Your chance to support Christine Milne's FIT Bill
Posted by: "Steve Meacher" via Climate Emergency Network
Date: Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:19 am

This Friday, August 15, is the deadline for submissions to the SenateInquiry into Christine Milne's Private Member's Bill for a nationalgross Feed-in Tariff for all renewable energy technologies.

http://greensblog.org/2008/06/20/help-me-make-a-renewable-feed-in-law- a-reality/

http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/eca_ctte/renewable_energy/ index.htm

It is extremely important that the Inquiry receives a large number of submissions from interested parties in order to demonstrate to the members of the Committee that there is strong demand for a feed-in.

________________________________________________________________________2. FW: Out of touch & out of controlPosted by: "Deborah Hart" deb_...@bigpond.com deborahhart22Date: Tue Aug 12, 2008 6:15 am ((PDT)) Here's a LIVE posting which may be of interest to campaigners for Feed-inTariffs.have already had a response from Neale Burgess, Member of Hastings,who would like to be included on LIVE's email distribution list.I neverthought I'd pick up a new member!! From: Deborah Hart [mailto:deb_hart@bigpond.com] Sent: Tuesday, 12 August 2008 10:46 PMSubject: FW: Out of touch & out of controlImportance: High Hi Everybody, I promise it is worth wading through all of the Victorian Parliamentarians ccd in this posting (yes, we are so over governed and under lead in thiscountry!!) to get to the message.consider it the start of the
Bye Bye Batchelor campaign.

