Discussion Group Summary: Carbon Tax

Our recent discussion on the carbon tax began with an overview of the tax's development, how it's structured, and some of the responses to it.

Political context

The price on carbon is, in large part, an outcome of the current Australian minority government. Before Julia Gillard was elected she promised that she wouldn't implement a carbon tax, and would instead engage in a long period of community consultation before deciding on a course of action. The necessity of negotiating with the Greens and independents, however, shifted that plan. This is not to say that it's the Greens' plan - it's a step in the direction they want, but is far from what they would ideally like. Rural independents Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor have also played a role in shaping the tax, particularly by pushing for petrol to be exempted. The package is also the result of a months-long consultation process with affected industries and other groups.

Australian emissions

Another important aspect of the tax's background is Australia's carbon emissions: Australia produces more pollution per person than any other country. This is partly because Australia tends to have significantly lower levels of energy efficiency than other developed nation (in 2004, “the overall carbon efficiency of the economy, per unit of fossil fuel used, [was] about half that for Europe and Japan.” This is related, but not entirely due, to Australia's heavy dependence on coal for energy.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user yewenyi.

The structure of the plan

The details of the plan are outlined at the Clean Energy Future site. The carbon tax is currently aimed at a five percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, and should cover about 60% of Australia's emissions. It focuses on the 500 largest polluters (excluding the agricultural sector), with assistance packages for some industries (such as steel manufacturing). There's also significant funding included for the development of 'clean' and renewable energy, energy efficiency, and biodiversity conservation. After three years, there will be a shift to an emissions trading scheme, with a cap on carbon and a minimum price of $15 a tonne.

A significant component of the package is assistance to Australian households. Treasury modelling indicates that living costs are expected to rise by expected to rise by 0.7% in 2012-2013 (compared to the 2.5% increase associated with the GST, and the 2.9% associated with inflation). Nine in ten households will receive some money to cover this cost, with approximately two thirds of Australian households receiving enough money to cover it completely. Much of this will be provided by raising the minimum income threshold for taxation and giving tax cuts to those earning under $80,000 a year (following the recommendations of the Henry Tax Review). There will also be increases to allowances, pensions, and family payments. 

Responses

Despite the limited reach of the carbon tax, opposition to it has been fierce. Much of the opposition has been lead by the Liberal party, industry groups which have launched a $10 million campaign against the tax, talkback radio, and reporting in newspapers such as the Daily Telegraph. This has been instrumental in the drop in support for the government: in July, Labor party's primary vote dropped to 26 percent, the lowest for a major party in the poll's 39-year history. There are a number of groups, including SayYes and GetUp, trying to build support for the tax, and more generally for effective climate action, but they have an uphill battle ahead.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Alex Schlotzer

This is a very brief overview of a complex issue. If you want to read more, one way to start is the sites I've bookmarked here - the information for this post comes from these sites.

You're also very welcome to ask questions or add comments on this post. During the discussion, we were mostly trying to understand how the tax will create change, who will be effected, and the reasons for the opposition to the tax (including opposition from those who will benefit most from the associated changes to tax and allowances). What do you think?

Discussion Group: Carbon Tax

In February this year the Australian government announced a tax on carbon pollution, to come into effect in July 2011. The tax will be levied on a limited number of companies, and will be replaced by a cap and trade system in around three to five years. The tax has proved to be controversial, with demonstrations both in favour and against it.

We'll talk through some of the issues surrounding the carbon tax, including how it will work, it's potential effect on households and the economy, and how the tax has been covered in the media.

If you'd like to do some reading before you come along, here are some resources:
* The ABC has a number of infographics that show key figures, effects on food prices, how carbon pricing works, which areas emissions will be cut from, effects on income and the economy,  Australia's current emission levels, and a short overview of different approaches to cutting emissions.
* The Australian government has released a site that will allow you to estimate the effects on your household. Why not try it out?
* The Drum's Ben Eltham takes a closer look at the main alternative being proposed: the Coalition's Direct Action Plan.
* In the wake of the government's announcement, different groups are trying to shape how Australians react: a new industry lobby group has been formed to oppose the tax, Crikey's Andrew Crook claims that the Daily Telegraph's coverage is biased, and GetUp! is trying to crowd source funding for their own ads.

