Fantastic Walk Against Warming!

We had a fantastic Walk Against Warming here in Wollongong on Saturday December 12, with a crowd of 700 or so. Check here for some YouTube footage of march: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw9niEx10Hg. The day finished with a group of 30 or so students from Gwynneville primary school St Bridgets raising blue balloons 5 metres into the air to dramatise where sea levels could be by 2100 with a business as usual approach (James Hansen NASA data). A few of the kids explained why we need to act - it was very moving!

Prior to the rally, a teacher at St Bridget's Primary School had contacted organisers about a poster competition they organised to build awareness about the WAW and global warming generally, and to help get together a contingent of students and parents for the march. A few organisers visited the school to organise the balloon action. On the day we set up a face-paint tent too which went down a treat. We also displayed the posters coloured in by the students.

Despite the harsh heat, the rally was fantastic, SA members Jess and Ann did a top job co-chairing. The speakers were great too; they included: Sylvia Hale, Greens MLC; Vanessa Organo, WUSA enviro officer; Mike Donaldson, Green Jobs Illawarra; Rowan Huxtable, WCAN; and Duncan Roden, Socialist Alliance. Richard Mackey from the Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation welcomed us to country.

Congratulations to everyone involved!

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Rising sea levels highlighted in coastal Wollongong

December 9, 2009

Climate activists in Wollongong have highlighted the dangers of rising sea levels today with an action outside the local Port Kembla steelworks. The action was covered by local media outlets including WIN TV and ABC radio. See media release below for more information!

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Steelworks to be hit by Rising Sea Levels

MEDIA RELEASE

December 8, 2009 - There has been much public discussion about the impact of a sea level rise on residential properties in the Illawarra. However, such a rise will also impact key infrastructure in the region. For exmaple, the Port Kembla steelworks and the University of Wollongong's Innovation Campus are built on very low lying land.

This Wednesday, the organisers of the Wollongong Walk Against Warming will illustrate the danger we face if we fail to act now. They will erect a sign at the main entrance of the steelworks that says: “CONDEMNED to rising sea levels with inaction on climate.” Chris Williams, one of rally's organisers stated:

“Even a 1 metre rise in sea level will effect the steelworks, and a 5 metre rise would put it under water. With business as usual this will be the minimum we should expect.

“The Federal Government report titled Climate Change Risks to Australia's Coast estimated a 1.1 metre rise in sea levels by the end of the century. But James Hansen, the world's most eminent climatologist and head of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, says that sea levels will likely rise at least 5 metres by the end of the century if we continue with business as usual.

“As one of the regions biggest employers, this would be catastrophic in terms of jobs and the economy.

Jess Moore, another organiser of the Wollongong Walk Against Warming added:

“Over and over again we hear that action on climate change will cost jobs and that polluting industries should be protected in order to protect jobs. But there will be no jobs in industries that go under water and, worse still, no jobs on a dead planet.

“Inaction on climate change is dangerous because there is nothing more urgent than dealing with the climate crisis. Saying that action threatens jobs is unfounded. New industries and practices, that will be needed to replace environmentally damaging ones, will need workers. The transition will, in fact, mean more jobs.

“But we can't rely on the market to spontaneously replace industries or jobs. The government must implement a sustainability plan that meets the needs of communities, guarantee jobs and make an inhabitable planet possible.

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Walk organisers condemn CPRS deal

MEDIA RELEASE

Thursday November 27, 2009 - Walk Against Warming organisers in Wollongong condemned Kevin Rudd's CPRS and his deal with the Liberal Party as a betrayal of the grassroots environment movement and the Australian people. Jess Moore, a Walk organiser, said:

'Just yesterday 26 leading climate scientists publicly warned we need drastic cuts in greenhouse gas emissions or face an uninhabitable planet. Yet the federal climate change department’s own figures show that the CPRS, prior to amendment, was not going to lead to a significant drop in Australia’s emissions for at least 20 years. Now Rudd's outrageous deal has made the already dangerous CPRS even worse!

'Agriculture - the second biggest contributor to Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions – has been excluded from the scheme and the $16.4 billion taxpayers’ money given as “compensation” to polluting industries has been upped by over $7 billion.

'These subsidies will keep polluting industries in business, rather than phase them out and divert resources away from direct investment in sustainability measures.

'This scheme is not about action on climate change. It's about privatising the air and calling it action. Indeed, 35 countries around the world now have lucrative emission trading schemes. Yet in not one of these countries have they successfully driven down carbon emissions.'

Patrick Harrison, Walk organiser, said: 'This is another clear betrayal of the environment movement and everyone who voted for real action on climate in the 2007 federal election. Rudd has done a deal with those who spent over a decade in government twiddling their thumbs on climate. He is selling out the planet and it's people to the coal industry and other polluters. He is also selling out workers and the unemployed who would gain from massive investment in sustainable industries and green jobs.

'We must hit the streets to demand the CPRS be scrapped so real solutions can be put on the table. We will need to keep protesting until climate policy changes in this country. Australia must take the lead and aim for 100% renewable energy by 2020. As one of the highest polluters per capita in the world, Australia must also assist underdeveloped countries to develop sustainably. We can't afford to wait, we have to fight for real solutions now'.

The Wollongong Walk Against Warming will take place from noon on December 12. The rally meets on the front steps of the Wesley Uniting Church to march to Wollongong Harbour.

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Hundreds blockade Parliament demanding action on climate!

Monday November 23, 2009

Over 200 people blockaded the entrance to Parliament House in Canberra today. They called on PM Kevin Rudd to secure a strong, legally binding climate treaty at the Copenhagen negotiations.

