Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s cold-hearted response on 20 March 2015 to this distressing report:
Wednesday 25 March 2015
NSW State Election 2015: What the candidates said at the Yamba Meet the Candidates event on 23 March
The Yamba Chamber of Commerce held its Meet The Candidates on Monday night 23 March, at Yamba Bowling & Recreation Club which kindly hosts this event most election years.
Only five of the eight candidates came to this event which drew a reasonable crowd of interested voters.
Carol Ordish (Christian Democrats) sent her apologies and it was stated that the remaining two candidates were unable to come.
Carol Ordish (Christian Democrats) sent her apologies and it was stated that the remaining two candidates were unable to come.
Debrah Novak (Independent) Trent Nathan (Country Labor)
Janet Cavanaugh (Greens) &
Bryan Robins (Independent) Chris Gulaptis (Nationals)
There did not appear to be any mainstream media there to report on what the candidates were saying in response to the questions.
All the candidates spoke to every question put to them and the 'meet' lasted for over two hours.
The five candidates present were invited to submit two short quotes on their policy positions to North Coast Voices. Those that did have these quotes included below in highlights.
Here is a summary of the majority of the candidate answers without comment.
Janet Cavanaugh (The Greens)
Coal Seam Gas: The Greens are the only party totally opposed to coal seam gas, tight gas and other unconventional mining. We have been opposed for years. The Greens want an enforceable legal right for communities to reject unconventional gas mining. The Nationals support coal seam gas and the state government has spent years renewing PELs (petroleum exploration licences).
Privatisation: The state can be rebuilt without cannibalising assets. What the Baird Government wants to do is rob the state of an ongoing revenue stream for a one-off payment which will soon be spent on its election promises.
Police: I agree that the Lower Clarence needs more police. You are distant from Grafton and often isolated by flood. Sawtell which is only minutes from Coffs Harbour has a fully manned police station, but Yamba doesn’t. The Greens stood by the police when they were trying for better working conditions and compensation. We will stand with them to get police numbers up.
Renewable Energy: The Greens’ vision is a state powered by 100% renewables. We are concerned that the Abbott Government has cut renewable energy funding. The first few years of the O’Farrell government scared away private renewable energy investment in this state.
Mental Health Services: Access to mental health services in the Clarence electorate should not be based on “ability to pay or ability to travel”. This needs to change.
New High School in Lower Clarence: Yes, I support a new high school. Maclean High School needs to close. Flying foxes aren’t the only problem - it’s old, tired and deteriorating. These issues were talked about five years ago but nothing has been done. It should relocate to a new site, but this may not be in Yamba.
Forestry: State forests don’t have the same level of weed and fire control as national parks. The Forestry Corporation has lost $43 million over the last four years.
Subsidies for solar power installations in social housing: I wasn’t aware that public and social housing tenants were not allowed to apply for installation subsidies that were available to their neighbours and yes, I think it is a good idea to look into whether social housing companies could be funded to install roof top panels on their houses and use the money from this electricity generation to help fund their services.
Quotes submitted to North Coast Voices:
"The Greens' vision for NSW is one powered by clean energy. It is now technically possible, and it is also economically and environmentally essential. The dispersed nature of renewable energy promotes job creation in regional NSW. It’s a win-win for everyone, except coal and gas miners."
"The Greens are opposed to the sale of state-owned assets. We were opposed to it under Labor and we’re opposed to it under the Liberals-Nationals. ... We don’t need to do it. The Greens have a fully costed program for a $20 billion investment in infrastructure without privatising any existing assets."
"The Greens are opposed to the sale of state-owned assets. We were opposed to it under Labor and we’re opposed to it under the Liberals-Nationals. ... We don’t need to do it. The Greens have a fully costed program for a $20 billion investment in infrastructure without privatising any existing assets."
Chris Gulaptis (Nationals)
Coal Seam Gas: Short sharp answer is No to coal seam gas. However, it is not that simple as the miners have a valuable product and the state government would have to buy them all out from finite resources. So that is not going to happen. The mining companies cannot be stopped if they meet the conditions of their PELs. That is why we have developed a Gas Plan.
