness and the only voice of opposition was the Greens.

“Income management is degrading and punitive and should be abandoned,” Senator Siewert concluded.


Click Here to read Senator Siewert's blog on Income Management

Speaking in Orange today Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown called for a national register of foreign purchases of land or water in rural Australia. 

"In the coming century food and fibre production will be a huge issue as the world population soars to 10 billion people or more,” said Senator Brown.

“It is important Australians know who owns the productive farmlands and water rights of our country.

"Currently there is no register except in Queensland nor any vetting of foreign ownership by the Foreign Investment Review Board except for purchases in excess of $231 million.

"Ownership can lead to control of markets for food and therefore food prices so it’s important we know who owns what," Senator Brown said.

Yesterday Deputy Leader Christine Milne also called for the ACCC to assess the impacts of food processor mergers and takeovers and called for an inquiry into National Competition Policy.

The Australian Greens' are tonight launching a policy platform to help young and emerging artists earn an income from their art and reward all artists for their success. The launch will take place as Senator Milne opens an exhibition of Charles Blackman's work.

"The Greens recognise the wonderful role artists play in our society, helping us to understand our world, bringing us together as a community and challenging us to see it from a different perspective," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

"For Australia's celebrated creative culture to flourish, we need to help young and emerging artists make ends meet and reward all artists when they achieve success."

The Greens' Supporting Young and Emerging Artists policy would:
• recognise artistic work for the purposes of meeting social security requirements;
• establish a $3 million Artists Fund to ensure artists are paid for their exhibitions and performances, which will be particularly beneficial for young and emerging artists; and
• reinstate the policy of the Australian Parliament to purchase art works from young and emerging Australian artists.

"So many young artists are forced to juggle jobs to make ends meet while developing their work in their spare time. This crimps their creativity and makes it that much harder to ever succeed.

"These policies are designed to help young and emerging artists make time to be creative and earn a fair income for what they create - art which gives something of themselves to all of us.

"By giving young and emerging artists a leg up at the beginning of their careers we can help them develop their voice, build a profile and stand on their own two feet."

In addition to this policy, the Greens are today announcing that they will oppose the Cooper Review's recommendation to remove art from Self-Managed Superannuation Funds.

"The question has to be asked, why is it OK to invest in high risk shares but not in artists?

"Ensuring that art can still qualify for DIY super investment will help keep the art market and the creative culture in Australia alive and kicking, especially for new and emerging and indigenous artists whose work particularly benefits from this ongoing investment."

The Greens are also restating their commitment to Strengthening Resale Royalty Rights for visual artists after unsuccessfully attempting to amend the legislation as it passed through the Senate last year.

"The royalty needs to be payable on first resale or artists will be waiting decades to see a cent.

"With only 8% of artworks resold in the last ten years, it will take half a century for even 50% of eligible artworks to be resold. In addition, the delay means the right cannot be reciprocated with sales overseas, meaning artists miss out on all royalties from overseas resales.

"It is also critical to help indigenous artists and small galleries meet the administrative challenges the resale royalty brings with it."

The three policy papers are available on request.

The Australian Greens say the Government’s response to the Senate Community Affairs Inquiry on Suicide and Suicide Prevention chaired by Senator Rachel Siewert is to be welcomed, but note there are many more recommendations in the Senate Standing Committee’s report which have not been supported.

“The Hidden Toll report found significant investment in suicide prevention and mental heal services was needed, and it’s disappointing that many of these recommendations aren’t being addressed,” Senator Rachel Siewert, said today.

“This package of measures increases spending on suicide prevention efforts from around $20m per annum to over $70m per annum over the forward estimates. It is well short of the recommended investment from the all-party Senate Report,” said Senator Siewert.

“We’ve spoken with mental health experts like John Mendoza and they tell us it is a grab bag of modest investments in a number of worth initiatives, but it is not reform.

“These announcements are patches hastily attached to a broken system. They will not change the access to care or the outcomes for the millions of Australians missing out on quality mental health services.

“According to the experts these announcements are too small to make a difference. The increased psychiatry services ($22m over 4 years) represents less than 2% of the current expenditure on Medicare psych services.

“The $60m for support services represents just $15m per annum in an area where the Federal Government already spends some $160m per annum and the states and territories nearly double this.

“The announcement represents less than 10% of the Federal Government commitment and just 3% of current national spending. The $9m for the suicide hotspots will only build facilities at 3 or 4 hotspots like the Gap in Sydney. It is simply not the significant funding that we know is needed for mental health reform,” said Senator Siewert.

The Australian Greens mental health package calls for:
• $100m per year incentives at the primary care level to target those in need, the vulnerable and long-term clientele working within the community and NGO sector;
• $150m per year for early intervention mental health programs including Headspace and early psychosis prevention services;
• $100m per year for alternatives to emergency department treatment such as multi-disciplinary community-based sub-acute services that supports 'stepped' (two-staged) prevention and recovery care.

“A much more comprehensive and joined-up approach to mental health services and suicide prevention is urgently needed if we are to make a serious dent in this growing toll,” concluded Senator Siewert.

