How the Newcastle Greens Local Government campaigns are funded

Date	Donor or Event	Suburb	Amount	Newcastle Campaign	Lake Mac Campaign
03May07	Pool Party	Newcastle	$204.10	$204.10
13Jul07	Film Night “A Crude Awakening”	Newcastle	$530.00	$530.00
21Jul07	Games Night	Wickham	$1,476.00	$1,476.00
27Jul07	Dinner with K Nettle	Hamilton	$84.00	$84.00
25Aug07	Cocktail Party	Hamilton	$921.00	$921.00
29Sep07	Organic dips-music	Merewether	$519.00	$519.00
06Oct07	Trivia Night	Wickham	$707.00	$707.00
17Oct07	Dinner with K Nettle	Hamilton	$1,559.00	$1,559.00
17Oct07	Organic raffle		$441.00	$220.50	$220.50
07Nov07	G Huxtable	Hamilton	$1,000.00	$1,000.00
11Nov07	Howard’s End Party	Broadmeadow	$345.00	$345.00
08Dec07	Christmas raffle		$528.50	$264.25	$264.25
02Apr08	Sister’s Cafe	Mayfield	$368.80	$368.80
18May08	Garage Sale	Wickham	$736.70	$736.70
21Jun08	Trivia Night	Wickham	$807.00	$807.00
06Jul08	WhaleWatch Cruise	Port Stephens	$430.00	$430.00
02Aug08	Games Night	Wickham	$1,035.00	$1,035.00
24Aug08	Barbeque	Wangi	$177.05		$177.05
24Aug08	Raffle		$493.30	$246.65	$246.65
Various	C Arnold	Marmong Point	$220.00		$220.00
Various	M Bailey	Stockton	$230.00	$230.00
Various	H Cross	Carey Bay	$630.00		$630.00
Various	V Deacon	Stockton	$300.00	$300.00
Various	T Doyle	The Hill	$400.00	$400.00
Various	G Giles	Hamilton	$800.00	$800.00
Various	C Jacobi	Tighes Hill	$550.00	$550.00
Various	H Jut	Karuah	$1,150.00	$1,150.00
Various	P Maher	Maryville	$330.00	$330.00
Various	B Phillips	Belmont	$337.00		$337.00
Various	A Rooke	Mayfield	$220.00	$220.00
Various	J Smith	Hamilton	$330.00	$330.00
Various	G Wrightson	Carey Bay	$450.00		$450.00
Various	Donations less than $200		$1,227.00	$818.00	$409.00
Total donations and fundraising Transfer from reserves, incl Fed Election 2007 returns Total available for campaign			$19,536.45	$16,582.00	$2,954.45
			$15,463.55	$3,418.00	$12,045.55
			$35,000.00	$20,000.00	$15,000.00

Note: The Newcastle Greens do not accept donations from developers, or from any corporations or organisations. We only accept donations from individuals who are citizens or permanent residents of Australia. The "Donations less than $200" total is made up from individual donations where the cumulative amount is not $200 or more. The total includes the contents of the donations tin at the Newcastle Greens office at 419 Hunter St, Newcastle (which is never very full!).

What are Politicians Afraid Of?

At this month's local elections across NSW, voters won't know who is buying access to politicians until long after they have cast their ballots.

There is an urgent need to drastically reform the electoral funding system in our country. Until the Federal and State Governments stop dragging their feet and bring in meaningful reform, we need at the very least transparency of the sources of money filling the campaign coffers of the political parties and candidates prior to elections.

Read more at New Matilda.

My vision for the Future of Newcastle

Imagine:

• Newcastle as a leader – not just locally, but regionally, nationally and internationally - in tackling the challenge of climate change.

• Newcastle being the first local government area in Australia to adopt the objective of being truly carbon neutral.

• Newcastle establishing a community Green Power program, that involves Council bulk purchasing cheaper green energy from electricity providers and selling it on to residents at an affordable rate.

• Newcastle with a network of connected cycleways separated from the road traffic, where Newcastle families can cycle in safety. Not just cycle symbols painted on the road to create what many call “car door death lanes”.

