Hobart Forum with Ian Angus

Climate war and the billionaire class: Capitalism versus humanity in the fight to save the planet

This forum will address the "climate war" that has begun and the ecosocialist solutions needed to address it. More than ever, the line between rich and poor is a line between survival and death, as inequality and climate change combine to create new extremes of oppression. A handful of people live in obscene luxury, while billions are condemned to permanent poverty and hunger – and rich governments build fences, walls and concentration camps to keep the poor away. 

                                

Speaker Ian Angus is a long-time activist in socialist and environmental movements in Canada and internationally.

Editor 

"Climate and Captalism"www.climateandcapitalism.com

Editor 

The Global Fight for Climate Justice: Anticapitalist Responses to Global Warming and Environmental Destruction (Resistance Books, 2009).

Author

Facing the Anthropocene: Fossil Capitalism and the Crisis of the Earth System (Monthly Review Press, 2016)

Co-Author with Simon Butler

Too Many People? Population, Immigration, and the Environmental Crisis (Haymarket Books, 2011) Belem Ecosocialist Declaration.

Ian Angus is also a featured speaker at the Socialism for the 21st Century Conference:http://www.socialismforthe21stcentury.org/

RSVP at https://www.facebook.com/events/1084426938287133/

Hobart Climate gathering at MONA

"On September 21, over 2,500 events were held around the world to call for climate action ahead of the UN Summit in New York. Hobart’s part in this global picture was a gathering of about 500 people at MONA (Museum of Old and New Art). Many arrived with a big bike convoy from the city. The crowd gathered near the museum’s entrance for a big group photo, with placards demanding urgent action on climate change. This was followed by two sides volleying the earth over MONA’s tennis court net – a battle between fossil fuel and renewable energy – and speakers including Susan Austin from Climate Action Hobart."

Link to video of Hobart Climate gathering at MONA

Come along to the Hobart Premiere of Disruption

"Not quite sure you feel like taking to the streets to spur action on climate change? This new movie aims to change your mind.

In the lead-up to the People's Climate March later this month, filmmakers are releasing a new documentary called "Disruption," which highlights the consequences of ignoring climate change. The film features well-known environmental leaders such as Bill McKibben and Dr. James Hansen, and documents activists' efforts to mobilize people for what may be the largest climate change march in history.

"We’re the first generation to feel the impacts of climate disruption, and the last generation that can do something about it," the film's synopsis reads." Huffington Post. 

To participate in Hobart's Climate Picnic see https://www.facebook.com/events/847020905317252/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

Mel's speech at the Walk Against Warming

Walk Against Warming speech

Speech from Mel Barnes at the Walk Against Warming

I’m a candidate in Denison and I’m also a climate activist.

The starting point for action on climate change has to be the science. The vast majority of climate scientists around the world say that unless we reduce the amount of carbon already in the atmosphere, we are headed for a climate catastrophe. We need to cut our emissions by 5% a year and move as rapidly as possible to a zero carbon economy.

Delay is denial. 12 new coal fired power stations are in the pipeline to be built over the next few years.

- The NSW state government is planning to construct two new coal-fired power stations, which will increase the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by up to 15%.
- There are plans to open a new coal mine next to the town of Margaret River in Western Australia. Margaret River is famous for its wineries, and relies on the aquifers that will be threatened by the mine. This is part of a bigger plan by the Liberal state government to build 3 new coal-fired power stations in Western Australia, all which have been approved this year.
- Four of the proposed coal-fired plants are in Queensland.
- In South Australia, two new coal-fired stations have been proposed

This is denial.

While the Labor government says that climate change is the greatest moral issue of our time, at the same time they are delaying any real action and hope that we will be fooled. If we complain that their policies aren’t good enough, they say ‘well, the Liberals will be worse’. Which is true, but since both parties are heading us down the path of climate catastrophe, it doesn’t matter that Labor are slightly better. The point is, their policies are not good enough. The starting point has to be the science, and we can’t negotiate with science.

Good climate policy would start with a massive investment in renewable energy. A report just released by Melbourne group Beyond Zero Emissions shows that it is possible to move Australia to 100% renewable energy by 2020. This is a detailed report that shows exactly how we could do this, with technology that is proven and commercially available now, and how much it would cost.

This switch to a clean economy would create hundreds of thousands of jobs. But we would need to ensure a just transition for workers in the old industries to make the switch. Socialist Alliance has a policy of establishing new sustainable industries in the same areas as the old industries and retraining workers on full pay.

The Socialist Alliance would welcome a carbon price because it could raise some money that will be well spent on building renewable energy infrastructure. But a carbon price alone is not enough, it will not get the job done in the timeframe we need it to. So we’re calling for public investment in renewables and for other things like a massive expansion of public transport. In times gone by it was the government that built the railways, the hydro dams, the electricity grid. If we want a new hospital or school we don’t implement a pricing mechanism to make business more interested in investing in these things, so why are we leaving this important transition up to the market? The government has to take on this task. This would cost about 3% of annual GDP for the next ten years, which could be funded by restoring the corporate tax rate to the 1980s level, and by diverting military spending and the $9 billion dollars a year handed out to the fossil fuel industries, for example.

