Sunshine Kealba Quarry - Barro Group plans for a tip

While Brimbank Council have rejected Barro’s application to turn a large section of the quarry into a tip for building waste, Barro have now appealed this decision to VCAT (the Victorian appeals tribunal).
Barro want a tip that will take up to 80 years to fill and there is no guarantee that it won’t be used to dispose of contaminated materials such as batteries, or asbestos, because the EPA can’t and won’t monitor the tipping often enough.
There is no guarantee that contaminants will not leach into the river valley, or that further erosion of the escarpment won’t occur.
The concrete batching plant will continue. This means 24 hour truck access, more noise, and more dust.
The Barro Group needs to relocate the whole operation to a site that is more appropriate and well distanced from existing and future residential sub-divisions.
The remediation of the site should begin as soon as possible to create a green area in keeping with appropriate activity on the river valley. This tip can be stopped, but only if community members take action and tell Barro they don’t want it.

Residents met last Monday to plan for their legal fight at VCAT. In addittion, the community has deicided to organise a community protest for the 20th November.

What can you do?
The only way we have a chance of stopping this tip and getting rid of the batching plant is for our community to take action –NOW!
• Talk to your neighbours
• Turn up to VCAT to support the campaign
• Write to the local papers

Media contacts - Send a letter!
Star newspaper
Email star@starnewsgroup.com.au
17 Assembly Drive, Tullamarine 3043
Brimbank leader
brimbank@leadernewspapers.com.au
The Editor, Brimbank Leader P O Box 2155, Spotswood 3015
The Brimbank Weekly
fcnvicwestletters@fairfax.com.au
Airport West12 Howes St Airport West VIC, 3042 ph: 8318 5777

WestLink Rally


Rally to say NO new road tunnel NO new freeway

When: Saturday 13th November

Time: 12-1:30pm

Where: Hampshire Rd, opposite the Sunshine library

Speakers:
Dr Paul Mees (Senior Lecturer Transport Planning RMIT)
Colleen Hartland (Greens MLC, Western Metropolitan)
BTAG - Brimbank Transport Action Group
No Freeways 4 West Footscray
PTUA -Public Transport Users Association
Janet Rice (Greens Candidate for Footscray)
Geraldine Brooks (Greens candidate for Derrimut)



In July the state government announced 3 route options for Westlink. Their idea of consultation was to make the community choose which homes and schools should have more pollution and freeway noise.

We want the $5.3 billion dollars projected cost of Westlink which is taxpayers’ money spent on 5-10 minute train and bus services from 6am to midnight.

Westlink will not solve the problem. Freeways only ever lead to more car dependence and more traffic congestion. Most of the traffic on the Westgate is heading in to the city and it is this traffic that would use public transport if it worked. This would free up the Westgate for those cars and trucks that need it

The Ardeer-Sunshine West Powerlines Residents Group presents

We Want
PARKS
NOT POWERPOLES
ARDEER COMMUNITY PARK
FAMILY FUN DAY
Awesome live music line up, BYO picnic, sausage sizzle and more.
Come along and show your support for the ‘parks not power poles’ campaign.
Bring a picnic and blanket and join the fun.
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 7
1-3pm @ARDEER COMMUNITY PARK
Forrest St Ardeer
Ring John for information or updates on 93631090

A six point plan for better Public Transport
Geraldine Brooks- Lower house candidate for Derrimut
30 October 2010

“People in Melbourne's West are sick and tired of a failing public transport system, this issue comes up time and time again out on the campaign trail, “said Geraldine Brooks, Greens candidate for Derrimut at the launch of the Greens Six Point Plan to Fix Public Transport.

“It is the Greens who are strongly committed to fast, frequent, well connected, safe and accessible public transport for Victoria. A key step in achieving that is the establishment of an independent and accountable Public Transport Authority,” Geraldine said.

“There’s a myriad of agencies connected to the provision of public transport, The Greens would abolish these bureaucracies and transfer their powers and funding, but not necessarily their staff, to the new Public Transport Authority.”

