Greens E-Brief No. 117
3 September 2004

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IN THIS E-BRIEF

1. From the offices of the Greens MPs in NSW
2. Coming events involving Greens MPs
3. What's on?
4. Campaigns
5. Hot website tip
6. Reports Just Released
7. Job Vacancies or Volunteers needed
8. Contact details for Greens MPs

1. FROM THE OFFICES OF GREENS MPs IN NSW

SENATOR KERRY NETTLE
www.kerrynettle.org.au

RANGER URANIUM MINE AND NUCLEAR ISSUES
It has been a fortnight full of wins for opponents to the nuclear cycle. As The Greens had called for, the operating and export licence for Energy Resources Australia's Ranger Uranium Mine in Kakadu was revoked. This followed the tabling in the Senate of the Supervising Scientist's report into the contamination of water and vehicles at the Ranger uranium mine. The Medical Association for the Prevention of War also released a report that found a new nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights is not required for medical purposes. Kerry argued that this report demolished the main argument the government is attempting to make for a new nuclear reactor.

The Northern Territory government also introduced legislation to ban the storage or transport of nuclear waste in the NT, following similar bans in SA and WA. The Victorian government has said it will consider introducing similar legislation. The Greens must now work hard to ensure that the NSW government implements the recommendations from the joint select committee to legislate against storage and transport of nuclear waste in NSW. Kerry argued that the writing was on the wall for the nuclear industry in Australia, and the Government should end its plans to build a new reactor.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT QLD CONSERVATION COUNCIL ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Kerry was the keynote speaker at the Queensland Conservation Council Annual Conference. Kerry announced that the Greens would support a Federal Government pledge of $15 million towards a land buy-back programme to save the Daintree lowlands from development. This was widely reported in the media. The Daintree lowlands are home to the oldest continuously existing rainforest on earth and are of key ecological importance. The Douglas Shire Council and the Queensland Government have already agreed to provide $5 million each towards the buy back program, but this is not enough to protect the region's future.

FEDERAL ELECTION
Kerry's office is now looking forward to a Green election and, with less than 6 weeks of more hard work from us all to go (!), company in the Senate for herself and Bob, and for Michael in the Lower House. Go Greens!

LEE RHIANNON MLC
www.lee.greens.org.au

Lee Rhiannon has written to the NSW Ombudsman indicating her concern that a report investigating the 'lifestyles' of officers at Surry Hills police station could discriminate against lesbian and gay police officers. An article in the Daily Telegraph suggested that lesbian and gay police officers could be transferred from Surry Hills police station because they go to gay bars off-duty. Obviously heterosexual police officers frequent their local bars. Lee questioned what is the difference between this and gay and lesbian officers going to their local bars.

Premier Bob Carr has been requested to fast track his Government's proposed four-year trial of medicinal cannabis use and to issue a guarantee that people will not be fined who continue to use the drug for these purposes. Lee spoke at a gathering of medicinal cannabis users who were urging the Government to stop delaying the implementation of the trial. In May 2003 Premier Bob Carr announced his Government's support for a four-year trial of the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. Lee has welcomed the news that Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott and NSW Special Minister for State John Della Bosca are meeting next week to discuss the importation of cannabis for medicinal purposes.

Lee was successful in having a motion passed through the Upper House calling on political parties to redirect any donations they've received from James Hardie into a trust fund. Lee called on political parties to take this action on July 1. On August 11 Opposition Leader Mark Latham gave $77,500 over to the Asbestos Diseases Foundation.

Lee has called on Premier Bob Carr to protect current discounting arrangements on the purchase of multiple tickets for buses, or risk driving more people away from using public transport. By slashing the discount currently provided on TravelTen tickets by up to as much as half, there will be less incentive for people to pre-purchase their tickets.

The NSW Labor government's latest offensive against the professional independence of public school principals was strongly criticised by Lee as a disaster for public education and for federal Labor.

IAN COHEN MLC

MURDOCH MEDIA ATTACKS
Ian joins with Lee and Sylvia in urging all Greens members and supporters to stand together and continue to speak freely about the urgent need for a re-focus by Australian governments on policies that reduce harm to people with a drug dependent problem. Repetitive attacks by the tabloid media on the Greens harm minimisation policy only serve to remind us all that the major political parties are afraid the Greens are a threat to their prohibition-style policies and fear-driven politics.

