Please Weed, Proetct Biodiversity, Build Resilience

One of the first things I did today was put a new blade in my trusty pocket saw a sleek Wolf Garten that has assisted in many murders-of Privet and Lantana. I topped up my poison bottle and headed of to the gully prepared to do real damage.

Its a funny thing going to 'war' with plants for the real agenda is building resilience. The little patch I've been working on for the last 7 years with lots of help from friends and relatives is showing signs of greater resilience and today's expedition was a real treat.

The first sounds when entering the patch was the fantastic calls of whip birds I find them kind of elusive as their big sounds lead you on a bizarre meander in search of the utterer. I put my head down and got to work- close to the soft brown earth that was alive with all sorts of creatures going about their business and even though I was creating a path of destruction little brown birds or lbb's and blue wrens were curious enough to come and check it out. I think they like the disturbance as it produces things they like to eat.

The perfume from the Privet was overwhelming but the best bit about working during flowering is the ability to search and destroy - so it is well worth the immersion if your body can stand it.

I found myself in all sorts of weird positions as the creek bank was very steep but the best position was the base of a Koda tree that was getting close to blooming. Unfortunately Honeysuckle had decided to try and squeeze the life out of it. I set to work at the base and chopped honeysuckle coils that were as thick as bananas I was obsessed with releasing the tree from its bonds it was as though the struggle of the tree became the metaphor for what has been happening around me- but this time I was in control, I could take direct and firm action- not waiting for decisions to be made on my behalf. I was going to improve the chances of survival in an uncertain world.

Coming to the end of the task I laughed aloud to whatever was listening, joyful and empowered I felt a little like Harry from Carey's- Bliss who had overcome the weeds and planted the nectar trees for the love of Honey. Successful in building resilience and supporting biodiversity on which we depend.

Boundabah Creek maybe a Privet central but today's efforts unveiled tree frens, young Eucs, a special Lilly that is at its most northern reaches , and a Koda free from the bonds of honeysuckle a day of protecting biodiversity, a day of renewal from weary battles that feel as if they have no relevance in a dying world.

I left behind the ticks and leaches and was rewarded with a cup of tea and a garden salad with crunchy asparagus fresh baby beets and the words ringing in my ears- Please Weed, protect biodiversity, build resilience.

NSW Takes step towards cleaner politics

Media Release


John Kaye MLC

Greens NSW MP

28 October 2010

NSW takes step towards cleaner politics

Negotiations between the Greens and the Keneally government have produced an election funding and donations reform package that will significantly reduce the impacts of big money on politics in this state, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.

Dr Kaye said: "The final package is far from perfect but it is much better than the current laws. It creates a starting point for driving money politics out of NSW.

"It can now pass through the Upper House with the combined votes of Labor and the Greens who together can form a majority.

"We spoke to the Coalition but there was little progress that could be made with parties that are expecting a flood of corporate donations for the March 2011 election.

"The outcome is a big step forward but we were unable to convince Labor on a ban on all corporate donations, smaller caps on expenditure and a more effective model for restricting third parties.

"The package provides a public election campaign funding model that will protect political diversity.

"Labor met us half way by abandoning their original tiered campaign finance model which would have destroyed new and emerging parties and locked in power for the Coalition and Labor.

"The new progressive tiered funding model and start-up money for new parties will maintain a dynamic political landscape that will allow new ideas to be tested before the voters.

"While the new public funding model will not deliver a significant increase in campaign funding for the Greens, it will allow smaller parties the opportunity to put their case to the people of NSW.

"We would have preferred more progress on key areas of corporate donations, caps and third parties but we believe that this is the best that can be achieved at this time.

"This is only a first step and there will be an on-going need for reform until corporate money politics are driven out of this state.

"The Greens will be voting for the package, recognising its imperfections. It is a big step forward over the current system that does not limit donations or expenditure.

"We expect the Coalition will be unhappy and to try to destroy progress on limiting campaign donations.

"We will not allow progress towards cleaner politics in NSW to be undermined by cheap tricks.

"The progress that has been made is a tribute to my former colleague Senatorelect Lee Rhiannon and her staff, the Director of Democracy for Sale Dr Norman Thompson and the community groups and academics who have worked hard to end the influence of money over politics," Dr Kaye said.


Key points negotiated between the Greens and Labor

Positive outcomes of negotiations

Donation caps apply across groups of companies

• Labor's proposed cap on corporate donations of $5,000 to a party and $2,000 to a candidate will now apply to a group of companies, closing a dangerous loophole.

Fairer public funding for parties and independents

• Labor abandoned its tiered funding model that discriminated against new, emerging and small parties. The new model is based on capped reimbursement for expenditure. Public funding will help end reliance on
corporate donations while providing funding to support diversity in politics

• A modest new and small parties start-up/policy development fund.

Issues where Labor would not move

Expenditure caps

• Legislative Assembly party candidates capped at spending $100,000 with independent candidates capped at $150,000. This is too high but better than no cap.

• The state-wide party spending cap is $100,000 for each of the 93 seats a party contests. The maximum cap is $9.3 million and a party cannot spend more than $50,000 in one seat. This is too high.

Third parties

• third parties can still receive donations of $2,000. This is too high but better than no cap.

• Overall third party cap of $1.05 million with a limit of $20,000 spent in one electorate. This is high, but previously there was no cap at all.

Mixed messages on Crabon Taxing and Electricty Bills.

In a newspaper clipping last week Liberal Joanna Gash made some very odd statements.

Firstly -that power companies were putting up electricty because of uncertainty over carbon taxes.

Then- requested residents place stickers on their electricty bills demanding that the Labor party do nothinig about a carbon tax.

