A regional transport authority could be funded if the share of mining royalties returned to the region is increased.
CFMEU Mining and Energy Division estimate that in the financial year 2010/2011 almost $1.8 billion will be paid to the NSW government in mining royalties. A huge chunk of that comes from the Hunter region. Yet, both major parties appear unable to commit to providing our rightful share of that staggering sum. This is money that could be used to improve our infrastructure, health and education. It could be used to improve our woeful public transport system to get people out of cars, reduce road congestion.
Part of the millions returned to the Hunter region could then be used to fund a regional transport authority, to bring together stakeholders and the community and plan the best possible outcomes for our communities. For too long, public transport planning has been Sydney-centric. This region, especially the Lake Macquarie area, is always the poor relation when it comes to allocating funding for public transport. There really is no viable public transport option. It is certainly not an attractive option for most people – to leave the car at home or park and ride on public transport.
A regional transport authority would have to be apolitical, focused on our region and populated not only by qualified transport planners but by local people who actually use or would use public transport. There must also real consultation with the community and ultimately be accountable to the community.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Separation of Church and State is crucial in a democracy!
Since when is it healthy in a democracy for the church to be interfering in politics? It is fundamental to our democratic process that there be a separation of church and state. However that does not appear to be the view of the Fred Nile led Christian Democratic Party. Noreen Tibbet, the CDP candidate for Swansea is quoted in the Newcastle Herald today as wanting to get elected to make sure all legislation that is passed is in line with a biblical ethos! Isn't that like sharia law? And which bible is she talking about - not the Old Testament I hope.
It is very scary that the Liberals are preferencing these religious zealots in the Upper House. Scary religious people who want to control women's bodies and indocrinate children with their own particular version of religious dogma.
Religion is much more sinister than just 'opium for the masses'. It masquerades as social justice, human rights and equity but in reality it is about power, control and maintaining the patriarchal hegemony. The latest attack on the Greens by some Catholic bishops demonstrates that they are feeling the loosening of their grip on people. What scares them the most is that people are beginning to actually think for themselves and the conclusions they are reaching are not favouble to churches and religion.
In reality, the Greens policies are more closely aligned with the teachings of that great humanitarian, Jesus Christ. The Greens stand for social justice and equity, human rights and the rights of the individual to control their own body, the right to equitable education, transport and health care.
It is very scary that the Liberals are preferencing these religious zealots in the Upper House. Scary religious people who want to control women's bodies and indocrinate children with their own particular version of religious dogma.
Religion is much more sinister than just 'opium for the masses'. It masquerades as social justice, human rights and equity but in reality it is about power, control and maintaining the patriarchal hegemony. The latest attack on the Greens by some Catholic bishops demonstrates that they are feeling the loosening of their grip on people. What scares them the most is that people are beginning to actually think for themselves and the conclusions they are reaching are not favouble to churches and religion.
In reality, the Greens policies are more closely aligned with the teachings of that great humanitarian, Jesus Christ. The Greens stand for social justice and equity, human rights and the rights of the individual to control their own body, the right to equitable education, transport and health care.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Our most precious resource
Greens candidate for Swansea, Phillipa Parsons, has called on the State government to urgently redress the disparity in wages between early childhood teachers working in community based preschools and those in others.
“University qualified early childhood teachers who opt to teach in community based preschools rather than in Department of Education and Training preschools and schools, are paid up to 20% less, equating to about $14,000 less per year,” Ms Parsons said.
“The State government has had quality teachers working for reduced wages for too long and it is now time to step up to the plate and ensure parity of wages for all preschool teachers, regardless of the way they are funded.
It is Greens policy that all children should be able to access publicly funded, quality preschool education for two years before school age. We need professional early childhood teachers in all our preschools, including community based preschools and long day care centres, yet the lower wages do nothing to attract or retain quality staff” she said.
“Early childhood teachers are some of the most undervalued members of the educational profession, yet the work they do cannot be overestimated. They do it for love and the sheer enjoyment of guiding and educating our youngest children in their formative years, and they should be remunerated accordingly.
This occupation is traditionally seen as a ‘female’ type of employment and the graduate numbers prove this to be correct. I would argue that if this was a role mainly staffed by men, the wages would be raised without hesitation,” alleged Ms Parsons.
“If this situation is not rectified, NSW will see a loss of qualified early child hood teachers in a climate where quality childcare is becoming more difficult for parents to access. The same rules that apply to schools must also apply to early childhood education so that it is accessible for our most precious resource, our children.”
