Our last Brief for 1999 – thanks to everybody for all their support throughout this year.
It is certainly the combined work of all The Greens local groups, members, supporters, local councillors and parliamentarians that enables the party to successfully campaign on a wide range of issues.
Parliament does not sit again until April. In the intervening period various parliamentary committees will be active and Lee and Ian will be working on a number of campaigns.
And great news from New Zealand – NZ Greens won 7 seats, and have already achieved one of their main election promises – a Royal Commission into genetically modified food. See full report in overseas news below.

CFMEU Construction Division, with support of the NSW Labor Council and the Building Trades Group, has placed a green ban on the proposed Grand Drive McDonalds near Moore and Centennial Parks.
The Greens have congratulated the CFMEU on their action.
Andrew Ferguson, CFMEU state secretary stated “According to our information the McDonald’s franchise was approved in dubious circumstances by the previous Coalition government and the location is entirely inappropriate.”

Greens participated in the Fair Wear campaign outside Esprit shop in Pitt Street Mall. This shop is on the naughty list as they have not signed onto the Homeworkers Code of Practice. Retail outlets and manufacturers sign this code if they do not use exploitative practices to make their products.
Santa Claus, with a number of helpers, and serenaded by the Solidarity Choir, gave out the wallet size check list of companies that support the Code.
So this Christmas all you need when you go shopping is your money and your Fair Wear list of OK retailers and manufacturers. Email fairwear@awatw.org.au for your copy.

Greens Randwick Councillor, Murray Matson, along with a number of transport activists organised a ‘people’s count’ of traffic use of the Eastern Distributor over 24 hours. This work was undertaken as support for the construction of this mega motorway was largely based on traffic volume forecasts.
The traffic count clocked up less than 24,000 vehicles using the Distributor over a 24 hour period. In the original prospectus for the project potential investors were told the Eastern Distribution would carry 60,000 paying vehicles per day by the year 2006.
So investors will be struggling to see a return on their investments and Sydneysiders will be struggling with congested side roads and filthy air.
Truth About Motorways Pty Ltd have taken Macquarie Infrastructure Investment Ltd to the Federal Court on the grounds that the traffic volumes quoted were false and misleading. When they are back in court there now will be some interesting new evidence.
Meanwhile the battle for public transport will take another surge as the pain of the Eastern Distributor hits home.

The fate of the Snowy is in all our hands. The Snowy River Alliance is calling on everyone to write to their local member (particularly if you are in a marginal seat) and call for the Snowy River to be restored to 28% flow. Anything below this is a sell out not a compromise. The message from the SRA to the NSW government is remember the Victorian state elections. There will be positive returns accruing to Labor if they get the political and environmental flows right.
Snowy River Alliance can be contacted on – 03 5154 3001 or 5156 3200.

ONE WORD ... WE! – Maurie Mulheron’s musical biography of the story and songs of Pete Seeger and his friends.
Pete Seeger, who recently turned 80, wrote many of the anthems of political protests. He was once the most boycotted, banned, and picketed singer in US history. This musical celebrates an incredible life of struggle.
New Theatre, 542 King St, Newtown. From Saturday January 8 to January 29. Performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, Sunday 5.30 pm. Prices - $25 full and $15 concession. Bookings 9873 3575.

The following books have just been released – worth supporting local talent, buy your copy today.

“Secrets and Lies – the anatomy of an anti-environmental PR campaign” by Nicky Hager and Bob Burton. Based on the hard evidence of hundreds of pages of internal documents leaked by insiders of one of the world’s top PR companies. Read how the anti-environmentalists conduct their campaigns. Inquiries about how to purchase to - <bburton@hydra.org.au>

“It must be true, it’s in the papers. Building workers and the press – 160 years of anti-union propaganda” by Paul True. This booked, launched by Jack Mundey, reveals a degree of media bias and malice that is deeply disturbing. But the booklet is also very inspiring. The thorough research of Paul True, the author, provides a most important insight into a side of Australian history that we hear little about. Extraordinary examples right back to a 1927 edition of the Daily Telegraph that described political endowment as political robbery with violence. Inquiries about how to purchase - <ptrue@nsw.cfmeu.asn.au>

“Stopping the Juggernaut – public interest versus the MAI” edited by James Goodman and Pat Ranald. In 1998 global corporate power was defeated by ordinary people connecting over the internet and getting organised – a dramatic demonstration of globalisation from below. This book records the struggle of Australians who defeated the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) designed by leaders of the world’s richest nations at the expense of human rights, labour rights and the environment. Cost $29.95 plus $4 for postage. Email your orders to <crisew@socialchange.net.au>

Our colleagues in New Zealand have had a fantastic victory in the recent general election –
5.2% of the vote
7 members of parliament
hold balance of power
Greens candidate, Jeanette Fitzsimons, elected to seat of Coromandel. First time The Greens anywhere have gained a single member electorate seat.
NZ Greens have already achieved some of their election promises – at the opening of parliament it was announced that a Royal Commission will be held into the genetic modification of food, and inquiries into the impact of climate change and ozone depletion will be held. And a ban on logging of all native forests is now in place.

Jamie Parker, Convener of The Greens NSW will be travelling to Indonesia in late January to examine the recent ‘sustainable harvested’ certification of a teak plantation in the Asia Pacific. The plantation is owned and managed by the Indonesian government in central Java. The plantation has been developed in conjunction with the US based Rainforest Alliance and the philanthropic trust the Ford Foundation. Consumption of rainforest timber in Australia is growing at and alarming rate, especially in the outdoor furniture market.
A brief look at Spectrum Section of the Sydney Morning Herald reveals over a dozen teak furniture stores selling unsustainably harvested teak from Indonesian rainforests. Australian teak and mahogany firms play a central role in rainforest destruction is the region. One firm imports 5 containers of furniture a week to Australia while their US subsidiary imports up to 90 containers of rainforest teak per week into Los Angles.
Jamie will be working with other non government organisations to investigate and support the plantation and the efforts of the Indonesians to support the ecosystem and the local community.
For more information contact Jamie Parker on jamie.parker@parliament.nsw.gov.au

This Appeal is being coordinated with help of unions and local councils. The people of East Timor urgently need the following –
clothing- all kinds, cotton cloth, simple flat soled shoes.
sanitary items – soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, sanitary pads, razor blades, washing powder, towels.
educational – books, notebooks, pens, pencils, rubbers, toys.
food – salt, canner food, baby formula.
kitchen utensils – cooking pots, plates, mugs, glasses, cutlery, baby bottles, scissors, pencils, biros, exercise books.
seeds – carrots, pumpkins, beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, corn.
sleeping gear – sleeping mats, mattresses, bed linen.
building gear – hammers, nails, saw, screw drivers, screws, shovels, spades, tarpaulins, tents, ropes.
If you can help please contact – Jose Manuel De Almada – 02 9750 2458 or Joanna Ximenes-Daluz 0407 462 157.

see www.altnews.com.au/Greens for media releases

As the International Year of the Older Person draws to a close, reports that many elderly people are being evicted from housing over the Christmas period due to Olympic development has drawn heavy criticism from community groups.
The Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon stated that the latest round of evictions highlighted the need for more public housing and an increase in funding for the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program, which funds various projects for the homeless.

The Federal Government’s tax concessions for the proposed Bondi rail link to be built by Lend Lease and Macquarie Bank, have been condemned by The Greens as favours for corporations that make large financial donations to the two major political parties.

Community concerns about the use of Ashfield Park for commercial gain by US real estate giant Century 21 has led to the organisation of a protest rally this Saturday December 11^th. The protest has been planned to coincide with a property auction by Century 21 in the park.