Of course, you're also very welcome to show up without reading these resources, or to do reading of your own.

Meet us at the Moon Cafe at 5pm, Sunday 14th August. You can RSVP through the Facebook event page or just come along.

Freegan run number one

The Bluestocking-affiliated Practical Ethics group took its first official Freegan run this weekend, with five participants, one who claimed to be "just an observer", although we quickly press-ganged him into use as a bag-passer, vegetable-holder, and dumpster-lid-returner. As lovely little Freegans, we returned everything to a tidy state, lowering dumpster lids, redistributing the cardboard boxes on top, and snacking on scones straight out of the bag. Well, ok, straight out of the bin liner.

Our haul amounted to mostly fresh produce from a Sunday market, pretty much all bruised, starting to go off, or otherwise "damaged goods". We liked them perfectly fine, however, and anything that was too far gone even to be reclaimed by hungry hungry hippies went to a separate box for the chooks.

Although we weren't as green as we would have liked (in that we had a car and drove from site to site), it turned out to be essential for the sheer amount of stuff we had, most of which we sorted into cardboard flats also taken from the dumpster. We had all thoughtfully brought lots of those little fruit and veg bags for putting loose rolls and things in, which turned out nicely when we hit the jackpot of scones, chocolate croissants, and walnut scrolls. Also as individual bread bags for the wholemeal loves we found, baked fresh that day.

So after sorting out the bounty, I took my share home and washed it thoroughly in cold water and soap (I actually used dish detergent, with a thorough rinsing to ensure it was all off every veggie), then patted it dry and put it in the fridge for later use -- it was about 11:15 when I got home, and about ten to midnight when I finished washing vegetables.

Today, this is what I made from it (and ingredients I had around the house):

Vegetarian baked risotto, based on this recipe -- I already had the garlic, onions, oil, rice, broccoli and the extra sprinkling of parmesan I added -- the zucchini and tomatos came from freeganism.

Just a light salad: cherry tomatoes and cucumber from the dumpsters, lemon juice from our backyard tree, a splash of balsamic vinegar and salt to taste.

And a lot of other stuff -- a yellow capsicum, a carrot, and a lot of other odds and ends, including the rest of the stewed tomatoes from the risotto -- went into a pot with some water to simmer away into vegetable stock.

I have also been cultivating my own sourdough starter from wholegrain flour and water, and set that out to rise while I cooked all of this -- it's slowly poufing itself into a little round ball right now.

City Farm Visit

Hey everyone!

This past Saturday, a few of us from Practical Ethics met up at City Farm to check out the local food market and talk sustainable eating habits.

We started in the organic farmers’ market and wandered around checking out vendors selling things from organic produce to organic, natural beauty products. Everyone was happy to talk with us as we passed their booth and seemed very friendly and knowledgeable.

The five of us (Sky, Claire, Jacquelyn, Michelle, and me) then went over to the City Farm Café for breakfast. The food was all gorgeous, with vegetarian items galore and most of the food local and organic including the meat options. The owner stopped by a couple of time to check on the food, talk vegan chefs, and discuss the origin of everything we had in front of us. Sidenote: the lovely owner also leaned a bit too close to the heater and almost set her coat on fire.

While we ate, we talked about sustainable food choices. I myself have been both vegetation and vegan, and reverted straight back to Mostly Carnivore as soon as my hippy community was gone as a results of my move from Austin to Houston (Texas). Sky was happy to represent the vegan perspective, and it turns out four of the five of us are strict vegetarians. We discussed the etiquette of refusing or accepting food (“Thank you but no Greek grandmother, I don’t want vegetables cooked in meat drippings…”), how to manage slip-ups (we abandoned that whole idea of slipping up. Each new meal is a new decision), and our own reasons behind making our food choices (ecological impacts? animal rights? cultural surroundings? ). Eating is a complicated decision-making process, taking into consideration everything from production costs through additives and their health implications. It was nice to chat with a positive group of people all thinking about the topic but still living practical, food-rich lives.