Sent: Tuesday, 12 August 2008 10:38 PM To: 'david.davis@parliament.vic.gov.au'Cc: 'jacinta.allan@parliament.vic.gov.au';'daniel.andrews@parliament.vic.gov.au';'louise.asher@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'ted.baillieu@parliament.vic.gov.au';'ann.barker@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'peter.batchelor@parliament.vic.gov.au';'elizabeth.beattie@parliament.vic.gov.au';'gary.blackwood@parliament.vic.gov.au';'colin.brooks@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'john.brumby@parliament.vic.gov.au';'neale.burgess@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'bob.cameron@parliament.vic.gov.au';'christine.campbell@parliament.vic.gov.au';'carlo.carli@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'robert.clark@parliament.vic.gov.au';'peter.crisp@parliament.vic.gov.au';'michael.crutchfield@parliament.vic.gov.au';'lily.dambrosio@parliament.vic.gov.au';'hugh.delahunty@parliament.vic.gov.au';'martin.dixon@parliament.vic.gov.au';'luke.donnellan@parliament.vic.gov.au';'joanne.duncan@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'john.eren@parliament.vic.gov.au';'martin.foley@parliament.vic.gov.au';'christine.fyffe@parliament.vic.gov.au';'judith.graley@parliament.vic.gov.au';'danielle.green@parliament.vic.gov.au';'benedict.hardman@parliament.vic.gov.au';'alistair.harkness@parliament.vic.gov.au';'joe.helper@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'steven.herbert@parliament.vic.gov.au';'david.hodgett@parliament.vic.gov.au';'timothy.holding@parliament.vic.gov.au';'geoff.howard@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'rob.hudson@parliament.vic.gov.au';'rob.hulls@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'craig.ingram@parliament.vic.gov.au';'ken.jasper@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'marlene.kairouz@parliament.vic.gov.au';'lynne.kosky@parliament.vic.gov.au';'nicholas.kotsiras@parliament.vic.gov.au';'craig.langdon@parliament.vic.gov.au';'telmo.languiller@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'hong.lim@parliament.vic.gov.au';'jennifer.lindell@parliament.vic.gov.au';'tammy.lobato@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'tony.lupton@parliament.vic.gov.au';'andrew.mcintosh@parliament.vic.gov.au';'judy.maddigan@parliament.vic.gov.au';'kirstie.marshall@parliament.vic.gov.au';'james.merlino@parliament.vic.gov.au';'maxine.morand@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'david.morris@parliament.vic.gov.au';'terence.mulder@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'janice.munt@parliament.vic.gov.au';'denis.napthine@parliament.vic.gov.au';'don.nardella@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'lisa.neville@parliament.vic.gov.au';'wade.noonan@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'russell.northe@parliament.vic.gov.au';'michael.o'brien@parliament.vic.gov.au';'karen.overington@parliament.vic.gov.au';'tim.pallas@parliament.vic.gov.au';'john.pandazopoulos@parliament.vic.gov.au';'jude.perera@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'bronwyn.pike@parliament.vic.gov.au';'jeanette.powell@parliament.vic.gov.au';'fiona.richardson@parliament.vic.gov.au';'tony.robinson@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'peter.ryan@parliament.vic.gov.au';'robin.scott@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'george.seitz@parliament.vic.gov.au';'helen.shardey@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'ken.smith@parliament.vic.gov.au';'ryan.smith@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'bob.stensholt@parliament.vic.gov.au';'bill.sykes@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'murray.thompson@parliament.vic.gov.au';'marsha.thomson@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'bill.tilley@parliament.vic.gov.au';'ian.trezise@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'heidi.victoria@parliament.vic.gov.au';'nick.wakeling@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'peter.walsh@parliament.vic.gov.au';'paul.weller@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'kim.wells@parliament.vic.gov.au';'mary.wooldridge@parliament.vic.gov.au';'richard.wynne@parliament.vic.gov.au';'bruce.atkinson@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'greg.barber@parliament.vic.gov.au';'candy.broad@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'andrea.coote@parliament.vic.gov.au';'richard.dalla-riva@parliament.vic.gov.au';'kaye.darveniza@parliament.vic.gov.au';'philip.davis@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'damian.drum@parliament.vic.gov.au';'khalil.eideh@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'nazih.elasmar@parliament.vic.gov.au';'bernie.finn@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'matthew.guy@parliament.vic.gov.au';'peter.hall@parliament.vic.gov.au';'colleen.hartland@parliament.vic.gov.au';'gavin.jennings@parliament.vic.gov.au';'peter.kavanagh@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'david.koch@parliament.vic.gov.au';'jan.kronberg@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'shaun.leane@parliament.vic.gov.au';'john.lenders@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'wendy.lovell@parliament.vic.gov.au';'justin.madden@parliament.vic.gov.au';'jenny.mikakos@parliament.vic.gov.au';'edward.o'donohue@parliament.vic.gov.au';'martin.pakula@parliament.vic.gov.au';'sue.pennicuik@parliament.vic.gov.au';'donna.petrovich@parliament.vic.gov.au';'inga.peulich@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'jaala.pulford@parliament.vic.gov.au';'gordon.rich-phillips@parliament.vic.gov.au';'johan.scheffer@parliament.vic.gov.au';'robert.smith@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'adem.somyurek@parliament.vic.gov.au';'brian.tee@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'theo.theophanous@parliament.vic.gov.au';'evan.thornley@parliament.vic.gov.au';'gayle.tierney@parliament.vic.gov.au';'matthew.viney@parliament.vic.gov.au'; 'john.vogels@parliament.vic.gov.au'

Subject: Meeting Follow Up with David Davis regarding Victoria's Feed-in Tariff Legislation Importance: High

Dear David,

On behalf of Helen Halliday and Bob Weis, thank you for meeting with us lastweek. We appreciate your having been so generous with your time andattention. Please find attached an electronic copy of the briefing notes left with you- We trust this document will also be of interest to your colleagues. As agreed, climate change is happening much faster than even the worst casescenarios predicted by IPCC scientists. Further evidence emerges daily thatour climate is approaching dangerous tipping points - such as the polar icevanishing 100 years ahead of schedule
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/aug/10/climatechange.arctic.

Of course we know that by driving our environment to collapse we willdecimate our economy. Business as usual is simply not an option. Victoria must move rapidly towards a zero emission economy and, while itwill be a massive transition, it is doable, it will be affordable and itmust be done. Removing all subsidies for fossil fuel energy sources and projects, whileputting a high price on pollution will generate many new opportunities.

As experience in Europe has demonstrated, renewable energy and energy efficiency industries offer more secure and more sustainable jobs. For amultitude of reasons, it would be foolish and irresponsible for us tocontinue to protect the OLD at the expense of the NEW local economy. Meanwhile, the Brumby Government continues to commit billions of tax payer'sdollars to projects which will have disastrous environmental impacts onVictoria. It is of deep concern to us that the Opposition is literally'Missing in Action' while these appalling decisions are being made. While we have no effective Opposition, our democracy is severely compromised.

