Coalition dominance and abuse of the Senate is a step closer to coming to an end after an agreement between The Greens and the Democrats.

The agreement means that The Greens and Democrats will exchange preferences in the Senate increasing the chances of the balance of power resting with The Greens.

Announcing the agreement in Adelaide today Greens leader Bob Brown said “This agreement follows historic swaps between Democrats and The Greens … only a strong, independent Senate will hold the government to account.”

Talking to a packed theatre at The Greens National campaign launch in Melbourne last week, Senator Brown said there is a “historic tide flowing through Australian politics in 2007 - it is set to sweep the old Howard politics out and return the Senate to its rightful role as the people’s house of review.”

“We Greens will use the balance of power responsibly to get better outcomes for Australia.”

Meanwhile the online campaign group GetUp has brought together The Greens, Democrats and Labor in a Save Our Senate television ad.

Greens candidate for Newcastle, Charmian Eckersley said today that rural, regional and remote Australia would be best served by The Greens’ health policies.

This follows today’s release of the National Rural Health Alliance (NRHA) scorecard showing The Greens in top position ahead of all other political parties.

“The Greens have scored top marks because of our excellent health policies which include support for a national health plan, better health infrastructure for small towns, improved mental health services and investment in oral and dental health.” said Ms Eckersley.

“The big parties have consistently ignored the needs of the Newcastle electorate. Rural communities such as ours are crying out for doctors, nurses, hospital beds and dentists but Labor and the Coalition prefer to ignore this urgent need and throw billions of dollars at tax cut promises instead.”

“The Greens are listening to the Newcastle electorate. We know that many people would rather see that money spent on healthcare, education and tackling climate change - all key priorities for The Greens,” said Ms Eckersley.

Nationally, The Greens will redirect the $3.5 billion private health insurance rebate into public health and hospitals; protect and extend Medicare; maintain the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and provide better access to dental care. We will also establish 24 hour community mental health services; develop a National Health Care Strategy and ban junk food advertising on children’s television.

“Quality health care is a basic human right. The Greens believe a strong and well resourced public health system is the best way to deliver this. We also say that the interest of the patients must be placed ahead of disputes over federal, state and local government responsibilities.”

“As the NRHA scorecard attests, a vote for The Greens is good for the heath of rural communities. The drought, climate change and an ageing population have serious ramifications on the mental and physical health of our local residents. We need to be strengthening our health services to rural communities, not watching them crumble” said Ms Eckersley.

For further details please contact Charmian Eckersley on 4960 3088 or 0407 730410

www.charmian-eckersley@gmail.com

Photo opportunity: Charmian Eckersley outside the Mater Hospital

The NRHA election scorecard can be found at http://nrha.ruralhealth.org.au/election/?IntContId=244&IntCatId=24

Voting 1 for The Greens

is double-value voting.

can change the government and send a message that Greens policies are better.

means your vote passes on at full value to the next party of your choice if The Greens candidate drops out of the count

provides “third party insurance”.

increases the likelihood of returning balance and accountability to the Senate as Labor cannot win enough seats to remove control from the Coalition.

Recommending preferences to Labor does not mean we endorse Labor’s
policies.

Greens having the balance of power in the Senate

will keep a new Rudd Labor government accountable and be a progressive voice in Parliament.

will use the balance of power responsibly

e.g. if the ALP in government supports changes to climate change policy and the Coalition is opposed to it, The Greens, holding the balance of power, will determine the result. On the other hand, if the ALP and Coalition both support further tax cuts for high income earners instead of pensioners, then the vote of The Greens’ Senators will not be enough to prevent it.

would be unable to prevent any legislation being passed, or to insist that any legislation be passed, unless we had the support of either Labor or the Coalition.

Services Not Tax CutsThe Greens oppose Costello’s election tax cuts. The $34 billion should go to schools, hospitals, water, tackling climate change and the poor.

The tax cuts are an irresponsible election bribe and fail Australia. The total cost of tax cuts announced in the last three years is now $100 billion.

Once again the rich get the biggest gains. The big end of town, those on $200,000 per annum will get $128 per week while battling households on $70,000 per week will get just $20 per week.

