Thursday March 24, 2011
Check out today's Illawarra Mercury for their special election guide. Here's the image of Paola's column with her 'pitch' to voters.1. Reverse the privatisations and support public ownership and control of services;
2. Rescue our environment with a transition to 100% renewable energy and green jobs, and protect natural biodiversity;
3. Increase investment in improving and rapidly expanding public housing, health, education and transport;
4. Include and support women, Aboriginal people, Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Intersex (LGBTI) people, people with disabilities, refugees, the Muslim community and all those who are scapegoated or ignored;
5. Empower genuine grassroots, democratic control of our lives in our communities and workplaces.
** MEDIA RELEASE **Wednesday March 23, 2011 - Local candidates for the Socialist Alliance have condemned the attitude of the two major parties towards action on climate change. They have also renewed calls for BlueScope Steel to build the cogeneration plant. Tony Abbott's visit to the steelworks and Ross Garnaut's comments that BlueScope should receive "assistance" for "90 per cent of their obligation" to reduce pollution have put the issue back in the spotlight.
Paola Harvey, Socialist Alliance candidate for the seat of Keira, said: "Tony Abbott doesn't even acknowledge the scientific consensus on climate change, he claims that carbon dioxide isn't a villain. How can we trust his comments on local industry when he displays no understanding of climate science?
"The truth is, the framework for a price on carbon, giving way to an emissions trading scheme, is a step in the wrong direction. Ross Garnaut's comments that BlueScope should only have to pay for 10% of its pollution shows how ineffective this sheme could end up being. If the big polluters can easily absorb the cost without changing their practices, then what's the point?
"BlueScope have known about the need to seriously reduce emissions for many years. They recently reneged on their greenhouse gas reduction deal with the state government by putting off building the cogeneration plant. The plant would reduce carbon emissions by 900,000 tonnes a year, but the steelworks have used excuse after excuse for the delays in construction.
"There is already too much carbon in the atmosphere; we need to reduce emissions across the board including in the steel industry. The state government should require the steelworks to start construction on the cogen plant now. If BlueScope can't afford to take this action they should be required to open their books to workers and the community. If they refuse they should be placed under public ownership, not given more handouts. Why should BlueScope's profits be placed ahead of a safe climate future?
Wollongong-based Legislative Council candidate for the Socialist Alliance, Patrick Harrison, argued: "The standard corporate response to any loss in profitability is to pass the cost onto workers. We've seen this with the steelworks during the recession of the 1980s, and if our state government does nothing, we could see it again in response to this carbon tax. But a publicly owned steel industry would mean the government could guarantee jobs and take action to make the industry cleaner.
"We need state and federal governments to be taking bold action in the face of the greatest threat our species has ever faced. Instead, Abbott is using Labor's carbon tax as another excuse to whip up fear and xenophobia, claiming that China and Indonesia will take our jobs.
"Mr Abbott's comments assume that this is an inevitable move - but the truth is, governments have a responsibility to protect jobs and the economy in a regional area like the Illawarra. Corporate hand-outs aren't going to stop companies moving offshore to cut costs - we saw that with Pacific Brands, which received millions of dollars of government assistance before moving offshore. Instead, we need a government that's willing to stand up to big business and stop them from moving our industry offshore.
"Neither the Coalition nor Labor is willing to do this. If the people of the Illawarra wish to protect their local industry and jobs, then they should vote 1 Socialist Alliance on March 26', Harrison concluded.
Check out this letter to the editor in the March 15 edition of the Illawarra Mercury. It describes Paola's understanding of the present political situation as 'amazing'!
Check out the line up in Keira. This image is from today's Illawarra Mercury and it shows the order of the ballot draw.
Yesterday's Illawarra Mercury polled TAFE students asking them who they plan to vote for in the coming election.
Here's an article from the weekend edition of the Illawarra Mercury, highlighting the fact that Liberal candidate for Keira, John Dorahy, has been absent from many (if not all?) candidate meetings organised by local residents.
The weekend edition of the Illawarra Mercury predicted some interesting outcomes of the NSW election, set for March 26.
Last night Paola spoke to a 'meet the candidates' forum organised by Illawarra Residents for Responsible Mining (IRRM), in Russell Vale.
On Wednesday March 2, Paola spoke to the local Neighbourhood Five forum (NF5) who, among other things, have fought to keep Glennifer Brae (pictured) in public hands.