For example, in our view, there has not been a meaningful response from yourParty to:
. The legislation for a Victorian Feed-in Tariff - a distortion of the market mechanism adopted by over 40 nations so far and designed to fail.
. the Wonthaggi desalination plant proposal - already being dubbed the worst infrastructure bet ever taken by a first world government
Proper process would reveal the deception in desal
. Proposals to build more road tunnels instead of improving public transport
. Approving and funding the HRL Limited coal-fired electricity plant
. Dredging the bay at massive financial and environmental cost forno apparent social or economic gain
. Continuing to allow logging of Victoria's old growth forests, responsible for around 20% of Victoria's greenhouse gas emissions each year and threatening Melbourne's fresh water supplies
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/how-to-turn-99-million-worth-of-trees-into-a-17000-loss/2007/12/01/1196394689058.html?page=fullpage

The Brumby Government appears to be both out of touch and out of control. In search of answers as to why efforts to implement sustainability measures continually meet a thick brick wall with decision makers, and having spokenwith a number of other campaigners also meeting with Victorian Parliamentarians, we are convinced that Peter Batchelor is the senior Minister most responsible for frustrating progress. This is the same Peter Batchelor whose involvement in fraudulent 'how to vote' cards was covered up by the Cain Government in the mid 1980s. Perhaps it is time for Minister Batchelor to wake up to the reality of 21st Century life or re-think his position entirely. Perhaps, in the interests of the wider community, he needs some help with this decision. Finally, with regards to the climate emergency we face, here are some short-cuts to the important messages in the new book Climate Code Red byco-authors Philip Sutton, The Arctic Challenge for Australia,on ABC RadioNational Perspective, last Tues 05/08/08http://www.abc.net.au/rn/perspective/
and David Spratt's recent article is pasted below.

Perhaps the two most outstanding books on global warming to have been published lately are The Hot Topic .. and Climate Code Red. Were I a philanthropist, I would purchase several hundred copies of both and send them to our politicians and policy-makers. Robert Manne (The Monthly)

David, we were encouraged by your commitment to seek cooperation from Jennings to bring the Feed-in Tariff legislation to the next COAG meeting and will be in touch regarding any further developments.

After all, the VicFiT presents the ideal opportunity for all Victorian Parliamentarians to'walk their talk' re sustainability. Thank you again for your time and attention -
Yours faithfully,
Deborah Hart
| 0439 447 777 |
Campaigner,
LIVE (Locals into Victoria's Environment)

Youth Take Action on Climate Change at the United Nations - Youth Take Action on Climate Change at the United NationsMarketWatch -Children International teen leaders hold clean, green campaigns that land them at the 5th Annual Youth Assembly. NEW YORK, Aug 11, 2008 /PRNewswire via ... [Climate Change News from Google]

Tuesday, 5 August 2008

Rudd must end destruction of Australia's biggest 'Green Carbon' banks, native forests - Greens

The Australian National University's report on the role of natural
forests as Australia's biggest carbon banks underscores the horror of logging in an age of climate change, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"Native forest logging is the Rudd government's biggest blind spot in tackling climate change. It is three times worse for climate change than previous assessments estimated (640 units of carbon, not 217) and in tall eucalypt forests like those of Victoria's central highlands or Tasmania's Styx, Weld and Florentine valleys, it is 10 times worse (over 2,000 units of carbon)," Senator Brown said.

"The Rudd government should be leading the charge in Copenhagen to ensure the green carbon in the natural forests of both developed and developing countries are recognised and protected."

The ANU report says logging 'is equal to 24 per cent of the 2005
Australian net greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors; which were 559 million tonnes of CO2 in that year'.

"That is more than the whole of the transport sector," Senator Brown said.

Senator Brown said that Prime Minister Rudd approving Gunns' pulp mill in Tasmania will be a culpable act, worse than approving a new
coal-fired power station.

"Ending logging costs nothing but a transition package for workers and has a huge bonus in protecting wild flora and fauna, as well as water storages. However, Mr Rudd has, quite perversely, already offered $100 million of taxpayers' money in transport infrastructure largely aimed to get Gunns' pulp mill up and going."