Under the Greens plan urgent problems needing immediate action would be tackled, buses, rail, myki and a future growth taskforce all in the mix.

V/Line was taken back into public hands in 2003. Until recently, it operated in limbo, as the Bracks and Brumby governments tried to devise a way to reprivatise it. As a result, there has been little long-term planning. It needs reform, rather than wholesale replacement.

“There needs to be a concerted effort to integrate our regional transport and devise an integrated rail-bus network connecting regional Victorians to local, inter-regional and Melbourne destinations. This includes a staged program for track duplications, electrification and standardisation to allow for additional services across regional Victoria,” Geraldine concluded.

The Greens Six Point Plan to Fix Public Transport:
1. End the failed privatisation experiment
2. Establish a powerful, accountable public transport authority
3. Fixing urgent problems
4. Make public transport safe
5. Extend rail and tram systems
6. Integrated public transport for regional Victoria

For the detailed plan click here.

Overhead powerlines for Ardeer/Sunshine West - No way!

Our community today held a protest in Ridgeway Pde West Sunshine. Local residents tied black ribbons around the new 15m poles which Powercor wants to hold high voltage powerlines.

The ribbons symbolise the illness and death associated with the exposure to high levels of electromagnetic radiation that will come from the high voltage powerlines proposed by Powercor to run through our neighbourhood.

Prolonged exposure to electromagnetic fields greater than 0.3-0.4uT is associated with childhood leukaemia (World Health Organisation), and Powercor’s own study indicates children playing at the Ridgeway Parade kindergarten will be exposed to electromagnetic fields of this magnitude at the front fence, where they play.

These electromagnetic fields will put our children’s health at risk. Our children currently attend the kindergarten for up to 10 hours a week; by 2013 this will be 15 hours a week. Some children are also living in houses (while others are cared for by grandparents for long periods of time) along the route of the new powerlines.

When is Powercor going to start acting as the member of our community it insists it is? And when is this community member going to ensure this project is delivered ina a manner that looks after our best interests rather than the interests of its shareholders?

want to know more...click here for more information from the Ardeer West Sunshine Powerlines Action Group.

Powercor need to realise this overhead line will not be built and it is up to them how that happens.

Sunshine Kindergarten Trivia Night
Come along for a great night of entertainment and local fun and support our local kindergarten.

Rod Quantock Comedy Night Pardon my Carbon - Friday 5 November
**Special offer for all Greens branches and election campaign teams: book a group of ten or more, and get tickets to this once-off show for just $15 each - so, give your members a cheap deal OR ask them to pay normal price and keep the proceeds towards your campaign!** A State Election Fundraiser for the Darebin Greens and the Northern Metro Region Campaign. Friday 5 November 2010, snacks and drinks (at bar prices) in the bar at 7.00pm. Show at 7.30pm. New Council Chambers @ Trades Hall, 54 Victoria St (Cnr Lygon St) Carlton. A special Greens evening of laughs with our favourite political satirist Rod Quantock. 'For sheer cheek and inventiveness, the amazing Rod Quantock must take the honours. Bizarre, fresh, theatrically dangerous, unpredictable' The Guardian, London.
'Wit, warmth and aplomb... wise, scary, funny' The Age, Melbourne. Mr McLelland's "Finishing School" in the bar afterwards (classic indie, modern indie, 60s rock, 60's soul and eclectic pop) - only $5 with your ticket or free before 9:30. Cost: $20 Conc / $30 workers / $40 keen and green ? GROUP OFFER: buy 10 or more for $15 each - branches welcome to book a group as a fundraiser for their campaigns (please let Sarah know when you book who will be paying for and collecting tickets (highly preferred) and/or forward a list of attendees). RSVP to Sarah - darebinbranch@vic.greens.org.au 0405 547 542. *please let Sarah know if you need wheelchair access*

Greens - State election Campaign Launch
Event Dates: 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm, Sun, 7 November, 2010
Location: Richmond, Melbourne
Venue: Amora Hotel, 649 Bridge Rd Richmond, Melbourne
Join Bob Brown and the Victorian Greens to launch what could be another history making election campaign. In August, the Victorian Greens sent two locals, Adam Bandt and Richard Di Natale, to federal parliament for the first time. Now, we are looking to Spring St, where the Greens look likely to add members to the upper house, and for the first time, the lower house of state parliament.

