"The Greens are calling on the NSW government to develop a transition
plan from coal mining and coal fired power to clean sustainable jobs in
renewable energy and energy efficiency technology," Ms Rhiannon said.
"In NSW coal mines are being approved at a record rate.
"The Hunter and other traditional coal mining areas do not gain the
same jobs benefit that was once associated with this industry.
"The high level of coal mining mechanisation means jobs growth has
slowed.
"Coal industry expansion makes it much harder for clean energy
manufacturing to establish. This is where long-term jobs growth lies.
"Premier Kristina Keneally and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd should stop
the multi-million dollar subsidises that the coal industry receives
every year.
"These handouts go to multinational companies that send the bulk of
their profits overseas.
"The Rudd Government's plans to spend $580-million on the Hunter
Valley coal rail line.
"The rail infrastructure through the s has been built to help speed up
exports and facilitate the coal rush on prime farming land in the
Gunnedah, Mudgee and Upper Hunter regions," Ms Rhiannon said.
For more information: 9230 3551, 0427 861 568
plan from coal mining and coal fired power to clean sustainable jobs in
renewable energy and energy efficiency technology," Ms Rhiannon said.
"In NSW coal mines are being approved at a record rate.
"The Hunter and other traditional coal mining areas do not gain the
same jobs benefit that was once associated with this industry.
"The high level of coal mining mechanisation means jobs growth has
slowed.
"Coal industry expansion makes it much harder for clean energy
manufacturing to establish. This is where long-term jobs growth lies.
"Premier Kristina Keneally and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd should stop
the multi-million dollar subsidises that the coal industry receives
every year.
"These handouts go to multinational companies that send the bulk of
their profits overseas.
"The Rudd Government's plans to spend $580-million on the Hunter
Valley coal rail line.
"The rail infrastructure through the s has been built to help speed up
exports and facilitate the coal rush on prime farming land in the
Gunnedah, Mudgee and Upper Hunter regions," Ms Rhiannon said.
For more information: 9230 3551, 0427 861 568
]]>"The Greens won support today for a motion calling on the NSW
Government to keep the Carramar Nursing Home in public hands," said Ms Rhiannon.
(see motion below)
"The Greens won the vote with the support of the major parties.
"The passing of this motion sends a strong clear message to the NSW government to keep Carramar Nursing Home in public hands.
"I am pleased the NSW Upper House has supported this growing community campaign backed by the Leeton Shire Council and the Carramar Carers' Group.
"The $750,000 raised by the Leeton community is testament to its commitment to keeping Carramar Nursing Home in public hands.
"If the plan is implemented it will have a negative effect on residents and jeopardise the future of Leeton Hospital.
"It is an important win for the staff, patients' relatives and supporters of the Carramar Nursing Home who are fighting to retain it as a Department of Health facility.
"Staff cuts would have been inevitable if the beds had been sold, as cost cutting is the only way the owners would make such a venture a going concern.
"This win for Carramar Nursing Home follows a similar victory last year which halted an attempted sell off of the Wallsend Aged Care Facility in the Hunter Valley.
"It is clear that communities in NSW are not prepared to stand by and let the Labor Government sell off public health facilities," Ms Rhiannon said.
For more information: Lee Rhiannon - 0427 861 568
Read the full debate on the NSW Parliamentary website.
]]>Newcastle rail line approaches and vested interests step up their
political pressure to cut the city’s rail line, the Keneally Labor
government must make a clear commitment to maintain and upgrade the
current rail line and service to Newcastle station, Greens MP and
transport spokesperson Lee Rhiannon said.
"The Greens call on Premier Keneally to put people before profits, and
not to condemn Newcastle to a car-dependent future for the sake of
self-interested developers," Ms Rhiannon said.
"The NSW Labor government is already on the nose for its failure to
adequately plan for and provide public transport infrastructure and
services. It can ill-afford another transport policy debacle.
