A message from John Lloyd to  members of Benalla Sustainable Future Group

Some of you may be aware that BSFG has had a small working group investigating the possibility of a Community Owned Renewable Energy project for Benalla. The working group’s aim is to have Benalla become a zero net energy town which no longer relies on non-renewable energy. This would take a number of years to achieve and would certainly require council and community support.
 
The working group will be making a presentation to the council on Wednesday evening about this goal and will be seeking council support to work towards our ‘vision’ of a 100% renewable Benalla.
It would be good if some BSFG members were also there to listen to the presentation and show councillors that we are a significant group in the community.
 
Wednesday’s council meeting is a public meeting and we are scheduled to make our presentation at 6pm in the Council Meeting Room/Council Chambers in Mair Street. Opposite the information centre.
I hope to see some of you there.

It isn't too late to send a message to the Environment Minister Hunt and Assistant Treasurer Kelly O'Dwyer to reject concerning anti democratic restrictions on environment charities.  Here is the content of the message you can send through to them by signing the online petition organized by Environment Victoria.  This could also be useful should you decide to write to local politicians, petition others.  

"Dear Assistant Treasurer O'Dwyer and Environment Minister Hunt,

I am calling on you to reject outright the recommendations of the Inquiry Report into the Register of Environmental Organisations, which seeks to impose anti-democratic restrictions on environmental advocacy.

With an election around the corner, the Turnbull Government should distance itself from the Abbott Government's ideological attacks on environment and community groups.

Many of our most loved natural places were protected by environmental advocacy. In addition, environmental organisations provide crucial checks and balances on projects that may cause damage to sensitive ecosystems and unique wildlife.

So it’s very concerning that the House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment, headed by members of the Turnbull Government, has released a report recommending restrictions to environmental advocacy.

Recommendation 5 would require environment organisations to spend 25 percent of donations they receive on ‘environmental remediation work’ such as tree planting. 

As Jason Wood MP points out in his dissenting report, a large number of groups that do important research, education, advocacy and legal work would not meet this 25 percent target.

This is an attempt to silence charities and tie them up in bureaucratic red tape.

Recommendation 6 would penalise or sanction environment groups that ‘that encourage, support, promote, or endorse illegal or unlawful activity’. Again, as Jason Wood MP notes in his dissenting report, if it weren’t for peaceful civil disobedience, many of our most loved natural places would not have been protected. 

From the beginning this Inquiry was ideologically driven, anti-democratic and unfair in its targeting of environment charities. I am calling on you to immediately reject this report and distance your government from the Abbott Government’s ideological attacks on environment and community groups."

You can follow the following link to sign the online petition: 

If you don’t want the government to restrict speaking up for our environment, please tell the Environment Minister and Assistant Treasurer to reject this Abbott-era inquiry report >>

The Alternative Technology Association in partnership with the Greater Shepparton City Council is presenting Speed Date a Sustainability Expert on Sunday May 22nd 2016 from 1-3pm.
Registration is essential for this free event.
Get some free personalised advice from sustainable designers and eco experts.
Full details at http://sdse.ata.org.au/sdse_event/shepparton/
The Sustainability Experts include; Advanced Environmental Systems, Commodore Australia, Permaculture Specialist Dave Arnold, Design By Nature, Energy Smart Design, and James Seymour Architecture. Sustainable Building Design is now fully booked.