Newcastle Greens call for affordable housing levy on infill developments

BY JAMES CARTER

The Newcastle Greens have announced a commitment to create a 15% affordable housing levy on infill developments in the high density and catalyst areas of the city.

Initially raised in February 2019 in, the Greens have highlighted the idea in a pre-election pitch.

Greens Councillor and Lord Mayoral candidate John Mackenzie put forward a motion in March 2019 where council agreed to establish an affordable housing levy scheme, but it is still yet to be implemented.  

A local housing strategy was released last year but an affordable housing scheme is yet to be implemented. 

Councillor Mackenzie says the current housing crisis means the affordability scheme needs to be fast tracked. 

"Rental accommodation is almost completely gone and homelessness services in the city are saying this is the worst they have ever seen and are having to make more turn backs than ever before."

Newcastle is set to lose 226 rental properties which have been subsidised under the National Rental Affordability Scheme over the next six years according to a NRAS report. 

The federal program was discontinued by the Abbot government in 2014 aimed to increase medium to large scale investment in affordable housing.

The intention was to have affordable housing stock continually added so that as the 10 year contracts expired there would be additional houses built to replace them.

The proposed levy would be 15% on privately owned properties and 30% on government developments such as the Hunter Park development.  

"It would apply to those areas where we are seeing large scale urban renewal growth in particular the CBD, Wickham, Adamstown and Newcastle West"

"In those sorts of areas where we are seeing large scale developments in high density areas but we are not seeing a comparative amount of affordable or social housing being put in at the same time," Cr Mackenzie said.

Affordable Housing in Newcastle
Image: Google Maps

Swanson Moves Motion with Greens for Answers on Red Zone

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The Federal Government now has a deadline.

They have until February 6, 2018, to explain what consideration they are giving to the people and business of Williamtown when it comes to their financial situations.

Labor, the Greens and some minor parties have joined forces to put forward a Senate motion condemning the Department of Defence's response to the PFAS contamination saga in the Williamtown red zone, and also calling on the Turnbull government to explain what consideration it has given to addressing any financial impacts on affected businesses and individuals.

The motion was a culmination of work by Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon and Paterson MP Meryl Swanson who has been going in to bat for Williamtown in Canberra since the saga began.

"That's what this motion is about, it's about putting pressure on the government to say you keep telling us that you have a solution, you keep telling us that you have options for the people of Williamtown. That was six months ago, where are these options, we need to know what is going on," said Meryl Swanson.

A solution is yet to be found for the people suffering in the red zone, and Meryl Swanson believes the issue is bigger than politics, it's about people's lives.

"I just really want a scheme that's fair and that is straight forward and that helps people and gives them options. The actuary people, the policy people will be able to develop the details of whatever these things are going to be, but I just want something that's going to look after the people of Williamtown who have already been through enough."

"What they need to do is give a meaningful explanation of what is going on moving forward so when Senator James Magrath, head of the PFAS Taskforce stands up and says we have a plan, we need to know what that plan is," said Meryl Swanson.

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson in Williamtown in May 2017.

Vales Point Power Station Not so Worthless Anymore

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Vales Point Power Station on the edge of Lake Macquarie was meant to shut its doors in 2021, but now it's been revealed it won't shut until 2029 and its worth $729 million more than it was bought for.

The coal-fired power station has certainly made plenty of money since it was bought in November 2015 for just $1 million by Sunset Power who are operating the station under the old Delta Electricity name.

At the time of the sale, the ABC reports the Berejiklian government played down the sale of the power station because they believed it was worthless.

Now the massive jump in price has been referred to the Auditor-General.

The power station is quite large, responsible for 11 per cent of the state's electricity, but it's also one of the biggest pollutants in the country emitting 10 million tonnes of pollution each year.

Greens Energy Spokesperson Adam Bandt believes it needs to be shut down, but the flip flopping of energy policy in government is making that impossible.

Vales Point Power Station Image Wikipedia

"There is so much chaos in the electricity market and the electricity system under this government. People are clinging to these old assets no matter how polluting and how near the end of their life they are."

With no firm renewable energy policy from the government, Adam Bandt said everyone is clinging onto their old assets which are increasing in value, making companies more money, but the consumer's power bills more expensive.

"Now these coal-fired power stations are being rewarded for running their plant into the ground and staying open even longer and that's in large part because the government has made the whole of this area so uncertain that we haven't had the new investments in renewables that we need,"

"The choice is Malcolm Turnbull's. Are you going to start now putting your foot on the accelerator and built more renewables so we can close this coal-fired power station? Or are you actively going to make people dip into their pockets and subsidise it so that these coal barons can sit on an asset worth $730 million dollars that they paid $1 million for?" said Adam Bandt.