Senator Brown said that the blind spot on the destruction of
Australia's biggest carbon banks by the export woodchip industry was facilitated by the widespread placement of forestry aficionados in government agencies, including the Australian Greenhouse Office.

"The AGO's failure to produce this analysis years ago is deliberate
and inexcusable. It has undermined the Office's own mission," Senator Brown said.

NOTES

1. Native forests and other native vegetation store massive amounts of carbon. Logging carbon rich native forests greatly exacerbates global warming.

2. Protecting and restoring native forests and their stored carbon
is a central and positive part of the solution to the climate crisis
in Australia, as well as globally.

3. Emissions (not net emissions) from native forest logging and
clearing exceeded 90 Mt CO2 in 2006 (the most recent figures
available), compared with 80 Mt CO2 for transport.

4. All emission sources should be reduced, including from native
forest logging and clearing of native vegetation (not necessarily via
emissions trading). Currently native forest logging is ignored in the
proposed CPRS and there is no serious attention to reducing emissions from land clearing.

5. Emissions from native forest logging and clearing are largely
avoidable. The simplest way to deal with them is through regulation and a transition package to assist affected workers and industries.

6. The only aspect of 'forestry' proposed to be covered by
emissions trading is new plantations (planted from 1990), boosted by existing tax deductions. These compete with agriculture for land and water.

Report says native forests store 3 times as much carbon as previously thought (9 times as much in Tasmania's Styx Valley)

The report says native forests hold 9.3 billion tonnes of carbon (a
car emits 4 tonnes per year).
-------------------------------------------------
Monday, 4 August 2008

Greens call on major parties to reject Alice Springs uranium
exploration licence. The two major parties should reject the Cameco/Paladin application for a uranium exploration licence close to Alice Springs, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today, following his visit to the Northern Territory.

"A uranium mine 21km from the CBD of Alice Springs is unthinkable," Senator Brown said.

"Labor and the Country Liberal parties should have already rejected the Cameco/Paladin application," Senator Brown said.

"The uranium exploration site covers the subterranean water source for Alice Springs and it is also in the path of seasonal dust storms. If it goes ahead it will create radioactive waste that will be toxic for thousands of years."

"Alice Springs is already a global attraction with it stunning natural
environment and rich cultural history. The approval of an exploration licence will threaten jobs in tourism and other local industries, aswell as damage Alice Springs' clean solar city image," Senator Brown said.

Senator says Environment Minister Peter Garrett should make clear he will stop the mine if Territory authorities give it the go ahead.

A short YouTube clip about the licence application, made by the NT
Greens, can be viewed at: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=36vOfdA5cvQ

---------------------------------------------------

Monday 4 August 2008

Give it some teeth: Greens call for truly independent water authority

Greens Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young has said there must be a truly independent water authority for the Murray-Darling to have a chance at being restored.

"Under the current model, State Premiers can veto the decisions of this supposed 'authority'," said Senator Hanson-Young.

"Unless we have a genuinely independent national water authority, that actually has teeth to enforce its rulings, the river will die.

"The present situation is a mess of bureaucracy and buck-passing.

"Prime Minister Rudd must take leadership on the issue and facilitate a properly national approach to fixing this disaster."

The Greens are backing scientists' calls for new water to be released into the river system by October, in order to restore environmental flows to the parched waterway.

"The Murray needs a drink before Christmas," concluded Senator
Hanson-Young.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young will be attending the rally at Goolwa next Sunday August 10 from 10.30am in support of the River Murray.
---------------------------------------
For further information please call Gemma Clark on 0427 604 760

Further information: Ebony Bennett 0409 164 603
Ebony Bennett
Media Adviser
Office of Greens Senator Bob Brown
Ph: (02) 6277 3170
Fax: (02) 6277 3185

Visit Bob's new myspace site at:
www.myspace.com/bobbrowngreens

Prepare For Global Temperature Rise of 4C, Warns Top Scientist - Defra's chief adviser says we need strategy to adapt to potential catastrophic increase by James Randerson Published on Thursday, August 7, 2008 ... [ Read more: CCA]

via: Yahoo Climate Change Action Group
Sydney climate emergency rally: organising meeting
***August 14***
Take part in organising a climate emergency rally in Sydney, September 27, please come to the first meeting:

6.30pm
Thursday August 14
UTS

We're seeking the involvement of as many groups and individuals as possible, so please forward this through your networks.

