The Greens candidate for Shortland, Joan Lambert, today called on both the Labor and Liberal parties to come down hard on banks - whose hard hearted axing of services have left Hunter communities bleeding.

“The banks are out of control and the Hunter is among the worst hit areas in the state for bank closures. Some of the disenchantment many Australians feel with the major parties is because they have both allowed the banks to rip off their customers,” Ms Lambert said.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Greens today called on government, industry and the community to work together on a long-term plan for winding down the Hunter’s coal industry.

“Present governments - local, state and federal - have their heads in the coal pile over this crucial issue for Australia and the Hunter,” Greens candidate for Newcastle John Sutton said.

“Such a plan might require an horizon of several decades, but is needed if the communities and workers who depend on coal mining and coal burning aren’t to be left in the lurch twenty to fifty years from now.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Greens in Charlton today called for an end to the 30% rebate on private
health insurance saying it subsidises the wealthy over the poor to the tune
of $2 billion.

Greens candidate for Charlton, David Blyth said today, “providing quality
health care is a central responsibility of government. But in the Hunter,
the health care system is overstretched - if not in crisis.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Greens are calling for greater accountability of MP’s electoral allowances and major reforms to the Parliamentary Superannuation scheme.

Newcastle Greens Candidate John Sutton says the community is fed up with MP’s feathering their own nests and rorting their allowances.

“Federal Politicians are generously remunerated,” Mr Sutton said. “Rorting of printing and travel allowances is totally unacceptable. MPs should be required to disclose full details of how their entitlements and allowances are spent.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Local Greens candidates today called on Federal Labor candidates in the Hunter to “come clean” on who is paying for their Federal election campaigns.

The Greens candidates for Newcastle (John Sutton), Charlton (David Blyth), and Shortland (Joan Lambert) today released a fact sheet of donations to NSW Labor showing how much Labor was relying on vested interests (especially large corporations) with appalling social, environmental and industrial relations records.

Read the rest of this entry »

“Labor’s environmental credibility on the line”, says Nettle

Read the rest of this entry »

Joan Lambert, The Greens Candidate for Shortland today called on the Labor and Liberal Parties to match The Greens education policy. The Greens are calling for an annual $4.45 billion increase in federal spending on public schools, TAFEs and universities - which would provide a massive boost for education in Shortland and across the Hunter.

“The Greens proposal would provide a real boost for schools across the Shortland area, TAFEs at Belmont, Charlestown, Wyong, Glendale and Newcastle - that service the residents of Shortland, and would dramatically increase the funding for Newcastle University both at the Newcastle and Central Coast campus,” Ms Lambert said.

Read the rest of this entry »