Climate Action Merribek: people in Brunswick, Coburg, Fawkner and Glenroy wanting action on climate change

Deciphering climate policy for Northern Metro Legislative Council Parties in #vicvotes

November 12, 2018 at 10:34 am John Englart 2 comments

Northern Metro Region VoteClimate Scorecard

Climate Action Moreland is campaigning on climate related election issues in the Moreland based seats of Brunswick, Pascoe Vale and Broadmeadows and also in the Northern Metro Region (Legislative Council). The State election is on Saturday 24 November 2018.

We have done a policy review of all party groups standing for the Northern Metro Region (Legislative Council).

Also read our detailed posts on the 3 lower house electorates:

• Brunswick electorate candidates and forums
• Pascoe Vale Electorate candidates and forums
• Broadmeadows Electorate candidates and forums

Northern Metro Region Legislative Council – 5 MPs elected

These are the confirmed candidates groupings in ballot order according to the Victorian Electoral Commission, followed by our comment on their climate policy statements or general policy.

VOTE 1 LOCAL JOBS
PURCELL, Nathan
PURCELL, Aaron
Comment: James Purcell was elected in 2014 for the South West region. The party, which has a focus on regional job creation has no explicit climate policy, is standing in a wider number of upper house seats. James Purcell’s vote for Labor’s VRET scheme was important to getting climate and renewables targets through the Victorian parliament. See this October media release

AUSSIE BATTLER PARTY
Walter MIKAC
David GRAHAM
Comment: Has a very general Environment policy, but no explicit climate policy. No energy policy. Wants to stop wasting of taxpayers money. Policies lack detail.

SUSTAINABLE AUSTRALIA
Mark McDONALD – website
William CLOW, – Sustainable Australia
Comment: Main focus is for Australia to have a sustainable population. Has a developed Energy Policy, and a reasonably strong Environment Policy, including a moratorium on new export coal, adopting a globally consistent carbon pricing mechanism, Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies (excluding the Diesel Fuel Rebate), promote the environmental benefits of plant-based food. Climate and renewables targets, have similar ambition as the Labor Government, but are still less than is required to match the science for achieving 1.5C target. Emissions Targets: “at least 30 per cent below 2000 levels by 2025; at least 40 per cent and up to 60 per cent below 2000 levels by 2030; t least 80 per cent and up to 100 per cent below 2000 levels by 2050.” Renewables target: “at least 50 per cent by 2030, and up to 100 per cent by 2050.” Environment Policy

AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY PARTY
Cameron STODDART
Domenic GRECO
Comment: Not to be confused with the Nationals Party who previously used this name. Does not have any Federal or Victorian policies on Environment or climate. Does have a firearms policy. Timber policy advocates for sustainable practices but with no detail. Wants utility infrastructure brought back under government ownership and control, starting with electricity production, expand development of natural gas reserves, thorium mining to develop thorium based nuclear power to reduce energy emissions. Position Statements

FIONA PATTEN’S REASON PARTY
Fiona PATTEN* – Reason – Website | Twitter | Facebook
Helena MELTON
Ange HOPKINS
Rachel PAYNE
Dominique MUSICO
Comment: Fiona Patten has a general environment and climate policy and her parliamentary record has been one of supporting the Labor Government proposals on climate and renewables, and advocating for more walking and cycling infrastructure and more efficient public transport, and increase outer suburban liveability. She has been an active and engaged MLC who responds to constituents.
While we didn’t survey all Upper House MPs, Fiona Patten MLC and Catherine Deveny (Brunswick) put in joint answers to our climate survey.Fiona Patten’s Reason Party Climate survey response

VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA PARTY (VICTORIA)
Sandra M. McCARTHY
Stefan NOTT
Comment: single issue party on legalisation of voluntary assisted dying, Improving the status of Advance Care Directives (ACD’s), Improving palliative care, Improving access to medicinal cannabis. Describes itself as “a moderate, progressive party” and will consider any other policy areas on a case by case basis. Party Policy

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
Louise HITCHCOCK
Richard WRIGHT
Comment: Radical free marketers who fail to accept current climate science: “That atmospheric carbon dioxide is increasing but considers the consequences of this, whether it is due to human influence and if anything can or should be done about it, as too uncertain to warrant government action.” and “Should the evidence become compelling that global warming is due to human activity, that such global warming is likely to have significantly negative consequences for human existence, and that changes in human activity could realistically reverse those consequences, the Liberal Democrats would favour market-based options.” Lots of ifs. Evidently they do not accept the IPCC reports, including the most recent report on the rapid social transformation needed to meet the 1.5C Paris climate target. Wants nuclear power and a uranium enrichment industry established. Energy Policy. Wants to privatise nature to protect species biodiversity. “We absolutely oppose the transfer of forests to national parks. We do not support the locking up of old growth forests in the name of environmental protection.” Environment Policy

