admin – Page 1146

Adam Bandt elected as Greens leader, kicks off fight for a Green New Deal

Adam Bandt MP, Member for Melbourne, has been elected as the Australian Greens Parliamentary Leader.
Adam will use his first media conference as leader to call for a government-led Green New Deal to tackle the climate emergency and the jobs and inequality crises. Adam will also make a strong pitch to young people to join the movement for a Green New Deal.
In a ballot held in the Greens party room today, Adam was elected uncontested. Larissa Waters, Senator for Queensland has been elected Leader in the Senate and Nick McKim, Senator for Tasmania has been elected as Deputy Leader in the Senate. Rachel Siewert has been returned as Whip and Janet Rice continues as Party Room Chair and also takes on the role of Deputy Whip.
Adam was elected to the Federal Parliament in 2010, making history as the first Green elected to the House of Representatives at a general election. Since his first election he has doubled the Greens vote in Melbourne taking it to one of the biggest in the country. Before entering Parliament, Adam worked for many years as a public interest and industrial lawyer protecting workers from privatisation and big corporations.
Adam Bandt MP said:
“I want to acknowledge the fantastic work of our former leader Richard Di Natale and thank him for his leadership of our party and service to our country. I want to thank my colleagues for their support and the confidence they have placed in me. I also look forward to working closely with Greens National Councillors, State MPs and local councillors, State Conveners and branches in the coming months as we go forward.
“In particular, I want to congratulate Larissa Waters for being elected today as Leader in the Senate and Nick McKim for being elected as Deputy Leader in the Senate. Holding these leadership positions reflects the years of hard work and commitment you’ve each made to the Greens movement, and I’m excited to work closely with you both in the years ahead.
“We are in the middle of a climate emergency and long running jobs and inequality crises. People are angry and anxious because the government has no plan for the big problems facing the country.
“That is why Australia needs a Green New Deal.
“A Green New Deal means government leading the country in transforming our economy, creating new jobs and industries powered by clean energy and delivering universal services like dental into Medicare and genuinely free education. This is what I will be fighting for.
“We are a smart and wealthy country and if we have the guts to take on the big corporations and the weak politicians they have in their pockets, we can solve the problems we face.
“I call on everyone, but particularly young Australians, to join our movement for a Green New Deal so together we can fight to save the future.”
For further details, see the biography below.

Australian Greens Parliamentary Leader Adam Bandt

WHO IS ADAM?
Adam Bandt is the Federal Member for Melbourne. Adam lives with his wife Claudia, daughters Wren and Elke and their dog Max in inner-city Melbourne.
Adam was elected to the Federal Parliament in 2010, making history as the first Green elected to the House of Representatives at a general election.
Adam has served as Deputy Leader under Christine Milne and Richard Di Natale. For a number of years Adam has been the Greens spokesperson on the climate crisis, energy, employment & industrial relations and science, research and innovation. He has previously been the Greens Treasury spokesperson.
Since first running for the seat of Melbourne in 2007, Adam has more than doubled his vote, winning 49.3% of the primary votes in 2019 and securing the third highest two-candidate preferred result in the country (68.5%).
In his maiden speech to Parliament, Adam warned of the coming climate emergency. Adam was a key participant in the Gillard minority government’s Multi-Party Climate Change Committee which developed the climate price and established the successful Clean Energy Finance Corporation and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. It was only because of Adam’s election and the signed agreement with Julia Gillard that the carbon price was introduced, the only time carbon pollution has decreased in Australia.
Before entering Parliament, Adam worked for many years as a public interest and industrial lawyer protecting workers from privatisation and big business. Adam represented some of Australia’s lowest paid workers, working with the current President of the ACTU Michelle O’Neill on legal action against corporate giant Nike to make them responsible for the wages and conditions of workers in their supply chain. Adam also worked to protect the rights of coal workers in the Latrobe Valley after their power stations were privatised.
One of Adam’s first acts in Parliament was to introduce a private members bill extending protection for firefighters who contract cancer through their work, which passed into law with unanimous support, becoming one of only 7 private members bills to become law in the past two decades.
Adam also joins the ranks of party leaders who like to DJ, with a pair of turntables & mixer at home which get brought out for long-suffering guests at parties and sometimes at Greens events.