With all the climate-linked disasters happening in the world right now, the floods in Pakistan, the fires in Russia; it is easy to slip into despair.

Mass action is the antidote to despair!

We have the beginnings of a strong climate movement in Australia, and we have to build and strengthen this so that we can force the government to act.

Climate campaigners in Victoria have already won a government commitment to close down part of Hazelwood, the dirtiest coal power station in Australia, and they won’t give up until it is fully shut down and replaced with renewables. Grassroots climate groups like Climate Action Hobart are waging similar campaigns across the country.

In what may amount to a historic moment in the quest to save the world's rainforests and mitigate climate change, Ecuador and the United Nations Development Fund (UNDF) have created a trust fund to protect one of the world's most biodiverse rainforests from oil exploration and development. The fund will allow the international community to pay Ecuador to leave an estimated 850 million barrels of oil in Yasuni National Park in the ground instead of extracting it. This will allow the rainforest protected area to remain pristine: preserving one of the most species-rich places on Earth, safeguarding the lives of indigenous people, and keeping an estimated 410 million tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere.
This would not have been possible if not for the leadership of socialist President Rafael Correa and the Ecuadorian government and shows what is possible when you have a government committed towards putting the environment before private profit.

What would it take to save our forests here? We’re a rich country, we don’t need the UN to step in, we could stop logging tomorrow if the government halted the chainsaws and put in place a transition package for workers.


I’d encourage you to grab a copy of our Climate Charter, our policy which was rated the best on the voteclimate.org website, and read more about what we stand for, and consider joining us. I am also standing as a Socialist Alliance candidate in Denison to call for a fundamentally different system, where instead of corporations having control, ordinary people can have collective decision-making power so that people’s needs and the environment can be put before profits.

Mel Barnes for Denison!

Mel Barnes, a well known political activist, will contest the seat of Denison in the upcoming federal elections for the Socialist Alliance. Barnes is a leading climate and renewable energy campaigner in Hobart through her involvement in local group Climate Action Hobart. She also has been involved in various political campaigns, including women’s rights, Palestine solidarity, refugee rights and Latin American solidarity campaigns. In 2006 Barnes took part in a solidarity tour of Venezuela to learn about the profoundly democratic and revolutionary changes occurring in that country. Barnes was also a candidate for the Socialist Alliance in the 2010 Tasmanian State elections.

Barnes will be running on a platform of 100% renewable energy by 2020, ending native forest logging, ending the racist Northern Territory intervention and bringing all troops back from Afghanistan.

“Climate change is the greatest threat to ever face humanity. Yet both major parties have abandoned any action to reduce carbon emissions. They are totally tied to the interests of big polluters and refuse to put people and the planet before profits.
The technology exists to move Australia to 100% renewable energy within ten years. We must make the changes that the planet needs. We can't let current government inaction destroy our future." Barnes said.

In light of recent federal political developments Barnes has called people to vote for actual political change, not a mere re-branding exercise.

"In the face of Rudd's epic nosedive in the polls since April the change from Rudd to Gillard is a desperate attempt by Labor to re-brand itself. But the swearing in of Julia Gillard as Prime Minister will only mean more of the same for the people of Australia. Gillard has been responsible for some of this government's most anti-social acts. As federal workplace relations minister, she maintained the Australian Building and Construction Commission which denies construction workers basic human rights. As education minister she allowed damaging school league tables to be used by the media, stigmatising those from disadvantaged schools.”

"People shouldn’t be hoodwinked into believing we are in the dawn of a new era. Julia Gillard’s reign as prime minister will continue along the same path trodden by Rudd. The federal ALP government is not motivated by what is in society’s interest but rather by what is in their short-term political interest. We must reject this style of politics and vote for parties committed towards genuine change.”




Mel Barnes for Denison!

Climate Change

Tasmanian Climate Change policy.

A response to Climate Action Hobart’s “Ten Steps for a Safe Climate Future”

Jan 2010

Two of the four key campaign priorities are:

· Tasmania to lead the way on climate change by protecting old growth forests, achieving 100% renewable energy by 2020 and stopping subsidies to big polluters

· Public transport – free and frequent local buses or light rail, fast-speed trains not more Midland highway lanes.

Socialist Alliance activists who participate in Climate Action Hobart were involved in the development of Climate Action Hobart’s 10 Steps for a Safe Climate Future. The Socialist Alliance broadly endorses the Ten Steps and regards it as a fantastic development for the state and for the movement against climate change. The Socialist Alliance makes campaigning against climate change a priority and launched our own national “Ten Point Climate Action Plan” as part of our first Climate Charter in 2007, which was updated in 2008 and is again under revision, in line with developments in science and the movement.

In regard to Tasmanian policy, the following document will clarify which Steps the Socialist Alliance has adopted in full, as well as those with which we have some minor disagreements. There are also some policies within the ten points that we agree with but have adopted more ambitious targets for. These have been adopted after extensive discussion and collaboration with environment groups (like Beyond Zero Emissions) and after being debated at national decision making conferences of the Socialist Alliance. In some cases we have adopted additional policies which address the objectives of the Steps, so we have also referenced them for your information.