• Newcastle with a fully integrated public transport system, because the elected Council has advocated for real State Government funding and the Council Administration has worked with all the relevant State Agencies to deliver park-and-ride facilities, and interchanges and integrated ticketing.

• Newcastle reactivated and reinvigorated with cultural events across the City, every weekend.

• A Council Administration that recognises that it is there to serve the community, to be helpful and not put up road blocks to community initiatives.

• Having all Council plans developed with the community not developed in the round house and presented to the community for comment. Imagine real community engagement.

• Having dedicated infrastructure plans for all community assets, whether they are the roads, the drainage system or the street trees. And these plans available to everyone on the internet. So everyone knows when the drainage is going to be fixed or when the tree is going to be planted in their street.

• A City where the approved Development Control Plans are adhered to, where the community and developers have some certainty in the system because they have a reasonable expectation of the outcome.

• A City where Development Approvals are acted upon within 2 years, not just onsold for a profit or sat on indefinitely. Imagine being proud to take out of town visitors down Hunter Street.

• A City that has solved the issue of homelessness, that has helped the 3000 homeless find accommodation, by ensuring that all major developments have at least 15% affordable housing and appropriate emergency accommodation is provided throughout the City.

• Council meetings that are focussed on outcomes, not dithering, bickering and excuses.

• All Council meetings broadcast on the internet so anyone can see how the meetings are conducted and how their elected representatives are performing.

• A Council that stands up for the community and doesn’t pander to Sydney Labor or big developers or corporations who have donated to election campaigns

• A City where everyone is respected, where their views are respected – whether they wear a suit, or live in the neighbourhood, or are going for a quiet night out or wear a baseball cap backwards.

Finally
Newcastle City Council has an important role to play in, not only reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but in managing the impacts of climate change for our community.

• As Lord Mayor, I will ensure Newcastle Council proactively develops a Climate Change Strategy in its first year.

• This Strategy will include Newcastle Council establishing a community Green Power program. That’s good for families and good for the environment.

• As Lord Mayor, I will move for a significant increase in Council’s budget for cycleways from less than 0.1% of the budget to 1%. Safe cycleways. That’s good for families and good for the environment.

• As Lord Mayor, I will support the community to adapt to climate change with Newcastle Council providing

interest-free loans for installing solar panels

a fund to encourage and subsidise the take-up of solar hot water systems

investigating rate reductions for maintaining significant trees

a free or cheap bicycle hire system, (like the one recently introduced in Paris)

supporting community based initiatives like local vegetable buying co-ops, community markets and the use of public land to grow food

• As Lord Mayor, I will continue to stand up for the community – whether it is about the Sydney Labor government taking away community involvement in planning, under-funding public transport or building out our harbour.

• As Lord Mayor, I will continue to stand with the community for appropriate development to move our City forward and against inappropriate development that over-shadows, is too big and bulky and is not in keeping with the heritage of our City.

• As Lord Mayor I will show real leadership about this serious threat to our community.• The time to be serious about climate change.

• It’s time for generational change.

• It’s time for new leadership.

• There’s no better time to vote green.

Crickey!

Check out our mention on Crikey!

The new Newcastle Museum

In an extraordinary move tonight at Council, the Council officers again tried to undermine a resolution of the elected Council.

The advertised Briefing to Council was

ITEM-30 BR 02/09/2008 NEWCASTLE REGIONAL MUSEUM REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT UPDATE
REPORT BY: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
CONTACT: MELISSA DIAL
TELEPHONE: 4974 2832
PRÉCIS
The purpose of this briefing is to provide an update on the Newcastle Regional Museum Redevelopment in response to Council's resolution of 15 July 2008 that "Council receive a full public briefing on the Museum Project including the budget including the Toolroom site".
RECOMMENDATION
The briefing be received.

During the meeting, the Lord Mayor allowed the Council officers to alter the advertised agenda and present to the elected Council wording for an alternative motion.

At no stage between the 15 July 2008 resolution and 2 September 2008 (7 weeks) did any of the Council officers raise concerns with the elected Council, either by memo or by placing a comment in the advertised Business Papers.

Why the concerns? It was all about the budget for the Museum.

What is now publicly available?

