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Vote 1 The Greens in SA and Tasmania March 20th
Saturday March the 20th sees two state elections, in South Australia and Tasmania.
In Tasmania, Nick McKim and The Tasmanian Greens team have pledged to fight for lower power bills, lower water and sewerage bills, better outcomes in health and education, and to look after Tasmania’s high conservation value forests. Find out more about the Tasmanian Greens campaign.
In South Australia lead legislative council candidate Tammy Jennings says The Greens offer smart solutions to the issues that affect future generations like climate change, water security, health and education. Find out more about the South Australian Greens Campaign.
Greens to introduce legislation for National Anti-Corruption Commission
The Greens will introduce national independent anti-corruption commission legislation in the Senate next week, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said in Adelaide today.
Senator Brown called on South Australian Premier Mike Rann to back the national legislation and establish a South Australian independent commission for anti-corruption (ICAC).
"Australia needs an independent national anti-corruption commission, to operate alongside state schemes," said Senator Brown.
ABC journalists should ignore Chair Newman's anti-science nonsense
The Australian Greens today urged ABC journalists to ignore the anti-science nonsense peddled by the Chair of their board and instead increase their strong coverage of climate change.
ABC Board Chair, Maurice Newman, today told senior ABC staff that climate change was an "emotional issue" and that journalists were too "intolerant" of climate sceptics.
"I trust that ABC journalists will not be cowed by the anti-science speech delivered by the Chair of their board," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.
"Maurice Newman has no expertise in climate science and his interference in the independence of his journalists is unwelcome.
Rudd, not Hatoyama, issues warrant against whale heroes
The Australian Federal Police search warrant used to raid the Sea Shepherd's Steve Irwin when it docked in Hobart this morning alleges breaches of Australian law, not Japanese law, Greens Leader Bob Brown told the welcoming crowd that had gathered to greet the ship.
"The spineless Rudd government has laid charges, including throwing of rancid butter, but the Shonan Maru 2's ‘sinking' of the whale-protection boat Ady Gil, threatening the lives of six crew members, is not mentioned," Senator Brown said.
"Tokyo has taken over Australia's Antarctic seas and whales and now it controls events in Hobart."
Minister Wong must clarify: Is it already too late to get a Green Loan?
The Greens are today calling on the new Minister responsible for Green Loans, Minister Wong, to immediately clarify whether or not it is already too late for Australian householders to get a Green Loan.
With a huge number of householders still awaiting the paperwork needed to secure a loan, lending institutions across the country have already stopped processing loans, well ahead of the public March 22 deadline for loans to end.
"I've received a flood of calls and emails from both householders and assessors deeply troubled and frustrated by the confusion surrounding the remnants of the Green Loans debacle," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.
Greens move for ban on bank ATM fees
The Australian Greens will move to amend trade practice laws to ban Australian banks from charging $2 fees for non-customers to use Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs).
Announcing the policy in Devonport, Tasmania, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown noted that Braddon is one of Australia's most economically disadvantaged electorates.
"Major banks should be banned from charging non-customers $2 every time they want to access their own money," said Senator Bob Brown
"It's a regressive private tax - that is, it hits the poorest people hardest.
"Australia's major banks all posted multi-billion dollar profits last year and they do not need to charge the approximately $680 million they made from ATM fees.
Senate censures Government over climate program mishandling
The Senate has passed a censure motion moved by Australian Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown over the Rudd Government's mishandling of climate change programs.
An amended version of the censure motion moved by Senator Brown today was passed by the Greens and the Coalition and will now be conveyed to the House of Representatives.
This is the first time a formal censure of the Government has been passed by the Senate since 2005.
Greens to move whole of Government censure motion
Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown will today move in the Senate to censure the Government for its gross and systematic failure in the delivery of climate change programs.
The motion will also call for the establishment of a unified Ministry and Department of Climate Change and Energy.
The motion will be moved at approximately 3pm today, (Tuesday 23rd February,) following Question Time.
No censure motion has been moved or passed in the Senate in this term of office, and no censure motion has been passed in either House of Parliament since 2005.
"The censuring of the Government is not a step the Greens take lightly," said Senator Bob Brown.
"But the breadth and seriousness of the Government's mishandling of climate change programs warrants this action."
Why won't Japan meet with Bob Brown on whaling?
A message from Bob:
"This week Sea Shepherd Captain Pete Bethune was detained on board the whaling ship Shonan Maru 2, as conflict over whaling intensified.
The courageous Captain Bethune boarded the vessel in an attempt to complete a citizen’s arrest of its captain and present a $3 million bill for the sinking of the Sea Shepherd boat the Ady Gil.
Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada will visit Australia this very weekend, however, neither he nor the Rudd government have responded to my request for a meeting or calls to ensure Captain Bethune is brought safely back to Australia or New Zealand.
That’s why I am writing to you again. The Greens have introduced a bill to ban any activities associated with whaling in Australia, following earlier news that the Japanese whaling fleet hired Australian planes from Hobart and Albany to track the Sea Shepherd's movements.
Please add your name today to help stop Australian assistance of any kind to whaling.