Step 1:

Carbon neutral by 2050

We agree. Our latest national conference resolution includes:

The threat of runaway climate change caused by rising carbon emissions emanating from human industrial and agricultural activity is the greatest threat to the continued existence of human civilisation of our era. Increasingly alarming scientific predictions only further dramatise the urgent need for governments internationally to take immediate action to move to a zero-emissions economy and reduce greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere.

The Socialist Alliance calls for a just transition to a carbon-neutral economy.

60% by 2020 over 1990 levels

The following policy was adopted in 2007: Aim for 60% overall emissions reduction, including 95% power station emissions reduction by 2020 and 90% overall emissions reduction by 2030.

In the updated 2008 version of the Climate Charter these targets were strengthened by replacing that sentence with: Implement immediate emission reduction targets with the aim of reducing net emissions to zero as soon as practicable, with a goal of achieving 100% of power from renewable sources by 2020.

At our branch meeting 28/1/10 we clarified our position on targets – we agree with 60% by 2020 over 1990 levels and push for net zero carbon emissions by 2050 or as soon as possible.

Detailed, transparent plan with annual targets from 2010 on

We agree. Our climate charter says:

Introduce annual reduction targets of at least 5% to ensure that these targets are met.

We propose immediate economy-wide and sector-by-sector planning for all greenhouse gases, to meet these targets on time or before. We must establish mechanisms to review and change these targets as scientific forecasts are updated.

Businesses, local councils and government departments should all be required to commit to reducing their overall GHG emissions to zero as part of a national plan.

Step 2: No new logging of natural forests, independent carbon forest accounting, community-owned (government funded) transition strategy

We agree. Our climate charter says: Stop logging old-growth forests and begin an urgent program of re-forestation and protecting biodiversity to ensure a robust biosystem that can survive the stress of climate change and provide an increased carbon sink.

Our 2006 Tasmanian State election policy included:

- We call for the protection of the Weld, Blue Tier, Styx and Weilangta (Socialist Alliance supports the Greens “Forest Transition Strategy”)

- End logging in old-growth forests. End clear felling in all other native forests.

- Ban the export of woodchips from native forests.

- Replant forests in dry-land and other salt-affected regions

- Strict controls on land clearing

- No mining or mineral exploration in national parks and other areas of high conservation value

In addition Socialist Alliance Tasmania endorsed (at a meeting 28/1/2010) the wording of the CAH Step 2 (including specifying no logging of “intact natural forests” not just old growth forests and the policy on carbon accounting.)

Step 3: Reduce energy use – economy-wide energy savings plan, target of reducing total energy use by at least 20% by 2020 over 1990 levels.

Socialist Alliance Tasmania agreed on this policy point at a meeting on 28/1/2010 but would want a sentence included to ensure some of these initiatives do not disproportionately affect already disadvantaged people eg. when creating incentives through car registration charges, ensure health care card holder rebates continue. Ensure “cash for clunkers” programs are not linked to people having to purchase a replacement car.

In addition we adopted the following policy on energy reduction in our Climate Charter

One of the easiest ways to reduce GHGs is by increasing efficiency and reducing waste. More efficient appliances, insulating homes, better recycling, improved and more efficient public transport, producing locally-produced goods—these are some of the simple but effective changes that are possible right now.

But these changes will not happen fast enough if they’re left to the individual consumer's response to appeals to save energy, and to the “sticks and carrots” approach of energy price hikes and tax rebates.

To begin the transition to sustainability, we must set energy efficiency as a national goal, and then develop targets, standards, regulations and national and local campaigns to achieve it.

In Venezuela and Cuba the goal of eliminating incandescent light bulbs was achieved by having teams of volunteers installing free government-supplied, low-energy replacement bulbs. This is the sort of initiative that’s needed to make Australia’s 5.5 million homes energy efficient.

Governments committed to energy efficiency should have sustainable energy household conversion plans, with annual targets for solar power and heating installation compulsory for energy utilities These plans would build on and promote the various community initiatives dedicated to goals like creating “zero emission” housing, schools and other facilities.

They would require the same approach from business, with systematic energy audits and set compliance deadlines. Firms that don't upgrade to low emissions technology and processes would have to close or be taken over.

They would also monitor and establish strict standards for the energy use of business products. Businesses that operate in a market-based capitalist economy concentrate on selling products, and are unlikely to implement climate-friendly techniques unless strong regulations are introduced.

Integral to the plan would be the phasing out of the $9 billion in fossil fuel subsidies to energy-hungry industries like aluminium refining. Industries that are heavy users of energy would be required to obtain their energy needs from sustainable sources.

(Action Point 4). Require the fitting of all feasible energy efficiency measures to existing houses and subsidise owner-occupiers for the costs. Allow renters to use the same system. Install photovoltaic solar panels and solar hot water heaters on home roofs, subsidised or owned by the electricity authority. Give commercial buildings a deadline to meet six-star energy standards within two years, and 10-star standards within 10 years.