The Australian Council of Social Services are also opposed to the tax cuts.

The ACTU has said the money won’t compensate workers for the impact of Howard’s workplace laws.

We should be using the surplus to invest in Australian infrastructure and services to safeguard against future problems.

Greens Leader Bob Brown called on Kevin Rudd to “resist the urge to get into a tax cutting auction with the Coalition.”

To read Bob Brown’s statement on the tax cuts.

9 October 2007

David Shoebridge No 2 on the Greens NSW Senate team will join local Greens candidates, Charmian Eckersley, Newcastle, Keith Parsons, Shortland and Suzanne Pritchard, Charlton, at Nobbys Beach, the site of the recent grounding of the Pasha Bulka on Wednesday 10 October at 1.15 pm.

The Hunter can expect more of the violent storms that led to the Pasha Bulka’s dangerous and costly stay on Nobbys Beach.

The Greens have been warning of impending climate change for over two decades and urging governments to wean themselves off dangerous dependence on fossil fuels and to actively support renewable energy.

There has never been a greater need for a strong Greens voice in the Senate and for a strong vote for Greens candidates in the Lower House to drive home the lesson to the major parties that they must get serious about climate change.

David Shoebridge is a Greens councillor and former Deputy Lord Mayor of Woollahra, the heart of Wentworth, Malcolm Turnbull’s electorate and a hot spot in the Tasmanian pulp mill debate.

He is also a barrister and the official NSW Greens spokesman on Industrial Law, and outspoken critic of the Howard Government’s Work Choices and Labor’s “Work Choices Lite.”

David and the Greens candidates welcome and interviews and /or photo opportunities.

For further contact :

David Shoebridge 0408 113 952

Charmian Eckersley 0407 730 410

Keith Parsons 0408 446 022

Suzanne Pritchard 0438 596 741

Greens MP and lead Upper House candidate Lee Rhiannon said this election
achieved the best ever result for the Greens in NSW, with increases in both
houses.

“With two Upper House Greens MPs elected we have brought our numbers to four
and are set to play a pivotal role in the balance of power,” Ms Rhiannon
said.

“The Greens vote is expected to be around 9 percent in both houses, taking
into account our traditionally strong absentee and upper house below the
line vote.
Read the rest of this entry »

Fame Cove would be returned to community use under a proposal announced by Greens candidate for Port Stephens, Charmian Eckersley today.

“Fame Cove plays an important role in the local community and environment of Port Stephens,” said Ms Eckersley. “There is a unique opportunity for the community to secure this important piece of land. The Greens believe that a modest investment from the state government now can deliver benefits for the electorate of Port Stephens for decades to come.”
Read the rest of this entry »

Greens candidate for Newcastle, Michael Osborne today called on ‘Independent’ candidate, John Tate to give a clear, unqualified and public commitment that if elected, he would remain an Independent for the duration of the 2007-2011 term.
Mr Osborne said: “John Tate’s preference deal with Sydney Labor raises questions about his affinity with the ALP. He needs to come clean about the degree of his real independence.”
Read the rest of this entry »

Suzanne Pritchard, Greens candidate for Lake Macquarie, wants climate change to be the number one issue when votes are cast on Saturday.

”Whilst the election has been a chance to highlight all the issues that a State government deals with the most pressing issue of our time, the Climate Change point has been underplayed, overlooked and avoided by the major parties who are committed to business as usual with their coal companions,” Suzanne said.
“Our future can only be assured if we start looking beyond coal, not just for our immediate future in terms of jobs and regional security, but we are in a critical time for implementing decisions for the future of the planet, and it starts where the coal is dug out of the ground, and the energy is produced.”
Read the rest of this entry »

The Greens candidate for Charlestown, Jane Smith, today challenged Independent candidate Paul Scarfe to give a single reason why Greens voters should preference him in next week’s state election.
Hitting back at Cr Scarfe’s criticism of the party’s decision not to preference him, Ms Smith said “our preference decisions in other Hunter electorates – such as Lake Macquarie, Swansea and Newcastle – clearly show that The Greens are quite prepared to recommend preferences to progressive Independents where they are trusted by the community.”
Read the rest of this entry »