11 activists from Wollongong - including members of Illawarra Socialist Alliance - took part in the inspiring action. Blockaders refused to leave and had to be dragged away by police and Parliament House security. One activist from Wollongong simply stated, 'I will not resist arrest but I cannot comply with our government's criminal inaction on climate'.

The Wollongong contingent said they will continue to organise and fight for action on climate in the lead up to the December 12 Walk Against Warming, to be held at 12noon, starting on the steps on Wesley Church in the mall.

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Shooting Proves Indonesian Solution is No Solution at All

November 17th 2009

MEDIA RELEASE

According to the Illawarra Refugee Action Collective (RAC), the recent shooting of two asylum seekers by Indonesian authorities demonstrates that Kevin Rudd's Indonesian solution is no solution at all. Now with 250 asylum seekers in Merak facing forced deportation it should be abundantly clear that a new solution is needed.

Matt Garner, local RAC member said: “Kevin Rudd’s policy has made vulnerable people even more vulnerable. The farming out of Australia's obligations under the UN Refugee Convention to Indonesia is a disgrace and as the recent shootings have demonstrated, Indonesia, a country that has not signed the UN Refugee Convention is not the place to be sending these people.”

“Given that the Australian government provides military training, equipment and funding to the Indonesian government, we are complicit in this shooting event that has been allowed to occur. Australia must accept responsibility for the well being of these asylum seekers and allow them entry into our country,” concluded Garner.

The Illawarra Refugee Action Collective is calling on the Australian government to:

• Let the boats land in Australia, let the refugees stay
• Stop the Indonesia 'Solution'
• End Mandatory Detention

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Wollongong speakout: Welcome refugees!

MEDIA RELEASE

November 11, 2009 - Local refugee rights advocates, including members of the Illawarra Refugee Action Collective (RAC), have called a speakout for this Saturday to demand the Australian government welcome refugees. The speak out will call on the government to:

· Let the boats land; let the refugees stay

· Stop the Indonesian solution

· End Mandatory Detention

Matt Garner, speakout co-organiser, said: “The Tamil asylum seekers are fleeing from torture, genocide and starvation. As the humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka deteriorates, we can expect many more people to seek asylum from the oppressive Sri Lankan regime. These are desperate people who deserve our help and compassion.”

“As a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention, Australia has a responsibility to give refuge to asylum seekers. By denying passage to Australia and “warehousing” these refugees in Indonesia, we are depriving them the legal and humanitarian rights they are entitled too.”

Lee-Anne Organ, speakout co-organiser, said: “So many people were outraged over the Howard government's treatment of refugees and were heartened by the election of Kevin Rudd. But now we are seeing the same approach of trying to keep refugees as far away as possible. It is quite worrying to witness the fear mongering being perpetrated to justify this approach.”

“This Saturday, we strongly encourage anyone who is concerned about this issue to come along and let their voice be heard. Only through community opposition to these policies will we see justice achieved for the refugees."

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Steel and coal: time to get serious about emission cuts!

10 November 2009

MEDIA RELEASE - The Illawarra Socialist Alliance has called on the Australian government to get serious about reducing greenhouse emissions in the steel industry, convener Chris Williams said yesterday.

"The Quarterly Update of Australia's National Greenhouse Gas Inventory to June 2009 shows that negative emission growth nationally in the 12 months to June 2009 was in part due to 'a temporary reduction in production capacity at the Port Kembla steelworks'. And when production picks up again? Given the urgent need to cut greenhouse emissions we need strategic planning to clean up and reduce our reliance on steel."

Williams said the Socialist Alliance is pushing for direct, government investment to create jobs in sustainable industries so alternatives to steel can be developed as quickly as possible.

"We don't have time to leave it to the market. It needs proper planning and must include job creation and investment in less carbon-intensive alternatives. This is vital to ensure the livelihoods of thousands of workers and their families. "Steel producers should be compelled to increase the recycling of steel which is much cleaner than blast-furnace steel. They should also have to source more of their energy needs from renewables.

"Mandatory targets must be set in these areas. BlueScope Steel should immediately restart plans to build the co-generation plant which could save one million tonnes of greenhouse gases each year. If Bluescope says that they require government assistance to get this done, then they must prove it by opening their books to public inspection.

"If they refuse to do this Bluescope should be placed under public ownership."

Williams added: "Steel will certainly be necessary in the transition to a low-carbon economy, but we can still reduce reliance on steel. Products should be redesigned to reduce the amount of steel necessary in their production, e.g. by light-weighting. Furthermore, the products that we design and use should be made to last -- the government should outlaw planned obsolescence. This is particularly important in the industries that place the most demand on steel production, like motor cars for example.

"Also, society needs to ask itself how necessary the things that we are making with steel really are. Wind turbines, electric trains and solar panels are socially useful, but what about bombs, warships and Joint Strike Fighters?"

Williams concluded: "But for the Socialist Alliance, a plan to create green jobs in heavy industrial regions like the Illawarra is essential. The greenhouse mafia, powerful lobby groups represented in the coal, steel and other industries whom even Kevin Rudd denounced last week, will fight moves to put the planet and people before their shareholder returns. Many workers and their communities are being told that they must choose between a safe climate future and their jobs, their livelihood.

"But the transition to a low-carbon economy isn't the main threat to jobs. The unquenchable thirst for profits is, and it threatens to destroy life on Earth as we know it. The climate movement needs to unite with working people and demand the government assist communities to move away from coal and steel towards new industries that will underpin sustainability. And working people need to be part of any plans to move to a low-carbon economy; they're in the best position to know how to retool and restructure industry for sustainability".

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