The Socialist Alliance national conference also adopted a detailed policy on coal and steel which explains the steps that need to be taken to reduce the energy used to make steel for industrial production.

Step 4: 100% renewable electricity by 2020, massive investment in wind and solar, no biomass from native forests, no new dam-storage hydro, net feed-in-tariff.

We endorse all of the parts of Step 4 as long as there is no increase in energy costs for low income households.

Our policy passed at the 2010 national conference, is as follows:

We support the campaign for an industrial scale renewable energy feed-in tariff (FIT) to encourage medium and large-scale renewable energy projects. We are against increasing energy bills for low-income households to pay for the FIT.

At the climate summit, a conscious decision was made to expand the demand to encompass all forms of power (including transport fuel) not just stationary electricity. Beyond Zero Emissions have put the case that this is achievable. SA supports this policy:

Our climate charter explains that: “Socialist Alliance has a goal of achieving 100% of power from renewable sources by 2020” and this was reaffirmed at the 2010 national conference: “The Socialist Alliance supports the campaign launched at the 2009 Climate Summit for the transformation of the economy to 100% renewable energy by 2020, as one essential component of the effort needed to prevent run-away climate change.”

Climate Charter 2008: 100% renewable energy by 2020

Australia could meet its basic energy needs from a combination of non-fossil fuel sources like solar, wind, biomass derived from agricultural wastes, tidal and geothermal (hot rocks beneath the Earth's surface).

Countries like Spain and Denmark already produce more than 20% of their energy from solar and wind power. Australia should set a target of having all of its electricity generated by renewable energy by 2020.

While massive government subsidies continue to be given to dirty fuels like brown coal, research into renewable energy technologies is not given adequate funds.

This lack of serious research and development funding for renewable energy means that the fossil fuel and nuclear industries can delay any change towards sustainability. It hampers the rapid development of renewable technologies with reduced unit costs that would enable them to compete with their cheaper polluting products.

The quickest way to guarantee that renewables are taken up at the speed needed to limit GHG increases is not to leave this job to the market and private industry - even “green” industry - but to create an adequately funded, publicly-owned renewable energy network.

The Socialist Alliance calls for the creation of a Sustainable Energy Authority to drive this effort, and the overall conversion to energy sustainability.

Climate charter 2008 action point 5. Bring all power industries under public ownership and democratic control. Begin phasing out coalmining and coal-fired power immediately. …Run the maximum possible base-load power from existing natural gas and/or hydro power stations instead of coal only as an interim measure until renewable energy is available. Coal to be used only for predicted energy peaks in the short term.

Climate charter 2008 action point 7. Accelerate the construction of wind farms in suitable areas. Boost research into all renewable energy sources. Build pilot solar-thermal and geothermal plants now. Create localised power grids.

Additional SA policy:

The Socialist Alliance acknowledges that a massive rollout of renewable energy, as proposed in our campaign work, will all occur on Aboriginal land. The Socialist Alliance will seek to build consciousness of Indigenous struggle within the climate movement, and highlight the fact that any major rollout of wind farms, solar thermal plants, etc, must occur under the direction of the traditional owners of the land upon which such plants are proposed to be built. (SA national conf 2010)

Step 5: Sustainable cities and regions: overhaul of planning schemes

Socialist Alliance Tasmania adopted this policy in full at a meeting 27/1/2010

Step 6: Investing in Public and Low Carbon Transport

We support all the aspects of the Step 6 except for some significant differences:

à We disagree that “bus fares must be set at a nominal level (not exceeding $1 for an adult fare)”. We have a policy for Free Public transport.

From Climate Charter 2008:

… We have to put public transport at the centre of our urban development plans.

Although trains are 40 times more energy efficient than cars, we won’t reduce or stop using cars and trucks unless there’s huge investment in public and rail freight transport to make it a real option for commuters and industry.

A successful public transport system will have reliable, frequent services available to everyone within 10 minutes walk of a service, especially in outer metropolitan regions. It will have to be a publicly owned, integrated system of heavy rail, light rail, ferry and bus services.

But we need to make it more attractive to users. To accelerate the switch to public transport it has to be free. That’s what transport authorities have always done when they really need to move large numbers of people quickly, as in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. It’s what has happened in the Belgian city of Hasselt: within a year of introducing free bus fares, patronage increased by 870%.

Most people think that this proposal would cost a vast amount of money. However, this reaction fails to measure the total (economic, social and environmental) cost and benefit of public transport against the total cost and benefit of continuing to shift people and goods by private car and truck.

On that scale, public transport wins hands down. For every 10% switch from car and truck and into public transport, the costs of air pollution, greenhouse gas emission, car accidents, traffic congestion, motor vehicle waste disposal, noise pollution and road maintenance would drop by at least $1.4 billion.

Free and frequent public transport combined with policies that stimulate cycling and walking is the only serious approach to curbing greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector.