Some of the Greens’ biggest names will be there, including Bob Brown, Adam Bandt, Richard Di Natale, Greens candidates Brian Walters, Kathleen Maltzahn, and Cyndi Dawes, and our current Greens MLCs Greg Barber, Colleen Hartland, and Sue Pennicuik, as well as all our state candidates and supporters.

Come along to the beautiful Amora Hotel by the river in Richmond, and afterwards enjoy a river walk. Food and drink provided.

switch off hazelwood


suport the switch off hazelwood protest and demand that we fund reknewable engery - NOW!

Hazelwood Power Station
The Hazelwood power station, located near Morwell in the Latrobe Valley of Victoria, is Australia’s most polluting power station, pumping and average 17 million tons of greenhouse gases every year, equal to the total caused by all 1.4 million households in the state capital Melbourne.

International Power Hazelwood employs 520 people, according to the company’s statistics. (www.ippic.com). There are 209 people employed in the mine, 242 in the power station and the remaining 69 are employed in management, sales,administration, information technology and purchasing

The power station and mine are majority owned by the UK-based company International Power (which also owns Loy Yang B power station), Hazelwood was scheduled to be decommissioned by 2009 due to its excessive carbon dioxide emissions, however the State Government in 2005 extended its life until 2031.

The state government has made no firm commitment to close Hazelwood, and is currently considering another application for a new coal fired power station in the Latrobe Valley - the HRL Dual Gas, 'clean coal' plant, whilst painting themselves green with token investments in renewable energy - just in time for the election... So come show your concern and let's get a solid commitment and clear timeline to phase out Hazelwood, reject new coal developments, and implement plans to re-power the valley, and the nation!
If you can't make it on Sunday, be sure to attend the Melbourne based "Rally to Replace ALL of Hazelwood" Saturday November 6, 1pm, State Library.

Sanctuary Lakes Club

Tim Pallas arrived at the Sancutuary Lakes Resort to talk roads with local business people. You can buy time to chat to Tim it seems, but he isn't listening to ordinary residents who say they dont want roads, they want public transport!

Powercor: do the right thing

Residents from Ardeer and Sunshine West gathered this morning at Ardeer Station to travel to Parliament House to protest against high Voltage powerlines throught their suburb.

Geraldine had this to say at the rally: I am here today because, like you, I care about our neighbourhood and the future of our children. I want our government to listen and make powercor put the powerlines underground. And I want them to sort out how it is going to be paid for without expecting our community to pay for it

When powercor started to put up high voltage powerpoles through our neighbourhood without consulting us. They showed contempt for the impact on our families, and they gave no thought to the health of our children and the eyesore they were creating

They have thought only about the cheapest and most convenient construction method for themselves

Unfortunately when Powercor came back to us last week with a proposal to put the lines underground after we told them we would not accept their overhead powerlines, instead of being an offer in good faith, it seems it was a proposal full of deceit.

It sounds grand. $2million. But there is a catch…there is a $900,000 shortfall, making it worthless if the money can't be found somewhere.

This makes us ask: is this really a genuine offer to put the power lines underground, or is this a plan cooked up by the government and powercor to buy us off and make us think we are getting a good deal so that the embarrassing problem of us go away before the election


This government needs to listen because while it was the Kennet liberal government that sold the SEC for a quick buck, Brumby was part of the opposition that did nothing to fight it, so instead of the electricity company being owned by us , accountable to us, and acting in our best interests, we now have a multinational conglomerate who is answerable first and last to their shareholders

This multinational group that now owns Powercor ,Cheong Kong, posted a ½ yearly profit of over $1600 million this year. They can well afford to do the right thing

Our community want s these powerlines and any others planned for our area put underground. And we want this done at no cost to our council or our community.