Privatisation: Nothing is being sold it is being leased. Nothing in the Clarence Valley is being leased. The $6 billion that regional NSW will get from the sale is better than waiting for a share of over $1 billion annual [electricity network] revenue
Police: There has been a “significant increase in the number of coppers”. There are two 24hr police stations in the Coffs Area Command – at Coffs and Grafton. The Nationals worked really hard with NSW Police to get extra numbers.
Renewable Energy: New South Wales is leading the country in renewables.
Mental Health Services: Bringing mental health services to Yamba is a complex issue. I don’t have the answer – I don’t know.
New High School in Lower Clarence: I suspect you will receive “a yes from everyone because we are all in campaign mode”. We do not have the student numbers in the education catchment to get a new public high school in either Maclean or Yamba. Relocating the bats from around Maclean High School is one option instead of rebuilding.
Forestry: The Koala National Park was a Labor thought bubble. Turning state forest into national park “will make koalas extinct”. In a national park they will get burned out. Koalas are very sexually active. We need to look after the chlamydia infections first. National parks encourage weeds.
Subsidies for solar power installations in social housing: No, I didn’t know that some people were locked out of solar power subsidy offers. It would cost a lot of money to install rooftop solar power in public and social housing and I can’t see where the funding would come from. The government only has so much money – the capital cost option would need squeezing into the budget.
Trent Nathan (Country Labor)
Coal Seam Gas: Labor is for a Gas Ban not a Gas Plan. We will ban the gas industry from the Northern Rivers forever. People on the ground do not want the gas industry in this region. Labor has recently added the Pilliga region to its total ban policy.
Privatisation: The fact that Essential Energy has been quarantined from the sale [of electricity assets] does nothing to assist people in the Northern Rivers. Transgrid which sends electricity to Essential Energy is to be sold off completely. An independent assessment of this asset sale is that the state government will only receive $13 billion not the $20 billion it is hoping for.
Police: It’s pleasing to hear more police are coming. Let’s hope they come to the Lower Clarence. One of the issues is that when Grafton police come to the Lower Clarence it leaves the Grafton area short. We’ve had to wait until the 2015 election to get the Baird Government to increase police numbers.
Renewable Energy: I support renewable energy. We lost home grown talent overseas because renewable energy is more respected there.
Mental Health Services: Mental health services are underfunded and funding is often ill-directed. It’s disappointing that some funding for younger mental health suffers has been cut.
New High School in Lower Clarence: Yes I support a new high school in the Lower Clarence but I won’t devalue my support by saying it is because I am in campaign mode. I agree with Chris about the demographics. However, I see a need for more investigation. If Yamba wants a high school let’s keep the conversation going.
Forestry: I understand the timber industry concerns about jobs. However Notaras has been successful negotiating all parties in government and I will help you continue to negotiate.
Subsidies for solar power installations in social housing: It’s a good idea. It needs planning, costing and a business model.
Deb Novak (Independent)
Coal Seam Gas: My job is “to keep the bastards honest” - to keep Labor and the Greens honest. These parties haven’t listened to the voice of the people. The Baird Government have brought back some PELs but renewed some as well.
Privatisation: I stand against privatisation of state assets. I support everything Trent has said.
Police: Sixteen new police have been promised for the region and are expected in May 2015. Grafton has already received 14 extra police and the Lower Clarence 4. I’ve “got to say thank you, Chris” for that, but Casino spending years waiting for adequate police numbers is not good enough.
Renewable Energy: Australia lost its world leadership in renewable energy. We need to reverse this.
Mental Health Services: It is astonishing that the entire Clarence Valley doesn’t have even one mental health unit. “I will advocate for mental health suffer groups even if I’m not elected”.
New High School in Lower Clarence: I support a new high school, but let’s make it a specialist one such as a sports excellence or performing arts focussed high school. This will attract quality teachers. I would be happy to work with your group if I am elected. Chris hasn’t had a conversation with Maclean High School, I have. Student numbers are increasing. Evidence is there that a new high school could be built in the Lower Clarence. The Catholic diocese doesn’t have a new high school on their radar for the next 10 years.
