Make Melbourne Green

Helping to elect Australia’s first Green Lord Mayor just got a whole lot more fun:

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(Please click the flyer for a full-sized version)

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Bookings

You can book through the mail or by phone.

To book by mail, please download this form and return it by the morning of August 21st.

To book by phone, please call Rohan on 0421 578 918 with your credit card details.

Purchase your tickets soon - limited seats!

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Full line-up announced!

The Melbourne City Greens held a successful fund-raiser on Wednesday night, hosted by former Lord Mayor (1988-89) Winsome McCaughey, the city’s second female Lord Mayor and one of the first dedicated conservationists to chair council.

Four eco-friendly wineries, including McCaughey’s own Baddaginnie Run, set up at Acquum in North Melbourne to provide attendees, including all Greens Melbourne City Council candidates, and councillors and MLCs from across the city, with a wonderful selection of wines to taste and buy.

Ms McCaughey addressed the crowd, speaking about the need for all levels of government to start seriously tackling climate change, and threw her support behind Greens lead Councillor candidate and long-time friend Cathy Oke.

Ms McCaughey’s comments came just hours after the federal government released its Emissions Trading Green Paper, a document fraught with problems and mixed-messages. She, like the Greens Council Candidates, expressed concern that the proposed Emissions Trading Scheme simply won’t send a signal for change.

Finishing with cause for hope, Greens Lord Mayor Candidate Adam Bandt outlined measures that all levels of government should be taking to provide Australians with practical ways to fight climate change. He hinted at what a council with more elected Greens could do with the tens of millions of council dollars currently being funneled into State Government projects… The Greens’ Solar Panel Initiative will be announced in the coming months!

The Melbourne City Greens hosted a public forum on Thursday called “Beyond The Lockout“, as reported on Channel 9’s live cross on the 6 o’clock news. (right: Greens Lord Mayor Candidate Adam Bandt)

Attended by Licensees, consumers, members of Victoria Police, members of various drug and alcohol organisations, staffers for State Parliamentarians and a current Melbourne City Councillor, the meeting heard from four speakers before an extensive question and answer session and discussion.

As Peter Hitchener of Channel 9 reported, the meeting was called to look at alternatives to the 2am lockout, which had “descended into farce”.

Many ideas were raised, including ID scanners and breathalysers inside venues, by audience members*. But the most common response from attendees was that existing laws needed to be properly policed. Many also questioned the extent of the problem, with Adam Bandt citing the tabloid nature of the recent interest in the issue and likening the ill-conceived lockout regulations to “cracking a walnut with a sledgehammer”. That is not to say that there isn’t a problem: no meeting attendee was willing to deny that more should be done to ensure that the inner city is safer after dark.

The Greens, through consultation and a measured approach that hasn’t pandered to media frenzy, have prepared their Night-time Safety in the CBD policy, which was released on the weekend. It is the first of many policy statements that will be released in the lead-up to November’s council elections.

You can find the newly released policy here.

*Not Greens endorsed. For the official Greens response, read the policy above.

Above: Hundreds of protesters spell the words “CLIMATE EMERGENCY” in Alexandra Gardens, and Greens Lead Councillor Candidate Dr Cathy Oke with Senator Bob Brown.

Climate Emergency Rally and the Draft Garnaut Report

On Saturday afternoon the Green Melbourne City Council Candidates attended the Climate Emergency Rally organised by a coalition of 60 community groups, including the Greens, that are frustrated with State and Federal government inaction on climate change.

A great turnout sent a clear message that we all want positive action immediately to address the Climate Emergency facing us all. Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown was one of the guest speakers, urging greater Government action NOW!

The rally came a day after Professor Ross Garnaut’s draft report on Climate Change was released - ironic timing given that a day earlier, Premier John Brumby announced another greenhouse gas intensive coal fired power plant for Victoria.

Dear The Hon Bronwyn Pike MLA,

(click to zoom)

Yours sincerely,

The People of Kensington

The Greens are holding a wine tasting night to help raise funds for our campaign to elect Australia’s first Green Lord Mayor. It’s on Wednesday July 16th 2008 from 5:30pm to 8:30pm, upstairs at Acquum, 364 Victoria Street, North Melbourne. Entry is $20, which includes wine-tasting from four eco-friendly Victorian wineries as well as nibbles. Please RSVP to events@makemelbournegreen.com. Read on for details of the four wineries follows: