No. 3/10 – February 22 - March 7, 2010

1A: GREENS & COMMUNITY EVENTS:
Tuesday, February 23, 6.30 pm: Screening of a new film about the unfolding Venezuelan Revolution. At Resistance Centre, 472 Hunter St (at Auckland St), Newcastle. With Special Guest: Director, Pablo Navarrete. Cost: $5 ($3 conc). Cheap, tasty meal available. Organised by Resistance & the Aust.-Venezuela Solidarity Network. Enquiries: Zane, 0401 466 831.

Tuesday, February 23, 7.15 pm: Screening of In Transition 1.0 Documentary Film. At Hamilton Baptist Church, Lindsay St, Hamilton (opp. Gregson Park). Preceded by a brief AGM of Transition Newcastle. Film showcases Transition Initiatives from across the world. All interested people welcome. Enquiries: info@transitionnewcastle.org.au

Friday, February 26, 7.30 pm: Ian Cohen Speaks Out: Benefit Night.  At Gallipoli Club, Beaumont St, Hamilton (near Station). Proceeds will go to NSW Greens MP, Ian Cohen’s, Fund for his $1 million court costs from a defamation case won by a developer. Hear Ian’s first-hand account, plus great Hunter Valley rhythmn & blues band, The Pop-Up Toasters, popular Newcastle hip-hop band, DHOPEC, and local comedienne, Hannah Gissane. Tickets: $15 ($10 conc). Organised by Hunter Regional Greens. Enquiries and pre-bookings: Bev Symons, 4962 2160 or bevsym@gmail.com or James Ryan, 0414 922 591.

Fridays, February 26 & March 5, 6.00 pm: Bocche in the Park. At Islington Park (Tighes Reserve, under trees next to dog leash-free area). Join Green friends to share a game of bocche, drinks, food, conversation etc. BYO drinks & nibblies to share. Every Friday, weather permitting.  Enquiries: Carrie & John, 4969 2668.

Sunday, February 28, 2.00 pm: Hunter Regional Greens Meeting. At Maitland District Leagues Club (Les Darcy Room), 10-24 Bulwer St, Maitland (2 blocks from Maitland Station). Members welcome. Enquiries: Wendy White, 4933 2624.

Sat. & Sun, February 27 & 28: Training for Transition Workshop. Organised by Coal Point Transition Initiative. Enquiries & registration: Gillian Harris, 0404 099 529.

Monday, March 1, from approx. 6.00 pm: Lake Macquarie Greens Local Govt. Reference Group, to support Greens Councillors. At Speers Point Recreation Club (formerly RSL) for dinner, after Council meeting; followed by Lake Macquarie Greens monthly meeting. Meets on First Monday of every month. LM members welcome. Enquiries: Charmian Eckersley, 4970 5780 or 0407 730 410.

Tuesday, March 2, 5.30 pm: Save Our Rail Lower Hunter meeting. At Newcastle Leagues Club, National Park Street (opp. Spotlight). Meets on First Tuesday of every month. Enquiries: Marilyn Eade, 0411 644 742 or: marilyn.eade@gmail.com; or Joan Dawson, 0249 281 339.

Wednesday, March 3, 6.30 pm: Climate Action Newcastle (CAN) meeting. At Hamilton Public School, Cnr Tudor & Steel Sts, Hamilton, opp. Gregson Park. Meets on First & Third Wednesday of every month. Enquiries: 8588 1260 or email: can@climateaction.org.au

Friday, March 5, 5.30 pm: Critical Mass Bicycle Ride. Meet at Civic Park, Newcastle, for 6.00 pm ride. Fun, family-friendly & safe bike ride around town and beaches; on First Friday of every month. Enquiries: Dan at newcastlecriticalmass@yahoo.com.au

Friday, March 5, 7.00 pm for 7.30 start: International Women’s Day Dinner. At Newcastle Panthers, King St, Newcastle West. Guest speakers include Audrey McDonald, long-standing former National Secretary of the Union of Australian Women; songs by the Newcastle People’s Chorus. Cost: $30 pp.  Bookings & Enquiries: Sandi, Newcastle Trades Hall Council, 4929 1162 or: sandi@newtradeshall.com

Saturday, March 6, 2.30 – 4.30 pm: Ideas Cafe for people interested  in Transition Town Newcastle. At Dimitri’s Cafe, 79 Beaumont St, Hamilton (in arcade). Meets on First Saturday of every month. Enquiries: info@transitionnewcastle.org.au

Monday, March 8, from 7.00ish: Celebrate International Women’s Day – a Listening Party – the Hottest 100 Songs of All Time by Female Artists. At Resistance Centre, 472 Hunter St, Newcastle. You can vote for up to 10 songs each, but vote only for each song once. Songs can be by a female artist, a female vocalist in a band, or a band with at least two female band-members. Email votes to: IWDhottest100@gmail.com

1A: FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
Wednesday, March 10, 7.30 pm: Save Our Rail Maitland Meeting. At St Peters Church Hall, East Maitland. Meets on Second Wednesday of every month. Enquiries: Kim Cross, 4933 4868.

Thursday, March 11, 7.00 pm: Lake Macquarie Climate Action meeting. At LM City Council Bldg, Speers Point. Meets on Second Thursday of every month. Enquiries: Kate Hines, 4975 31258.