HEALTH AUSTRALIA PARTY
Pippa CAMPBELL, – Health Australia Party – website – Facebook
Emily OLDMEADOW
Comment: Main focus is on ensuring good health for Australians. Often Categorised as “Anti-vaccination · Anti-fluoridation · Naturopathy”, although they argue their stance on vaccinations is more nuanced. On climate action they advocate for “Fossil fuel generators should be retired progressively over a reasonable time frame (maximum 15 years) and be substituted with sustainable energy systems. Fossil fuel subsidies should be progressively removed and funds redirected towards clean, renewable energy technologies.” Party Policies

LIBERAL PARTY
Craig ONDARCHIE* – Liberal – Website | Twitter | Facebook
Evan MULHOLLAND – Liberal – Twitter | Facebook
Neelam RAI
Kate DRAKE
Mark POLISTENA
Comment: Does not have an environment or climate policy. Wants to abolish the VRET targets. “Scrapping the Victorian Renewable Energy Target to help stop electricity costs from continuing to sky-rocket for homes and businesses.” and also allow “onshore conventional gas exploration and production” to undermine our farmers and agricultural security and productivity. Wants to spend “a $4.1 billion to $5.3 billion infrastructure project to remove traffic lights and roundabouts through grade separations at 55 of Melbourne and Geelong’s busiest and most dangerous intersections” while silent on upgrading urban rail and public transport network. Road grade separation includes for Camp Road and Bell Street intersections with Sydney Road in Campbellfield and Coburg. 100 policies
Update: 12 Nov: Liberals release energy policy with a commitment to build a new ‘baseload’ 500 MW power station if elected. Friends of the Earth released a statement in response saying the Liberal party’s decision to release an energy policy open to new gas and coal power fails the climate change test.

AUSTRALIAN GREENS
Samantha RATNAM* – Greens – Website | Twitter | Facebook
Christina ZIGOURAS
Edward CROSSLAND
Josef RAFALOWICZ
Campbell GOME
Comment: Comprehensive and ambitious suite of climate, environment and transport policies. The Greens have emerged as the major third political force in Victorian politics. The Greens “have a plan to transition Victoria to 100% renewable energy by 2030, and start to bring our energy system back into public hands.” This policy is in line with the recent IPCC 1.5C science report if we are to meet the Paris climate targets and avoid crossing dangerous climate tipping points. They have comprehensive transport plan upgrading Public Transport in Melbourne and across the state, including a 17km separated dedicated bike path route from Coburg to St Kilda. On native forests they want to “End logging of native forests while making sure that people working in the timber industry can transition…. Grow employment in tourism and forest restoration”. They also have a Compost not Landfill policy which is aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from waste. Policy Platform
While we didn’t survey Upper House MPs, you can read the climate survey responses by Tim Read (Brunswick) and Phil Jackson (Pascoe Vale).

TRANSPORT MATTERS
Moti Ram VISA
Afshan MIAN
Comment – Heavy Transport policy focus. Endorses North-east link, East-West Link toll road projects, but also argues cycling infrastructure needs improvement. Policies tend to be fairly general. A lot of the focus comes from Taxi Driver angst at Uber and deregulation of the taxi and hire car industry by the Labor Government. See Background article from the Age. website

VICTORIAN SOCIALISTS
Stephen JOLLY – Victorian Socialists – website – Facebook – twitter
Sue BOLTON – Victorian Socialists – website – Facebook – twitter
Colleen BOLGER – Victorian Socialists
Comment: a very strong environment and climate policy. “We want to achieve a 30 percent (not 25 percent) renewable energy target by 2020, and 60 percent (not 40 percent) by 2025. With the fast decommissioning of remaining coal-fired power stations, without job losses, these targets can be readily achieved.”
While we didn’t survey Upper House MPs, you can read the climate survey response by Stephen Jolly, Sue Bolton and Colleen Bolger.

