Support emergency services workers!

On Friday February 4, Paola was invited to attend the 'Pride of the Illawarra awards', organised by Rotary Clubs of the Illawarra.

The awards recognised the outstanding contribution made to our community by personnel from the seven local Emergency Services Organisations covering the Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama regions.

Paola is a strong supporter of emergency services workers, particularly their rights at work. She's pictured here with members of the NSW Rural Fire Services.

Support People's Power in Egypt

** MEDIA RELEASE **

Thursday February 3, 2011 - Socialist Candidate for Keira Paola Harvey has announced her support for the democracy movement that has swept Egypt and is on the verge of getting rid of U.S and Australian backed dictator, Hosni Mubarak.

'The images coming out of Egypt are inspiring to all those who believe in justice and democracy. People have overcome the fear of torture and even death, to assert their rights and show the world that the people of the Middle East don't need foreign armies to liberate them. They are just fine liberating themselves. My heartfelt solidarity and congratulations to Egyptian emigrates living in New South Wales and the local Wollongong area, many of whom have are living in exile due to the repressive regime. They must be feeling an overwhelming sense of pride in what is happening in Egypt and looking forward to a future free from oppression and dictatorship.

'As the rebellion has swept Egypt, so has a wave of volunteering. When people aren't protesting they are cleaning garbage off the streets, providing food to people, giving medical assistance and all sorts of other activities. Protesters are saying they are now proud of their country and they are willing to look after it.

'What is happening in Egypt proves a valuable lesson to the people of the world, including in Australia. That is, the best way to deal with the political, social and economic problems that society faces is to empower people. An empowered people can achieve what in “ordinary” times, seem like miracles. Seeing what is happening in Egypt reinforces why I'm running in the NSW state elections. I also want to live in a community that feels pride in itself, that is empowered and that overcomes problems by working together in a spirit of solidarity. This is what I will fight for while running in the elections and afterwards', concluded Harvey.

Approval of Calderwood must be annulled

** MEDIA RELEASE **

Tuesday February 1, 2011 - State election candidates for the Greens and the Socialist Alliance today issued a joint call for the annulment of the Calderwood development approval, that was granted by the NSW government under Part 3A last month.

Greens candidate for Shellharbour, Peter Moran stated:

"The Calderwood development is an environmental and planning disaster in the making.

"It is apparent that Planning Minister Tony Kelly has learnt nothing from the experience of Queensland families who built their homes and futures on flood plains. The filling of a flood plain can be expected to increase the incidence of flooding in Albion Park, as well as increasing runoff into Lake Illawarra.

"Every one of the 200,000 semi trailer loads of fill travelling down the main street of Albion Park will be a reminder to residents of just how inappropriate this development is.

"To lose prime agricultural land for the sake of increasing a developers profits is a crime against the future.

"This approval flies in the face of the Governments Illawarra Regional Strategy and the government's own studies which show this area has enough developed, serviced and approved land releases to serve our needs for the next 6 years, by which time the West Dapto release will be going full steam ahead.

The ratepayers of Shellharbour will be required to subsidize this development to the tune of $2 million per annum according to Shellharbour Council. This will be an albatross hanging around the neck of the Shellharbour community.

Part 3A of the EP and A Act allows politicians to foist these unsustainable developments on communities all across the state. Shame on the ALP and the coalition, who both voted for it.

Jess Moore, Socialist Alliance candidate for the NSW Legislative Council, added:

"Rarely do we see such widespread opposition to a single development. The ALP has once again used Part 3A to run roughshod over our community.

"Developer profits have been put ahead of community need.

"Parts of this land are seriously flood prone. The idiocy of developing floodplains speaks for itself. But worse still is that plans to fill in and develop the floodplains will also increase the risk of floods impacting homes in surrounding areas.

"Calderwood is too far from adequate supporting infrastructure. The cost to the local community to service it will be immense.

"The land involved in this development is of high conservation value. It is also among the highest grade

agricultural land in the Illawarra. It shouldn't even be considered for housing. The community needs to decide what parts should be simply conserved and what parts should be used for food production.

"It's been identified that this absurd development is not even needed for the supply of housing in the Illawarra.

Make ALL public transport frequent & free

** MEDIA RELEASE **

Monday January 31, 2011 - Local state election candidates for the Socialist Alliance have welcomed the news that passenger numbers on the free CBD shuttle bus are increasing. They have repeated calls to expand the shuttle service to other areas in NSW and to make all public transport frequent and free.

Paola Harvey, Socialist Alliance candidate for Keira, said: 'The news that nearly 5 million passengers have used the free shuttle service really vindicates our position that if you make public transport frequent and free, people will make the switch.

'The CBD shuttle initiative has been a wonderful departure from Labor's decades long neglect of our public transport system, particularly our rail.

'Dramatically improving public transport would give people the option of leaving the car at home. 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. It would also reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from the transport sector, which contribute roughly 14% of Australia's total emissions', Harvey said.

Jess Moore, long-time public transport campaigner and Socialist Alliance candidate for the Legislative Council, said: 'We campaigned for frequent and free public transport during the 2007 NSW election campaign. Given the social and environmental benefits of public transport use, all public transport in NSW should be made frequent and free.

'In the Begian city of Hasselt, within a year of introducing free and frequent public transport, patronage increased by 870%. And their government found they saved money overall, given subsequent savings on health, road maintenance and construction, and also on ticketing.

'We stand for publicly owned public transport, not public handouts to private companies. The current Wollongong CBD shuttle service is publicly funded but privately run. This reduces the number of public sector jobs, and needlessly complicates planning, especially across an entire state.

'Any income generated from the public transport system should immediately be directed back into the system, not into private pockets,' Moore concluded.

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.

Shame on Hills! Gillard should guarantee jobs!

** MEDIA RELEASE **

Tuesday January 24, 2011 - Socialist Alliance has condemned the decision by Orrcon., local steel pipe and tube manufacturer, to sack 16 of its Unanderra workers. Orrcon, owned by the Hills Holdings group, received $486,500 worth of government assistance in 2007.

Patrick Harrison (pictured left), Socialist Alliance candidate for the NSW Legislative Council, said: ‘Shame on Hills. This is how they treat their workers in a region that constantly battles with unemployment. It’s heartless and unacceptable. And the fact that they’ve just increased some of their directors' pay by $250,000 is just a cruel slap in the face.

‘The federal government is approaching this in the wrong way. In 2007 Orrcon received $486,500 in federal funds to employ 14 people, but then sacked 27 people six months later. Now another 16 have been given the flick. Why are they allowed to get away with this? Who is the Labor Party governing on behalf of?

‘Julia Gillard should demand that Orrcon opens its books to workers and the community, to really see if they can’t afford to save these jobs. If this demand is refused Orrcon should be placed in public ownership and the jobs guaranteed by the government. Given the public handouts and our crippling unemployment, this is more than fair enough.

‘We need governments state and federal willing to challenge the corporate elite; governments who make decisions in the interests of people and the planet, not profit’, Harrison concluded.

Harrison is a young worker in Wollongong and a member of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA).

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.