The latest budget is for your council to spend $17.1 million on a new Museum, together with the BHP money ($4.7M) and a bequest (~$0.5M) and possible future sponsorship/grants ($1.2M) for a total budget of $23.5 million.

The Greens did not support this expenditure.

How could the $17.1 million be better spent? Look around the City...

The Greens have been consistent about the museum redevelopment...

Council meeting Tuesday 15 July 2008

ITEM-18 CITYS 15/07/08 - TOOLROOM REDEVELOPMENT CONSTRUCTION AND FIT OUT OF THE MUSEUM STORAGE FACILITY, CANCELLATION OF TENDER FOR CONTRACT NO. 2008/095T

The item was reconvened at 9.01pm and the Legal Services Officer was requested to address Council.

In addressing what exposure Council had in relation to rescinding a resolution where it had previously adopted a tender and resolved to enter into contract, the Legal Services Officer explained that exposure was limited only to possible legal action regarding reliance that a party may have made on that resolution between the time of making and rescinding the resolution.

In respect of the latter, the Legal Services Officer advised that the law was not clear and the exposure was considered minimal. The Lord Mayor enquired what impact would fall on Council by not rescinding its decision.

The Legal Services Officer advised that by deferring the matter it would continue the exposure and the party may be able to look at or instigate any further reliance in the interim period. He indicated that this could undermine any representations that the Council Officers had made to the other party which would limit Council's exposure, however, he believed the resolution to enter into contract and accept the tender in was contingent on title transfer which had not yet occurred.

Councillor Scully withdrew his procedural motion in favour of that proposed by Councillor Osborne.

Councillor Gaudry indicated that she would withdraw her seconding of the motion.

MOTION: (COUNCILLORS M OSBORNE/M EADE)
A 1. Council rescind its resolution of 11 December 2007 to accept the tender of Johns Lyng NSW Pty Ltd in the amount of $789,614.10 (including GST), for the Toolroom Redevelopment - Construction and fit out of the Museum Storage Facility (Contract No. 2008/095T), subject to the completion of transfer of title from the State Government to Council.

2. Council decline to accept any of the tenders and cancel the proposal for the contract for the Toolroom Redevelopment - Construction and fit out of the Museum Storage Facility (Contract No. 2008/095T).

B Council receive a full public briefing on the Museum Project including the budget including this site.

Councillor Buman requested a copy of the original motion to proceed with the museum project.

The motion was put to the meeting and declared carried.

Council meeting Tuesday 27 March 2007
The Greens voted against awarding almost $1.2 million for the new museum design.

ITEM-3 CD 27/03/07 NEWCASTLE REGIONAL MUSEUM DESIGN & DOCUMENTATION TENDER
PROCEDURAL MOTION
MOTION: (Councillors K Parsons)
Council defer consideration of this matter until consideration of the Draft Management Plan.

The motion was put to the meeting and a show of hands was requested.

For the procedural motion 6
Against the procedural motion 6

As voting resulted in a tie, the Lord Mayor exercised his casting vote and declared the procedural motion defeated.

MOTION: (COUNCILLORS P SCOBIE/M EADE)
1. Council award tender Contract No 2006/374T, Newcastle Regional Museum Design & Documentation to Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp Architects for an amount of $281,305 (exclusive of GST) to prepare a Schematic Design for the redevelopment.

2. Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp Architects be engaged for subsequent stages of the design up to an amount of $879,845 (exclusive of GST), subject to the continuation of the project as planned.

Following lengthy discussion the motion was put to the meeting and a show of hands requested.
For the motion 8
Against the motion 4
The motion was declared carried on the result of eight votes to four votes

Is this irony or hypocrisy?

Needless to say, the Lord Mayor's motion was NOT unanimous.

Refer to my earlier posts about the previous General Manager, here and here.

There is, however, reason for optimism with the new General Manager.

Greens call on Electoral Commissioner to take action

One week and a half after the story appeared in the local media, what is the Electoral Commissioner doing to ensure that the people of Newcastle don't have to foot the bill for an unnecessary second election in Ward 3?

Below is a letter sent to the Commissioner urging action.