Sat. & Sun, March 13-14, 10.00 am: Greens State Delegates Council meeting. At Wesley Uniting Church Hall, Beaumont St, Hamilton (between Tudor & Denison Sts). Greens members welcome as observers. Cost for lunches/teas: $15 ($10 conc) per day. Enquiries: Bev Symons, 4962 2160 or bevsym@gmail.com

Sunday, March 14, 2.00 pm: Fund-raising gig for the ‘Newcastle 23′. At The Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Railway St, Wickham. To help pay fines of $10-12,000 for the 23 climate activists arrested for stopping a coal train at Hexham in December.
ALSO: Wednesday, March 17, 7.00 pm: A Night of Jailhouse Blues, with Cash Savage and Steve Smyth. At The Lock-Up, Hunter St, Newcastle. Enquiries & ticket bookings for both gigs ph: Greer, 0439 475 695.

Sunday, March 14, 5.00 pm: World Naked Bide Ride Australia 2010: Newcastle. At Civic Park. Enquiries: Marte Kinder, wnbrnudecastle@yahoo.com.au. And view Poster on web site: http://australia.worldnakedbikeride.org

Wednesday, March 17, 6.30 pm: Climate Action Newcastle (CAN) meeting. At Hamilton Public School, Cnr Tudor & Steel Sts, Hamilton, opp. Gregson Park. Meets on First & Third Wednesday of every month. Enquiries: 8588 1260 or email: can@climateaction.org.au

Tuesday, March 16, 6.30 pm: Politics in the Pub. At Hamilton Station Hotel, Beaumont St. Topic and Speakers to be advised. Meets on Third Tuesday of every month. Enquiries: Harry Williams, 4967 1889.

Wednesday, March 17, 7.00 pm: Newcastle Greens Local Govt. Reference Group meeting. At Keith Parsons’ home, 1/161 Scott St, Newcastle. Members welcome. Meets on Third Wednesday of every month. Enquiries: John, 4969 2668.

Wednesday, March 17, 5.30 pm:  Opening of Freedom from Fear Refugee Photographic Exhibition. At Front Room Gallery, Newcastle Art School, 582 Hunter St (Cnr Union St), Newcastle West. Thence open March 17-26, Tuesdays-Fridays, 11.00 am – 5.00 pm. Enquiries: 4929 0438.

Saturday, March 20, 2.00 pm: Newcastle Greens Local Group Meeting.  At Joy Cummings Centre, Cnr Scott & Pacific Sts, Newcastle East. Meets on third Saturday of every month. Enquiries: secretary@newcastle.nsw.greens.org.au

Sunday, March 28, from 10.00 am: People’s Blockade of the World’s Biggest Coal Port. At Horseshoe Beach, Newcastle. A fun, peaceful and effective action against Australia’s single biggest contribution to climate change. Join in on the water or the shore. Enquiries: risingtide@risingtide.org.au; and see: www.risingtide.org.au

2: SYDNEY:

2A: GREENS & COMMUNITY EVENTS:
Thursday, February 25, 1.00 pm: Protest: No New Coal Power. At NSW Parliament House, Macquarie Street. Rally against the Keneally Government’s plans for two new coal-fired power stations in NSW. Speakers incl: John Kaye, Greens NSW MP; Linda Selvey, Greenpeace CEO; and Bev Smiles, affected resident and campaigner. Enquiries: Justin Field, 9230 2668.

Thursday, February 25, 6.30 pm: In Conversation with Greens Senator Bob Brown. At Gleebooks, 49 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe. Support the Greens Federal Election campaign and join Lee Rhiannon and Penny Figgis in conversation with Bob Brown about his new book, Earth. Bookings: Greens office, 9519 0877 or lesa@nsw.greens.org.au

Saturday, February 27, 7.00 pm: Rod Quantock Comedy Show: “Bugger the polar bears, this is serious”. At Sydney Mechanics School of Arts, 280 Pitt Street. Price: $30 ($20 conc). Bookings: MCA-TIX or 1300 306 776.

Friday, March  5, 9.00 am - 6.00 pm: Conference: Key Forces for Climate Action. At LT 024, New Law School, University of Sydney. Registration: Free, donation for lunch & refreshments. Panels with speakers: Carbon markets and regulation for renewables; High-tech growth and low-tech sufficiency; Local climate justice and global climate justice; Climate advocacy and climate organising. Organised by The Climate Action Research Group, in partnership with Friends of the Earth Australia. Limited places; RSVP: rebecca.pearse@uts.edu.au

Monday, March 7, ??: Reconciliation; the way ahead: A conversation between Mick Dodson & Henry Reynolds. At Sydney Trades Hall Auditorium. Prof Mick Dodson, is co-chair of Reconciliation Australia and the 2009 Australian of the Year; Prof Henry Reynolds is an eminent Australian historian. Entry: $25. Organised by The Evatt Foundation. RSVP: Dianne Hiles, (02) 8090 1170 or: admin@evatt.usyd.edu.au

2B: FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
Tuesday, March 9, 1.00 pm: Background Briefing: Institute of Sustainable Futures Report, Meeting NSW Electricity Needs in a Carbon Constrained World. At Jubilee Room, NSW Parliament House, Macquarie Street. Enquiries: Justin Field, John Kaye’s office, 9230 2668.

Monday, March 22, 6.15 for 6.30 pm, 2010 Juanita Nielsen Memorial Lecture. At Mori Gallery, 168 Day St, Sydney. Guest speakers: Greens MP, Sylvia Hale - “The Greens – minority or mainstream party?”; Dr Shirley Fitzgerald, City of Sydney historian, 1987-2010, will introduce the life and times of Juanita Neilsen. Organised by Greens MP, Lee Rhiannon. RSVP: linda.wilhelm@parliament.nsw.gov.au; or ph 9230 3551.