LABOUR DLP
John McBRIDE – website
Jackie GWYNNE
Comment – does not have an explicit environment or climate policy. A November 6 media release rants against “Fabricating pretexts of climate change and saving rare grasses, birds and a possum, the government is pro-actively planning to enclose some 75% of our existing state forests throughout Central Victoria.” Party Policies

AUSTRALIAN LIBERTY ALLIANCE
Russell GOMEZ
John REISNER
Comment: Small right-wing conservative party. “We are neither ‘believers’ nor ‘deniers’ when it comes to climate change. A number of recent claims made about potential future variations of our planet’s climate are not based on scientific fact, but on computerised speculations and consent amongst special interest groups.” Environment Policy

AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY
Jenny MIKAKOS* – ALP – Website | Twitter | Facebook
Nazih ELASMAR* – ALP – Website | Twitter | Facebook
Burhan YIGIT
Ash VERMA
Karen DOUGLAS
Comment: Victorian Labor has comprehensive climate, environment and energy policies, including ensuring there is Just transition. They have legislated a Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET) of 25% by 2020 and 40% by 2025 as a minimum, and promised 50% by 2030 (this seems to be a lower target than the trend). These are moderate targets that are not overly ambitious and not sufficient to meet the Paris 1.5C target as outlined in the recent IPCC 1.5C climate science report as necessary. The renewables target is half of The Greens renewable target for 2030. Includes policy action around improving energy efficiency. Labor has continued old growth native forest logging over the last four years, despite warnings this could lead to landscape trap ecosystem change and loss of biodiversity and threatened species. Has failed to consider conservation of mountain ash forests in Central Victorian highlands as the Great Forest National Park. 2018 Policy Platform (PDF)

DERRYN HINCH’S JUSTICE PARTY
Carmel DAGIANDIS, – Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party – website
Prudence MERCIECA
Comment: Does not have an explicit climate change or environment policy, although Senator Hinch fought against the Federal Government reducing funding to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) in 2016.

ANIMAL JUSTICE PARTY
Bruce POON – Animal Justice – Website | Twitter | Facebook
Miranda SMITH
Chris DELFORCE
Comment: focus is on animal welfare, but also recognises that urgent action needs to be taken to address global climate destabilisation. Changing diet an important focus. Strong animal welfare and environment policies. Key objectives in the Party on climate policy include: To rapidly transform to a carbon free energy infrastructure; rapidly transform Australian agriculture to allow reforestation by reducing grazing; prohibit any fossil fuel expansion; Implement a carbon tax on both the coal and animal agriculture industries; Direct carbon taxes into clean energy solutions, sustainable plant-based food agriculture systems and education; Protect existing forests and marine habitats from further destruction. Climate Policy.
While we didn’t survey Upper House MPs, you can read the climate survey response by Animal Justice Party candidate Chris MILES (Brunswick).

SHOOTERS, FISHERS & FARMERS VIC
Ethan CONSTANTINOU
Chris TZELEPIS
Comment: – No Victorian policies. Under Federal policy has no explicit climate policy, does have an environment policy that talks about ‘active management’, opposes any carbon tax as part of their economic policy. Party Policies

HUDSON 4 NV
Madison WRIGHT
Marylynn MENEGHINI,
Comment – no implicit or explicit climate policies. website)

Climate survey of Legislative Assembly Candidates

We sent out a climate survey to all Brunswick, Pascoe Vale and Broadmeadows candidates.

Read our statements on policy areas of interest:

• Transport Policy in Moreland for the Climate Emergency
• Slash Emissions, Slash Energy Bills with Energy Efficiency

Environment Victoria Scorecard

Read Environment Victoria’s Election 2018: Where the parties stand, scorecard.

Environment Victoria major party scorecard

Vote Forests Scorecard

Preservation of old growth forests is essential for the carbon sink and carbon sequestration it provides, as well as numerous other environmental services, including providing habitat for threatened species and maintaining biodiversity when the earth is facing a mass species extinction event due primarily to human land use change and encroachment on natural environment and ecoysystems.

The end to logging of native forests has substantial support from urban populations and country and regional areas according to this Fairfax media report: Bush turns its back on support for logging native forests

Most Australians want native forest logging ended.

Friends of the Earth Vote Forests have rated the Labor Party, the Greens and the Liberal National Parties on the forests issue. Read their scorecard.

Cycling issues in Moreland Survey

We need to move to more sustainable transport modes like walking, cycling and public transport to reduce transport emissions. Moreland Bicycle User Group (Moreland BUG) has surveyedg all candidates on cycling issues. Read the candidate responses:

The results for each Legislative Assembly electorate are:

• Brunswick
• Pascoe Vale
• Broadmeadows

Plus the Legislative Council Northern Metropolitan Region

• Northern Metropolitan Region

Ambitious targets needed

This is where we need to be aiming according to Professor Kevin Anderson, Manchester University and Tyndall Centre for Climate Research:

Watch the full 44 minute lecture here:

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Entry filed under: election, news, Politician education, Vote Climate. Tags: Northern Metro Region, vicvotes, vicvotes2018.