WEED CRISIS
Local authorities have placed the Hawkesbury River's prawn industry and its water quality at risk following a decision to use the chemical glyphosate on a 50-kilometre stretch of river affected by the weed salvinia. Hawkesbury River County Council has sent notices to land holders along the river, informing them that spraying with glyphosate will begin in the next week. Ian is working with Hawkesbury Councillor Leigh Williams to propose alternative solutions to treat the weed and prevent use of such a dangerous chemical as glyphosate. A low-level sodium chloride solution would kill the weed. So would a flush of water down the river.

DIRT ROAD HERITAGE
Planning Minister Craig Knowles must intervene in a plan by Kempsey Shire Council to seal Point Plomer Road at Crescent Head if the area's diverse environmental qualities and Aboriginal heritage are to be saved. Ian has been lobbying the Minister since mid-last year to preserve 'rustic roads' such as Point Plomer Road, and now with the support of the National Trust of Australia, there is a real chance these unique areas may finally receive a permanent notice on them stating 'Rustic Road - never to be sealed'. The National Trust of Australia had shown great foresight by listing Point Plomer Road as among Australia's most endangered places because Kempsey Council wants to seal it.

SYLVIA HALE MLC
www.sylviahale.org

HOME WARRANTY INSURANCE
Sylvia spoke at the Builders Rally against the disastrous Home Warranty insurance system. Privatisation of insurance has brought soaring premiums. Home owners and builders can't get the protection they need. Insurance companies are printing money, and the NSW Government is failing to address the problem.

RALLY AGAINST KURING-GAI CAMPUS SELL-OFF
Sylvia went out to Kuring-gai to speak at a rally against the scandalous plans of UTS to sell off the campus.

DISABILITIES
Sylvia has spoken at rallies at Armidale, Eastlakes and Parliament House challenging cuts the NSW Labor Government is making to disability support. Disability groups, carers and families have been fighting against the Government's plans to replace the existing programs with new schemes reducing services and individual funding. The Minister has back flipped on some of the changes, but the Government's new plans are nowhere near good enough. People with a disability need life-long ongoing funding and support, not band-aid measures.

TOURS TO WESTERN SYDNEY
Sylvia is spending as much time as she can out and about supporting local groups and campaigns. Last week she went to Western Sydney to meet with Greens' candidates, visit public schools and the ADI site, and take part in the "enrol to vote" drive. Sylvia joined a number of Western Sydney candidates at UWS targeting students to get on the electoral roll.

ORANGE GROVE
Sylvia has continued her work on the Parliamentary Committee inquiry into the Orange Grove factory outlet. Sylvia tabled in the Parliament documents that show the strong links between Westfield and the ALP. Westfield donated nearly $900,000 to the ALP between 1998 and 2003 and several top level former ALP staffers now work for Westfield. The fight against corrupting political donations continues.

2. COMING EVENTS INVOLVING GREENS

PUBLIC FORUM: THE INVASION OF IRAQ - HUMAN & LEGAL CONSEQUENCES
6.00pm, Sunday 5 September
Bankstown Masonic Hall, 23 Restwell St (Cnr Greenfield Pde)

Speakers: John Kaye, Greens Senate candidate, Donna Mulhearn, human shield in Iraq and
Tim Stephens, Sydney Centre for International and Global Law at Sydney University.

Entry: gold coin donation. More info: Bankstown Greens, Steve on 0425 237 808 or Marlene on 0401 758 871

SEXUAL ASSAULT - TIME TO CHANGE THE LAW RALLY
10am, Monday 6th September
Queen Square, Macquarie Street, Sydney (outside NSW Court of Criminal Appeal)

Speakers include Greens MP Lee Rhiannon, Tanya Pliebersek - Member for Sydney, Kath Haines - Football Fans against Sexual Assault, Anne Cousins - Snr Lecturer, Faculty of Law, UNSW, Karen Willis - Manager, Rape Crisis Centre and Sandy Goldstone - Counselling Co-ordinator, Rape Crisis Centre.

In NSW less than 1% of sexual assaults lead to a conviction. Increasingly, those convicted are appealing on minor points of law. Our legal system is based on laws developed hundreds of years ago and many myths about sexual assault are deeply embedded in those laws. The Rape Crisis Centre has organised this rally to present their demands for reform to the current unjust and ineffective sexual assault laws.

For more info: Lee Rhiannon's office on 9230 3551.

