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permaculture - Re: [active-sydney] Letter from Bob Brown: "Stop the Democrats' sell-out"

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  • From: Russ Grayson + Fiona Campbell <pacedge@magna.com.au>
  • To: permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: [active-sydney] Letter from Bob Brown: "Stop the Democrats' sell-out"
  • Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 19:55:49 +1000


> Forwarding from Australia
>
> ...Fiona
>
> John Kaye wrote:
>
> > Dear fellow environmentalist,
> >
> > I urge you to take action to stop the Democrats GST bargaining with the
> > Howard Government. Even if they make no further concessions, the
> > Democrats' package would cause huge damage to the environment.
> >
> > Here are some factors:
> >
> > a) The Democrats are offering a $1 billion annual subsidy to diesel
> > fuel consumption.
> >
> > b) This is on top of the $1.5 billion annual subsidy already in
> > place.
> > Total $2.5 billion per annum! This is money directed away from health,
> > education and other social services.
> >
> > c) The additional $1 billion per annum to promote consumption of
> > diesel compares with $36 million per annum for the Government's Greenhouse
> > initiatives.
> >
> > d) Burning diesel produces carcinogens. This will add to the present
> > Australian death rate from such toxins of 1000 people each year.
> >
> > e) Up to $700 million of the Democrats subsidy will go to the mining
> > corporations including BHP, WMC, North and Boral.
> >
> > f) woodchippers will get a $1 per tonne subsidy for trucking
> > destroyed
> > forest to the woodchip mills.
> >
> > g) North Pty Ltd will be far short of the biggest winner: but it will
> > gain $3 million per annum for carting Tasmanian wild forests, including
> > rainforests, to destruction. North will get a smaller premium for
> > trucking
> > uranium from its Ranger and Jabiluka mines.
> >
> > h) The health costs of the Democrats package may be $100 million per
> > annum.
> >
> > i) No subsidy will go to solar or wind power.
> >
> > j) Because the Democrats offer will give power utilities using diesel
> > generation a $52 million gift, there will be a crippling competitive
> > disadvantage for solar, wind and energy efficiency.
> >
> > k) The package threatens to kill Australia's potential as a world
> > leader in alternative power production, especially solar power.
> >
> > l) If the GST is introduced, it will block ecological tax reform for
> > a
> > decade. And environment groups will have to fight every budget to stop
> > further expansion of the diesel subsidy.
> >
> > m) The Democrats are reneging on their election commitment to keep
> > food GST-free, now promoting the GST on prepared foods from cooked
> > breakfasts to sandwiches, rolls and pies - increasingly part of poorer
> > Australians' consumption patterns.
> >
> > n) The package will hit NGO's and community groups - for example,
> > wilderness shops and membership fess will be GST'd. Groups will face
> > greatly increased bookkeeping and auditing obligations and costs.
> >
> > But the core damage of the Democrats plan is the $1 billion rebate for the
> > burning of diesel fuel, in particular to the miners and woodchippers.
> > This
> > is unconscionable in an age where the Greens, like many European
> > governments, are advocating taxes on pollution especially burning of
> > fossil
> > fuels such as diesel, and incentives for clean alternatives. The
> > Australian Greens' modest carbon tax proposal for example would boost jobs
> > by promoting solar power and enabling payroll taxes to be abolished.
> >
> > In the Senate I will take the Democrats anti-environmental package
> > head-on.
> > But the best chance of averting its damaging effects lies with you and
> > community action.
> >
> > Urgent action is essential. If the Democrats join Labor, the Greens and
> > Senator Harradine, the GST package will be defeated in the Senate.
> >
> > Please debate the issue in your group. Lobby your local MP, especially
> > Democrats. Call talkback radio. Write to your newspaper. Join an
> > environment group or the Greens. Go into action knowing there are
> > excellent, environmentally-sound tax alternatives for Australia.
> >
> > Yours Sincerely
> >
> > Bob Brown
> >
> > CC: Leader of the Opposition, Kim Beazley
> > Opposition Environment Spokesperson, Senator Nick Bolkus
> >
> > --------------------------------
> > John Kaye
> > ph & fax: (02) 9389 4986
> > mobile: 0407 1954 55
> > email: john@nsw.greens.org.au
> > --------------------------------
> >
> > === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === ===
> > active-sydney and the weekly active-sydney-calendar are mailing
> > lists for anyone interested in any form of active positive social
> > change. They are an electronic 'information central' about talks,
> > actions, festivals, meetings, films, gigs, funraisers, court cases,
> > conferences and the rest!
> > .
> > active-sydney's website is http://www.active.org.au/
> > .
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> > .
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> > .
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> > .
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