advocacy

End Poverty - inmyname

Penny Sharpe — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:22:43 -0600

Join the global citizen call that asks political leaders to keep thier commitment to end poverty by 2015 - there are only 7 years left. Find out more at here.

Volunteers and the Redfern Legal Centre

Penny Sharpe — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:28:09 -0600

This person with the very large hedge clippers is Margaret Jones AKA warriorwomyn. Margaret Jones has been volunteering at the Redfern Legal Centre for more years than most can remember. Last night she helped to organise a fundraising dinner for the centre at Parliament House. I was lucky to be asked to host the event.

Redfern Legal Centre opened in 1977. It has provided support and services to over 250,000 people. It's volunteers contribute 30,000 hours a year. They are strong advocates for the people they serve. If you can spare some money to support such a great service find out more here.

Caucus Committees

Penny Sharpe — Wed, 23 May 2007 21:37:25 -0600

Caucus committees are one avenue for government MP's to provide feedback and raise issues with ministers. Each Minister has a Caucus committee and it is this forum where Minister's first bring their legislation for discussion and endorsement.

For this parliament I will be on committees covering the following portfolios: Education & Training and Industrial Relations, Attorney General and Justice (this incorporates prisons), Community Services, Housing & Tourism, Women, Medical Research, Cancer and the Environment.

I will also attend the Caucus committee that covers Mineral Resources and Energy.

Websites that are making a difference

Penny Sharpe — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0600

Congratulations to GetUp for being judged as one of the top ten websites that are changing the world. Politicsonline asked it’s subscribers to vote for the best 10. Over 18,000 people participated from around the world to award the prize to Factcheck.org – an excellent site that gives the facts behind the political spin of all parties in the US – something that would be an excellent addition to the Australian media landscape.

GetUp has been behind successful campaigns on RU486, children in detention and looks like they have again made a difference with the Prime Minister’s belated and somewhat cynical announcement about climate change today.

With the latest OECD figures on broadband connectivity showing that use of the internet is continuing to rise. The rise of the internet to provide more accountability, transparency, engagement and old fashioned debate is still only in it’s infancy in Australia. But the tide is changing.

Political campaigning and the internet

Penny Sharpe — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0600

PoliticsOnline is an American website. From their e-newsletter this week:

Survey Says... Internet Best for Learning About Candidates
More voters (26.8 percent) pick the Internet as the best place to learn about a candidate's position on election issues or to research general election issues, than any other information source including television (20.5 percent), newspapers (17.8 percent), radio (6.6 percent), pamphlets/ brochures/ direct mail (5.4 percent), and in last place, magazines (2.8 percent ).
More Information

Where do you get information about your candidates from?

Make Poverty History

Penny Sharpe — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0600

Make Poverty History

Posted Monday 16 October 06

I joined the lunchtime crowd in Martin Place today who stood up for ending poverty. The gathering was part of the Make Poverty History campaign. The campaign focuses on pressuring government’s to make good their promise to halve poverty by 2015 through implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.

During poverty week ACOSS has released the results of their consultation with 1600 Australians. The consultation asked people to list their top ten essentials to making Australia fair. Not surprisingly the top ten were Fair Education, Fair Health, Fair Community, Fair Services, Fair Welfare, Fair Reconciliation, Fair Environment, Fair Housing, Fair Work, Fair Rights and responsibilities. ACOSS also released a Morgan Poll showing that 77% of Australians are worried about the widening of the gap between rich and poor in Australia.

There is enough wealth in the world to provide for all. Campaigns like Make Poverty History are essential to build the will and the commitment to make sure that government’s make the elimination of poverty a reality.

How real people's stories and experiences can make a difference

Penny Sharpe — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0600

This morning I am privileged to be speaking on the same stage as Bernie Banton AM, asbestos disease warrior, at the NSW Cancer Council’s Consumer Advocacy Conference.

Bernie is there to give tips to consumer advocates (people affected by cancer) on how to get politicians of all persuasions to listen, understand and take action on cancer related health issues.

As the face of the James Hardie campaign waged by victims of asbestos disease, their families and their unions, Bernie knows a thing or two about the power of personal stories and experiences to get action from multinational companies and governments.

I am lobbied every day on a range of issues. Taking into account the expertise of those who have had direct experience with an issue are an important part of decision making process. The stories of ordinary people can assist to simplify complex issues, illuminate injustice and often provide a common sense approach to what needs to happen next. The stories of people who have been through the system can help to make the system better for everyone.

Let me know of your experiences in relation to cancer treatment both good and bad and I'll pass them onto my colleague Frank Sartor who is the Minister Assisting the Minister for Health with special responsibility for Cancer.