Climate Charter 2008 Action Point 10. Make all urban and regional public transport free and upgrade services to enable all urban residents to use it for regular commuting. Nationalise and upgrade interstate train and ferry services to provide real alternatives to air travel. Prioritise rail freight. All rail, light rail and interstate freight to be electrified or to run on biofuels from waste where possible. Encourage bicycle use through more cycleways, and better facilities for cyclists. Implement free or very cheap bicycle rental networks.

We do not call for higher parking fees or financial incentives for workers or employers or preferential parking fees for electric vehicles, as these policies are not in line with our commitment to equitable solutions, they do not represent the structural solutions that will be the fundamental driver of behaviour change and they will have negative / unequal ramifications for poor or disadvantaged sectors of the community, including those who, for whatever reasons, cannot rely on public transport.

We also believe public transport needs to be more accessible for parents with dependent children and people with disabilities (Decision made by Socialist Alliance Tasmania at a meeting 28/1/2010)

A detailed interim policy on public transport was adopted at the SA National Conf 2010 and can be viewed at http://socialist-alliance.wikispaces.com/National+Conference+Decisions+on+Screen Page 46.

A state election media release on public transport “For the sake of people’s lives and the environment, invest in public transport” can be read at: http://socialistalliancehobart.blogspot.com/2010/01/for-sake-of-peoples-lives-and.html

Step 7: Just transitions: Sector-by-sector, company-by-company just transitions program to reduce emissions while preserving or enhancing employment

We support this policy point 100%. However we feel for a just transition to be implemented, different models of ownership and control other than the free-market model need to be utilised.

Additional policy under this point:

Public ownership:

That in its campaigning work, the Socialist Alliance continues to advocate fundamental social change as a necessary answer to the threat of climate change. This includes campaigning for our current policy positions, including the need for public ownership of key sectors of the economy. (SA national conference 2010 decision)

Co-operatives and social enterprises:

1. The Socialist Alliance supports community efforts such as the Hepburn Wind Co-operative in Victoria which aim to acquire/ build renewable energy generation capacity for the community.
2. The Socialist Alliance notes the “Eureka’s Future” project of the Earthworker Social Enterprise Association, currently an initiative of the Victorian District of the Mining Division of the CFMEU. This will see a social enterprise manufacturing solar hot water units for exchange, providing a range of options for workers to purchase, including through their EBA.

The Socialist Alliance supports the establishment of such enterprises as a social sector of the Australian economy, owned and controlled by working people. The Socialist Alliance will pro-actively support the existing project and future such projects by direct participation of Socialist Alliance members, and by promoting and defending this initiative in other areas of our work. We will particularly seek to integrate this example as an important part of our “green jobs” campaigning and literature in the union and environment movements. (SA national conference 2010 decision)

From the 2008 Climate Charter: No solution without public ownership and democratic control

The principle of “polluter pays” means that the polluting companies should be directed to clean up the mess they have made. Individual consumers do use polluting products but they are rarely responsible for the decisions that result in the pollution occurring: it is the big industries that must bear the costs.

The first measure to ensure a just solution is to take over industries that will not stop polluting, and place them under public ownership and scrutiny. In this way, those operations that are essential can be identified and kept (and cleaned up) while non-essential aspects can be scaled back or shut down. The profits that these public enterprises will still make can be re-invested in further programs.

Private power companies have a vested interest in making us all use more energy, whereas what is really needed is less use of energy and clean power targets that can be met with renewable sources.

But Australian governments have continually privatised public utilities, handing vital infrastructure over to the private sector. Public ownership and control over the vital area of energy generation and distribution is essential to bring this sector under an overall plan for greenhouse gas reduction and environmental sustainability.

Guarantee jobs, involve workers in the fight for a liveable environment

As old industries die, their workers are normally thrown on the scrap heap of unemployment. For example, as oil prices rise and cars become too expensive, the fossil-fuel based auto industry may well shrink to a boutique luxury service and masses of workers lose their jobs.

The same can be said for unsustainable agriculture, coal mining and similar industries. A plan for a transition to a sustainable and just economy is therefore essential. These workers would become the driving force and moral guarantor of the new sustainable society, and not left behind with the de-commissioned machinery.

Workers are critical to identifying and eliminating waste and pollution in the workplace, closing down old industries and opening new ones. The transition also needs government-funded “climate action brigades” - teams of people who can provide practical assistance and resources to assist households and communities improve their energy efficiency.

Also from 2008 Climate Charter: Provide guaranteed jobs and retraining on full pay for coal mining and power-station communities, with new sustainable industries being built in their areas and paid redundancies offered.

Step 8: Local and sustainable production and consumption

Socialist Alliance Tasmania adopted all the points in this step at its meeting on 28/1/2010 except for the broad statement: “Financial support for local small businesses engaged in local production”. Instead we would emphasise the need to support local co-operatives and publicly / community / worker owned sustainable enterprises.