Newcastle Greens
P.O.Box 269
Newcastle NSW 2300
newcastlegreens@gmail.com
1 September 2008

The Commissioner
NSW Electoral Commission
c/- Cathy Cole
Newcastle Returning Officer
Shop 1, 473-475 Hunter Street
Newcastle NSW 2300
newcastle@ro.elections.nsw.gov.au

Dear Commissioner

Re: Request for Urgent Action on the Eligibility of Ms Margot McAlary, Newcastle Ward 3 Candidate

I am writing on behalf of the Newcastle Greens to request you to take urgent appropriate action in relation to the apparent ineligibility of Ms Margot McAlary, who is the third candidate on the Group D ticket headed by John Tate for Ward 3 of Newcastle City Council.

Whilst we accept that the Commission is not in a position to undertake detailed checks of the qualification of all candidates at the time of the nomination process, we believe that the Commission has a responsibility to undertake such checks if/when they become aware of circumstances that raise reasonable doubt about a candidate’s qualification, and to take appropriate consequent action.

Media coverage of Ms McAlary’s candidacy has indicated that she is an undischarged bankrupt, a fact Ms McAlary herself has publicly acknowledged (“Tate team gaffe - Bankrupt candidate rocks mayor's election campaign”, The Herald, August 21, 2008, pp.1 & 2).

Section 275 of the NSW Local Government Act 1993 states that:

(1) A person is disqualified from holding civic office:

(h) while disqualified from managing a corporation under Part 2D.6 of the Corporations Act 2001 of the Commonwealth.

Part 2D.6 [Section 206B (3)] of the Commonwealth Corporations Act 2001 states that:

(3) A person is disqualified from managing corporations if the person is an undischarged bankrupt under the law of Australia, its external territories or another country.

Section 306 (2) of the NSW Local Government Act 1993 states that:

To be duly nominated for election as a councillor for an area, or for election as mayor of an area by the electors of an area, a person must be enrolled as an elector for the area, and must be qualified to hold that civic office, at the closing date for the election.

If Ms McAlary is an undischarged bankrupt, she is clearly not qualified to hold the civic office for which she has nominated.

The Newcastle Herald article cited above provides clear grounds for reasonable doubt as to Ms McAlary’s eligibility, and we believe that the Commission would now be remiss in its public duty if it did not act on this matter.

Clearly, the election of a candidate who is ineligible to be a councillor would expose the election result to almost certain legal challenge.

Indeed, a significant risk of legal challenge exists even if such a candidate is not elected, if the presence of the ineligible candidate in the ballot count influences the final result via the flow of preferences. In our view, such a challenge is highly likely to be successful, and would have the consequence of either invalidating the entire ward election, or of necessitating a by-election.

The democratic and financial costs involved here would be much more considerable than preventative action before the election.

To prevent such a risk, and to ensure that voters in the Ward 3 ballot are provided with a choice of qualified candidates on the ballot paper, we respectfully request that you undertake urgent action to formally ascertain Ms McAlary’s eligibility, and that you then consider the options available to you under the relevant statutory and regulatory instruments, including any appropriate changes to, or reprinting of, ballot papers.

We would appreciate an expeditious response to this request, given the imminence of materials registration deadlines and the election date itself.

Yours faithfully

Greens preferences

Newcastle Greens

MEDIA RELEASE
1 September 2008

The Greens will recommend preferences to Labor in only half their how-to-vote cards in the September 13 Lord Mayoral poll.

Announcing the decision today, The Greens Lord Mayoral candidate said that it best reflected the range and balance of views among local Greens members and supporters in this election.

“The Greens have too many problems with the leadership and policy stance of the current Lord Mayor, John Tate, to consider preferencing him for Lord Mayor,” Cr Osborne said.

“We were initially inclined to preference Labor right across Newcastle, until they shocked everyone by agreeing to a grubby preference swap with Cr Buman, who supports power privatisation and cutting the Newcastle rail line, and whose campaign is funded by developers,” Cr Osborne said.

“Like many grassroots Labor members and supporters, we knew that Cr Buman has consistently voted against the Labor party on council over the past four years, and we were astonished at the lack of integrity and leadership reflected in Labor's preference deal with him.