Forestry: I understand how [Mr.] Notaras feels. There was a “lack of consultation” before Labor announced its Koala Park. Even if I don’t get elected please get back to me.
Subsidies for solar power installations in social housing: First we need to build extra housing before addressing solar power for public housing.
Quotes submitted to North Coast Voices:
On Saturday if you vote for me you will give the Clarence Electorate their own strong voice, one which will be fully available and present for the four year term.
I bring a life time of skills and knowledge to the position of MP and will work hard for small business, agriculture, youth, aged care, education and health services.
Bryan Robins (Independent)
Coal Seam Gas: From Day One I have called for opposition to unconventional gas mining. “Yamba is heaven on a stick” and the community doesn’t want this toxic gas industry. It’s also a bit rich that the Baird Government blames Labor for coal seam gas exploration when they have been renewing licences themselves.
Privatisation: I am opposed to the sale or lease of state assets. “The Baird Government stands for Newcastle, Sydney and Wollongong. Let’s get our feet on the ground and put this region first. The McKell [Institute] report said that privatising electricity is not in the interests of New South Wales.
Police: We need more country cops. I will push for the reopening of closed one-man police stations for the smaller distant villages in the electorate.
Renewable Energy: The Nationals got it wrong. Now NSW is going one way and the rest of the world another. The Northern Rivers per capita solar power installation shows that solar power can lead the way.
Mental Health Services: People in rural and regional areas feel they have been short changed over mental health services. Adequate services are especially important because in smaller communities because mental health suffers are more visible and may experience discrimination.
New High School in Lower Clarence: I support a new high school.
Forestry: I have no response on this issue in my notes for this candidate. For this I apologise.
Subsidies for solar power installations in social housing: It’s a good idea. It’s disappointing to hear that social & public housing is not eligible for subsidies to put in solar power.
Tuesday 24 March 2015
Climate Action Network Australia (Clarence Branch) say Greens the ones to tackle climate change
PO Box 1324 Grafton NSW 2460
www.climatechangeaustralia.org
Member group of Climate Action Network Australia
Greens the ones to tackle climate change
Hoping for a clean energy future is easy. Finding an election candidate with a plan is harder, as local group Climate Change Australia found after surveying Clarence candidates for their policies.
According to group member Claire Purvis, Greens candidate Janet Cavanaugh provided the most comprehensive answers to the survey, which sought to pinpoint candidates’ plans to reduce NSW’s greenhouse gases. Independent Debrah Novak came second.
‘Of the eight candidates, only the Greens, Debrah Novak, and the Christian Democrat Party’s Carol Ordish responded,’ said Ms Purvis.
Candidates were asked for their vision and plans on the future of electricity generation, and how they would encourage renewable energy industries. They were also asked how they would protect residents from climate change impacts such as coastal erosion, flooding and storms.
‘Janet Cavanaugh told us the Greens have a plan to end fossil fuel power generation by 2030, having already moved legislation. They propose a state-based renewable energy support scheme, calling for an all-party commitment to a renewable energy future for NSW, enshrined in legislation, to provide a stable and attractive investment environment. The Greens also plan to phase out coal exports, including retraining workers. To protect residents from climate change impacts, they would require new development to take into account sea-level rise predictions, include buffer zones to protect foreshores and allow for future coastal retreat, and plan for increased storm intensity in building codes.’
Debrah Novak also strongly supports phasing out coal power in favour of renewable energy. Ms Novak is concerned about inadequate funding for climate change research and development, She pointed to relationships between fossil fuel lobbyists and government as a barrier to a clean energy future. She is committed to working with other elected MP’s with the same vision to advocate renewable energy technologies. In addition to strengthening building codes, she called for a consultative approach to coastal planning issues, including involvement by traditional owners.
Carol Ordish, rather than address the questions, said people everywhere are to be responsible for where they reside.