Our next meet-up will be next weekend, when we give Freeganism a try. We’ve all heard about it, read about it, thought about it, but most of us haven’t made the quite gutsy move to a Freegun collection run and subsequent cookup. Well we’re going to give it a try this Sunday, 17 July! If you have questions or want to join us, feel free to contact myself, Sky, or Claire for more details. We also have a Practical Ethics facebook group if you want to check us out there!

Cheers! and happy pictures of chickens!

Nancy

Practical Ethics

Hello all,

I'm new to your group, and I'm excited to get involved! Sky, Claire, and I are organizing monthly get togethers for ethical living. As someone who tries to live ethically, it sometimes gets very depressing to learn more about an issue (green travel? buying fairtrade food?) and discover that I've been Doing It All Wrong.

In order to focus on the positive things we can (and do!) do and the practical side of living ethically, we've created the group Practical Ethics to take field trips around the Perth region and encourage a more sustainable lifestyle for everyone who wants to feel nice about the things they're trying to change.

As the first in our Practical Ethics field trips, we're visiting the urban farm City Farm Saturday, 9 July at 9 am, located right behind the Claisebrook train station. We'll visit their mostly organic farmer's market and have a look at their organic growing practices and free range animals, then enjoy some snacks and discussion after. Please join us! If you are interested in coming, we've got a facebook group or you can get in touch with me, Sky, or Claire for more details!

Thanks!

Nancy

Activist Campaign Tools (ACT) Course

Katrina writes:
"Did you ever feel concerned about an issue but feel like you didn't have the skills or connections to do much about it?

If so ... the Activist Campaign Tools (ACT) Course may be for you!

Designed for all activists, campaigners or anyone inspired about an issue, ACT is an 8 week, low cost, skills training course.

Learn practical skills to transform your next campaign or increase career prospects in the environment and social justice sectors.

The course is run by a series of specialist facilitators and includes topics such as - Campaign Planning, Marketing and Media, Communication and Meeting Skills, Event Management and Fundraising, Law for Activists, Lobbying and Sustainable Activism.

All ages, experience levels and pet issues welcome and you don't need to be currently involved in a campaign to come along.

6.30-9pm, Tuesdays 8 Feb-29 March 2011
Earthwise Subiaco

$100 waged - $60 unwaged - Bookings essential - numbers limited!

For bookings and more information, e-mail katrina73 at iinet dot net dot au with any questions or to request a free brochure or see http://acttraining.webs.com."

Fundraising Iftar Dinner for Pakistani Flood Victims

This dinner has been organised by the Centre for Muslim States and Societies.

"As I am sure many of you are aware, recent floods in Pakistan have
caused a huge amount of damage in large areas of the country. It is
Pakistan's biggest-ever natural disaster and has left millions of
people homeless, with up to 6 million people requiring urgent food
aid. In order to raise money for the victims of the disaster, the
Centre for Muslim States and Societies, in collaboration with Tandoor
on Oxford, is organising a fund raising Iftar dinner.

Where: Tandoor on Oxford - 209 Oxford St Leederville
When: 5.30pm - 9.00pm, Sunday 22 August 2010
Cost: $13 - This includes a delicious subcontintenal dinner and soft
drinks

Additional donations will be collected, and raffles drawn, with the
proceeds going to the victims of the flood.

For further information, or to make reservations, please contact Ben
Clark email: bclarke@nd.edu.au or phone: 043 2755 010 or Natalia Saeed
CMSS email: cmss@uwa.edu.au or 6488 4554.

RSVP by Thursday 19 August 2010."

Food sovereignty: what's on your plate?

Slow Food Perth will join with Christ Church Grammar School’s ethics centre to present a forum entitled ‘Food sovereignty: what’s on your plate?’ at the school in Claremont on 24 August 2010.