“Instead of approaching preferences on the basis of principles and policies, Newcastle Labor is aiding and abetting Cr Buman's developer-funded election campaign against The Greens.

“Labor's preference deal is unprincipled, and Newcastle Labor candidates should hang their heads in shame for this 'whatever it takes' approach, which does not bode well for a cohesive new Council.”

Cr Osborne said that in the Lord Mayoral election, The Greens would be recommending that Greens voters in Wards 3 and 4 preference Labor's Lord Mayoral candidate, Marilyn Eade (after Zane Alcorn and Helene O'Neill). However, The Greens Lord Mayoral how-to-vote cards in wards 1 and 2 would recommend preferences only to Mr Alcorn and Cr O'Neill.

Cr Osborne said that in the ward contests, The Greens would recommend preferences to Labor candidates before either the Tate or Buman teams.

“Of course, Greens voters – like all voters – are free to choose where they allocate their own preferences, and we're certainly hoping that a significant number of Labor voters with concerns about Labor's deal with Cr Buman decide not to follow Labor's recommendation and either vote for us, or at least give us their No.2 preference in the wards,” Cr Osborne said.

[Note: Newcastle Greens does not accept donations from developers, or from any corporations or organisations]

Gift Newcastle Post Office to the City

Newcastle Greens

MEDIA RELEASE
31 August 2008

The NSW or Federal Government should buy the former Newcastle Post Office building and give it to the Newcastle community, Newcastle Greens said today.

Newcastle councillor and Ward 3 candidate Keith Parsons said: "The University has apparently expressed interest in the building. This kind of use would reinforce The University’s and Council's strategies to move more university facilities into the CBD, and strengthen ties between them."

The Greens Lord Mayoral candidate for Newcastle, Cr Michael Osborne said that another alternative was the community-based Newcastle Reserve Heritage Trust, which manages the Lock Up, a cultural centre and museum in the 1860s former Police Station in Hunter Street, adjacent to the old Post Office.

"They were unsuccessful tenderers for the Post Office in 2002 and would have plenty of innovative and appropriate ideas for its future," Cr Osborne said.

Cr Parsons, who chairs Newcastle Council's Strategic Heritage Committee, said "The NSW Government has been responsible for protecting the Post Office since they added it to the State Heritage Register in 2000."

"They have been particularly reluctant to force the owners to maintain and redevelop the building. Council approved the owners’ plans in 2006. Consequently, this heritage icon has been allowed to deteriorate at an increasing rate."

Cr Parsons, who represents Newcastle Council on the Art Gallery's Board and its Acquisition Committee, rejected as "financially irresponsible" calls for the Council to purchase the building for an art gallery or library, at an estimated cost (for acquisition alone) of $10 million.

"The Greens support long overdue extensions to both the Art Gallery and Library, but the logical place is on Council-owned land behind the existing institutions in Laman Street, in the cultural heart of the city, rather than at the Post Office," Cr Parsons said.

"This would allow for the existing buildings to be refurbished and integrated with the new additions. It makes good design and economic sense," added Cr Parsons.

Cr Osborne said: "The recently announced CBD Task Force led by the Coordinator General should recommend that the NSW and/or the Federal government buy the Post Office and transfer it to an appropriate entity (such as the University of Newcastle or the Newcastle Historic Reserve Trust) with adequate funding for refurbishment."

Power privatisation

After promising no "plan B", and promising that any further efforts to change the power industry will go through parliament, Costa and Iemma have decided to do a quick, sneaky, and grubby backroom attack by using regulation to privatise the electricity retail (Integral Energy, Energy Australia) and sell off new land to be used for future power generators.

As mentioned earlier we’ll be asking voters in the council election to send both Newcastle Labor and Sydney Labor a message that selling off public assets and doing grubby deals with vested interests in the big end of town just aren’t acceptable anymore.

See more here.

More quotable quotes

"Labor campaign director Harry Criticos said there was 'not a lot of agreed policy' between the ALP and Cr Buman...".

Cr Buman said that his deal with Labor was "a great opportunity to ensure fewer Greens on the council".

From "Buman, Labor to swap votes" in the The Newcastle Herald, 26 August 2008, page 3.

Who funded Buman in the 2007 Federal election?

