Liberals absent from community meetings

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.

Paola is pictured in the article (in white singlet) with Greens candidate George Takacs and ALP candidate Ryan Park. A member of Illawarra Residents for Responsible Mining (IRRM) is pistured holding a John Dorahy mask!

To read Paola's speech to the meeting organised by IRRM visit http://paolaharveyforkeira.blogspot.com/2010/03/paolas-speech-to-illawarra-residents.html

The Coalition is no alternative in NSW

** MEDIA RELEASE **

Tuesday January 25, 2011 - Paola Harvey, Socialist Alliance candidate for Keira, has stated the Coalition is no alternative for the people of NSW. Her comments come in the wake of Coalition plans to cut $3.8 billion of state spending.

‘It’s clear the Coalition offers no alternative to the Labor party. If anything, Barry O’Farrell’s plans will make things worse for the people of NSW. The announcement of their plans to massively cut public sector jobs and services shows this.

‘The Coalition has said very little so far, but people deserve to know what they actually stand for. O’Farrell is hoping to romp it in, not based on support for his policies, but because people are so fed up with Labor.

‘But remember last time they were in government we saw the privatisation of the State Bank of NSW. In opposition the Coalition voted for the introduction of Part 3A, legislation that has been used to run rough-shod over local communities. Also, this is the same party of John Howard and WorkChoices.

‘Socialist Alliance is trying to build a pro-people alternative to both the Labor and Coalition parties. We stand for community need not corporate greed. We're committed to reversing privatisation, to putting the community in control of services and to investing in socially useful jobs and training. Anything less is no alternative for the people of NSW’, Harvey concluded.

Land use for human need not corporate profits!

MEDIA RELEASE

Friday January 21, 2011 - Paola Harvey, Socialist Alliance candidate for Keira, has responded to yesterday's revelation that the Coalition let the mining industry write parts of its regional land use policy.

'In the lead up to the election Barry O'Farrell has tried to label himself a friend of democracy and the environment. Revelations that parts of the Coalition's regional land use policy has been written by the mining industry show that neither is the case', she said.

'Under Labor we saw legislation changed to allow petroleum and gas exploration in state conservation and drinking water catchment areas, the introduction of Part 3A, and an enormous expansion of mining, including Coal Seam Gas. The fact that 70% of NSW is now under mineral and petroleum title or application is testament to this.

'It is clear that both Labor and Liberal are hell bent on the further expansion of mining. And this is regardless of community need, health, water or environmental concerns.

'It begs many questions: What is O'Farrell going to replace Part 3A with? Is the promise to protect Dharawal just a token gesture to expand mining elsewhere?

'The lack of government regulation has been a strong criticism in the campaign against Coal Seam Gas mining. Yet now we hear that the Coalition's stance is to make an unacceptable situation worse: removing commitments to toughen regulatory compliance. An immediate moratorium on CSG is needed.

'We need community wide discussions to determine land use, not secret deals with corporate polluters.

'The short term profits of mining companies cannot be put ahead of the reality that humans need food, clean water and air.

'Sustainability also means jobs. We need to create jobs in alternative and necessary industries -- such as wind and solar power -- to ensure a safe environment,' Harvey concluded.