US THREAT TO CUBA
Speaker: Iliana Hernandez, Communist Party of Cuba
7pm, Friday 10 September
Greek Community Club, 206-210 Lakemba St, Lakemba

Dinner and entertainment. $20 (advanced purchase required).
Contact: Hannah 0418 668 098 or Nick 0414 691 732.

BOB BROWN - TASSIE FOREST FORUM
7.30pm, Wednesday 15 September
Tom Mann Theatre 136 Chalmers St, Surry Hills

Bob Brown will speak on the logging threat to Tasmania's ancient Tarkine and Styx forests and introduce a short audio-visual presentation on the forests. Lead NSW Senate candidate John Kaye will speak on the economics of wood-chipping and his visit to the Styx.

Proceeds to the campaign to Save Tassie's Forests and the Greens NSW Federal Election Campaign.
Admission $5 or $10, you choose! For more info: Greens office 9519 0877

ANNUAL SYDNEY SOCIAL FORUM
Opening Session 7pm, Friday 17 September, then 18-19 September
Bon Marche Building, 755 Harris St, Ultimo,UTS

Part of a world-wide series of Social Forums, prioritising the opportunity for dialogue.

Local and international speakers will address a range of issues including global conflict and prospects for peace, alternative economics, environment, refugees, trade and development, independent media and more. Greens speakers: Sen Kerry Nettle, Senate Candidate John Kaye and Sydney candidate Jenny Leong. International speakers include: Teboho Mashota, a key activist from the Anti-Privatisation Forum (APF) in South Africa and Joao Sarmento, part of a new coalition of Timorese youth and civil society, the Movement Against the Occupation of the Timor Sea.

For more info: http://www.sydneysocialforum.org/

3. WHAT'S ON

INNOCENT VICTIMS: CHILDREN'S DRAWINGS FROM WOOMERA IRPC
Daily life and events as depicted by child detainees.

10-4pm, until 28 September
Mary MacKillop Place Museum, 7 Mount St, North Sydney

Email: mackillop@sosj.org.au

CULTURE d'CUBA
6-19 September
TAP Gallery, 278 Palmer St, Darlinghurst
Ph 9361 0440
Exhibition of Cuban art and culture

And also: CARNIVAL d'CUBA
14 September
Music - Dance-Mojitos

Presented by Cubaust in co-operation with Cuban Consul-General
Details: Stephen Burns 02 9337 4713 or cubaust@hotmail.com

FORUM EXPLORING LESBIAN LIVES ACROSS WESTERN SYDNEY
12-5pm, Saturday 11 September
Kingswood Neighbourhood Centre, 19 Bringelly Road

Talk it up! Guest speakers, workshops, entertainment.

For more info: Teresa Clonan 9204 2405, 0407 949 661

FILM NIGHT TO SUPPORT PEOPLE OF WESTERN SAHARA
6.30-8.30pm, 14 September
Parliamentary Theatrette, Parliament House

Featuring premier of 'It's a long way to Tifariti', a film by Yvette Andrews. Proceeds to the Australia Western Sahara Association to assist the Saharawi refugees in Western Algeria.

Cost: $20/$15. RSVP: 9230 2301 by 10th September.

ASBESTOS RALLY
10am, Wednesday 15 September
March from Town Hall Square at 9am

An estimated 54,000 Australians will be affected by an asbestos-related illness by 2020.

More info: www.labor.net.au

SUSTAINABILITY FAIR
10am-4pm, Saturday 18 September
Hawkesbury EarthCare Centre, grounds of UWS, Hawkesbury

2004 theme is Working Towards Sustainability' to promote ways in which we can 'walk more lightly on the Earth'.

For more information: 4777 4077 or email: info@earthcare.org.au

JESSIE STREET NATIONAL WOMEN'S LIBRARY EVENT
Noon, Monday 20 September
Strangers Dining Room, NSW Parliament House

Annual Fundraising Luncheon - Speaker, Marie Bashir AC, NSW Governor

Cost: $70 members, $75 non members. Prepaid bookings essential. Download booking forms from: http://www.nationalwomenslibrary.org.au/

For more info: (02) 9256 9486 or email info@nationalwomenslibrary.org.au

PLAY: HOWARD THE ARSELICKER
Preview 29 September, then 30 September - 9 October
The Downstairs Theatre, Seymour Centre

The play poses the questions: What if we lived our day to day lives using the same logic the Howard Government uses to run the country's affairs? What fundamental values do Australians identify with and are we standing by them? How has the Howard Government contributed to what he calls the "coarsening" of society and "trends toward more aggression"? Is 'arselicker' the most accurate description of our PM or are there better ones?