The article then went on to becry the story of Mrs Blogs having a $1000 power bill.

We need a carbon tax and we need it yesterday- we have to do more in this country to kick start action against climate change and a straight carbon tax would be useful, easy to understand and hopefully not put billions of tax payers funds into the hands of big polluters.

As for a $1000 electricty bill-I think Ms Gash would be better of referring such a person to the Department of Environment who sponsored the training of many 'energy consultants' who come to your palce check out how you live and then suggest ways to do it better and ultimately reduceing your monthly outgoings.

I still can not believe how many homes I see with mega amounts of power hungry downlights and air conditioners set at antarctic temperatures.

Mrs Gash should use her parliamentry position in a much more clever manner and lobby for improved energy ratings for day to day 'time saving' devices such as washing machines, fridges and dishwashers. How nice it would be to see under performing items have additional tax added and the most efficient devices have little to no tax at all.  How bizarre that some of the most efficient devices are not available in Australia.

Just another day in mixed message land

Liberal Scheming and Conniving at Local Government Conference Albury 2010

I was voted unanimously by Shoalhave City Councillors to be the alternative delegate for the Local Government Conference in Albury. Being the alternative delegate should mean that ALL voting rights for the conference are passed onto me should one of the delegates be unable to attend the conference.

Liberal colleagues Gareth Ward, Andrew Guile, David Bennett and would be Brumerskyji stitched up all the voting rights for the executive elections by handing on Guiles proxy to Brumerskyji- a voting right that should have come to me because of Guile's no show for the conference.

It was all part of the machinations in an attempt by the Liberals to claim a majority of the executive positions on the association, they tried to seize as many votes as they could. I spoke to many other Councillors from other Council areas who had similar things happen to them.

So the result of their scheming at this point is not known as the executive ballots have not yet been finally cast- although I do know that an independent has been voted in as president.

It seems that the NSW Liberals will stop at nothing in gathering as many positions of power in all manner of associations across the state.

I spoke to a member of the Aboriginal Lands Council who claims that Gareth Ward effectively threatened members of the Council should they not tow the line and vote the Liberal candidates in. It made for some very angry delegates from the Aboriginal Land Council- and makes the mind boggle at the low level of politics being displayed by some.

Manyana Bendelong- face massive commercial development

Tonight's Ordinary Council meeting (19 Oct 2010)saw Council support a massive Commercial Development for the sleepy coastal holiday villages of Manyana Bendalong.
The area currently has around 900 dwellings which are 70% unoccupied for most of the year with the population exploding over the Xmas period as people visit their holiday homes.
A developer has put forward an application for 14 shops in a commercial area-with the first stage building 7 shops. In an attempt to bring the development to be more in scale with the village- I put forward with the support of Clr Miller and Clr Fergusson a consent condition that would have seen only five shops built and further justification brought to Council before the next stage commences.

I thought that this was a reasonable option that would be a better outcome for the community in that there wouldn't be a great big commercial white elephant in their midst and the developer would have half a chance at filling the smaller amount of shops.

However Clrs in their wisdom seemed to think that my reduction in shop numbers was against business and couldn't see the writing on the wall that shops will sit empty until the permanent population increases. Meantime the two small business that exist in the area will have to close when the development is complete and in my opinion the one with the ability to fund a larger operation will get the prime spot in the new shopping centre.

The developer will have 5 years to commence the development- so I wonder when the new shops will emerge and what the outcome will be.

Wind Power in the Shoalhaven

Government time moves more slowly than regular time, especially when

a) there are perceived financial constraints

b) the political will doesn't exist

c) a combination of the above where the political will creates financial constraints.

This afternoon Shoalhaven Council will take some tiny baby steps towards furthering a sustainable future agenda, when it holds a briefing for Councillors on wind power options for the Shoalhaven.

This is not a new topic by any means as the Council showed support for wind power generation on rural land by including it as a valid use in the upcoming Local Environment Plan.

Also Council supported a joint initiative with the Southern Councils group (which includes Shoalhaven, Wingecarabbie, Eurobodalla, Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama) to pursue a wind power future for the South Coast area. This was the birthing of the Green Jobs Illawarra project which hopes to see our very own steel supply network start to manufacture wind components rather than import the lot from other countries and to train people in the necessary skills to develop the industry.

Anyway back to the wind briefing at Shoalhaven- The briefing will hopefully bring Councillors up to speed with the wind industry and what benefits there are for being part of the early entry into the wind market. from my perspective I see it as a fantastic opportunity for a community driven project that STOPS big power companies coming into our area and dictating the terms and conditions to us- but the reverse- a wind power project that includes people who want to be included through the issue of a prospectus. This idea is not new either and is based on the Bendigo bank model.

So what are the advantages of a community wind power project-it helps us to set the agenda and not wait for federal or state funding to provide us with non polluting energy-it wont happen- or it will be to little action too late.
We help to buffer ourselves from outrageous power costs as the state government seems to be struggling under the weight of rundown infrastructure and its desperate case to sell of power assets that are an uncertain investment in a carbon constrained world.
Its much easier for a community to get behind a project that is being driven locally. Unlike the Capital Wind project in Bungendore that was put upon the community -not to drive Canberra's power needs but to supply the massive amounts of power used by Sydney's desalination plant.
We don't have to have a massive wind installation- just one or two turbines within our landscape to help generate local power needs.
The installation of turbines sends a clear message to visitors to our area that we are serious about tackling climate change (as we should be with so many coastal assets  at risk).

Of course we will have to weigh up the positives with the negatives and hopefully today's briefing will at least give Councillors some background knowledge based in fact and not some gut reaction based on propaganda. It will be an interesting afternoon.