He also adds the power station is only going to get older and start to struggle to operate, particularly in the heat.

Greens Target Alcohol Advertising

BY TYLER FARDELL

Alcohol advertising is hard to avoid. From television and radio commercials, sports promotion and sponsorship and even Woolworths and Coles shop-a-docket promotions, it's not hard to see why Australians are so fond of alcohol.

But the Greens are looking to change the situation after proposing an inquiry yesterday into alcohol advertising.

The proposal was supported by the NSW legislative council and will ensure the matter is brought to the house later in the year.

Greens Alcohol Harm Spokesperson Justin Field was happy about the support the inquiry received from all parties and says alcohol advertising is affecting all members of the community, including children.

"Alcohol advertising is visible on the high street, at sporting venues, on the television, in our newspapers and online", he said.

"Yet we know the bargain prices advertised are a bad deal for communities, resulting in higher consumption levels, including heavier drinking and underage drinking".

Alcohol advertising is heavily featured in sport and often appeals to children.
Source; Advertiser's Anonymous - blogger

Transparency at Newcastle City Council to be ramped up

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Despite Newcastle City Council copping criticism for not being transparent, Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes sees transparency as the cornerstone of any council.

In a bid to restore any lost confidence in civic governance, the Lord Mayor beside her fellow Labor team and the Greens will present an Open and Transparent Governance Strategy at next week's council meeting.

The strategy will see the diaries of the Lord Mayor, Chief Executive and senior managers published in the same way NSW ministerial diaries are published, so the public can see just what the council gets up to. They also plan to create a stand alone communications and engagement unit at council to improve the options for citizen involvement.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes believes transparency is pivotal to a successful council.

"An open and transparent governance strategy for the internal operations of council is something that we have been working with the greens on - Labor and Greens together - to make sure that more of the operations of council are acceptable to the public which I think is the right thing to do and great for the city moving forward."

Nuatali Nelmes says the strategy will go on public display so everyone can have their say.

"Everyone will have a chance to have their say in Newcastle on whether or not they would like to add additional measures into that strategy or just comment either way on how they feel about it."

Bylong coal mine project could devastate Hunter environment

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Plans for the new Bylong Coal Project between Denman and Mudgee have been dealt yet another blow with the Planning Assessment Commission (PCA) slamming the project.

The PAC report on the KEPCO coal mine project slammed it for gaps in evidence and high levels of uncertainty, particularly about the potential cumulative impacts on the Bylong Valley and the community. The report also flagged numerous issues with water access, protection of surrounding agriculture and incomplete information.

There are particular concerns for the Hunter Valley from the Lock the Gate Alliance who say the scathing review revealed the Bylong coal project would directly open cut rich farmland in the Hunter and severely impact Tarwyn Park.

NSW Greens energy and resources spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham says the mine will destroy ecologically and environmentally important areas throughout the Hunter and the state.

"The area must be protected for its agriculture and tourism value plus its environmental values in an age of climate change the greens do not believe we should be opening up new coal mines in NSW."

If approved the mine will extract a total of 124 million tonnes, roughly 6.5 million each year, from both open cut operations and underground. Jeremy Buckingham is urging the government to reconsider the mine and realise just how much it will wreck the Bylong Valley, its community and the surrounds.

"The Bylong Valley must be protected, it's important, ecological,, agricultural, and our tourism assets will be destroyed by this stupid coal mine. We have major climate change and we do not need to be opening coal mines, the Greens are calling on the government to cancel their exploration licence  and give the people, the Bylong Valley and NSW certainty that that region will be protected from destructive coal mining."

Factionalism in the Greens party once again

BY TYLER FARDELL

Less than a year after long serving Newcastle Greens Councillor John Sutton lashed out at his own party, accusing it of being filled with 'factionalism' and 'unprecedented division', it appears Councillor Therese Doyle has been the victim of factionalism within her own party.

Cr Doyle has been a Greens activist in Newcastle for a lengthy time but it appears that didn't stop a group of her party members from voting against her.

She received a 26 percent vote of no support, meaning there's little chance she will still remain sitting on the council after the September elections.

So why the backstabbing? Who stands to make the most out of the situation?

The fingers are being pointed at Dr John MacKenzie, who ran against Councillor Doyle in the same ward, and who is now guaranteed a spot on the council.