"Retaining and improving Newcastle’s rail transport infrastructure and
services will provide a sound basis for the revitalisation and future
sustainability of the Newcastle CBD.
"Greens analysis of figures provided by the Government’s own Hunter
Development Corporation shows that retaining and improving the rail
line is a vastly superior option to cutting it.
"The recent announcement of a major university campus development in
Honeysuckle demonstrates more than ever how vital the rail line will
be to the city’s future.
"A rail line is essential to deal with the thousands of students who
will require transport to a campus that will extend from at least
Civic to Wickham," Ms Rhiannon said.
Ms Rhiannon also called on the federal government to
confirm that any federal infrastructure funding assistance provided to
Newcastle will be used to expand and improve the city’s rail system.
"Federal funding for the Newcastle CBD should go to initiatives that
will both revitalise Newcastle and deliver improved public transport.
"Worthwhile projects would include narrowing and landscaping the rail
line, and installing safe, controlled, at-grade pedestrian crossings
between Wickham and Newcastle stations," Ms Rhiannon said.
For more information or comment: Lee Rhiannon (Member of the NSW
Legislative Assembly), 0427 861 568.
]]>"It is not good enough that it is only after questioning of the
Minister for Education that parents and the public find out that
school children are drinking contaminated water," Ms Rhiannon said.
Read the answers from Ms Rhiannon's questions to the NSW Education
Minister.
"Young people's health is not something to gamble with. It's time the
government was completely open with the test results so the severity
of the contamination is clear.
"The Education Department must outline procedures for testing,
identifying and reducing contamination in school water supplies.
"It is unclear whether the Education Department conduct spot tests,
missing schools that might be a risk, and what information it reveals
to communities once results are received.
"It may be lead levels are so high that blood tests of students are
warranted, but without detailed information school communities are in
the dark.
"Lead poisoning is particularly problematic for children, with risks
of impaired physical and mental development, lowered IQ level and
shortened attention spans.
"Copper contamination from pipes can lead to gastrointestinal
disturbance, including nausea and vomiting and in the long term risks
liver or kidney damage.
"School communities deserve reassurance that there is a thorough
testing process in place, for all schools with water tanks.
"Families and school communities deserve the full picture so they can
be confident the issue is being properly managed rather than health
risks swept under the carpet," Ms Rhiannon said.
For more information: 0427 861 568
]]>Late last month the President of the NSW Mental Health Review Tribunal wrote to relevant NSW area health services outlining the new regime.
"These changes, driven by inadequate resources, are a regressive step which wind back protections for vulnerable patients with a mental illness," Ms Rhiannon said.
"The new system means involuntarily detained patients will no longer attend hearings in person before a Magistrate within a week of being admitted. They may wait up to three weeks before having a Tribunal hearing by video link.
"If NSW moves to habitually use video conferencing it will break from all other Australian jurisdictions which restrict its use to servicing rural and remote communities.
"The Greens are calling for better funding of the Mental Health Tribunal to allow face-to-face hearings at each health facility within a week of admission, rather than by video link.
"The rights of the mentally ill have been hard fought for and any move to chip away at them is a clear matter for concern.
"Currently the NSW Mental Health Act requires that an involuntarily detained mental health patient has their matter heard 'as soon as practicable' by a magistrate. In practice this occurs within a week of admission.
"This initial hearing is critical to decide if a patient should be discharged, possibly with specific treatment orders, or detained for further treatment.
"Keeping a mentally unwell person detained against their will is a serious matter, making it critical to have this decision subject to an immediate and thorough external review.
"NSW's current mental health laws clearly articulate processes for determining a person's care regime, in co-operation with doctors and magistrates.
"The reforms compromise the hard earned gains made over many years to create a justice system for the mentally ill.
"Premier Kristina Keneally says protecting the vulnerable is one of her priorities and former Premier Morris Iemma nominated mental health as his top issue.
"What this new system suggests is that mental illness remains a low priority for the NSW government," Ms Rhiannon said.
For more information: 9230 3551, 0427 861 568
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