Di Natale Resigns Parliamentary Leadership

Australian Greens Senator for Victoria Dr Richard Di Natale has resigned as Parliamentary Leader of the Australian Greens.
“It has been a privilege and an honour to lead the Australian Greens in the federal parliament for the past four years, fighting every day for the values that millions of Australians care so deeply about,” Di Natale said.
“But leading a political party is a tough, demanding job so after nearly a decade as a Senator – half that time as leader – I have decided to step aside as Parliamentary Leader of the Australian Greens.”
“Before I became one of them, I thought that politicians who said they want to ‘spend more time with their family’ were guilty of using one of the biggest cliches in politics. As it turns out, in some cases it’s true. My boys are 9 and 11 years old and they have only ever known their dad as a busy, tired and sometimes grumpy politician. As they grow up quickly to become young men, I want to spend more time by their side than a relentless political schedule allows.
“Looking back on the last decade in Parliament, there are so many things I am proud of. The Carbon Price we negotiated in 2010 with the Gillard Government, which showed what can be accomplished when political parties work together for a common goal; the much-needed royal commissions into the banking and disability sectors and, of course, the historic vote to achieve marriage equality.”
“As for what comes next for the Greens, I have great confidence in the intelligence, compassion and courage of every one of my parliamentary colleagues. But the success of our party and cause has never and will never depend upon one person. Our party will succeed because we are part of a much broader community movement, a movement that is growing stronger each day.
“I don’t know what comes next for me, but I intend to continue to make a positive contribution to the issues about which I have been so passionate for my entire adult life: Green politics, climate change, health, issues affecting First Nations people and tackling inequality.
“So many Australians are making it clear that they want urgent climate action and as a Greens MP, I am proud to have represented them in our Parliament. I will be ending my time as leader filled with optimism about the future, buoyed by the millions of young people who I marched alongside during the student climate strike in Melbourne last year.
“The future of progressive politics is in the Parliament and in the streets, and I am filled with confidence about the direction that each is heading.”
NOTE: Selection of the new leadership team will be resolved 24 hours after leadership roles become vacant, in accordance with Party Room rules.

BIOGRAPHY
Dr Richard Di Natale was the leader of the Australian Greens from 6th May 2015 to 3rd February 2020. He was elected to the federal parliament in 2010 and was the Greens’ first Victorian Senator.
Prior to entering parliament, Richard was a GP and public health specialist. He worked in Aboriginal health in the Northern Territory, on HIV prevention in India and in the drug and alcohol sector.
Richard champions evidence-based solutions to the major problems facing our community today: climate change, growing economic inequality and the destruction of our environment.
Richard firmly believes that our democracy should be transparent and work for all of us, not just those who can buy a seat at the table. He is a leading voice in the campaign to clean up politics by ending corporate influence and donations to political parties.
Richard’s achievements in parliament include working in the team that negotiated the Carbon Price with Julia Gillard’s Government in 2010, which saw billions of dollars flow into renewable energy projects from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) and Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), negotiated billions of dollars in Medicare funded dental care; and got $250 million of tobacco money out of the Future Fund.
As party leader he won cross-party support for a federal ICAC to clean up politics and passed a bill to establish one through the Senate; drove the push for the much-needed royal commissions into the banking and disability sectors; secured $100 million dollars for Landcare and championed medicinal cannabis and drug law reform. In Parliament, Richard consistently pushed to put the climate crisis on the agenda; and fought for higher standards for MP’s – leading the Australian Greens walkout during Pauline Hanson’s racist and bigoted maiden speech to the Senate in 2016.
Richard also led the Greens to their second highest ever election result in 2019.
Richard, his wife Lucy and two young sons live off the grid on a farm in the foothills of Victoria’s Otway Ranges. The son of Italian migrants, Richard grew up in Melbourne.

Labor sells its soul to militant unions

New figures released today prove beyond doubt that Anthony Albanese and his Labor team are nothing more than highly-paid mouthpieces for militant unions.
Electoral Commission political donation data reveals that more than $13.8 million was pumped into Labor’s coffers by unions in 2018/19, while almost $35 million was spent directly by unions on trying to make Bill Shorten Prime Minister.
Australia’s most lawless union – the CFMMEU – was among the biggest individual contributors to Labor, kicking in almost $2 million.
And what did the CFMMEU get in return for their generosity? They got every Labor MP and Senator to go into bat for them against the Morrison Government’s vitally important Ensuring Integrity Bill – a Bill that promises to break the CFMMEU’s stranglehold over the construction industry and end the violence, bullying and intimidation that has plagued the sector for decades.
“What these figures prove is that if you pump enough money into Labor’s coffers, you can guarantee its support in Parliament, even if it means defending the indefensible, such as thuggery, coercion and harassment,” Attorney General and Minister for Industrial Relations, Christian Porter, said.
“Let’s not forget that the CFMMEU has been described by the Federal Court as the most recidivist corporate offender in Australia’s history, having racked up more than $17 million dollars in fines in recent years for offences such as coercion, intimidation and even faking safety concerns.
“Yet Labor is more than happy to take the union’s money, even though Anthony Albanese doesn’t believe that John Setka is a fit and proper person to be a member of his party. Anthony Albanese needs to come clean and tell the Australian people whose side he is really on. Is it the side of the Australian people, or the side of union thugs and bullies?”

