E-Brief #21

E-brief #21: 27 July 2007

Introduction

As I write this I have just watched Steve Bracks resign as Premier of Victoria.

NSW continues to do battle with the Howard government to get a better deal for people with disabilities and their families. The Stronger Together Package is rolling out an additional $1.3 billion in NSW. The Commonwealth and State Ministers met with NSW Minister Kristina Keneally seeking funds for unmet demand.

This week I

• attended the Fabians seminar on why NSW does not have a Charter of Human Rights
• met with an activist from Hong Kong, Monina Wong who is trying to get a better deal for workers in China. Monina was here in Australia with AFTINET and she also spoke at a meeting hosted by the AMWU.
• represented the Minister for Police this week at a Police Medals ceremony for officers from City Central, Harbourside and Leichhardt Local Area Commands.
• attended the funeral of Neville Milston, a long time Labor supporter from Castlecrag.

Get Up’s ozin30seconds competition has now picked the top 10 finalists. There are 5 more that are worth a look: Carers need Care, Ageing Carers, Bye Bye John, Women in Australia and Rudd vs Howard.

Regards

Penny

PS Here are the latest Howard video’s: Asleep on Climate Change and Stand By Me.

Committees wanting to hear from you:

Inquiries Receiving Submissions:

• Inquiry into Aspects of agriculture in NSW, closes 15 August.
• Inquiry into Review of the MAA and the MAC—Eighth review, closes 17 August.
• Inquiry into Statutory Review of the Community Services (Complaints, Reviews and Monitoring) Act 1993, closes 27 August.

Government Action

• The Premier, Morris Iemma, announced plans to make Sydney Water carbon-neutral by 2020.
• Minister for Fair Trading Linda Burney announced $400,000 worth of grants for local community services, warned against dodgy door-to door traders and companies charging fees for free services. As Minister for Youth, she commended a Central Coast initiative inspiring young people through hip-hop dance, and thanked Red Cross volunteers. As Acting Minister for Housing, Linda Burney announced a $1.4 million affordable seniors' housing development in Wyong, and with the Planning Minister Frank Sartor, welcomed the National Housing Affordability Summit.
• John Della Bosca, the Education Minister, announced NSW's participation in National Literacy and Numeracy testing.
• The Minister for Disability Services, Kristina Keneally, announced $20 million for older parent carers and launched the Beyond Maturityblues campaign.
• The Attorney-General committed the Government, in spite of claims by the Opposition, to keeping all of NSW's courts open.
• John Watkins, Deputy Premier and Transport Minister, announced 13 new prepaid-onlybus routes in Sydney, and clarified a few misleading media reports about the planned T-Card ticketing system.
• Subscribe to Sydney Water's online newsletter.

On The Blog

Submitted by Penny Sharpe on Wed, 25/07/2007 - 5:12pm.

I have put myself up on facebook. Not too many friends as yet but I am enjoying being a member of groups such as I wish I lived in Bennelong so I could vote for Maxine, Bring me Sunshine Mike (Vote 1 Mike Bailey), I love Greg Combet and the Antony Green Appreciation Society.

Will any of this make a difference at election time? I am not sure but I am fascinated by the possibilities.

Read more...

Take Action:

• Make sure that everyone you know who is eligible is enrolled to vote. The rolls will close the day the election is called.
• Check out Get Up’s 10 finalists in the oz in30seconds 30 second videos and support the best one being shown on TV during the election.
• Keep in touch with the Your Rights @ Work campaign. This week the ASU was able to have two staff from St Vincent de Paul reinstated. If those staff were employed on AWAs under Workchoices, they would still be out of a job. Suzanne Hammond in the latest edition of Women @ Work has given the latest information about how Howard’s IR laws are hurting women.
• Join the Australian Coalition for Democracy in Burma.

Support a Rudd Victory:

This is a new section of the ebrief that will detail events, launches, policies and info that you can use to support a Labor victory in 2007.

• Launch of the George Newhouse for Wentworth campaign: 28 July.
• Mark Buttigieg and Greg Holland Campaign Fundraising Dinner-Guest Sharan Burrow: 31 July
• Mike Kelly Campaign Fundraising Dinner- Guest Peter Garrett MP: August 2.
• Tanya Plibersek MP Campaign Fundraising Dinner-Guest Greg Combet: August 3.
• Campaigning Day for Maxine McKew: August 4.
• Bob Debus fundraiser for the seat of Macquarie: August 9.
• Rock the Boat for Emily's List: August 12.
• 23rd Ben Chifley Memorial "Light on the Hill" Dinner: 22 September