Will Victorians see climate as one of the decisive issues in this election?
Victorian election countdown – 22 days to go
Come to an election forum. Come to several!
It’s a great opportunity to ask the important questions, push for commitments and show that we care.
Sunday 9 November – Portland Candidates Forum (Premier Napthine’s seat). Fawthrop Community Centre, 2pm.
Monday 10 November – Carlton Candidates Forum. Church of All Nations, 180 Palmerston Street, Carlton (cnr Drummond St). 7pm.
Tuesday 11 November – Bendigo Election Forum on Climate. St Pauls Cathedral Hall, 8 Myers Street, Bendigo, 7pm. » www.facebook.com/events
Wednesday 12 November – Public Climate Forum: ‘Does Government Matter?’ Hawthorn Arts Centre (formerly Town Hall), 360 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn. 6:30pm. » www.facebook.com/events
Wednesday 12 November – Climate Q&Afor Northcote electorate and Northern Metro, organised by Darebin Climate Action Now. Northcote Town Hall, 189 High St, Northcote. 6:30pm.
» www.facebook.com/events
Wednesday 12 November – State Election & Elwood Flood Forum. Question candidates about flooding in Elwood. At Elwood/St Kilda Learning Centre. 7pm. » Flyer:EFLAGCF.pdf | Read more
Friday 14 November – State Election Forum for the seat of Brunswick. Brunswick Uniting Church, 212-214 Sydney Rd Brunswick. 7pm.
» www.facebook.com/events
Friday 14 November – Geelong Clean Jobs Forum and film night – with local candidates, Mark Diesendorf and other speakers. Geelong Performing Arts Centre. Forum: 4:00pm to 6:00pm. Film screening: 6:30pm to 8:15pm.
» Free but email to book:info@geelongsustainability.org.au
Sunday 16 November – Growth and Election Forum. ‘Growth! Is Bigger Better’ has Ian Lowe, David Karoly, and Geoff Carr presenting, along with local candidates. Quicksilver Auditorium, 27 Baines Crs, Torquay. Organised by Surf Coast Energy Group. At 2pm » www.facebook.com/events
Monday 17 November at 7pm. Climate Change & the Victorian Election at Coburg Town Hall, 90 Bell Street. A climate change forum for Moreland citizens. Candidates standing in Brunswick, Broadmeadows and Pascoe Vale are invited. Organised by Climate Action Moreland. Endorsed by Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Moreland Bicycle Users Group, 350 Melbourne, Moreland Community Against the East West Tunnel and MEFL. » Details:MORELAND.pdf | Read more | www.facebook.com/events
Help out in key electorates
There are events on in the key electorates every weekend, and some week-nights, all the way through to the election. The groups campaigning in these seats need help from everyone who has a spare moment.
Inner city – Labor/Greens marginal seats:Inner city groups need help with letter-boxing Vote Climate scorecards 8 November till 16 November, candidates’ forums, house signs, street stalls and door-knocking.
» Contact DarebinCAN@gmail.com to help letter box 27,000 scorecards in Northcote, or go door-knocking to place house signs in prime locations.
» Contact climateactionmoreland@gmail.comto help in in Brunswick, or Yarra Climate Action Now www.ycan.org.au/get-involved/sign-up to help in Melbourne and Richmond.
YCAN are holding a Vote Climate stall at Carlton Farmers Market, Carlton PS, Rathdowne St, from 9am to 1pm on Saturday 15 November. They will also have Vote Climate material for letter boxing Vote Climate house signs.
Prahran: This week GetUp members in Prahran passed two amazing milestones. They now knocked over 3,500 doors and collected more than 1,000 pledges from people in Prahran. With less than a month to go, they’re aiming to have another 1,000 persuasive conversations with neighbours before election day. Join them on Sunday at 2pm at Depo8, 39-41 Mount St Prahran.
» More info onwww.field.getup.org.au.
The picture below shows GetUp members about to sit down for a chat with Labor candidate for Prahran Neil Pharaoh.
Sandbelt and Forest Hills: Help Environment Victoria, GetUp and Eastern Climate Action Melbourne collect election pledges at street stalls and door knocking events. Stalls at train stations whenever anyone puts their name down, and every day of the week leading up to the election.