NSW FIRE-AFFECTED BUSINESSES AND COUNCILS ENCOURAGED TO ACCESS FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Small businesses and councils affected by the bushfires can apply for a suite of financial assistance packages thanks to the NSW and Commonwealth Governments.
The financial support includes grants of up to $50,000 for small businesses directly affected by bushfire, up to $250,000 to Local Government Areas, a Bushfire Working Capital Loan of up to $50,000 and low interest loans of up to $500,000 to eligible small businesses, primary producers and not-for-profits in bushfire impacted council areas.
Federal Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash said, thousands of small businesses have been impacted by the recent bushfires both in the disaster-declared areas and in surrounding areas.
“These financial support measures will provide much needed funds for affected small businesses in the early recovery phase to help them get back on their feet,” Minister Cash said.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Disaster Recovery John Barilaro said the bushfires had devastated entire communities.
“As we move into the recovery phase, communities are facing unprecedented challenges and there will be many difficult months ahead,” he said.
“These grants and loans will assist bushfire-affected communities to get back on their feet.”
Financial assistance includes:

Grants of up to $50,000 are available for eligible small businesses and non-profit organisations with direct damage to their premises, equipment or stock from the bushfires and can help to pay for repairs, via Service NSW;
Payments up to $250,000 to Local Government Areas impacted by bushfire for small scale local activities that will kick-start the social and economic recovery of their communities;
Loans of up to $500,000 specifically designed to provide an immediate injection of money to help return and continue business operations by covering salaries or wages, rent, lease and rates, as well as purchase of goods and services, via NSW Rural Assistance Authority.

Funding is provided jointly from the NSW and Commonwealth Governments through Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
Minister for Finance and Small Business Damien Tudehope said he encouraged small businesses to apply for the funding, which would assist in getting bushfire-affected communities up and running as soon as possible.
“Small enterprises are the lifeblood of their community and we want to do everything we can to support them during this time of recovery,” he said.
Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock said the bushfire recovery phase is also about supporting communities to come together and heal.
“Local councils are the backbones to their communities and we’re committed to doing all we can to help them as they start to heal and rebuild their communities.”
Small Business Grants
The Commonwealth Government announced on Monday, 20 January, a Small Business Bushfire Recovery Package that included recovery grants, concessional loans, a Small Business Financial Support Line, Local Economic Recovery Plans and tax relief. Those small businesses who have already accessed up to $15,000 under the existing Small Business Grants scheme, can now apply for additional funds, bringing the total available to $50,000.
The assistance is being provided through the joint Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements between states and territories and the Commonwealth Government.
The grant is being administered through Service NSW and is available to eligible, fire-affected small businesses within Category C declared Local Government Areas (LGAs) since 31 August 2019.
For more information on eligibility criteria and to register to apply for the grant, visit
https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/register-small-business-bushfire-recovery-grant
Bushfire Community Resilience and Economic Recovery Fund
Councils will be offered payments of a minimum $100,000 and up to $250,000 for small scale local activities that will kick-start the social and economic recovery of their communities. This quick and flexible funding will be made available to eligible councils from early February 2020.
Councils can use funding straight away for events or initiatives that support local business and industry recovery, as well as community resilience and wellbeing.
Examples could include:

local recovery support services for impacted small businesses;
local industry recovery events;
neighbourhood and community strengthening activities that focus on building capacity, community strengthening and resilience.

These Community Resilience and Economic Recovery Grants have been previously announced and are being provided through the joint Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements between states and territories and the Commonwealth Government.
Bushfire Working Capital and Recovery Loans
The Bushfire Working Capital Loan is up to $50,000 and is specifically designed to provide an immediate injection of money to help return and continue business operations by covering salaries or wages, rebuilding infrastructure and purchase of goods and services. Its terms are up to five years, with a two year interest free and repayment free period.
And the larger Bushfire Recovery Loan of up to $500,000 is over 10 years, with a two-year interest free and payment free period. It is available for significantly larger investments where required.
The loans are jointly funded by the State and Federal Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. Applications and details are on-line, via the NSW Rural Assistance Authority www.raa.nsw.gov.au.

