Phillipa Parsons - The Greens: Another Asylum seeker story to write in the history books of Australias dark past

Phillipa Parsons - The Greens: Another Asylum seeker story to write in the history books of Australias dark past

Another Asylum seeker story to write in the history books of Australias dark past

Dr Niko Leka of Newcastle's No War Collective received from this from Alex, a Tamil refugee who spent many months on board the boat in Merak Harbour, Indonesia. Why is this not in the media? Contact Alex to let him know that you know tamilassylumseekers@gmail.com>

"Sadly I have some really bad news Niko. Another boat of asylum seekers trying to seek safety had tried but it has left 7 dead.

two smaller boats had tried to take the asylum seekers to the larger boat, however the wind was too strong. Supposedly one had toppled over throwing all that were aboard into the open sea. The information I got was that 7 people had died, two of who were close friends of mine who had escaped from the boat in merak before I even left the boat.

The saddening news is the fact that this happened on the 7th and it has not been told to anybody, that means that 7 bodies have been floting in the open seas. 7 families not knowing about their deaths. 7 more asylum seekers finding death as their only source of freedom.

I am not concerned about the others as they will find freedom one way or another, hopefully without sacrificing anyone else. What worries me is that 7 deaths have gone untold. My heart gets weaker with each death, Im not sure how many more have to die for the world to understand that Tamils will risk all to seek freedom as they have no home to return to and only hope for a country to accept them."

I dont understand how Countries and continents can close doors and put upwalls declaring that this is our land we found it first, and we dont want you here....

Another Asylum seeker story to write in the history books of Australias dark past.

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Niko Leka

If asylum seekers were English would they be treated with more respect?

Call me cynical but if those people fleeing war, oppression and persecution were 'white', christian and english speaking would Rudd and Abbot dare to use them as political footballs and ammunition? Would more people in the community then care about the situations they have fled and their future security in 'our' country? I want all politicians to remember that other than the traditional custodians of this wide land, we are ALL boat people. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land - it is not our right to refuse others entry into this land.

Greens hauled over the coals on coal impact motion

Greens hauled over the coals on coal impact motion

On Monday night I took this motion to Lake Macquarie Council. Considering the expansion of existing mines at the southern end of the lake and a proposed new mine to go in, I thought this motion would succeed. However it was beaten 10-2 (only the two Greens councillors voted for it) and I was castigated by the Mayor for bringing an issue to council that was outside our juresdiction. He argued that this was the state government's responsibility and that they and the coal mines themselves should be the ones doing this. Further, the Mayor argued that the mines already conduct air quality monitoring, to which I replied that this was like putting the fox in charge of the henhouse and that their monitoring did not require monitoring for the 2.5 micron particulates that cause all the asthma and bronchial problems! What do you think about this, is it a state government problem or as the level of government closest to the community, should council be undertaking these studies and then armed with the evidence, lobby the EPA to conduct regular extensive air quality monitoring?

1) That council call for a report and public briefing on the likely impact on council and the Lake Macquarie community arising from recently approved and currently proposed coal mines that are either within the Lake Macquarie local government area, or that will require the transportation of coal through our local government area.

2) That such report include (but not necessarily be limited to):

a) the scope and impact of any projected increase in road and rail transport of coal through the Lake Macquarie LGA, including any associated road safety and traffic management impacts, local air and noise pollution and amenity impacts, wear and tear on public roads and other public infrastructure, and any consequent financial impacts on council, and

b) the estimated contribution that the coal transported through the Lake Macquarie local government area will make to global greenhouse gas emissions over the foreseeable future, on both a per annum and total basis.

The Battle for Bunya Park

Unfortunately the Warners Bay Community Garden Group's extensive plans to establish a community garden in Bunya Park have been put on hold. Council voted 6-6 on Monday night with the Mayor using his casting vote to defer the garden until a management plan is put in place by council staff. The Greens moved to support the gardens in-principle and to allow stage 1 of the 4 stage garden plan to proceed after council staff assessment. Further, that a 6 month review be conducted and that stage 2 is not to proceed until that time. Fair enough I thought but it was just defeated. Very disappointing for this community group who have worked long and hard to grow to about 300 members, all keen to get their hands dirty. I am still amazed at the vicious propaganda campaign run against them by this so-called 'Save our park' mob who made all sorts of ridiculous and spurious allegations about the garden. My favourite was that the garden would attract drug addicts! Of course we all know how those junkies love their gardening! Anyway we've lodged a recission motion and need one councillor to re-think their decision to get this fantastic project up and running.

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Why I didn't support a payrise for councillors

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Why I didn't support a payrise for councillors

In light of the current climate of cost cutting – in fact we’re cutting 17 million from the 2010/2011 budget – I personally just couldn’t justify giving councillors and the mayor a pay rise. It was argued that we are paid a paltry amount anyway of just over 19K a year and this rise amounted to only $600 pa, however it’s not a good look to be giving ourselves a payrise when we are asking everyone else to tighten their collective belt! Council is increasing fees and cutting services; we will cut some 40 staff through natural attrition over the coming year so how can we possibly rationalise giving ourselves more money. It’s not that councillors don’t deserve a payrise, on the contrary! If a living wage was being suggested and that meant I could put my teaching career on hold to devote myself full time to being a councillor then I would support it. However, this raise is tokenistic and while it is miniscule, it sends a message to the community that council can find the money when it needs to fund councillors payments but can’t provide the full range of services/staffing etc! Only Cr. Hannah Gissane (Greens) and myself voted to not receive the increase and I know this hasn’t done anything to increase our popularity with our colleagues, but I guess where not there to make friends! Interestingly, Cr Barry Johnston approached me after the meeting and said that whilst he supported my stance and held similar beliefs, he couldn’t vote with us because he has been told that it appears to be grandstanding! I deny that I had any agenda other than my personal conviction that a payrise could not be justified at the moment.