» If you want to help along the Sandbelt, get in touch with Jane:jane.stabb@environmentvictoria.org.au. » If you want to help in Forest Hill, Blackburn South, Burwood East and Vermont South, get in touch with Claire: claire.vanherpen@environmentvictoria.org.au
Every Tuesday and Wednesday evening till the election, come and help with phone banking at the Environment Victoria Carlton office, 60 Leicester St, Door knocks along the Sandbelt: Every Saturday from now until election: 8 and 15 Nov. Doorknock in Forest Hill Sunday 16 Nov.
Geelong: Over the last two weeks GetUp members have met with local candidates Lisa Neville, Andy Richards and Andrew Katos. The meetings were positive but in all cases they found the lack of certainty on policy to be disappointing. Weekend door knocking continues – they now have knocked over 1,000 doors in the Greater Geelong area. Overwhelmingly greater than 70 per cent of people they talk to support action on climate and renewables and are willing to sign the pledge to ‘vote clean’ this election. The picture shows the team at last Sunday’s door knock in Torquay. There will be door-knocking in Geelong and surrounding areas each Saturday, phone banking at the GetUp! Geelong office each Thursday till the election and a GetUp! dinner on Tuesday 11 November. More details in the What’s On listings below. » RSVP and more info on:field.getup.org.au/geelong
Macedon (home of Hepburn Wind) and Portland (Premier Napthine’s seat) = two key renewables seats: Leigh Ewbank and the Yes 2 Renewables team have all sorts of things on the go. Liberal candidate for the hotly-contested seat of Macedon, Donna Petrovich, has shifted her position on wind energy as a result of a community campaign. And now says she will investigate exemptions from Napthine’s restrictive wind farm laws for community wind farm projects. Today, Labor and Greens candidates joined Yes 2 Renewables at the Hepburn Wind farm to launch Y2R’s Macedon Energy Futures Survey. The report will be publicly available tomorrow. Stand by for more… » Seewww.facebook.com/Yes2Renewables
Please publicise these election information sources:
Grassroots climate groups’ ‘Vote Climate’: see how the parties – large and small – compare, rated on policies for a climate emergency transition at www.VoteClimate.net.au.
Friends of the Earth’s ‘MP Watch’: Find out what your MP has said in state parliament on coal, gas and wind: www.mpwatch.org.
Environment Victoria’s ‘Promise Watch’: Environment Victoria has created a ‘Promise Watch’ that lists the environment and climate change policy commitments of the major parties. Promise Watch aims to provide factual, spin-free, up-to-date information, publishing the commitments of the political parties on important issues like coal, renewable energy, sustainable homes and protecting our fragile rivers. » Promise Watch scorecard
South-Western Victoria ‘Clean Energy’ scorecard: The Sustainable Hour on 94.7 The Pulse has circulated a questionnaire with 13 climate and clean energy questions to the 17 candidates in Geelong, Bellarine, South Barwon and Lara electorates. The scorecard with their replies will be promoted and advertised by Geelong Sustainability and GetUp Geelong from 17 November at www.geelongsustainability.org.au/scorecard, and the following three Wednesdays at 11am–12pm the candidates will be debating the questions in the radio program which is also astreamed live on the Internet and downloadable as a podcast.
And in other news
At Brisbane Airport, where G20 delegates will soon be arriving, a billboard featuring a farmer asking them to put climate change on the G20 agenda has been banned for being ‘too political’. Meanwhile Chevron is allowed to go ahead with its advertising for fossil fuels. The #onmyagenda billboard is part of a joint campaign by several large organisations. There are three ways you can get involved in this campaign:
Saturday 8 November from 11am to 12:30pm. Darebin Climate Action Now stall at 451 High Street Northcote outside the Uniting Church. Come and collect a bundle of scorecards for letter-boxing or order a house sign. Let DCAN know you are coming by emailing DarebinCAN@gmail.com and they will allocate you an area to letter-box.
Sunday 9 November at 2pm – Portland Candidates Forum (Premier Napthine’s seat). Fawthrop Community Centre.
Sunday 9 November from 1pm to 4pm – Building and Maintaining Effective Teams Training, Environment Victoria, 60 Leicester St, Carlton.
