Posts tagged ‘Lizzie Blandthorn’
Congratulations to Lizzie Blandthorn and Tim Read being elected to #springst
The Victorian state election is over and two of Moreland’s state MP’s signed the climate emergency declaration during the campaign: Labor’s Lizzie Blandthorn in Pascoe Vale, and the Greens Tim Read in Brunswick.
The first important step for our elected representatives is to acknowledge the problem, that we have a climate crisis, a climate emergency, that requires a level of emergency climate planning and action.
We are glad and congratulate that two of our three Legislative Assembly representatives have acknowledged the problem and in the coming four years expect they will act in their respective parties and in parliament to ramp up climate action consistent with climate science and climate targets. The citizens of Moreland expect nothing less.
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Vigil to Replace Hazelwood – Lizzie Blandthorn MLA Pascoe Vale
Climate Action Moreland urges local MPs to support strong action now to close Australia’s dirtiest power station, Hazelwood.
Our climate is getting hotter and more extreme, with more intense heat waves, more menacing bush fires, and more costly extreme events such as Superstorm Sandy and Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.
Local climate change activists will approach Lizzie Blandthorn, MLA for Pascoe Vale, this Thursday when constituents will deliver a letter calling for the urgent closure of the world’s third dirtiest power station.
Community Vigil – Climate Action Moreland
Where: Electoral Office of Lizzie Blandthorn,
416a Bell Street, Pascoe Vale
When: Thursday at 7:30am – 8:30am
Register: on Facebook event
During the unprecedented 2009 Black Saturday bushfire period, there were 374 extra heat-stress-related deaths in Victoria, an average of more than 4.25 deaths for each Legislative Assembly electorate in Victoria.
The need to move quickly to replace dirty coal with clean renewable energy and jobs was highlighted in a new report from Oxford University’s Stranded Assets Programme, which identified the most-polluting, least-efficient and oldest “sub-critical” coal-fired power stations. (See Climate Council June 2014 report: Australia’s Electricity Sector: Ageing, Inefficient and Unprepared)
The report found 89% of Australia’s coal power station fleet is sub-critical, “by far” the most carbon-intensive sub-critical fleet in the world.
One quarter of Australia’s coal plants need to close within five years if Australians are to play an equitable part in keeping with government pledges.
The previous ALP state government showed promise in this matter”, said Gemma Williams, “We hope this current government will show strong leadership now.”
In 2010, then Labor premier John Brumby, in explaining his policy for a phased close-down of Hazelwood, told ABC radio listeners: “either you believe in closing Hazelwood or you don’t, and I do.”
Labor’s 2010 climate change legislation provided the reserve power to regulate emissions from existing brown coal-fired generators.
This legislation was undermined by the Baillieu government, and now is the time to restore the government’s capacity to regulate emissions.
We urge the development of a strong jobs package and an economic transition plan for the Latrobe Valley because the move from coal to clean wind and solar renewable energy is now both urgent and inevitable.
Climate Action Moreland will be taking these message to electors and other state MPs in Moreland:
- Urgent action is required now to replace coal
- Hazelwood can be shut without affecting power supplies, and
- Coal is a major health hazard to Victorians.
Further Vigils
We will follow up our vigil outside Lizzie Blandthorn’s electoral office for the seat of Pascoe Vale with further vigils for the two other State MLAs that represent our municipality here in Moreland: Frank Maguire, MP for Broadmeadows and Jane Garrett, MP for Brunswick.
Community Vigil – Climate Action Moreland
Thursday, May 14 from 4.30-5.30pm
Frank McGuire, Broadmeadows
Meet at Broadmeadows Shopping Centre, Shop G42, Pascoe Vale Road, Broadmeadows
Community Vigil – Climate Action Moreland
Thursday, May 28 from 8.00 – 9.00am
Jane Garrett, Brunswick
Action on the corner of Nicholson St and Park St bike path, then deliver letter to her office at
Suite 1, 31 Nicholson Street, Brunswick East (near corner of Brunswick Rd and Nicholson Street)
April 27, 2015 at 9:51 am morelandclimategroup Leave a comment
Fair Food Forum at Coburg Farmers Market discusses agriculture and food security
Climate Action Moreland members ventured to the Coburg Farmers Market on Saturday to shop, to chat with other Moreland residents about climate change, collect signatures on the Monster climate petition, and listen to candidates for the State Election in November 2014 speak at the Fair Food Forum.
Food security and agriculture are important subjects which we should all be aware of and asking our political representatives about.
Fair Food Week – 10 to 19 October – is organised by Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance (AFSA). Michael Croft, AFSA President, described the occasion as “Fair Food Week encourages the general community to embrace local food production, purchase and consumption.”
All candidates for the seats of Brunswick and Pascoe Vale who had so far committed to stand were invited to speak, however the Liberal candidate for Brunswick cancelled the night before, Jane Garrett, Labor MP for Brunswick refused to attend, and Lizzie Blandthorn, Labor candidate for Pascoe Vale although originally agreeing to come then reneged and instead handed out red balloons and launched the Batman market near the Batman railway station.
But the forum went ahead with the Greens candidates Liam Farelly and Tim Read, Dean O’Callaghan from Save the Planet and Sean Brocklehurst from Socialist Alliance.
I am really astounded that both major parties refused to send anyone along to this forum. Food and agriculture is so important in our lives, and yet both the Liberal and Labor parties could not bother to provide some-one to represent their party and policies in this area. Climate change is already affecting agriculture from long and intense droughts, changes to rainfall patterns, more extreme weather events, and of course rising temperatures affecting crop yield and milk production.
Climate Action Merribek: people in Brunswick, Coburg, Fawkner and Glenroy wanting action on climate change 