April 09

Penny Wong to speak in Meadowbank this Monday night

At very short notice Maxine McKew has arranged for Penny Wong, Minister for Climate Change to speak next week at a forum.
Time: Monday 6th April, 7- 8.30pm
Venue: Shepherds’ Bay Community Centre, 3a Bay Drive Meadowbank

It’s essential that any one in this area who wants effective climate change policy is part of the audience if at all possible to let your concern be known to the government. A small attendance will reassure the government that they can continue to do deals with the big polluters and the community won’t mind too much.

RSVP by Friday 3 April to Maxine McKew’s electoral office on 9816 5911. If you can’t make it please call her office anyway and tell them you are unable to attend but that you want to see a better response to climate change.

Maxine McKew has told our group that the plan is better than we would have had under Howard. However this plan is worse than doing nothing. It will undermine existing policies to move Australia to renewable energy, energy efficiency and clean transport. It will pay polluters billions of dollars in compensation and use the voluntary emissions reductions you make to free up even more permits for polluters. Worst of all, it will lock Australia into a weak 5% emissions reduction target and close off the option of achieving the much deeper cuts in greenhouse emissions we need to prevent climate catastrophe.

The Shepherd’s Bay centre is only a few minutes from Ryde Council Chambers, at the bottom of Bowden St, off Victoria Road or a short walk from Meadowbank Station. Here’s a map.


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Climate Snakes and Ladders in Gladesville

Last Friday we helped the Federal government play games in the face of the climate crisis at Maxine McKew’s office in Gladesville. We chalked a giant snakes and ladders board on the pavement and with a giant dice and counters tackled a board with too few ladders and too many big snakes. Of course we cleaned up all the chalk after and left it cleaner than before. See the pictures here

Have your say on emissions trading

The Greens have established a Senate Inquiry into Climate Policy, which will report on the environmental adequacy of the Government’s scheme. You can make a submission to the inquiry with this link here. Have your say on emissions trading.

What’s wrong with the Federal government’s carbon pollution scheme? (made simple)

Free permits? Cap and trade? If the talk about the government’s policy is turning your head to marshmallow (like us) read the Ten Big Problems with the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, which is the simplest explanation we have found so far. tenbigproblemswiththecprs.pdf 

Group Solar Buy up

A fantastic response from supporters and others in the area to our bulk solar purchase. 38 applications were received which have now all been sent to Aussie Solar, the provider, who will send off rebate applications and contact each person to discuss site needs and confirm quotes for the solar panels.