Sunday 9 November from 1pm to 4pm – Forest Hill Day of Action. 1pm–1:30pm: meet, pick up T-shirts and clipboards/materials and pre-brief. 1:30pm–3:30pm: door knocking. 3:30–4:00pm: wind-up and head to a nearby park to debrief and have a BBQ and drinks. There will be four simultaneous door knocks in key areas around the electorate, and at this stage, there are around 40 people taking part.
Wednesday 12 November from 10:15am to 11:30am – CommBank AGM in Melbourne. Since 2008, CommBank has loaned $5.2 billion to new coal and gas projects in Australia (second only to ANZ), so it’s time to tell them that enough is enough. Join 350 Melbourne to greet CommBank shareholders with a sea of messages from Australians calling on the Bank to get out of fossil fuels. At the Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Centre, 1 Convention Place, South Wharf (the AGM starts at 11am so we will meet at 10:15am sharp atThe General Assembly; if you think you’ll be late call Charlie when you arrive on 0427 485 233).
» RSVP to Charlie Wood – charlie@350.org.au. Dress: Corporate
Wednesday 12 November 7:00–9:30pm – Lighter Footprints candidates’ forum. ‘Does Government Matter?’ Q&A panel and breakout groups for candidates from Kew Hawthorn Burwood and Box Hill. At Hawthorn Arts Centre (formerly Town Hall), Burwood Rd. » www.facebook.com/events
Wednesday 12 November at 6:30pm – Climate Q&A for Northcote electorate and Northern Metro, organised by Darebin Climate Action Now. Northcote Town Hall, 189 High St, Northcote. 6:30pm for nibbles. Forum starts at 7pm. » www.facebook.com/events
Wednesday 12 November at 7 pm – State Election & Elwood Flood Forum. Question candidates about flooding in Elwood. At Elwood/St Kilda Learning Centre. » Flyer:EFLAGCF.pdf » Read more
Thursday 13 November at 6:30pm – The Future of Gas Supply
University of Melbourne. » Details:MU Website
The emergence of liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities in Queensland means that now for the first time eastern Australian gas is linked to the world market. This Energy Futures seminar will explore the impacts this will have on Australians that use gas in their home or business. Will there be adequate supplies now and in the future, and at what wholesale and retail prices? What can and will gas users do to reduce their use of gas, or will they to switch to other energy sources? » Read more
Friday 14 November at 7 pm– State Election Forum for the seat of Brunswick. Brunswick Uniting Church, 212-214 Sydney Rd Brunswick. » www.facebook.com/events
Friday 14 November – Geelong Clean Jobs Forum and film night – with local candidates, Mark Diesendorf and other speakers. Geelong Performing Arts Centre. Forum: 4:00pm to 6:00pm. Film screening: 6:30pm to 8:15pm. » Free but email to book:info@geelongsustainability.org.au
Friday 14 November to Saturday 16 November in Brisbane – G20 summit. Contact Deb Hart at deborah.hart@live.org.au if you would like to be part of a Climate Guardian Angels action in Brisbane.
Saturday 15 Novemberfrom 9am to 1pm – Vote Climate stall at the Carlton Farmers Market, Carlton Primary School, Rathdowne Street. Organised by YCAN who will also have Vote Climate scorecards for letter boxing and Vote Climate house signs.
Saturday 15 November at 10am – Barwon Heads Door Knock & BBQ. Car pool leaving from Geelong at 9.30am sharp from the GetUp Office, 4 Gheringhap Street, and travelling to Barwon Heads Community Arts Garden, Meeting Room. » RSVP and more info on:field.getup.org.au/geelong
Saturday 15 November – Rally4PT. A large coalition of community groups are organising a joint rally and further public transport campaign moves for the state election. Stay tuned.
Saturday 15 November at 4pm to 10:30pm – Hepburn Wind Sleep under the stars.Australia’s first community-owned wind farm just near Daylesford is inviting you to attend ‘Sleep under the stars’. It’s a family friendly camping event, an evening of art, entertainment and clean energy. Live painting of Gusto by Ghostpatrol and team • Local music by Zebraherd, Kavisha Mazzela, Danny Spooner, the Sweet Justice Choir, and Hayley Couper. You can visit for the evening event only, or you can bring your own tent or hire a luxury tent .Tickets: $50 family pack / $25 adult / $15 members or evening only attendees / $10 kids. » Register now onEventbrite »Join theFacebook event
Sunday 16 November from 1pm to 4pm – Door knocking in Forest Hill.