Read our interim policy on agriculture adopted at the 2010 National conference at http://socialist-alliance.wikispaces.com/National+Conference+Decisions+on+Screen Page 56 and our climate charter policy on agriculture at

http://socialist-alliance.wikispaces.com/National+Conference+Decisions+on+Screen

Step 9: Closing resource loops and eliminating waste:

We fully agree with this policy and included similar wording in our 2008 Climate Charter:

All products require energy to be manufactured. Waste of energy and resources are built into the entire economy. More profits are made from designing products not to last, and pollution produced along the way goes on to become someone else’s problem. Even traditional recycling largely ignores manufacturing waste and assumes relatively few products can be re-used or recycled at the end of their lives. Most consumer products—with all the energy and raw materials that have gone into their production—one way or another become landfill.

In a zero waste economy, products are designed so that they can be repaired, re-used and disassembled for recycling. We must start to require manufacturers to take back their used products (cars, TVs, computers, etc.) and re-use the components.

(Action point 3): Start the transition to a zero-waste economy. End industrial energy waste by legislation. Improve or ban wasteful consumer products. Engage workers in industry, with the appropriate technical experts, to redesign products and jobs sustainably.

From the SA national conference 2010 policy on steel and coal:

Steel producers should be compelled to increase the recycling of steel which is much cleaner than blast-furnace steel (only 65% of available scrap metal is recycled in Australia each year). Steel producers should have to maximise the end of life recyclability of products, and governments should encourage scrap availability programs, especially in the electrical and domestic industries where recycling is minimal.

Obsolescence policy adopted SA national conf 2010:

In a world where resources are being rapidly devoured, inbuilt obsolescence is a crime and a useless waste not only of resources, but of time, energy and human life. Why should people waste their lives slaving away at dreary jobs to produce these goods for wages, which go on replacing obsolescent goods? If goods are made to last as long as possible, there can be massive gains in saving resources and reducing pollution. Redirected human employment, effort and saved time could be used in the massive battles to save the environment, produce more renewable fuel and food and improve health treatment and prevention.

Companies should be compelled to design products so that they can be repaired, recycled, re-used and disassembled for recycling. Manufacturers should be compelled to take back their used products (cars, TVs, computers, etc) and re-use the components.

Products should be designed in such a way as to minimize inefficiencies and waste both in their production and manufacture, and during and after their service life.

Step 10: Climate Justice and education

Socialist Alliance Tasmania endorsed all parts of Step 10 at a meeting 28/1/2010. We also stand for the expansion of free public education to train up workers to deal with climate change.

Similar climate justice wording in existing policy (Climate Charter 2008) is as follows:

The rich industrial countries are mostly responsible for greenhouse gas emissions, and they must lead the campaign for strong and rapid international climate action. Per head, Australia is one of the highest GHG emitters in the world.

It is impoverished developing countries like Bangladesh and Kiribati that will be most affected by climate change. Many poor nations will struggle to deal with the symptoms of climate change without massive technical assistance. The rich nations must assist poor nations to develop economic plans that avoid high-pollution industries and encourage the use of renewable energy.

This assistance is just part of repaying our ecological debt.

Additional policy that fits under this point includes:

Socialist Alliance proposes a massive program of converting energy infrastructure that will demand a large number of workers, requiring extensive redeployment and training. We will also need an expansion of free public education to provide sufficient numbers of skilled professionals to achieve the necessary research and development goals. (Climate Charter 2008)

Institute a program for accepting climate refugees, especially from countries in the Asia Pacific region, and that this program not result in any reduction in the number of humanitarian refugees. (Refugee policy adopted SA national conference 2010)

That the Socialist Alliance recognises the disproportional negative impact of climate change on Third World countries, which has already led to mass displacement and the deaths of thousands of people. The Socialist Alliance will promote practical solidarity between the Australian climate change movement and climate activists from other countries, especially from the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, The Socialist Alliance will advocate that the climate movement publicly oppose the Australian government’s threat to withdraw aid from Pacific nations such as Tuvalu, which is campaigning internationally for stronger targets. (Building the climate action movement policy SA national conference 2010)

Authorised by Susan Austin, 225 Murray St, Hobart, 7000.

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Election Poster - Jenny Forward

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2010 Tasmanian State Elections

2010 TASMANIAN STATE ELECTIONS
Resource public services, not Gunns!
For a healthy, socially just, sustainable and democratic state

225 Murray St, Hobart, TAS 7000 / Phone: (03) 6234 6397 /

hobart@socialist-alliance.org

MEDIA RELEASE
28 November 2009

Socialist Alliance pre-selected two candidates for the March 2010 Tasmanian State Elections at a meeting in Hobart last week. Young climate activist Melanie Barnes will run in Denison and experienced human rights activist and social worker Jenny Forward will run in Franklin.

Both will be campaigning on a strong platform of environmental and social justice reform, including for:
· A big funding boost for public health, education, and housing
· Tasmania to lead the way on climate change by protecting old growth forests, achieving 100% renewable energy by 2020 and stopping subsidies to big polluters
· Scrapping water and sewerage charges, returning it to local control with state government back-up
· Public transport – free and frequent local buses or light rail, fast-speed trains not more Midland highway lanes.

Both activists are passionate about transforming Tasmania into a more democratic and sustainable state that can ensure jobs a good quality of life for ordinary people and lead the way on preventing climate change.