“University qualified early childhood teachers who opt to teach in community based preschools rather than in Department of Education and Training preschools and schools, are paid up to 20% less, equating to about $14,000 less per year,” Ms Parsons said.
“The State government has had quality teachers working for reduced wages for too long and it is now time to step up to the plate and ensure parity of wages for all preschool teachers, regardless of the way they are funded.
It is Greens policy that all children should be able to access publicly funded, quality preschool education for two years before school age. We need professional early childhood teachers in all our preschools, including community based preschools and long day care centres, yet the lower wages do nothing to attract or retain quality staff” she said.
“Early childhood teachers are some of the most undervalued members of the educational profession, yet the work they do cannot be overestimated. They do it for love and the sheer enjoyment of guiding and educating our youngest children in their formative years, and they should be remunerated accordingly.
This occupation is traditionally seen as a ‘female’ type of employment and the graduate numbers prove this to be correct. I would argue that if this was a role mainly staffed by men, the wages would be raised without hesitation,” alleged Ms Parsons.
“If this situation is not rectified, NSW will see a loss of qualified early child hood teachers in a climate where quality childcare is becoming more difficult for parents to access. The same rules that apply to schools must also apply to early childhood education so that it is accessible for our most precious resource, our children.”
Buildev and NSW Labor - a match made in heaven?
Greens candidate for Swansea, Phillipa Parsons, has challenged the denial of property developers, Buildev and the member for Swansea, Robert Coombes that donations to the NSW Labor Party have influenced planning decisions.
“Buildev is quoted in Newcastle Herald (17/3/11) as stating that developer donations to political parties were banned before this development proposal process began. Conversely, I have the 18 page document entitled ‘Blacksmiths/Swansea: commercial development opportunity expression of interest, Buildev group: December 2009.’ Developer donations were not legislated against until 2010,” Ms Parsons said.
“It is just too coincidental that Buildev donated money to NSW Labor twice in 2009, the same year they submitted their Expression of Interest to develop the foreshores of Swansea Channel in Blacksmiths and Swansea.
The amount donated is way over and above what they donated to the Liberals in the same year. From January to June 2009 Buildev donated $45,000 to NSW Labor and between June and December 2009 they again made a donation, this time of $30,000. Compare this with the relatively paltry sum of $13,000 donated in 2009 to the Liberals,” she said.
Mr Coombes is now singing the praises of Buildev’s Expression of Interest, despite the current zonings of the sites being primary conservation and public open space, and with ecological concerns about one. Mr Coombes has stated that the process was open and transparent but I challenge him to present a coherent argument of how this overdevelopment can be substantiated. We certainly do not need another marina in Lake Macquarie to fulfill any community need,” she said.
“Yet, consistent with the modus operandi of this developer-friendly government this proposal will most likely be classified as ‘state significant.’ This means it will be dealt with solely by the State government under Part 3A of the Environmental Planning Act, as has the development proposal at Catherine Hill Bay. This of course, means that Lake Macquarie City Council and the community will be ridden over roughshod once again by this Labor government.”
“Buildev is quoted in Newcastle Herald (17/3/11) as stating that developer donations to political parties were banned before this development proposal process began. Conversely, I have the 18 page document entitled ‘Blacksmiths/Swansea: commercial development opportunity expression of interest, Buildev group: December 2009.’ Developer donations were not legislated against until 2010,” Ms Parsons said.
“It is just too coincidental that Buildev donated money to NSW Labor twice in 2009, the same year they submitted their Expression of Interest to develop the foreshores of Swansea Channel in Blacksmiths and Swansea.
The amount donated is way over and above what they donated to the Liberals in the same year. From January to June 2009 Buildev donated $45,000 to NSW Labor and between June and December 2009 they again made a donation, this time of $30,000. Compare this with the relatively paltry sum of $13,000 donated in 2009 to the Liberals,” she said.
Mr Coombes is now singing the praises of Buildev’s Expression of Interest, despite the current zonings of the sites being primary conservation and public open space, and with ecological concerns about one. Mr Coombes has stated that the process was open and transparent but I challenge him to present a coherent argument of how this overdevelopment can be substantiated. We certainly do not need another marina in Lake Macquarie to fulfill any community need,” she said.
“Yet, consistent with the modus operandi of this developer-friendly government this proposal will most likely be classified as ‘state significant.’ This means it will be dealt with solely by the State government under Part 3A of the Environmental Planning Act, as has the development proposal at Catherine Hill Bay. This of course, means that Lake Macquarie City Council and the community will be ridden over roughshod once again by this Labor government.”
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