2001 Federal Election
With less than a month to the federal election, Friends of the Earth Australia continues to work with other environmental groups to ensure environmental issues receive the attention they deserve.
Introduction
FoE has developed a comprehensive agenda and campaign program for the election and beyond.
Opinion polling continues to show that the majority of Australians place great importance on environmental issues, yet this is not currently reflected in the national political debate. Climate justice/ greenhouse and nuclear issues are the focus of FoE election activities at the national level. A number of local groups are also active at the state level, notably on forest issues.
FoE has appointed a number of part time campaigners who will work on raising nuclear issues during the election. Scott Alderson, Kathleen McCann and Adam Beeson can all be contacted through the FoE Melbourne office.
FoE worked with other green groups to develop policy priorities which have been put forward to all political parties, and the response of the parties has resulted in an overall ‘scorecard’ being developed for the major parties.
This election will be a significant one for the environment. When the Coalition government came to power in 1996, the mainstream green movement was split over how to relate to the Liberal Party and the Nationals. Since then, the Coalition has consistently pushed an anti-environment agenda while attempting to simultaneously ‘talk down’ the environment as an issue. It is clear that the policies and actions of the current federal government have been destructive for the environment.
This election is an opportunity for the mainstream green movement to identify itself as being part of a broader movement for social change. In 1996, with the sale of Telstra, only a small number of green groups, including FoE, actively opposed the privatisation. As a movement, we missed a significant opportunity to work with other social movements on broader political issues. Hopefully we can use the 2001 election to build bridges with other progressive sectors of society, including those working to support asylum seekers, aid and development organisations, and Indigenous groups.
The most recent election in Western Australia has highlighted the level of concern about environmental issues in the broader community, as well as the capacity of the environmental movement to have considerable influence once it organises on-the-ground campaigning. The Democrats have an opportunity to make green issues a pivotal focus of their campaign, and the Australian Greens have a number of well known activists standing in most states. The Socialist Alliance, a broad-based alliance of left groups, will make its national debut. Liberals for Forests will be active, raising the issue of whether the green movement should work with any conservative grouping (‘green’ or otherwise).
FoE Australia and political parties
While FoE never endorses ‘people, parties or products’, we want to ensure that the ‘environment’ is firmly on the national political agenda.
FoEA has worked with other environmental groups to rate the individual parties on their environmental policies (view the joint ‘scorecard’). In addition, FoE has created a scorecard of the five main parties on their nuclear policies (download the ‘nuclear’ scorecard in PDF format – you will need Adobe Acrobat reader to view it).
Media Releases
> Environment groups release final report card | November 8
> An open letter from the Senior Traditional Owner of the Mirrar People of Kakadu, Ms Yvonne Margarula | November 7
> Reactor And Waste Not Smart | November 5
> Labor Shows Nuclear Leadership | November 3
> Coalition Environment Policy A Disappointment | November 2
> South Australia – Too Good to Waste | November 1
> Democrats Environment Policy Welcomed | October 30
> Democrats Heritage Plan Welcomed | October 29
> Alp Foreign Policy: International Engagement Necessary In A Globalised World | October 26
> Environment groups disappointed by Democrats policy free preference agreements | October 25
> Greens Environment Package Visionary | October 24
> Environment groups release interim report card | October 16
> Kyoto: a good start | October 9
> Environment Groups Outline Election Campaign | September 27
More to come!
Getting involved
If you want to get involved in our election campaign, please get in touch. FoE has an email list for actions during the election. To get involved, send an email to [email protected]. Please let us know what city / area you live in.
Nuclear campaign
The FoE Australia nuclear campaign will be organising events and actions throughout the election, including marginal seat activity. To get involved, contact the campaign via FoE Melbourne;
Email: [email protected]
or ring Bruce Thompson on 0417 318 368 or Loretta O¹Brien on 0418 178 053.
Atomic Oz Roadshow
In 2000, the WA anti-nuclear movement created and staged Atomic Oz, to show the story of the nuclearisation of Australia and how ordinary people can get in its way. Played out on a giant map of Australia, the show travels from 1947 to 2001 in a circus sideshow of military, industry and Prime Ministerial figures doing their stuff with the assistance of the Public Relations aide and their pet monstrosity ‘the Friendly Atom’. This 45 minute show, packed with comedy, song, dance routines and pyrotechnics, is about celebrating our community’s desire for the 21st century to be nuclear free.
AtomicOz Roadshow itinerary:
> http://www.votenuclearfree.org/atomicoz/index.html
Save Australia Pledge
The Australian Conservation Foundation has developed the ‘Save Australia Pledge’, which identifies the five key campaign priorities of the combined green groups for the federal election. You can download the pledge as a poster from: http://www.acfonline.org.au/asp/pages/intro.asp?IdLctn=16
Vote Global
Send a postcard from the Oxfam Community Aid Abroad on-line polling booth to let politicians know your concerns extend beyond Australia’s borders:
> http://www.caa.org.au/campaigns/election/postcard/index.html
Campaign priorities
> Key campaign priorities for federal election 2001- Friends of the Earth Australia, September 2001 (download in Rich Text Format)
> Policy priorities document: Joint Environment Groups position (download in Rich Text Format)
Links
FoE Australia believes it is necessary to have a broad social and environmental agenda for the coming election.
Vote Nuclear Free
http://www.votenuclearfree.org
Vote Forests
http://www.voteforests.com
National Coalition Against Poverty
http://www.bsl.org.au/ncapwebsite/
Australian Council for Overseas Aid
http://www.acfoa.asn.au
Oxfam Community Aid Abroad
http://www.caa.org.au/campaigns/election/index.html
Greenpeace Australia
http://www.greenpeace.org.au/election/index.html
Australian Council of Social Service
http://www.acoss.org.au/papers/budget/01_02/bps2001.htm
Australian Conservation Foundation
http://www.acfonline.org.au/asp/pages/home.asp
Vote Environment; gives state by state assessment
http://www.voteenvironment.com.au/
Jubilee Australia
http://www.jubileeaustralia.org/