Never a dull moment in Ashgrove

                                 Bob Irwin in Ashgrove?

 

"Concern about coal seam gas is already being given the higher profile it deserves in the electorate of Ashgrove by Bob Irwin's announcement that he is considering running for the seat." said Dr Sandra Bayley Greens candidate for Ashgrove.  While The Greens address policies across the board, we share Bob's alarm about coal seam gas rush.  Ashgrove is an educated electorate and his involvement will highlight how important it is that they look more carefully at the decisions that are being made on their behalf.

 

It is critically important for city people to understand the risks of this burgeoning industry which threatens both our food bowl and the Great Artesian Basin.  The people of Ashgrove have a timely opportunity to be collectively Queensland's Erin Brockovich.

 

"I understand the economic appeal of this industry, but ultimately we can't eat money.  I am very concerned that the safety aspects have not been given the attention they require" Dr Bayley said.  The Greens support a moratorium on coal seam gas mining until critical safeguards have been ensured.  Thinking at a deeper level, we are at a point in history where we surely must start moving towards an energy future based on renewables rather than dirty gas or coal.  The mythology that coal seam gas is a lower greenhouse gas emitter than coal is already being challenged.

 

"The coal seam gas development in Queensland is an unseemly grab for easy money, but will have ramifications for every generation to come", she said.   The government acknowledges the potential damage as they are putting in place adaptive management procedures.  Dr Bayley points out however, that once the damage is done to the basin, no amount of mitigation measure can fully restore it to its former state.   As stated by The Water Advice Group to the federal Environment Minister, the artesian basin could take 1000 years or more to recover from the extraction of water through mining coal seam gas, let alone water contamination by the chemicals released.  

 

Campbell Newman has publicly declared his support for the expansion of the coal seam gas industry.  He did add as an aside that of course agricultural land and the artesian basin will be protected, without actually indicating how this would be achieved. "Given the warnings of The Water Advice Group this is likely to be an impossible task, even for a CAN DO man." Dr Bayley said.

 

  

 

Productivity Commission supports Price on Carbon and support for renewables

The Productivity Commission report for the Multi-Party Climate Committee
shows that major countries are moving to transform their economies with
a combination of carbon pricing and direct support for sunrise
industries such as renewable energy, the Greens said today.
The report shows that a wide range of climate policies and industry
measures are in place in all countries analysed: China, the USA, the UK,
South Korea, Japan, Germany and New Zealand.

"In a serious debate, this report would help finally put to rest the
ridiculous notion that Australia might be moving ahead of the world in
putting a price on pollution," Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator
Christine Milne, said.
"The inescapable conclusion is that all countries have seen the need to
support sunrise industries like renewable energy directly at the same
time as pricing pollution, and some have achieved this more efficiently
than others.

"The Commission has, however, fallen into the trap of only measuring the
effectiveness of policies in terms of how much they cut pollution in the
short term, ignoring the fact that many of these are very effective
industry development policies designed to transform the economy over the
long term.
"The report shows that pricing carbon is the most efficient way to drive
fuel-switching from coal to gas, but it is not enough to drive the
transition to renewable energy.

"There are good reasons to invest early in innovation and
commercialisation of renewable energy because this reduces the cost of
achieving deep cuts in emissions in the longer term.
"Germany's decision, for example, to invest up front in a renewable
energy boom has driven its pollution cuts and put it in prime position
to reap the benefits of cheaper action over time.

"Germany's world-leading renewable energy policies have had enormous
benefits which aren't measured by this report - a jobs boom, energy
security and cleaner air, amongst them.
"Unfortunately, since the Howard era, Australian policies to drive
renewable energy have been ad hoc and targeted more at photo
opportunities than real industry development. It's no surprise that we
have lost so many economic opportunities to Germany, China and other
competitors.

"The Greens are determined to ensure that, alongside a price on
pollution, we finally put in place well-designed policies and funding
streams that will create a flourishing industry and start building here
in Australia the kind of industrial-scale baseload solar power stations
that are operational right now in Europe and America.
"By investing now in making clean, renewable energy cheaper, we will
make the transformation to a cleaner, healthier more secure economy
cheaper over time.

"If we fail once again to support renewable energy now, we will become
the first generation since the industrial revolution to pass a greater
debt on to our children instead of working to make their lives easier."
The Greens note that this report is a key step in the analysis that the
Productivity Commission will need to undertake in the years ahead to
underpin the principled approach to compensation for trade exposed
industries.
Christine Milne  -  media release  9th June 

Greens question LNP’s focus group approach

Media Statement from Dr Sandra Bayley, Greens Candidate for Ashgrove:


Greens candidate for Ashgrove Dr Sandra Bayley has highlighted the
contrast between Campbell Newman’s focus group-style doorknocking
blitz and the Greens’ grassroots campaign.

In March, Mr Newman announced he had wiped the LNP’s policy slate
clean, and now plans to doorknock 100,000 households to work out what
he should stand for at the state election.

Meanwhile, Dr Bayley has been doorknocking locally, engaging Ashgrove
voters in conversations about important policy issues and how the
Greens will address them. But there is no doubt about what she stands
for.

“The Greens represent strong action on climate change, equitable
access to quality health care, a moratorium on further coal seam gas
mining, better public transport and much more,” she said.

“We believe in our policies and principles, which are based on
evidence and don’t change every time there is a shift in the opinion
polls.”

Dr Bayley says she and her team of enthusiastic volunteers have been
out and about on street corners and attending local events like the
Hillbrook Sustainability Day and the rally to ‘Say Yes’ to a price on
carbon.

“I am keen to meet with Ashgrove voters to talk about issues that are
important to them in their local area and beyond,” she said.

“People have been very interested to hear about Greens policies on
issues that resonate with them, like the carbon tax, public transport,
food security and schools.”

Dr Bayley also expressed amusement at the latest comments from federal
Independent MP Bob Katter that “you’ve got to be pretty desperate to
vote for the Greens”.

She said the decision of more than 1.6 million Australians to vote for
the Greens in 2010 was not about desperation.

“The Greens have become the third force in Australian politics, and
our policies on health, social justice, education and the environment
represent a positive way forward,” she said.

“Unlike Labor and the LNP, the Greens have a track record of standing
up for what is right, not just what is easy or what polls well.”

Dr Bayley achieved 19 per cent of the primary vote in the seat of Ryan
at the 2010 federal election.

The Queensland Greens’ policies are available at
http://qld.greens.org.au/policies.

Sandra Bayley
Candidate for Ashgrove
3366 2393       (h)
0488 362 055 (m)
sandra.bayley6@bigpond.com

facebook.com/Sandra.Bayley.4.Ashgrove

Say Yes to Making Polluters Pay Rally in Brisbane, 5th June, 2011

Myself and the next generation that will have to clean up our mistakes.  As his sign says, we can't afford not to make the polluters pay.

Myself, Senator Larissa Waters and Greens candidate for Mt Coot-tha, Adam Stone