$28 or $18 for Greens members. For more info: Darren Valentine 02 96368914, mob 0419880798

RALLY FOR TRUTH: END THE LIES
Bring the troops home. Howard out.
1 pm, Sunday 3 October
Sydney Town Hall

Three years after the truth was thrown overboard at the last Federal Election, now is the time to say 'No More Lies!' People will gather in every capital city and many regional centres the
week before the election. Join hundreds of thousands of other Australians seeking to end the lies.

To endorse the rally and get involved call: Iggy 0421 322 175 or em: endthelies@mail.com

4. CAMPAIGNS

SEND A MESSAGE ABOUT THE BEIJING OLYMPICS

With the end of the 2004 Olympics in Athens the world will turn its attention towards the 2008 games in China. The International Tibet Support Network has developed a new website: http://rd.bcentral.com/?ID=2057324&s=92405600.

Use the opportunities presented in the lead up to the Beijing Olympics to press for peaceful, unconditional negotiations between representatives of the Dalai Lama and China on the future of Tibet. You can:

1. Go to the above website and send a protest letter to the IOC and the Chinese Government
2. Post your name on the supporters list: http://rd.bcentral.com/?ID=2057315&s=92405600
3. Ask your friends (especially in Greece!) to join our protest http://rd.bcentral.com/?ID=2057332&s=92405600

For more info: Australia Tibet Council, ph 9283 3566.

5. HOT WEBSITE TIP

The address says it all: http://www.defeathoward.com/

6. REPORTS

Parliamentary Library Research Service Background Papers: 'Medical Cannabis Programs: A Review of Selected Jurisdictions' by Rowena Johns and '2004 NSW Redistribution: Analysis of Draft Boundaries' by Antony Green. Visit:
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/V3ListRPSubjecthtml

7. JOB VACANCIES OR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

EVENT ORGANISER NEEDED
The Greens NSW is considering organising a Federal Election Campaign Launch or similar event in Sydney in late September. We are looking for a volunteer with good organisational skills to co-ordinate the event. (There will during the course of the campaign be a Greens national campaign launch but that is being held in Melbourne.) The tasks involved would include checking out and booking a venue, making sure we had a good crowd of Greens members and supporters on the day, arranging a timetable for the 90 minute to 2 hour event which would include Greens candidates speaking, screening of our adverts and other material and possibly some brief entertainment such as musician(s).

If any member is interested in organising this event, with assistance from The Greens office and campaign team, please contact The Greens NSW Election Campaign Coordinator, Geoff Ash on 9519 0877 or email geoff@nsw.greens.org.au

VOLUNTEER POSITION - SENATOR KERRY NETTLE'S OFFICE
Kerry Nettle is looking for a volunteer to work in her electoral office in Surry Hills on either Mondays or Thursdays for the duration of the election campaign. Particular help is needed with the production and distribution of materials, answering phones and constituent inquiries and assisting with day-to-day campaign activities. The opportunity would allow the applicant to gain valuable experience within a busy Senate office. Good computer skills are an advantage and good communication skills are essential. Applicants must be available to work for at least one day a week on either Monday or Thursday until October 9.

For further information or to register your interest please email Georgia Miller georgia.miller@aph.gov.au or phone 9690 2038.

8. CONTACT DETAILS FOR GREENS MPs

Michael Organ MP - Member for Cunningham
Michael.Organ.MP@APH.Gov.Au
Illawarra Office Ph 4228 3666 Fx 4228 3677
Parliament Office Ph 6277 4366 Fx 6277 8472
http://www.michaelorgan.org.au

Lee Rhiannon MLC
lee.rhiannon@parliament.nsw.gov.au
http://www.lee.greens.org.au
Ph 9230 3551 Fx 9230 3550

Ian Cohen MLC
ian.cohen@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Ph 9230 2603 Fx 9230 2267

Sylvia Hale MLC
sylvia.hale@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Ph 02 9230 3030 Fax 02 9230 2159

Senator Kerry Nettle
senator.nettle@aph.gov.au
http://www.kerrynettle.org.au
Sydney Office Ph 9690 2038 Fax 9690 2041
Canberra Office Ph 6277 3501 Fx 6277 5716