Who funded Tate in the 2007 State election?

Who funded Tate and Buman in the last Council election?

Labor preference sell-out supports power sell-off

Newcastle Greens

MEDIA RELEASE
28 August 2008

Labor’s Newcastle council team is preferencing an electricity privatisation advocate, despite overwhelming opposition in both the general community and among Newcastle Labor voters to the Iemma/Costa power sell-off plan, according to The Greens Lord Mayoral candidate, Michael Osborne.

Cr Osborne said that this would now be a factor in local Greens decisions about Greens’ preference recommendations in the Newcastle council election.

“At the very moment that some of their local Labor parliamentary colleagues are courageously declaring that they would cross the floor of the NSW parliament to back party policy in defiance of the Iemma/Costa sell-off, Newcastle Labor’s council team is selling-out its principles and selling-off its preferences to a candidate who supports electricity privatisation,” Cr Osborne said.

Newcastle Labor has decided to preference Cr Aaron Buman, who has spoken in favour of electricity privatisation during Newcastle Council debates on the issue.

“Newcastle Labor has chosen to preference Cr Buman over Greens councillors, who have been strong and consistent advocates for keeping power in the hands of the people.

“Earlier this year, Newcastle Greens decided not to preference any candidate in the next NSW state election who supports, either by public statement or parliamentary vote, the privatisation of the state’s electricity industry.

“It’s disappointing for us and for Greens supporters. When this local Labor team was first preselected, we were looking forward to working with a team of fresh faces who claimed to have progressive views on a whole range of social and environmental issues.

“But in preferencing Cr Buman they have sold out on everything they claim to stand for, and voters need to realise that – just like the Iemma/Costa government – the Newcastle Labor team can’t be trusted.

“Cr Buman doesn’t want Greens on the council because we’re not at the beck and call of the big end of town; Newcastle Labor doesn’t want us, because we prod their conscience, and make them accountable.

“We’ll be asking voters in the council election to send both Newcastle Labor and NSW Labor a message that selling off public assets and doing grubby deals with vested interests in the big end of town just aren’t acceptable anymore.”

[Note: Newcastle Greens does not accept donations from developers, or from any corporations or organisations]

Power without purpose: selling off NSW’s future

The Greens unequivocally oppose the privatisation of the state’s electricity industry. Treasurer Michael Costa is pushing ahead with his plan without a mandate, without support from his own party and without good reason.

The Greens have been actively campaigning to counter the propaganda coming from the Iemma government and warning the voters of the devastating impacts on employment, the economy, household budgets and the environment.

The Iemma government has failed to persuade the overwhelming majority of the people of NSW who remain resolutely opposed. Treasurer Costa’s only support comes from the banking sector which stands to make hundreds of millions of dollars in fees for financial services and the very large commercial and industrial consumers.

One of the reasons the business lobby is so keen on destroying public ownership is that they want to make sure it is households and not industry and commerce that bear the lion’s share of inevitable price rises. As emissions trading pushes up the costs of generation, privately owned retailers would do little to protect small consumers who are less likely to change suppliers. A privatised power industry would look after the big end of town. Household electricity bills would soar putting yet more pressure on low and middle income budgets.

It is not only domestic finances that would suffer. Selling off the retailers and the generators would deny the state an income of about $1 billion a year. Even if the sale nets $8 billion, which is wildly optimistic, and the proceeds are invested at 8% annual interest, after allowing for inflation the state’s coffers would be $600 million a year worse off. That’s a lot less money for public schools, hospitals, transport and housing. Selling off the family silver that is working hard for the state is an exceptionally poor deal for the people of NSW.

While the Iemma government makes much of its promise to protect workers in the electricity industry, their job security guarantee last for only three years. After that, employees are at the mercy of their new owners. This is not only bad news for power station employees and the retail call centre staff. It means that this state would lose a big part of its skilled workforce in energy generation and sales and would forgo hundreds of training places. The Iemma government is making the skills crisis worse.

The electricity industry is responsible for 37% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. Private owners would want to sell more to make more profits. That would mean more coal burnt and more CO2 poured into the atmosphere. If NSW is serious about playing its part in the international effort to save the climate, then selling off the electricity industry would make the job much harder.