TRAVEL SUBSIDIES FOR PATIENTS IN BUSHFIRE AREAS

The NSW Government will help regional and rural patients impacted by bushfires with their travel and accommodation costs when attending specialist medical treatments.
Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the NSW Government is looking at ways to support bushfire-affected communities with practical solutions to make life a little easier during an incredibly tough time.
“People in bushfire-affected areas have enough to worry about at the moment without the additional stress of finding extra money to travel long distances to see a specialist.”
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the criteria for the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS) will be broadened so patients impacted by bushfires can access the subsidy to help cover out-of-pocket costs.
“Some patients in regional and rural areas will have to travel a longer route or extend their stay due to road closures or poor weatherconditions, so this scheme will help ease some of the financial pressure,” Mr Hazzard said.
The IPTAAS provides subsidies for transport and accommodation expenses incurred when travelling at least 100km, or a cumulative distance of at least 200km in a week for specialist medical treatment.
Cancer Council NSW’s Director of Information and Support Services Annie Miller said the scheme would assist cancer patients unable to return home between treatments.
“This will make a significant difference to patients and their families having regular cancer treatments who haven’t been able to return home due to road closures or poor air quality and have been forced to spend more on accommodation and travel,” Ms Miller said.
Patients are encouraged to include additional information such as extenuating circumstances and tax invoices within their applications.Anyone experiencing financial hardship should contact IPTAAS to discuss payment options.
Investment in IPTAAS has more than doubled over the past seven years, from $12.2 million in 2011-12 to $25.9 million in 2018-19, helping more than 30,000 patients.
For more information about the IPTAAS scheme, call 1800 478 227 or go to: http://www.iptaas.health.nsw.gov.au/home

COUNCIL RATES RELIEF FOR BUSHFIRE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES

The NSW Government has today announced six months of council rates relief to ease the burden for anyone who has lost their home or small business in the recent bush fires.
Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for Disaster Recovery John Barilaro and Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock said the funding is part of the NSW Government’s unwavering commitment to do all it can to help local communities recover and rebuild from the devastating bushfires.
“Bush fire affected communities will not have to pay rates on a home which has been lost in the fires,” Mr Barilaro said.
“The last thing our communities need right now is more financial stress, which is why the NSW Government is doing everything to ease the burden by funding council rates and picking up the bill for the clean-up, at no cost to owners.
“Regional communities, emergency services, volunteers and our farmers have been outstanding throughout the fires, and we need to be as vigilant in recovery as they are in the face of disaster,” he said.
Mrs Hancock said the NSW Government will cover the full cost of council rates for the third and fourth quarters of this financial year for residents and farmers who have lost their homes, and business owners whose properties have been destroyed beyond repair by bushfires.
“The impact of the bushfires is truly unprecedented with the tragic loss of more than 2,400 homes in NSW,” Mrs Hancock said.
“It is simply unfair to expect somebody to go through the heartbreak of losing their home and then expect them to pay rates on a property they can no longer live in.
“That’s why the Government will fund council rates relief for anyone who has lost their home or small business in the bushfire crisis.”
Affected residents that have lost their homes and small businesses will soon be able to take their council rates notice to a Service NSW centre and the Government will cover the cost. Anyone who has already paid their rates will receive a refund.
“The NSW Government is committed to cutting red tape and reducing the financial burden for individuals who have lost their homes,” Mrs Hancock said.
“We stand ready to do all we can to help bushfire-affected communities so they can recover and rebuild as quickly as possible.”

Distressed surfer rescued – Lake Macquarie

A surfer has been rescued after getting into trouble at a Lake Macquarie beach tonight.
About 6pm (Tuesday 4 February 2020), two 17-year-old boys went surfing at Redhead Beach, Redhead, and were separated in the large swell.
One of the teens returned to shore, while the second was heard by witnesses calling for help after losing his surfboard and being swept to sea.
Emergency Services were notified about 6.20pm and officers from Lake Macquarie Police District, along with NSW Ambulance paramedics and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter attended. Surf Lifesavers were also recalled.
The teen was located floating about 100m from shore and winched aboard the helicopter.
He was returned to the Redhead Beach carpark and treated by paramedics for exhaustion before being taken to John Hunter Hospital as a precaution.
“Had it not been for the swift response of emergency services, we could have had an extremely tragic event here today,” said Inspector Cheryl Day from Lake Macquarie Police District.