Melanie Barnes is a 26 year old climate change activist who works for an environmental NGO. She has a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Indonesian and political science from the University of Queensland. She has been a leader of Students Against the Pulp Mill protests, Walk Against Warming actions, as well as anti-war, refugee, education and women’s rights campaigns. She is the Hobart organizer of the socialist youth group Resistance. She has also studied in Indonesia and represented Tasmania in an educational solidarity tour of Venezuela.

Barnes said: “I am running in these elections because I take these issues seriously and want to inspire people to believe that there is an alternative and change can happen. Tasmania has so much potential to be able to deliver the things people really need and care about – a healthy environment, fulfilling jobs, community democracy and good healthcare and housing. But we need politicians who will put these issues ahead of big business concerns.”

Melanie Barnes, Socialist Alliance candidate for Denison Ph 0423 978 518

Jenny Forward has been a long term activist over the past 25 years both here in Tasmania and in Chile, in many areas including women's and human rights. She has also been active in the National Council of Single Mothers and Their Children as she is also a single parent herself of a daughter who is now 17. Jenny and her daughter have been living in Kingston for 3 years now after having lived in Taroona for 9 years. Her family are long time residents of the Huon Valley where they have worked as saw millers, truck drivers and farmers and her mother has worked as a teacher. Jenny became a social worker as a mature age student in 2001. She worked as a child protection worker for 5 years and for the past 2 years she has been working with migrants and refugees.

Jenny Forward, Socialist Alliance candidate for Franklin Ph 0400 701 902

Authorised by Susan Austin, 225 Murray St, Hobart, 7000.

Making a Positive Contribution Towards Change in 2009

by Susan Austin, Hobart convener

In writing this report, I was reminded of why we are all probably feeling a bit tired as the year winds to an end. Having a Labor government in power at both federal and state levels has not made the work of Socialist Alliance any easier, except that maybe more people can see that our democracy is failing us on many of the big issues of our time, and as the earth heats up, and social injustice rages, many people are looking for an alternative.

Socialist Alliance (along with Resistance, socialist youth organization) have been playing an active role in the Climate Action Hobart group which has been meeting fortnightly and has been going from strength to strength since being established early this year. Meetings are vibrant, democratic and inclusive and the group has achieved a lot, including a climate emergency rally on parliament house lawns in June, a one day workshop and forum at the Philip Smith Centre to further develop our excellent ten-point plan for climate action, 350.org actions in October, a successful quiz night last week at the Republic bar, a fundraising raffle and, along with four other organizations, yesterday's fantastic Walk Against Warming.

This year's Walk Against Warming was part of an international day of action held in the middle of the Copenhagen climate treaty negotiations. About 40,000 people marched in Melbourne, 15,000 in Sydney and many thousands in the other capital cities around Australia and the world. In southern Tasmania up to 2000 people traveled the 2 hours from Hobart to attend the Walk in the Upper Florentine Valley. The Walk was actually along the newly-bulldozed forestry access road and the stage was set up along it, so protestors could experience listening to speakers about climate change amongst magnificent tall trees destined for the woodchip mill.

We had strong, radical demands including for protecting the world's forests, reducing GHG emissions to below 350ppm, a just transition for workers to a low carbon economy and making Tasmania a renewable energy island. I was appalled that such a significant demonstration didn't even get a mention in the ABC news last night, or today's Mercury newspaper. It reminds me why, now more than ever, we need an alternative news source like Green Left Weekly that can spread information about our campaigns and really get behind the issues that the mainstream media block out, fudge over or misrepresent.

If the future of our planet's ecosystem and the peoples in the third world depended on knowing who Tiger Woods last had sex with, I wouldn't mind it being on the front page of the Mercury instead of the Walk Against Warming. But somehow I think that climate change will have more of a bearing on our future!

Thanks to all those people who have donated money to the 2009 Green Left Weekly fighting fund appeal. We have put on an interesting range of fundraising events this year, including the Premier of the 2 new Che films by Steven Sodenburgh, a fabulous mid-year dinner including a film screening of Tim Anderson's documentary on Cuban doctors, and other film festivals.

It takes a lot of money to keep an alternative newspaper pumping off the press each week and Hobart branch set a Green Left target of $5000 to fundraise this year, and we've made a pretty good attempt to reach that, collecting over $200 at our end-of-year BBQ which means we are only about $600 off.

Socialist Alliance and Resistance members have been involved in the protests happening in Brighton in support of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, who is campaigning to stop the construction of the Brighton bypass. There are very significant cultural artifacts on the proposed site, some as old as 18,000 years. It is also a place where Aboriginal elders have been buried, as well as it being a meeting place for Aboriginals. It is one of the most culturally significant places in Tasmania and also in Australia. TAC has consequently compared the construction of the bypass as the equivalent of bulldozing the pyramids to construct a McDonalds. Our members have been involved in the blockade of the site as the bulldozers went to work in late November. At one protest 18 people from TAC and four from Socialist Alliance were arrested and are due to go to court in February on charges of trespass. We see indigenous rights as a crucial area of work and also participated in the sorry day protests in January and the protest against Rudd over the Northern Territory intervention. This year we have been able to build stronger connections with members of TAC and hope to continue to further this relationship next year.

