Brunswick Labor.net

ALP State Conference on the weekend passed a strong resolution on the direction of transport policy in the state.

The resolution adopted on transport positions the Party following the Eddington report. It calls for a metropolitan transport action plan that

• addresses transport disadvantage by providing mobility and choice, especially in outer Melbourne;
• reaffirms our commitment to 20 percent of all journeys by public transport in metropolitan Melbourne by 2020;
• enhances the liveability of Melbourne
• addresses rail capacity constraints;
• upgrades bus service standards; and
• addresses the need for the transport sector to make a major contribution to meeting Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction target.
  

While there is much more work to be done in this area, however the ALP supreme decision-making body has made a strong statement around the priorities to be applied to transport policy.

Full text of the resolution is below the fold.

Kelvin Thomson, Federal Labor MP for Wills has labelled John Howard's failure to keep interest rates low as "Mortgage Trauma".

He says...

In Brunswick we have monthly repayments on an average 25 year mortgage reaching dizzying heights of $3196.

This equates to 68.37% of the average household income being allocated to paying off a median priced home in Brunswick.

Mortgage stress occurs when more than 30% of a household income is used to pay off a mortgage, but the situation in Brunswick is twice this figure.

The better expression for the situation would be ‘Mortgage Trauma’!

More information here.

Steve Bracks has resigned as Premier.  While the pundits and historians will make their own judgements, there can be no doubt that Brunswick has benefited greatly from Steve's tenure as Premier.

This ad – John Howard's asleep on Climate Change - will have a national run. It will go to "air" this afternoon. (July 17).


It coincides with Mr Howard's attempt to address his 11 years of inaction on climate change. Today, Mr Howard said he would introduce an emissions trading scheme, but has refused to set a date. He has also refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol on climate
change.

However, Federal Labor has strong and detailed plans on climate change. They include:

• Ratifying the Kyoto Protocol;
• Setting up a national emissions trading scheme;
  
• Cutting Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent on 2000 levels by 2050;
  
• Setting up the $500 million National Clean Coal Fund;
  
• Funding Labor's Solar Home Power Plan to help families to install solar panels;
  
• Setting up a $500 million Green Car Innovation Fund designed to generate $2 billion to secure jobs in the automotive industry and tackle climate change by manufacturing low emission vehicles in Australia;
  
• Substantially increasing the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target;
  
• Commissioning the Garnaut Review - an Australian focussed equivalent of the UK-Stern Report on the impact of climate change on both the Australian economy and jobs; and
  
• Setting a target of making half of all Commonwealth cars in its fleet environmentally friendly by 2020.

Coburg ALP Branch will meet on Tuesday 17 July, at 7.30pm in the Coburg Library Meeting Room.

This month our guest speaker is Veronica Ilias, LHMU Assistant Secretary for Childcare, who will update the branch on the Every Child Counts campaign to change Kennett era regulations governing childcare.

New Members are always welcome.

For more information contact Chris on 0403 056 494 or Nosrat on 0401 682 092.

On Saturday July 21st the Brunswick ALP Branch will hold its annual Winter Dinner.

This year the dinner is a fundraiser to support progressive campaigns in the upcoming Federal Election.

Details are below the fold.

Labor's Federal MPs representing Brunswick, Lindsay Tanner and Kelvin Thomson have started to use YouTube as an alternative means of getting their messages out in the electorate.

Here are a couple of their latest offerings, Lindsay Tanner of a winner takes all society and Kelvin Thomson on Labor's Plan for Green Homes.

This month Cr Alice Pryor will address the Coburg ALP Branch on the issue of a youth space in Moreland.

7.30pm, Tuesday 19 June, Coburg Library Meeting Room.

Call Chris on 0403 056 494 for more information

This month Dave Imber from the Tenant's Union of Victoria will speak on Rental Bidding at the Brunswick Branch.

7.30pm, Tuesday 12 June, Mayor's Room, Brunswick Town Hall

Yesterday was the Sydney Road Street Party, Brunswick's biggest community event of the year.

Brunswick & Brunswick South ALP Branches had a stall with Carlo Carli MP and Kelvin Thomson MP outside the Brunswick Town Hall. Hundreds of signatures were collected for the Save Brunswick Baths campaign, which will be presented to Council shortly.

If you missed out you can sign the petition here.

To join a branch in my electorate please contact Carlo Carli's office on 9384 1241. There are branches in the following suburbs: Brunswick, Brunswick West, Brunswick North, Coburg, Coburg South, Coburg West, Coburg North, Pascoe Vale & North Fitzroy.

New Membership Form [PDF]