Third man charged after public place shooting – Cessnock

A third man has been charged following an investigation into a public place shooting in the Hunter Valley last month.
About 3am on Wednesday 29 January 2020, police were called to Mills Crescent, Cessnock, following reports of shots fired.
A short time later, officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District stopped a Holden Commodore sedan on Doyle Street, Cessnock.
Four men got out of the vehicle, with two allegedly fleeing.
The two remaining men were arrested and taken to Cessnock Police Station before later being released, pending further inquiries.
Following inquiries, two men – aged 27 and 21 – were charged last week and remain before the courts.
Following further inquiries, a 23-year-old man was arrested at a Gorokan home by officers attached to Strike Force Raptor North about 3.40pm yesterday (Tuesday 4 February 2020).
He was taken to Wyong Police Station and charged with fire firearm at dwelling-house with disregard for safety, fire firearm manner likely injure persons/property, possess loaded firearm public place, and destroy or damage property.
The man has been refused bail to appear at Wyong local Court today (Wednesday 5 February 2020).

Police Transport Command officers arrest man for property offences – Newcastle

Officers attached to the Newcastle Police Transport Command have arrested a man following an investigation into the alleged theft of power tools in the Newcastle area.
On Wednesday 22 January 2020, police commenced an investigation into property offences after a man was located and charged on Glebe Street, The Junction.
Police allege the 50-year-old man was in possession of a bicycle that was identified as being stolen from a break and enter in Lawson Street, Hamilton.
He was issued a Field Court Attendance Notice for goods in custody.
Following forensic analysis of the scene of a separate break and enter on Friday 17 January 2020 in Frederick Street, Merewether, police will allege the same 50-year-old man was involved in both incidents.
About 8am today (Tuesday 4 February 2020), police searched a unit in Patrick Street, Merewether and allegedly located power tools and other items also believed to be stolen from the break and enter in Merewether in January.
A short time later, police arrested the 50-year-old man at a building site on Ring Road, Newcastle.
He was taken to Newcastle Police Station and charged with break, enter and steal, goods in custody, dispose of stolen property (x2), and make false statement tom pawnbroker (x3).
He was refused bail and is expected to appear in Newcastle Local Court tomorrow (Wednesday 5 February 2020).

Major infrastructure milestone for Western Sydney International

The first major piece of infrastructure at Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport is complete with Badgerys Creek Road ready for traffic.

The milestone follows the successful realignment of 1.6 kilometers of road and construction of a new bridge measuring nearly the same width as Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Badgerys Creek Road was realigned to allow for the new M12 Motorway and Sydney Metro Greater West, which will connect to the Airport site. Badgerys Creek Road will be an entry point to the Airport when it opens in 2026.
Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said realigning the road was a significant technical achievement.
“It’s an important and essential part of the early earthworks in the Airport’s seven-year construction,” Minister Tudge said.
“It also signals that early earthworks are nearly complete and Western Sydney International will soon move into the next phase of construction.”
Liberal Senator for Western Sydney, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, said the project was part of a broader overhaul of road infrastructure across Western Sydney.
“The Badgerys Creek Road project, which included the provision of a new bridge, a shared footpath and new intersection at Elizabeth Drive, is a lynchpin around which other key projects, such as the Northern Road upgrade, revolve,” Senator Payne said.
“Its completion is a critical step forward in preparing the region’s road network for Western Sydney International, in addition to providing a better experience for local commuters.”
Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor said the new bridge is supported by 21 girders weighing in at 45 tonnes each, made with 900 tonnes of concrete. For the road, 20,000 tonnes of asphalt was laid and 116 streetlights were installed.
“The momentum around the airport is building and now with the completion of Badgery’s Creek Road we will start to see the creation of more jobs and both national and international investment in the area,” Mr Taylor said.
Member for Lindsay, Melissa McIntosh, said that 2019 had been a busy year for the airport and Badgerys Creek Road was a major milestone in the airport’s ongoing construction.
“Construction of the bridge and road realignment highlights the massive scale of the airport construction, and with major earthworks the multitude of opportunities from this significant infrastructure project will only increase,” Mrs McIntosh said.
“Investing in road and rail infrastructure means we are easing congestion on our local roads and building the infrastructure to create more local jobs and investment and it’s exciting that the airport is already delivering outcomes for the people of Western Sydney.”
The major earthworks phase will involve moving over 23 million cubic metres of earth, making way for the construction of the airport terminal and runway.
Motorists should check for temporary closures and detours as the works are finalised.
Western Sydney International is being delivered through a $5.3 billion Australian Government investment and is on track to open in 2026.