The lights will not go out in NSW if the power is kept in public ownership. The state will not go bankrupt and there will be more money for education and health, not less.

Selling off the electricity industry would be a really bad mistake. The Greens, unions, most of the environment movement and the overwhelming majority of the Labor party membership oppose it for good reasons.

This is a serious issue for the Newcastle and Hunter community.

The Green on Newcastle Council have stood up for Newcastle and the Hunter and successfully moved that the Council oppose the privatisation of our electricity industry. This Newcastle Council resolution was sent to Iemma and Costa, all the Hunter Councils and Hunter Members of Parliament.

The Newcastle Greens also decided not recommend preferences to any candidate in the next NSW state election who supports (either by public statement or parliamentary vote) the privatisation of the NSW electricity industry.

The Greens unequivocally oppose the privatisation of the state’s electricity industry.

If Morris Iemma and Michael Costa defy their party, public opinion and common sense, and privatise power, it will be all of us and our children who will pay the price.

Who is funding the campaigns?

Newcastle Greens

MEDIA RELEASE
27 August 2008

The Greens Lord Mayoral candidate for Newcastle, Cr Michael Osborne, today called on other groups and candidates in the Newcastle council election to publicly disclose the sources of their campaign funding before election day.

“Well before 13 September, I will issue to the media, and post on my campaign blog (at Michael Osborne's Blog), an up-to-date statement of all the sources of our Newcastle council election campaign, so voters can see for themselves where The Greens’ money is coming from,” Cr Osborne said.

“The Greens have nothing to hide about our campaign funding, and we believe the best way to allow voters to make an informed choice and to avoid a Wollongong-style scandal in Newcastle is for other candidates to make a similar commitment,” he said.

Under current state electoral disclosure laws, voters and the media won’t know where campaign funding has come from until months after the election.

“Some groups (such as the Newcastle Labor team) claim that they are not accepting developer donations.

“Newcastle voters might wonder about this when the same team swaps preferences with a developer-friendly candidate (Aaron Buman) who has publicly stated that his campaign aims to get rid of Greens councillors, who have actively campaigned for political donation reform for many years.

“Spin it as they might, Labor’s preference swap with Aaron Buman makes Labor a partner in a campaign to prevent the election of candidates of the only party that has consistently opposed developer donations. This raises serious questions about Newcastle Labor’s credibility and integrity,” Cr Osborne said.

“Voters are entitled to ask whether this really is a new-look Labor team committed to reforming the electoral donations system, or just another Iemma-style, developer-dressed wolf disguised in local sheep’s clothing.

“Recent media revelations have exposed Labor council candidates in Sydney who have campaigned on a ‘no developer donations’ platform, only to receive money filtered through sources financed by developers.”

Cr Osborne said that the community was also buzzing with rumours about who was bankrolling the campaigns of various Independent candidates.

“People are asking where the money is coming from for both Lord Mayor John Tate’s and Cr Buman’s campaigns.

“People vote Independent in the often mistaken belief that the person they’re voting for really is independent of outside influences. Electoral disclosures – lodged long after election day - often tell a different story.

“Voters deserve to have this information before they vote,” Cr Osborne said.

In the previous (2004) council elections, local media revealed that developer money was behind the failed Hunter Citizens campaign in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie.

“When voters realised who was bankrolling it, the Hunter Citizens campaign collapsed. But the electoral success of independent candidates would not have been lost on those behind the Hunter Citizens campaign.

“Where is this developer money going in this election?” Cr Osborne asked.

“Have these developers now discovered a more effective way of concealing their influence, by filtering their money through local developer-friendly candidates who campaign under the ‘Independent’ label?”

[Note: Newcastle Greens does not accept donations from developers, or from any corporations or organisations]

For further information or comment, contact Michael Osborne on 0439 442 984.

Hunter Water asked to come clean

Newcastle Council passed the following resolution last Tuesday night...

