The speakers are lined up and ready to go. The room is laid out. The free lunch is being prepared. All we need now is you. Don’t miss your chance to hear the minister for climate change, the leader of the opposition and the leader of The Greens debate the upcoming emission reduction target for the ACT.
Our federal leaders avoided the hard questions about climate change in their debate at the Press Club last Sunday, but, much to their credit, our local representatives have agreed to answer all the questions you put to them. So come along, find out where your representatives stand and have your voice heard.
Date: Thursday 29 July 2010.
Time: 12:30 – 1:30.
Location: ACT Legislative Assembly, London Circuit.
With the National government abandoning its climate change policy to a “giant focus group” action at the local level has become more critical than ever. The ACT Government is deciding on the target it will take to the Legislative Assembly right now! They need to here your voice and they need to hear your voice now. As citizens we need to leave no doubt in the minds of our elected representatives that we want real action on Climate change.
The most effective way that you can make your voice heard is by sending them a letter. If you can, please send a letter to your local MLA asking them to adopt a 40% target. Click here for instuructions on how to write a letter to your MLA. Remember to remind them that they are YOUR elected representatives and that the emissions target they set will sway the way you vote in the next election.
Together we can make Canberra into an example that the rest of our nation can follow.
Last week was a wonderful success. Our Southside community forum was well attended and featured stimulating dialogue between the community and our elected representatives. Similarly our very successful letter writing workshop led to the creation of a very nice guide to letter writing (thanks Scott). Now all that is needed is for you to get out your pencil and paper and start writing those letters. If we want real change in our community we need as many letters as possible to land on the desks of all our MLAs.
In other news the invites for our forum at the legislative assembly have been created. If you only come to one love 40% event, then make it this one. It will feature the climate spokespeople from all three parties and will be your best opportunity to share your view with our politicians. The forum will be held on the 29th of July between 12:30 and 1:30.
Finally, just a quick reminder that we have a meeting tonight (Monday 19th of July) at 6.30pm in Room G015 of the Crisp Building, ANU.
Ever wanted to write a letter to a politician but not been quite sure where to start? Well you’re in luck. This Saturday (17th 0f July) we’ll be running a letter writing workshop to share skills on how to write letters to your local MLAs. The workshop will be held between 11am and 3pm at the Conservation Council, 17 Childers St, Acton. This will be a fairly informal affair so please feel free to drop by whenever is convenient for you and for as long as you want between 11 and 3. Bring a plate of food to share if you are able and a laptop if you have one.
If you can’t come along we would still love you to have your voice heard by our MLAs so head on over to our letter writing page for the names and addresses of your elected representatives. We have been presented with a rare opportunity to create real change here in the ACT. It is up to the entire community to make sure that this potential is realised.
From our friends at A Chorus of Women:
Call for singers for Floriade performances to change the climate
Rehearsals will recommence on Sunday 18 July (at the end of school holidays) for an extraordinary production which voices the deep concern in the Canberra community about the crisis of climate change.
We seek your help in filling The Museum of Australian Democracy in Old Parliament House with the sound of a big Chorus of Citizens.
We are preparing three performances during Floriade of ‘The Gifts of the Furies’, a dramatic story-song by local composer Glenda Cloughley about relations between people and Earth. Performances are on Saturdays 11th, 18th and 25th of September.
All voices are welcome. Basses and tenors are especially encouraged.
Please visit our website for details and background information. A commitment to rehearsals from 18 July would be needed – ask us for a rehearsal schedule. Experienced choristers who cannot commit to all rehearsals are encouraged to ring Johanna McBride (0402 050 885) to discuss their involvement.
Anyone interested is asked to make contact as soon as possible.
Email: chorusofwomen@incanberra.com.au
While we might have been a bit quiet of late, there’s been lots of action behind the scenes as a rising tide of proud local Canberrans get on board with our campaign. First up is the Southside community forum that will be held tomorrow, Tuesday the 13th of July at 7pm at St James Church, 40 Gillies St, Curtin. At the forum you will be able to put your questions and concerns directly to the environment minister, Simon Corbell, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Shane Rattenbury, as well as Caroline Le Couteur MLA and Amanda Bresnan MLA. The night will be hosted by See-Change and, if the Northside forum is anything to go by, will be a night not to be missed.
And if that wasn’t enough for you we have the grand finale in our series of forums coming up on the 29th of July which will be held in the Legislative Assembly. This will be hosted by Sarina Locke of 666 ABC local radio fame and will, for the first time, be attended by the climate spokespeople of all three major parties, Zed Seselja (Liberal), Simon Corbell (ALP) and Shane Rattenbury (Greens). The forum will go from midday to 2pm and will be an event not to be missed, so go put it in your diary now.
As well as making waves in our own community we’ve been making them nationally as well. We were approached last week by the National Library of Australia for permission to archive the love40percent website as a historically significant document. Further more, they will include any publications we now create in the National Bibliographic Database, a database of catalogue records shared by over 5,200 Australian libraries. This is yet another clear indication of just how important our shared campaign is.
Finally, our next organising meeting will be held on Monday 19 July, 6.30pm, ANU Crisp Building, Room G015. Please come along to share your ideas and enthusiasm.
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