However it appears Councillor Doyle hasn't lost all her support just yet, in fact, several of her supporters are calling for Dr Mackenzie to step down and allow Doyle to run opposed.

But along with Councillor Doyle's likely omission from the September elections, the only other sitting Councillor for the Greens, Michael Osborne has stated his intentions to walk away after 13 years on the Council.

After so much 'factionalism' and shake ups, the Greens will be hoping to restore some faith in the voters when they meet tomorrow and try to sort out this messy situation.

Greens motion fails to stop V8's

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

A motion by Newcastle Greens councillors overnight to withdraw support for the V8 Supercars event in Newcastle has been defeated.

Councillor Therese Doyle argued the sport was a "highly destructive event" at council's meeting last night, and said it would cause harm to the community.

She also argued the race would cause excessive and dangerous emissions and noise pollution.

However, the motion was slapped down by every councillor except the Greens.

The Herald reports East End residents packed the public gallery and shouted down the council when the motion was defeated.

Greens Push Government to Reveal Williamtown Spending Arrangements

BY GARY-JON LYSAGHT

The Greens have teamed up with the Nick Xenophon Team to make the Government disclose how $55 million is being used to remediate the Williamtown Red Zone.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull made the funding announcement almost three months ago, following the Department of Defence taking responsibility for the contamination.

The Williamtown Red Zone

During the announcement, Turnbull said funding would be put towards blood tests, counselling and installing a dedicated Community Liaison Office.

However, it is still not known when and where the funding will be spent.

Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon has said the contamination has caused serious mental health issues in the community.

“They’re living with uncertainty, uncertainty about their future health, uncertainty about their future economic changes,” she said.

“This is deeply wrong and that’s why, with this $55 million funding package, the Government should come clean.”

“Say it’s being used, say how they’re going to compensate these people.”

The communities in Williamtown, Fullerton Cove and Salt Ash have been experiencing problems with the contamination for more than a year now, with the spill contributing to dirty drinking water and halts to fishing throughout the region.

Senator Rhiannon has also questioned why those nearby the Red Zone also haven’t been given access to town water like those inside it.

“We know that the Red Zone is just an arbitrary zone and many residents outside of it are also in contamination area and all of them should be connected to town water,” she said.

“The Greens, with the community have consistently taken up the right of local people to have clean water.”

[Image courtesy of ABC News].

Off-Leash Parks on Cessnock Greens' Agenda

BY GARY-JON LYSAGHT

The Cessnock Greens have outlined their plan to call for improved conditions at local off-leash dog parks across the Local Government Area.

Some of the parks have been called little more than an open field, while others have had their safety brought into question with un-fenced storm water drains running nearby.

Council's are legally obliged to provide off-leash dog parks.

Greens Candidate for Ward C David Atwell says Council don’t need to do much to make the parks more inviting.

“The very basic stuff is putting in a tap with a water trough.  At the moment, I couldn’t find one water tap level and something where the dogs can a drink of water on a summer’s day,” he said.

“It would [also] be better to put in some more trees.  Could put in some agility courses and what not, doesn’t have to be anything major.”

Local Council's are legally obliged to provide off-leash parks as part of the State Government's Companion Animals Act 1998.

"There must at all times be at least one public place in the area of a local authority that is an off-leash area," the Act says.

It is up to the Council's discretion to decide when that park allows dogs to be exercised off-leash

The Cessnock LGA currently has six off-leash dog parks, including two in Cessnock, while Branxton, Greta, Stanford Merthr and Weston all have one each.

David Atwell has since called for one to be established in Kurri Kurri.

“Kurri Kurri is Cessnock Council Area’s second largest community after Cessnock itself, but there is no off-leash park in Kurri Kurri,” he said.

“There are a number of parks around that area which could cater for at least a section of the park being acting as off-leash.”

“I can’t see why that issue could not be raised in a future council.”

Cessnock will be holding its local government election on September 10. 

[Image Source: Monmouth County Park].

New Plans to Preserve Newcastle Rail Corridor

BY BRIDGET GUNN AND JESSICA ROUSE

Newcastle Greens Councillors are set to put forward a motion at tonight's council meeting to zone the entire railway corridor as Special Purposes Transport Infrastructure.

The proposal will include allowances for open space transport modes such as pedestrian crossings and cycleways as well as pop up installations and cafes.

Councillor Therese Doyle says the imminent council amalgamations will take the zoning decision out of elected councillors hands.

