[Pil-pc-oceania] lobbying

[David Arnold]

Penny wrote         "We are at the next stage now where we could run local
candidates who would also like to stand under this banner. What's so wrong
with that?"

I can't think of anything wrong with that!

Local activism built on strong foundations of practical and advocacy work,
leading to fielding candidates in local elections, sounds great.

Dave




On 30/11/2007, penny pyett <pennypyett at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>  Surely lobbying isn't new to permaculture groups is it? PN has been doing
> it for years, its just part of social permaculture isn't it?. We have a
> Advocacy Team amongst our six other teams (gardening, homeskills,
> fundraising, education, shows and communications) to make sure we do that
> specific function. The AT picks up on issues raised from our monthly PN
> meetings that members raise and lobbies.  This takes the form of letters,
> submissions, deputations, petitions etc, etc.  I know it doesn't appeal to
> all our members indeed it is interesting to note that this team doesn't
> attract the largest numbers. We wanted to call it the lobbying team but a
> handful of older members objected to lobbying so we called it advocacy. It
> is also interesting to note that these were the same members who saw
> fundraising as a dirty activity too. Left to their devices we wouldnt be
> doing either and we would be still unheard of in the community. There is
> definitely art and skill involved in the process like knowing who to lobby
> then the most effective process, so having an experienced person in the
> group really helps and lobbying workshops greatly improve groups
> effectiveness. I suppose if you havn't got a permaculture group your on your
> own which is much harder and I think less effective as numbers really matter
> in this game.
>
> Lobbying at the local level bioregional level has been really effective
> for PN in attracting funding grants, land for community gardens, access to
> community facilities, influencing policy, involvement in local
> sustainability activities, recognition and credibility. We are now having
> regular monthly meetings with the Mayor in one council at the moment and
> have been offered a seat on a council sustainability advisory committee.
> Extremely important when the council has only seen sustainability as bush
> regeneration. Whilst we may not have the influence and power we would like
> to have just yet, we are now being taken seriously and we are being invited
> to the table for all sorts of things. Change happens on all sorts of levels,
> with all sorts of people and in all sorts of contexts so we need to be
> working both inside and outside the system as well under and on top of the
> table or other groups banners. But lets not be afraid to use our own banner
> too. Some people are happy to lobby under other organisations and party
> banners but I'm interested in helping to build a strong identifiable,
> credible permaculture network so want to use the permaculture one. We are at
> the next stage now where we could run local candidates who would also like
> to stand under this banner. What's so wrong with that?
>
> Penny
>
> Penny Pyett President 2007 Permaculture North Inc. (02) 9888 2575 or 1300
> 887 145 "mail to: president at permaculturenorth.org.au" Sharing sustainable
> solutions with communities.
>
> ------------------------------
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-- 
David Arnold
Permaculture Designer
4446 Murchison Rd
Violet Town VIC AUS 3669
03 5798 1679
arnold.vt at gmail.com
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