[Pil-pc-oceania] 1. Green think tanks; 2.(big) business as usual: NFF

[Deb Guildner]

The soft targets are us, but FYI here are the hard targets.
They may prove VERY hard to educate.
We may need a separate 'education revolution' for politicians!! (I said it 
first).

Garrett is still Environment Minsiter, but with the dubious exception of the 
two
red hot environment beacons, climate change and water !!! - which has gone
to SA's Senator Penny Wong I believe: (her credentials for this portfolio 
are unknown,
but she is a Labor power broker of sorts, and may have been given the 
sensitive portfolio
because of her superior media management skills. Spin, spin, spin! But 
what's up top?
Hopefully some bloody good advisors!).

The new A for agriculture minister is Tony Burke.
With agriculture, climate change and water out of the e-quation, one has to
wonder exactly WHAT in the environment Garrett remains responsible for...
is he to be the express attache for tree-hugging or what??
This is his punishment for media gaffes uring the campaign.  Poor Peter.

We can only hope (and try to point out to the great white hope: me-too
federal incumbents) that these issues are all interlinked, and they should 
also
institute a wider multi-ministerial Natural Resources Management-style panel 
(aka the NZ and some
states model) to fully consider the impact of all human activities across 
the
board. Otherwise projects etc may never be fully considered and become 
political footballs,
to be kicked around from pillar to post whilst everyone says it is some 
other departments portfolio
and not theirs, or worse, placed in the too hard basket and approved 
regardless of environmental consequences..

The hardest nut to crack, the National Farmers Federation, I have it from
the educated anti GM lobby, has been infiltrated by 'clones' from
multinational chemical corporations and is actively,  and in a very 
undemocratic manner,
at least in WA going against the directives of its own membership to drive 
the pro-GM lobby.

The Labor party has never understood rural issues, or the needs of rural 
business constituents,
and should it continue in this vein it may soon find itself out in the 
political cold after its first term.
It picked up a lot of seats in rural Qld which helped it gain orifice.
Appeasing noisy rural business interests however is not serving the 
country's long term best interests.

I predict that the Rudd Govt will not do anything really revolutionary in 
this first term of office.
But a competent 'professional-style' lobby group should realistically aim to 
have positive changes
instituted early in Labors second term, where these changes are 
controversial and hardest hitting in the farming community.
Yes, it may take three years of patient work before anything vaguely 
evolutionary gets up.

The Ruddites will firstly roll back some of the more recent devastating 
policies of the Howard administration:
Work choices (which seem to have been just as unpopular in the struggling 
rural sector electorates) will be first to go.
Rural health will also need attention. After education, what next?
Water will continue to be a neadache and much money needs to be spent on 
infrastructure to conserve it.

Measures to combat climate change will be the ones to watch: the giant 
waiting in the wings, the carbon offset economy, is poised to spring..
That and crops for biofuels. Watch these developments carefully.  We all 
know that monocultures and using more chemicals are not the buzzwords of 
sustainability, and therefore these sorts of measures, while applying a 
quick fix, do not help us navigate our way out of climate change. We all 
know why.
These are precisely the areas in which the green brains trust needs to get 
active, pronto.
Given we are a nation without knowledge of susatinable forestry, and only 
about 15-20% sustainable agriculture,
aspring permaculture lobbysists need to consult with those who are currently 
successfully practising these.
Shining examples of principles in practise should be held up to the knockers 
as examples to follow.

I feel that these last two are areas where we may be able to have a more 
positive impact, if we have the skills base to work productively with NGO's 
and govt.

Perhaps the Get up conference will be a catalyst, or ay least provide an 
opportuntiy, for bringing together those concerned about climate change from 
diverse sectors of the community, including 'permaculturists'.

Green NGO's have within their ranks an experienced set of professional 
lobbysists to engage with.
Any specific information regarding policy drafts, and associated contacts, 
within these organisations could  be posted to this list.
We need to present as a well co-ordinated, if not well resourced, well 
researched, unified front.

Cheers
Deb


      Breaking Rural News : AGRIBUSINESS AND GENERAL

     We disagree on some policies, but it's business as usual: NFF
      Australia
      Thursday, 29 November 2007

      Differences remain, especially in industrial relations and Labor's
broadband policy, but National Farmers Federation president, David Crombie,
says the NFF looks forward to working with Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, and
the new Federal Agriculture Minister, Tony Burke.
      "In the lead up to, and during the campaign, Labor addressed much of
the NFF's rural and technical education, drought relief, water security,
international trade and quarantine priorities," he said.

      "It committed to working with the NFF on climate change adaption and
mitigation strategies.

      "And, on the need for a strategic transport infrastructure overhaul.

      "But Labor's broadband policy fails to provide for rural Australia's
future by syphoning the $2 billion Communications Fund's perpetual
investment in the bush to pay for it.

      "But it's business as usual for the NFF."


Subject: Re: [Pil-pc-oceania] Permaculture lobbying


> Hi Tamara and others,
>
> Attached is copy of email sent to NSW Greens and Getup to help start
> process
> of working together, hope this is useful. I expect more useful if anyone
> has
> closer contacts with either organisation to invite to APC9.
>
> Lynette Correy
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: tamara griffiths [mailto:scarletwoman at hotmail.com]
> Subject: Permaculture lobbying
>
> Right. Howard's out. Rudd wants to find the best policies. Permaculture is
> clearly the answer. We need to get that across loud and clear. Can anyone
> out there get an audience with Garrett, the new agrigulture minister and
> rudd himself? he is looking for answers and we have them.
>
> there has been alot of discussion about lobbying instead of a permaculture
> political party. regardless of the political party status, we need to
> lobby.
>
> We need to invite garrett etc to APC9, get them to see that permaculture
> is
> the answer.
>
> Heady optomism. And 4 greens in the senate - we need to get them firmly on
> side, Get Up also.
>
> Lots of love to all,
> Tamara