Supported by

Alison Potter, Climate Change Balmain-Rozelle
Brianna Pike, Resistance
Damien Lawson,
Climate Justice Coordinator Friends of the Earth Australia
Janet France, North Shore Climate Action
Jonathan Doig, Sutherland Climate Action Network
Jo Ferris, Sydney Uni enviro collective convenor
Jo Spangaro, Ryde Gladesville Climate Change Action Group
Kamala Emanuel, Socialist Alliance
Maria White, UNSW enviro collective co-convenor
Nicky Ison

*We need urgent action on climate change!*
A call for a national week of protest action beginning September 21
Climate change is already occurring, much faster than the world's
scientists have predicted. Recent data including the very real possibility of the arctic sea-ice melting by September this year demonstrate that this is a climate emergency.

We are concerned that the Australian government's proposed Emissions Trading Scheme will be full of loopholes and by the government's own admission will allow emissions to continue rising for some years. We believe such incremental measures are unacceptable: We need greenhouse emissions to start to fall immediately and sharply.

To begin to solve the problem we need action on many fronts including:

* No new coal;
* Massive public spending on renewable energy;
* More public transport not new freeways;
* End logging of old growth forests.

We call for a national week of protests across Australia at the Spring Equinox, in the week beginning September 21. This week of action can highlight the summer melt of the Arctic ice and other worrying signs that demand urgent measures to de-carbonise the economy from state and Federal governments.

We ask climate change campaign groups and networks and all environmentally concerned organisations across Australia to work together for a co-ordinated and effective week of public protest around these themes.

*Call issued by the organising committee for the July 5 Climate Emergency rally in Melbourne
Endorsed unanimously by participants at the final session of the August 2
Climate Justice seminar in Melbourne
http://www.climatejusticeseminar.blogspot.com
Please spread the word and START ORGANISING!!!

Perhaps funding policy needs a bit of a "tweek"
'500 apply for solar rebate per week' - http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/4846677 [Full thread - Climate Change Action Group]

Giant chunks break off Canadian ice shelf Giant sheets of ice totaling
almost eight square miles broke off an ice shelf in the Canadian Arctic
last week and more could follow later this year, scientists said on
Tuesday.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25917328/from/ET/

Thanks to to Greg, who sent me a similar article ...
"Huge chunk snaps off storied Arctic ice shelf"
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080729.ICE29/TPStory/...

A four-square-kilometre chunk has broken off Ward Hunt Ice Shelf -
the largest remaining ice shelf in the Arctic - threatening the future
of the giant frozen mass that northern explorers have used for years as
the starting point for their treks.
Scientists say the break, the largest on record since 2005, is the
latest indication that climate change is forcing the drastic reshaping
of the Arctic coastline, where 9,000 square kilometres of ice have been
whittled down to less than 1,000 over the past century, and are only
showing signs of decreasing further.
"Once you unleash this process by cracking the ice shelf in multiple
spots, of course we're going to see this continuing," said Derek
Mueller, a leading expert on the North who discovered the ice shelf's
first major crack in 2002.
--------------------------------------------------------------

Continuation from http://globalclimatechangeaction.org/smokedetector

I have snipped a small part of the two page PDF document and pasted as an image here. This information is supplied by ARPANZA. Full document here: http://globalclimatechangeaction.org/files/goddard%20attachment.pdf

The broken smoke detector contains an amount of AM 241 and bears the radiation warning. The label reads "return to supplier or Dpt of Health for disposal."

The attached jpg image snip reads:

"When more than 10 smoke detectors (or more particularly, the Americium 241 sources) are collected together for bulk disposal however, they must be treated as radioactive waste, and the requirements of the National Health and Research Council's code of practice for the Near Surface Disposal of Radioactive Waste in Australia, 1992, (PDF 237kb) must be met. Contact your State or Territory radiation control authority for advice."

Freecall 1800 022 333

(Note PDF File not attached)