Sunday 16 November – Growth and Election Forum. ‘Growth! Is Bigger Better’ has Ian Lowe, David Karoly, and Geoff Carr presenting, along with local candidates. Quicksilver Auditorium, 27 Baines Crs, Torquay. 2pm. Organised by Surf Coast Energy Group. www.facebook.com/events
Monday 17 November at 7pm – Climate Change & the Victorian Election at Coburg Town Hall, 90 Bell Street. A climate change forum for Moreland citizens. Candidates standing in Brunswick, Broadmeadows and Pascoe Vale are invited. Organised by Climate Action Moreland. Endorsed by Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Moreland Bicycle Users Group, 350 Melbourne, Moreland Community Against the East West Tunnel and MEFL. » Details:MORELAND.pdf | Read more | www.facebook.com/events
Tuesday 18 November from 6:30pm to 8:30pm – Intelligence Squared Debate: Coal-fired Power will Soon be Obsolete. Organised by Wheeler Centre. Venue: Deakin Edge, Federation Square, Melbourne. Tickets: $20 and $12 concession. » More info on:www.wheelercentre.com
Saturday 22 November from 1pm to 4pm – Second Forest Hill Day of Action. This will be similar to the one on Sunday 9 November, but will consist of a street stall and two door knocks. Stay tuned for a pledge ‘hand-over’ event
Monday–Wednesday 25-27 November – Practical Responses to Climate Change Conference in Melbourne. This conference allows engineers, policy makers, scientists, planners, academics and members of the public to present, discuss and debate the latest research and practice relating to mitigation of and adaptation to climate change. The conference will take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. » Registration.
Wednesday 27 November at 6:30pm – Climate Change: What would you do? Port Melbourne Town Hall. Sustainability Climate Action Network (SCAN) meeting is focussed on climate change and what people in our community are doing about it. Following a brief overview of the latest climate change information, we will be learning about a range of different projects that are going on in our city right now to address some of the issues. We also want to hear your ideas for addressing climate change. » Read more
Saturday 29 November – Victorian election. Will Victorians see climate as one of the decisive issues?
Sunday 7 December from 11am to 2pm in Melbourne, venue TBC – VCAN post-election celebratory lunch.
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Sunday 9 November – Portland Candidates Forum (Premier Napthine’s seat). Fawthrop Community Centre, 2pm.
Wednesday 12 November – Climate Q&Afor Northcote electorate and Northern Metro, organised by Darebin Climate Action Now. Northcote Town Hall, 189 High St, Northcote. 6:30pm.
local candidates. Quicksilver Auditorium, 27 Baines Crs, Torquay. Organised by Surf Coast Energy Group. At 2pm » 
There are events on in the key electorates every weekend, and some week-nights, all the way through to the election. The groups campaigning in these seats need help from everyone who has a spare moment.
Sandbelt and Forest Hills: Help Environment Victoria, GetUp and Eastern Climate Action Melbourne collect election pledges at street stalls and door knocking events. Stalls at train stations whenever anyone puts their name down, and every day of the week leading up to the election.
Geelong: Over the last two weeks GetUp members have met with local candidates Lisa Neville, Andy Richards and Andrew Katos. The meetings were positive but in all cases they found the lack of certainty on policy to be disappointing. Weekend door knocking continues – they now have knocked over 1,000 doors in the Greater Geelong area. Overwhelmingly greater than 70 per cent of people they talk to support action on climate and renewables and are willing to sign the pledge to ‘vote clean’ this election. The picture shows the team at last Sunday’s door knock in Torquay. There will be door-knocking in Geelong and surrounding areas each Saturday, phone banking at the GetUp! Geelong office each Thursday till the election and a GetUp! dinner on Tuesday 11 November. More details in the What’s On listings below. » RSVP and more info on:
Saturday 15 November – Rally4PT. A large coalition of community groups are organising a joint rally and further public transport campaign moves for the state election. Stay tuned.