"The problem with UrbanGrowth's proposal is that it puts development right across the corridor that can be used for public transport purposes, and if we go ahead with UrbanGrowth's proposal, there will be no turning back for Newcastle to have an efficient transport system," says Doyle.

"Premier Mike Baird promised that the decision on the re-zoning of the railway corridor would be up to Council, and we want to keep him at his word, but if we are sacked the only representative of Council that will be making that decision will be an un-elected administrator."

Councillor Therese Doyle and Greens MCL David Shoebridge
discussing the rail corridor plans
Source: The Newcastle Herald

Greens Call for Talks on Drug Reform

Federal Greens Leader Richard Di Natale has hosted a roundtable discussion in Newcastle,with new ways to tackle the Ice epidemic on the table.

Di Natale will be calling on the Government to move drug addiction out of the criminal justice system and into the health network.

All types of drug use will be up for discussion, not just Ice.

He is also calling on funding for drug prevention be also diverted into the health system, to help with rehabilitation  and detox centres. 

Dr. Di Natale is hoping for "rational" conversations on drug control

"There are resources going towards police, to target individuals who have got drug addiction, rather than spending that money on treatment" said Dr. Di Natale.

A number of roundtables will be held across Australia in the weeks leading up to the national illicit drugs summit in March, with stops also expected in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and the Gold Coast.

Newcastle was one of the chosen cities because of the "live issue" illicit drugs are in the region.

The roundtable will include representatives from the health and justice departments, academics and people who have experienced drug use first hand.

Despite the call to decriminalise the use of drugs, Di Natale is still calling on the drugs themselves to be illegal.

"Drugs should continue to be illegal, particularly drugs like is.  We should continue to prosecute drug dealers, but when we're talking about the individuals who use drugs, it's much better to offer them treatment."

However, Drug Free Australia Executive Director, Jo Baxter has lamented the decision by the Greens, saying the criminal system should receive increased funding for drug related crimes.

"We could put more resources into drug courts, which is a system where by they [drug addicts] aren't treated as criminals, they are diverted into rehabs."

"Anything that would take the deterrent away, that's not a good system."

Di Natale has used Portugal as an example of how decriminalising drug use has done good things.

"In Portugal, where criminal penalties for individual drug users were removed, and all that money spent on treatment; we didn't see any increase in drug use."

"What we saw was more people come forward for treatment and a much, much more efficient use of resources."

Ms. Baxter however has argued the decriminalisation will send the wrong message to kids.

"They need to think about the compassion of the kids that are coming up and haven't tried drugs yet."

"Don't send the wrong message, don't let it become normal."

The national summit will be held in Canberra on March 2, and is expect to play host to members of the Federal Cabinet.

There, Di Natale hopes to have rational discussions about drug control.

"We're just trying to change the national conversation" he said.

Image courtesy of Business Insider Australia (LINK).

Greens MP: Special Commission lacks direction

Greens MP, David Shoebridge has urged the government not to delay in releasing the report from the commission into child sex abuse in the Hunter.

Mr Shoebridge says the public needs to review the effectiveness of the commission themselves.

“People in the Hunter in particular have been given an expectation of what this report will deal with and assess this institutional failure to deal with child abuse in the Hunter,” Mr Shoebridge said.

The report form the NSW Special Commission of Inquiry into child sexual abuse in the Hunter is expected to be handed down this week.

The inquiry was supposed to look into alleged cover-ups by the police and Catholic Church however, Mr Shoebridge claims the commission focused too much on whistle-blower Peter Fox.

“Peter Fox… has been in the witness box for some 14 days that’s close to institutional abuse of the whistle-blower and it doesn’t seem like anything like the same attention has been applied to the church and the police.”

Mr Shoebidge said the inquiry has become a “side show” and had lost direction.

“Have the inquiry run in a more balanced consideration of, yes, the allegations and the veracity of Peter Fox but also the obvious failings of the church and polices seeming inability to deal with that,” Mr Shoebridge said.

Greens call for resignation

The NSW Greens are calling on Energy and Resources Minister Chris Hartcher to resign, following his treatment of Fullerton Cove residents protesting coal seam gas drilling in the area.

The Minister is believed to be fighting the community on behalf of the gas companies, as C.S.G drill rigs are escorted into farms and forests.

 It comes as the State's Riot Squad is called into the area, to break blockades and arrest residents against drilling through wetlands and aquifers to Newcastle and Port Stephens.

Greens Mining Spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham says Chris Hartcher's failure to request a comprehensive assessment, means he should be dumped from the Energy and Resources portfolio.