Both Ms Novak and Ms Cavanaugh said they would be celebrating Earth Hour on election night, Ms Cavanaugh at the Grafton Cathedral event, and Ms Novak toasting the first female MP for Clarence. Both have signed the Community Planning Charter, which invokes community well-being, public participation, corruption-free planning, conservation, and integrated planning and infrastructure.
‘It is disappointing that neither Labor nor Nationals candidates responded to the survey,’ said Ms Purvis. ‘Labor’s Trent Gilbert told a candidates forum in Grafton that we should reduce reliance on coal. He pointed to renewable energy policies in California, without spelling out any Labor proposal. We have not seen any commitment at all from Nationals Chris Gulaptis on the issue. He should be actively promoting a switch to supporting renewable energy. It will bring jobs to the North Coast.
‘Climate change is a global challenge. We must have a long-term strategic plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by phasing out our reliance on coal and stimulating investment in renewable energy technologies. Climate change affects everyone: Ross River fever is moving south, cyclones are fiercer, and heat records are continually being broken.’
Will 'grey power' be a factor as New South Wales goes to the polls on Saturday?
COTA NEW SOUTH WALES
MEDIA RELEASE
Monday 23 March 2015
POLL SHOWS OLDER VOTERS CAN NO LONGER BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED
IN NSW ELECTION
A poll conducted by COTA NSW during Seniors Week showed that 65% of respondents do not believe that they’re a priority for politicians in the run up to the New South Wales (NSW) election on 28 March.
“We surveyed hundreds of people attending Seniors Week events and found a high level of dissatisfaction among older voters. For too long the major parties have tended to assume that older voters are ‘rusted on’, and their votes can be taken for granted. This is no longer the case.”
Over 43% of the State’s electorate is aged 50 and over, which translates to almost 2.5 million people.
“Once again we’ve seen few election commitments targeting older voters,” said Mr Day. “We were pleased to see the Premier commit $343 million to extend vital concessions for seniors. But aside from this, we’ve seen little focus on older people’s needs.”
“Older voters helped make NSW the great state it is. They want to continue to be able to participate in the society and the economy. This means they want politicians to tell them what they’ll do so they can continue to participate in paid employment, and to have access to appropriate housing in well-planned communities. They want to know how politicians envisage a transport system that will meet the needs of all voters, and a health system that recognises the needs of people at every life stage.”
“Politicians need to appreciate that an ability to recognise the priorities of older voters is a sign of basic political understanding. If you can’t understand 43% of the NSW electorate, whose interests are you serving?”
“Older voters want substance. They want to be presented with long-range plans that set out a vision for an age-inclusive society, where older people are able to continue to participate in every aspect of life.”
“They also want to see Ageing Strategies that indicate political parties have a clear sense of how they would undertake co-ordinated, whole-of-government action to ensure such a society is achieved. Sadly, we’ve seen nothing like this from either major party in the run up to Saturday’s election.”
Letter
to the Editor in The Northern Star,
13 March 2015:
Mention dementia
A number
of candidates standing at the forthcoming state election have mentioned mental
health services and cancer treatment as issues important to their electorates,
but I have yet to hear any express an opinion on the subject of dementia.
According
to Alzheimer's Australia: "Dementia is the third leading cause of death in
Australia".
Dementia
prevalence projections by NSW electorates on the Far North Coast expects the
number of people suffering from this devastating disease to rise by 2020 to
6,903 [nsw.fightdementia.org.au, August 2014].
Broken
down by electorate this comes to Ballina 1623, Clarence 1697, Lismore 1565 and
Tweed 2018.
The
prevalence projection for the number of people with dementia within North Coast
Area Health Service boundaries in 25 year's time is 27,661.
It's
time all state election candidates in NSW North Coast electorates considered
the social and economic implications of these figures and inform today's voters
how they will begin the task of attracting federal and state government funding
for increased health and support services in the region.
Because
some of today's voters may find themselves in families affected by this
devastating disease tomorrow.
Judith M. Melville
Yamba
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