Noting that:
a. Council is obliged to represent the interests of the residents and ratepayers (Local Government Act 1993, Section 232)

b. There has been concern in the community about the cost to Council residents from the proposed Tillegra Dam

c. There has been media speculation about the cost to Council residents from the proposed Tillegra Dam (see articles attached from The Australian newspaper and The Newcastle Herald newspaper)

Newcastle City Council:

i. Calls for Hunter Water Corporation to outline to the community the full cost to Council residents from the proposed Tillegra Dam, including the impost on new housing development

ii. Calls for Hunter Water Corporation to place together on public exhibition the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal pricing determination and the Environmental Assessment Report so that the community can comment on, not only the environmental impacts from the proposed dam, but the social and economic impacts for Council residents.

Councillor Tate voted against calling on Hunter Water to be open and transparent about the cost to residents from the proposed Tillegra dam.

Missing in action?

One of the few remaining Council meetings of this term of Newcastle City Council was held on Tuesday 26 August 2008.

And, yet again, where was Councillor Buman?

Newcastle Alliance forum

Newcastle needs generational change with genuine leadership not dithering, bickering and excuses.

Newcastle needs new leadership in tackling the challenge of climate change with significant initiatives and real outcomes.

Newcastle needs new leadership to change the Council to be focussed on serving members of the community rather than ignoring them.

And Newcastle needs new leadership to address the state of our City’s infrastructure and the rundown areas within our City.

I have the experience and skills to lead the Council, to make the necessary changes and to make our City a safe and secure place to live for all residents.

Climate change is the greatest economic and environmental challenge of our time. Climate change will impact on our lifestyles, on our biodiversity and on all aspects of life.

There are 142,000 people in Newcastle and every one of them will be affected by the climate crisis.

Some scientists are predicting very large increases in the sea level. If this happens, many family homes will go under.

Will the coal companies, who are making massive profits, be made to pay for the relocation costs or pay to raise the houses?

That’s

• 1200 families who live in Stockton
• 900 families who live in Carrington and
• 1400 families who live in the Maryville/Wickham area

Newcastle City Council has an important role to play in, not only reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but in managing the impacts of climate change for our community.

• As Lord Mayor, I will ensure Newcastle Council proactively develops a Climate Change Strategy in its first year, in full consultation with the community and with expert advice.
• This Strategy will include Newcastle Council establishing a community Green Power program, that involves Council bulk purchasing cheaper green energy from electricity providers and selling it on to residents at an affordable rate. This scheme has already been piloted in Victoria. Good for families and good for the environment.
• As Lord Mayor, I will move for a significant increase in Council’s budget for cycleways from less than 0.1% of the budget to 1%. Our City needs a network of connected cycleways separated from the road traffic, where Newcastle families can cycle in safety. Good for families and good for the environment.
• As Lord Mayor, I will support the community to adapt to climate change with Newcastle Council providing

• interest-free loans for installing solar panels
• a fund to encourage and subsidise the take-up of solar hot water systems
• investigating rate reductions for maintaining significant trees
• a free or cheap bicycle hire system, (like the one recently introduced in Paris)
• supporting community based initiatives like local vegetable buying co-ops, community markets and the use of public land to grow food

• As Lord Mayor, I will continue to stand up for the community – whether it is about the Sydney Labor government taking away community involvement in planning, under-funding public transport or building out our harbour.
• As Lord Mayor, I will continue to stand with the community for appropriate development to move our City forward and against inappropriate development that over-shadows, is too big and bulky and is not in keeping with the heritage of our City.

Newcastle Council needs to show leadership and take the initiative with climate change.

Council needs to adopt the ultimate objective of full carbon neutrality for all Council activities, including offsetting unavoidable carbon emissions.

Council needs to adopt annual carbon reduction targets and reduce Council’s own greenhouse gas emissions in line with them.

Council needs to reduce the size of it’s vehicle fleet to the minimum required and shift the fleet to vehicles with at least 7 Star Greenhouse Rating, according to the Federal Government’s Green Vehicle Guide.

And Council needs to shift its purchase of electricity for its own operations from fossil fuel sources to Green Power from renewable sources like wind, solar and hydro.

Council can lead many initiatives for its community to tackle the challenge of climate change.

As Lord Mayor I will show real leadership about this serious threat to our community.

The time to act on climate change is now.

It’s time for generational change

It’s time for new leadership

It’s time to vote green.