Derrimut Benefit Gig

What a wonderful afternoon! about 50 friends and supporters turned up to enjoy a relaxing afternoon of great music and great company.



Many Thanks to everyone.

Support Sunvale

Rally Saturday 9th November

The sunvale primary school is an ideal location for a community ccentre, park and recreation for the Sunshine Community. Brimbank Council's own open space strategy identifies a lack of open space in this part of the municipality and yet encourages an increasing population through increased housing density. if we are to suport a growing population we need facilities and services to support this.

Sunshine has amongst the highest unemployment in Victoria at over 10%, we have growing rates of obesity, diabetes, mental illness and other chronic health issues which desperately need addressing. If the state government is serious about tackling these health issues a preventative health approach must be taken and more investment needs to be made in parks, recreation spaces, as well as better access to local community health services and places that our community can get together to talk to one another.

On The Campaign Trail

Come and join me for these community meetings and street stalls for discussion of the issues that affect you.
The electorate of Derrimut is faced with a number of very important local issues incuding the proposed Barro tip, Westlink, inadequate public transport, poor access to community health and dental services, as well ending up with new high voltage powerlines through Ardeer as yet again the west of melbourne is taken for granted.

Thu 29th July 2010 11a-12p
Street Stall
Main Rd East
St Albans
4th August 2010 7pm - with Colleen Hartland
Transport Meeting
Errington Community Centre
St Albans
5th August 2010 11a-12p
Street Stall
Glengala Rd
West Sunshine
7th August 2010 10-12pm - with Colleen Hartland
Street Stall
Cnr Station Rd and Ballarat Rds
Deer Park

Powerlines Update
The Ardeer West Sunshine Powerline Action Group was formed last night to organise its response to the controversial erection of power poles in Ardeer without community consultation. you can link to recent media here.

The group is planning:

• A written response to the environmental impact assessment.
• Letter writing workshop for residents with limited english.
• A Protest rally.
• Meeting with Powercor and council.
• Discussion with ETU for support for community picket. The ETU has already expressed in principle support for our campaign..click here to link to the ETU.
  

While powercor contines to tell our community that these lines are safe, and within the ICNIRP guidelines designed to ensure an extremely low level of exposure, this is a myth. Our research shows that all overhead 66kV lines emit EMF's in a range of .5-40uT (Powercors own modelling says the level would be .7uT at 10m).

While Australia subscribes to these 1998 safety guidelines, the guidelines ignore the more recent pooled analysis of 20 epidemiological studies by the World Health Organisation task group (2002) which found an association between prolonged exposure to electromagnetic fields above .3-.4 uT and childhood leukaemia. There are children living on Ridgeway pde, Whitesides ave and Nancy streets, children attending the kindergarten and being cared for by grandparents in the area, who will be exposed to this electromagnetic field for many hours a day.

Letter sent to local papers


Residents tabled a petition to council at their recent meeting which requests that Powercor place underground the proposed 66kV powerlines through Ardeer.

We hope that council will continue to represent the interests of residents by raising their legitimate concerns and cancelling the permit for these works as Powercor have failed to comply with conditions of the permit which required them to consult with our community.

In our view, consultation means discussing Powercor’s aims with our community and being willing to hear our concerns and to negotiate. Consultation does not mean sending a pattern letter to residents saying what Powercor intends to do after the poles have been erected or seeking retrospective approval for the removal of trees.

To date Powercor continue to say they will not pay for the line to be placed underground despite the fact that the Powercor/CitiPower entity, returned a $AU69.5 million profit last year and their parent company Spark Infrastructure reporting an increase in total underlying income of 14.5% to $266.0 million.