The Greens' policies for making Australia's car fleet more efficient, launched in Melbourne today, would give Australia's car manufacturing industry a sustainable future, protecting jobs while protecting the climate.

The Greens are proposing introducing stringent Mandatory Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Standards for all vehicles sold in Australia. This would be backed up by an improved Green Car Innovation Fund, efficiency requirements for government procurement of vehicles and tying manufacturing subsidies to improvements in fuel efficiency.

"These policies will drag Australia's car manufacturing into the 21st century, giving the industry a future while helping create a safe climate future for all of us," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

"Old thinking from governments and manufacturers alike has meant that we are making gas guzzlers in this country that nobody outside the Middle East wants to buy anymore. The Greens' policies would get us out of that dead end."

The Greens propose fleet average standards of 160g CO2/km to be adopted for 2015, with equivalence with the European standard (expected to be 95g CO2/km) to be achieved by 2020.

This compares to the government's recently announced weak targets of 190g CO2/km by 2015 and 155g CO2/km by 2024. Given that the cars we will be manufacturing in 2020 have not yet been designed, there is no justification for weak targets for so far into the future.

Greens Victorian lead Senate candidate, Richard Di Natale, said "Victoria's car manufacturing jobs can have a sustainable future in both meanings of the word.

"Instead of handing over millions of dollars to see us keep making gas guzzlers nobody wants anymore, our governments can and should be helping our industry go green, and that is what the Greens propose.

"With real Green Car Innovation grants - helping us leapfrog to plug-in electric cars instead of making slightly more efficient 6 cylinder petrol cars - and strong standards, Victoria can catch up with world's best practice instead of falling further and further behind."

Greens candidate for Melbourne, Adam Bandt, said "The Greens want to help people get out of their cars and into convenient public transport or onto bikes where possible. We have ambitious policies to make this happen.

"But when we do have to drive, we should be driving the most efficient cars possible, saving us money on our fuel bills, insulating us from peak oil and protecting the climate."

Senator Milne said "Governments should be leading the way with tied grants, standards and procurement policies."

The full policy document is attached.

Nation-building is out the window for both Labor and the Coalition who have scared themselves immobile over the ‘great big new tax' bogey, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"While food prices in Australia rose 1.1% in the March quarter, Labor's ‘great big tax' return-fire over Tony Abbott's $2.7 billion scheme for parental leave would raise food prices by 0.5%.

"Similarly Abbott's dubbing of Labor's proposed mining boom tax as a ‘great big new tax' fails to account for the nation-building prospects, for example high speed rail - which the Greens would fund from this tax on resource development," Senator Brown said.

Senator Brown will give a statement on this issue at his press conference at 11 am at Saffron Restaurant, Shop 8, Capitol Theatre Centre, Franklin St, Manuka, ACT.

Media contact Erin Farley 0438 376 082
www.greensmps.org.au

The Australian Greens have pledged support for Traditional Owners from the Northern Territory as they commence a legal challenge against the Federal Government's proposed nuclear waste dump on their land near Tennant Creek.

Senator Scott Ludlam will join Muckaty Traditional Owners Dianne Stokes and Mark Lane, and Human Rights Lawyer George Newhouse at a special event in Sydney tonight to discuss the fight against the dump.

"It is unfortunate that it has come down to a legal battle, but Tradional Owners have been left with no alternative following Labor's broken 2007 election promise,"said Senator Ludlam, Greens spokesperson on nuclear issues.

"In the lead up to the last federal poll, the ALP promised to install a fair, open, transparent and accountable process to dealing with radioactive waste. Instead it has followed the previous Howard Government policy of imposing a dump on an unwilling community.

"The whole process has been a sham, and it's shameful that Labor premiers around the country have remained silent on the issue.

"They have walked away from their Labor counterpart NT Chief Minister Paul Henderson and selfishly allowed the Commonwealth to unfairly wield its constitutional muscle to override state and Territory laws.

"But the fight will continue, and people power will prevail over political expediency," Senator Ludlam said.

Media Contact: Fernando de Freitas 0417 174 302

Senator Scott Ludlam will speak at the Friends of the Earth Event: Muckaty NT Nuclear Dump
Join Muckaty Traditional Owners Dianne Stokes and Mark Lane; Human Rights Lawyer George Newhouse; Fire Brigade Employees' Union NSW Secretary Jim Casey at Fire Brigade Employees' Union Bldg, 1-7 Belmore Street, Surry Hills 6.30pm.

Prime Minister Gillard should use her visit to Tasmania today to commit to increasing funding for mental and dental care as well as emergency care, the Australian Greens said today.

"So many Tasmanians, particularly in the North and North West, desperately need dental and mental health care, but the Gillard government is leaving these people behind," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

"Over ten thousand Tasmanians are on waiting lists for general dental care. This is completely unacceptable, causing untold health problems as well as pain and discomfort.

"I am sure that people in North and North West Tasmania will be pleased with new funding for emergency care, but they also want real support to stay out of hospital, with properly funded primary care including mental and dental."