Our national Socialist Alliance Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander policy was launched this year, along with a book on the history of indigenous struggle and the socialist and trade union movements, so we may look to launch these publications in Hobart in the first part of next year. Education in our branch has been given a shot of adrenalin with Tim Dobson arriving and taking on the role of organizing interesting socialist discussion groups which have covered wide-ranging books and topics such as Karl Marx's Wage, Labour and Capital, and the Communist Manifesto, Lenin's - Imperialism - The Highest Stage of Capitalism, the French revolution, fascism and more.

We also hosted retired coalminer Graham Brown who gave forums on Green Jobs, Margartia Windisch who spoke about the economic crisis and launched the pamphlet Meltdown and Canadian eco-socialist Ian Angus. In March we launched the Voices from Venezuela book and gave report-backs from the December Venezuela solidarity brigade at the Hobart Bookshop.

Rene and Linda, with the help of other members, have played an important solidarity role with the people of El Salvador, including organizing an El Salvadorian MP and health worker to tour down here, and Rene has made sure that the campaigns to Free the Cuban Five and end the coup in Honduras were given some expression here.

Tim Dobson has taken initiative in organizing Tamil solidarity events including a rally, book launch and forum. Tim Douglas, Duncan and Mel have stayed involved with the simmering campaign against the Pulp Mill. We have been out to the Florentine a few times to support the activists fighting old growth logging there and participated in the solidarity arrest-me-too action in town earlier this year.

We should remember to raise our glasses for one of the biggest victories for the people and the environment this year, the Save Ralph's Bay campaign success when the planning body released its draft report finding that the cons majorly outweighed the pros. So this massive canal development is very unlikely to be given the green light needed for construction, and the birds and ecosystem of the area can survive.

Resistance joined lots of people at O'week and played a great role in reviving the environment collective on campus this year.

Other achievements of our branch this year have included pulling off a refugee rights protest outside Duncan Kerr's office and one near the mall, a Palestine vigil, a protest against the war in Afghanistan when Rudd came to town in October, raising the flag for the Western Sahara people, hosting a Get Up forum on a bill of rights, involving lots of members in a successful Sustainable Living Expo stall over 2 days in November, organising a stall at the climate festival in Launceston in March, supporting a protest in solidarity with Ark Tribe and the COAG action when Rudd was in town in April. I'm sure there's also lots more things that I haven't included.

Linda has played a leading role in NTEU campaign, and Jenny and myself have been involved recently in the health professional industrial campaign. Members have traveled interstate to participate in the National Climate Summit, the Latin American Solidarity Conference, the Easter World at a Crossroads conference, Resistance national conference and FMLN meetings.

We have also made a good start on our March 2010 election campaign, with two members stepping forward into the role of candidates to take socialist ideas out to a broader audience. Mel and Jenny are both fantastic representatives of the Alliance and have the full support of our branch. We have a good team in place to help with the campaign, and have already produced and distributed hundreds of leaflets introducing our candidates and explaining our main policy points, as well as begun developing the campaign website, corflutes and policy. Only a small number of people came to our first election forum on December 3, but we will be sure to look for many more opportunities next year for our candidates to speak. Socialist Alliance Hobart is one of the smaller branches in the country, and I think that it is obvious that all those involved put in an enormous amount of work to pull off the range and number of events that we do.

On top of this, we try and stay engaged in the political and activist life of the city by building and attending other progressive organisations' forums and events. We also make a big effort to reach out and engage with the general public by doing regular stalls in the city, at uni, at the Salamanca markets and at rallies and events. No-one in Hobart is paid to do any of this work, it is all purely voluntary. It couldn't be done without members working as a team, and while there are moments of frustration for organizers who feel like they are carrying the can, for the most part I am proud to say that the Hobart branch functions as a very skillful and dynamic team. In small branch it is easy for personality clashes to wreak havoc, or for people to take their frustrations out on each other, but with good democratic processes and a focus on the urgent task of social and environmental change at hand, we manage to cohere a very effective team of activists, with everyone playing an important role, no matter how small or large the time commitment or no matter how trivial or complex the task.

Alby, one of our longer term members, has been an integral part of that team, and we will be very sad to see him go. Brisbane branch are lucky to be getting a ready-made revolutionary activist and team player like Alby coming their way!

We have 7 or so members going to Sydney in January for the 7th national Socialist Alliance conference, which will be a fantastic opportunity to take the Alliance forward in terms of policy development, campaign planning and gearing up for the 2010 federal elections. We hope to gain lots of ideas from other branches, and come away with some clear priorities for campaigning. So, while we will be having a well-earned break for a few weeks over the festive season, we will be gearing up again in mid-January next year for another year of frantic, fast-paced socialist activism. I would like to thanks everyone for their support over the course of this year, and encourage you to join us and get involved in whatever way you can next year. All the campaigns will be continuing as there remains an urgent need to see some real improvement in our governments' climate change strategies and social justice approach.

In the meantime, have a wonderful Christmas and New Year festive season.

In solidarity,Susan