Powercor has not supplied any evidence that there will not be adverse health effects as a result of EMF from the 66Kv lines. They have tried to tell us that the exposure of up to 100uT is safe according to 1998 guidelines while more recent (2007) World Health Organisation analysis acknowledges that prolonged EMF (electromagnetic field) exposures above .4uT (microtesla) are associated with childhood leukaemia. The impact study paid for by Pwercor uses computer modelling to predict the EMF from these lines and estimates a figure of .6-.7uT at 10m, however, UK literature on EMF’s under a 66kV line say the EMF varies from .5-40uT. This is especially important given the proximity of the Ridgeway Parade kindergarten, only 10m from the base of these poles.

Powercor continues to try to tell us that this line will improve the reliability of electricity supply to residents in the area. This line is not supplying power to Ardeer residents, it is supplying power to the industrial estate on the other side of the ring road, where ironically the lines will then go underground.

It seems that while we remain a safe Labor seat our community will continue to be taken for granted. Given the Liberals track record of privatisation, defunding of services in the west and antiworker legislation I don’t believe they are the solution either. It is time we demand better for our area and that includes electing genuine, local representatives with a track record.

Powerlines meeting success

Last night the Ardeer Community met to demand yet again that the 66kV powerlines being put through Ardeer be placed underground.

80 residents attended a very productive meeting at which we formed a community committee to organise the next steps including: a response to the EIA, protest action, letter writing workshop and getting information out to our community in community languages.


all present passed a resolution to demand the undergrounding of the power lines.


I have also spoken directly to Howard Worthing at the ETU who has said the ETU will back the action group on this issue and will consider a number of specific things we have asked them to do.

Colleen Hartland has organised a series of community meetings to discuss the impact of Westlink through our neighbourhoods. She has been a strong advocate for our community and continues to say NO to westlink because it is an inefficient, polluting and uneconomic plan which will only lead to increased traffic. Come and join us in standing up to the Brumby governments car and truck plan.
The Greens have a real transport plan which will deliver fast efficient public transport and cost a fraction of this proposed road!

Remaining Westling meetings are:

West Footscray
YMCA cnr Market St & Essex St West Footscray 7pm Thurs 17 June
West Sunshine
West Sunshine Community Centre
25 Kermeen Street, West Sunshine 2pm Sun 11 July
Glengala
Glengala Community Centre
Glengala Road, West Sunshine 7pm Tues 13 July
Sunshine
Uniting Church Conference Centre 28 Withers St, SUNSHINE 7pm Thurs 15 July

Yesterday, May 31, the international community was shocked when in international waters, --tens of thousands of miles off the coast of Gaza-- nearly one hundred Israeli paratroops jumped from helicopters, in the wee small hours, recklessly shooting on hundreds of peaceful people from various nationalities, causing them --according to press reports-- no less than 20 dead and scores of injured.
I think we should use the experience of South Africa, where we know that the sanctions had a great impact. It took time, but they had an impact. We need to see Israel for the Apartheid that for what it really has been doing to the Palestinian people for the last 40 years.

Greens Media Release – Monday May 24, 2010
Brumby Betrays Melbourne with East/West Tunnel
New documents uncovered by Greens MP Greg Barber last week show The Brumby Government is still planning to build the controversial East/West Tunnel, despite local campaigners defeating the project last year.
“The Brumby Government is betraying the people of Melbourne by continuing with the unnecessary East/West Tunnel after they had let us think we had got rid of it,” said Melbourne Greens candidate Brian Walters today.
“Several parks are at risk if this project is allowed to go ahead, and it will do nothing to solve the real transport problems of our city.
“The Greens know, the people of Melbourne know, and independent experts know, that this money should go towards improving public transport, not towards expensive, ineffective roads.”
Independent expert Professor Peter Newman, who is on the advisory council of the federal government's Infrastructure Australia fund, said there is no longer a strong case for funding ''incredibly expensive road projects''.
''The reason we gave $4.6 billion to urban rail projects was that it was economically the best option,'' Professor Newman said, adding that car use in Australian cities has declined in the past five years.
''This is an historic point: after going up every year for 100 years, it has spent five years going down. The reality is that public transport is going gangbusters.''