Greens federal Denison candidate and emergency physician, Dr Geoff Couser, says Labor's pledge fails to address the strain on emergency wards through focusing only on staffing concerns.

"Whilst as an emergency physician I welcome the Prime Minister's interest in the vital and important field of medicine and nursing, simply increasing staffing numbers in isolation will not fix the complex problem of access block.

"Linking a policy initiate to a bureaucratic four hour target creates a false expectation for patients and staff which is irrelevant to the patient's clinical needs. The NHS in the UK has recognised that four hour targets have been a failure and is moving towards dismantling the process.

"Liberal and Labor simply lack the imagination to act on health reform as a whole."

Senator Milne says statistics show a desperate need for mental healthcare reform.

"I know I wasn't the only one to be shocked to hear Australian of the Year, Patrick McGorry, say on the weekend that one Australian commits suicide every four hours.

"This is an ongoing tragedy that we cannot ignore.

"Tasmanians who want to see Federal support for dental and mental care need to help the Greens achieve balance of power in the Senate so we can make sure the government delivers."

Australian Greens Health spokesperson, Senator Rachel Siewert says the Government’s announcement of $96 million to increase the workforce for emergency departments is welcomed but will be ineffective in fixing the issue of patient flow and the access block to essential services.

“Patient presentations are increasing to our emergency departments, but without having significantly more beds upstairs to put these patients into, extra money for nurses and doctors won’t change patient flows,” Senator Rachel Siewert said today.

“Healthcare funding is currently increasing at a rate of 9-10% per year. With an ageing population and more chronic disease in our community, that rate is economically unsustainable and needs to be dealt with through effective investment,” said Senator Siewert.

Dr Geoff Couser, Greens federal candidate for Denison and staff emergency specialist at the Royal Hobart Hospital says the announcement lacks the vision needed to effectively improve health services.

“While it’s great to see more funding for emergency departments, neither the Government nor the opposition seems to understand the issue of access block, which is choking our public hospitals,” said Dr Couser.

Senator Siewert says The Greens have consistently called for more funding for mental health, which once again doesn’t get a mention in the latest round of funding announcements.

“We are calling for more mental health specialists in emergency departments; these would be 24 hour on-duty and on-call mobile crisis teams working as part of primary health care organisations. We need to see more funding for primary health care and better integration of our health services to keep people well and out of hospital in the first place,” concluded Senator Siewert.

The Greens have launched an ambitious plan to give the national capital a state-of-the-art light rail system, and called for better public transport planning across the country.

"Access to efficient public transport would make a huge difference to millions of Australians daily lives," said Australian Greens leader Senator Bob Brown.

"But public transport is severely lacking for many suburbs in all our capital cities.

"There is a clear role for the federal government to take a better coordinating and funding role," said Australian Greens transport spokesperson Scott Ludlam.

"The Greens have proposed a dedicated sustainable transport arm within Infrastructure Australia.

"Light rail is just one aspect of better public transport to improve our cities.

With Greens' transport spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam and leader Bob Brown, the Greens Senate candidate for the ACT Lin Hatfield-Dodds unveiled a three-stage implementation plan ultimately linking Civic and Capital Hill with Gungahlin and Belconnen to the north, Tuggeranong to the south, the airport and Queanbeyan to the east.

"In a city where the average cost of owning a car is a whopping $147 per week, light rail affords fast, cheap, clean and comfortable transport for the future," said Senator Brown.

"This is the first carriage off the platform in the Greens' proposal for light rail to develop in all Australian cities with amendable corridors.

"The Greens today call for a national inventory and implementation study, beginning with Canberra.

"We estimate the study will cost $10 million," Senator Brown said.

Media contact Erin Farley 0438 376 082
www.greensmps.org.au

The Greens are now the only party with a credible plan to tackle climate change, the biggest threat to the Great Barrier Reef, said Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown.

In Brisbane today to launch the campaign of Australian Greens Queensland Senate candidate Larissa Waters, Senator Brown said without fast action to tackle climate change and acidification of the reef, as well as dangers from oil spills and water pollution, the Great Barrier Reef would die.

"Julia Gillard's plan to delay for another three years endangers the reef, and Tony Abbott's inaction is worse," said Senator Brown.

Senator Brown announced a new plan to tackle the biggest threats to the Great Barrier Reef, including:

• Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2020
• Extending the requirements for satellite tracking of vessels on board vessels for all ships transporting coal and gas throughout the reef.
• An extension of compulsory pilotage across the entire reef for large transport ships through the relevant international forums.
• Banning the use of the pesticides, particularly Diuron, Atrazine and Ametryn, which are found in high concentrations in run-off from the land. They have a long half-life, are highly water soluble and are most likely to reach the Great Barrier Reef and cause harm.
"If elected, my top priority is to act on climate change - to create new clean energy jobs for Queenslanders and protect the livelihood of the 63,000 people who depend on a healthy Great Barrier Reef," said Queensland Greens Senate candidate Larissa Waters.

"I want to see Queensland being a leader in renewable energy which will strengthen our economy and leave a healthy environment for our grandchildren."

Media contact Peter Stahel 0459 133 597
www.greensmps.org.au