Check out this little article from yesterday's Illawarra Mercury, covering the launch of Paola's campaign at the free shuttle bus stop at the Uni of Wollongong.
Check out this article from the Northern Leader, profiling Paola's campaign.
On Friday February 25 Paola spoke at the 'Meet the candidates' forum organised by the Cancer Council. The forum was also addressed by Labor's Ryan Park and the Greens' George Takacs. Paola is pictured, left, with Park.
** MEDIA RELEASE **Thursday February 24, 2011 - Paola Harvey, Socialist Alliance candidate for Keira, will launch her campaign this Monday February 28, 10am at the University of Wollongong's main bus interchange on Northfields Avenue, Gwynneville. She will be joined by local Socialist Alliance candidates for the Legislative Council, Jess Moore and Patrick Harrison.
The theme of the launch, ‘make all public transport frequent and free’, is a key campaign priority for Harvey. It reflects Socialist Alliance’s commitment to job creation, social justice and immediate action to combat climate change.
‘Public transport in NSW has been seriously neglected, but the free shuttle in Wollongong shows the benefits of an efficient, frequent and free service. Nearly five million passengers have now used the shuttle, an astounding success. Why not learn the lesson and dramatically expand the idea to encourage more people to leave the car at home?’ said Harvey.
‘Making public transport frequent and free will require a large increase in funding. But the benefits, including significant job creation and reduced pollution, would far outweigh the drawbacks.
‘The Begian city of Hasselt introduced free public transport and patronage increased by 870% within a year. The government found they saved money overall, given the subsequent savings on health, road maintenance and construction, and also on ticketing.
‘It's a socially just response to the chronic problems of traffic congestion, lack of parking and lack of mobility faced by poorer sections of the community. Having limited transport options is a major barrier to job seekers finding work, something that our proposal would help overcome.
‘Free public transport would see a dramatic improvement in people’s health. Not only would respiratory diseases and other illnesses associated with pollution decrease, but patient access to care would improve. The Cancer Council estimates that currently 90,000 people per year are refused health related trips on community transport due to lack of capacity. This is simply unacceptable.
‘We stand for putting people and the planet before profit. Making all public transport frequent and free is a common sense response to many of the problems faced by the people of NSW. The free shuttle service proves it’s viable, so let’s get on with the job’, Harvey concluded.
** MEDIA RELEASE **
Friday February 18, 2011 - Socialist Alliance candidate for the seat of Keira, Paola Harvey, has challenged her fellow candidate John Dorahy of the Liberal Party to immediately renounce the racist remarks and actions made by his party in the so-called “immigration debate”.
The challenge has come after the racist One Nation party claimed that the Liberals are using One Nation policies. A report in the Sydney Morning Herald also said the federal Liberal Party's spokesperson for immigration Scott Morrison wants to capitalise on electorate fears of "Muslim immigration", "Muslims in Australia" and Muslim migrants' supposed "inability to integrate".
Harvey said: 'The remarks made by the Liberal party are downright disgusting and dangerous. First, it raised the idea of cutting foreign aid - a policy stolen from a One Nation party campaign. Next it complained about taxpayers money being used to fly relatives of dead refugees from Christmas Island to the mainland to attend the funerals of their loved ones. Now we have learned that the Liberal party has discussed running a racist scaremongering campaign which is targeting a specific religious and ethnic group.
'Just when you think the Liberal party can't get any lower, they find a way. It's time for all those who believe in a just and fair society to stand up and fight back against this assault on immigrants. That is why I'm making this challenge to the Liberal candidate for Keira today.'
So far, no candidate for the NSW Liberals has spoken out against the racist scaremongering remarks.
Harvey said: 'John Dorahy may well say that this issue has nothing to do with state politics or his electorate, but no-one should take such a proposition seriously. How are Muslims or immigrants living in Wollongong meant to feel when they see Dorahy's party saying such things? Can he give a guarantee that he or his party in New South Wales won't go on a similar witch-hunt? These are answers that we all deserve to know.
'Many will remember the leader of NSW Liberals in 2007, Peter Debnam, calling for the arrest and gaoling of 200 people of Middle Eastern appearance for no reason at all. A racist streak runs deep within the Liberal party. The people living in the electorate of Keira deserve to know whether John Dorahy rejects this and supports the rights of all immigrants to live in this country free from harassment and vilification,' Harvey concluded.
[Dorahy is pictured, right, with fellow Liberal candidates in the Illawarra region]