The panel will include:

* priest Frank Sheehan, Christ Church Grammar School chaplain and senior canon of Perth’s St George’s Anglican Cathedral
* journalist Anthony Georgeff, editor of Spice magazine
* academic Felicity Newman, an author and lecturer in food and culture at Murdoch University’s Centre for Everyday Life
* farmer Annie Kavanagh, who raises berkshire pigs on organic principles at her Spencers Brook farm in the Avon Valley
* a Christ Church Grammar School senior student
* parliamentarian Max Trenorden, The Nationals’ leading Member for the Agricultural Region, and
* Kim Chance, former Labor minister for agriculture and food [2001-2008], now chairman of the Australian Landcare Council

The forum will discuss the ethics of farming and eating. Do we know what’s on our plate, who produced it, how it was produced, and whether it is local or imported, fresh and seasonal or from last year’s crop? Do we care, or do we just eat?

For more information, visit the Slow Food website.

Lifecycles: Food Roundup and Links

Our first Lifecycles workshop, focusing on food, went well. A big thank you to all the excellent participants who came down and were willing to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with each other and with us! The workshop opened with a brief introductory talk, including an outline of ideas for developing action plans. You can read more about developing action plans at the Living Smart website, which also provides a Home and Work Action Guide.

At Bluestocking, we think it's important to link actions at different levels, including individual lifestyle changes,community-level change, and advocacy for broader structural change. It's important to consider action in each of these areas because they're mutually supportive. Broad structural change helps people to make better choices in their own lives: for example, it's easier to shift from driving to cycling and walking if the government has been encouraged to build more cycle lanes and develop a healthy public transport system. Similarly, taking action at a community level helps to support individual lifestyle change, and helps to provide models of alternative models for food production, consumption, and distribution. Developing an action plan is a good way to start shifting towards the world as you'd like to see it. Some tips for creating an action plan include:

• Think about what's realistic for you.

• Frame your goals positively, rather than negatively. Remember, anything that you're committing to doing you're doing because you care, and because it will make your life and your community better. When you're working out your goals, keep your motivations in mind. Will the action help you to feel happier? Healthier? Will it save you money? Will it help you to feel more connected to the people around you?

• Be specific: if you've chosen to do something like read an article or write a letter to an MP, give yourself a due date. If you're going with something like, “eat more vegetarian meals”, give yourself a specific number or rule, for example: 'I will make a vegetarian dinner five nights a week', or, 'I'm going to stick to vegetarian food on Mondays'.

• Think about how the people around you can help you to achieve your goals. This could mean sharing your action plan with your partner, housemates, or friend.

During the workshop, participants shared useful tools and information. There were some great ideas for campaigns and organisations to get involved in, including:

• Live Below the Line: Live Below the Line is an education and fundraising campaign that will be happening around Australia from the 2nd – 6th of August 2010. During this time, participants will feed themselves for just $2 a day to increase understanding of the obstacles faced by those currently living in extreme poverty, and to raise money for life-changing education programs.

• The Animal Advocates Australia website has some excellent resources for finding out more about animal rights and suggestions for how to take action. There's also a campaign running at the moment against caged eggs being sold at supermarkets: as well as emailing the relevant ministers, you can take part by asking your local supermarket to stop stocking caged eggs.

• There are also plenty of organisations and resources to help you get started on food gardens at home or in your local community: the permaculture WA website or City Farm are good places to start looking.

• The Good Grocery Guide website provides ideas on how to shop more ethically, including an online guide to different products.

Have I missed something? Feel free to share ideas and resources in the comments!

Reminder: Food workshop on 16th June

Lifecycles: Food
16th June, 6:30pm to 8:30pm
The Edmund Rice Centre for Social Justice
24 High St, Fremantle

Are you an urban gardener? Do you care about animal rights? Do you want clearer labelling on food in the supermarket? Or perhaps you want to buy more ethical food, but don't know where to start? If you're already passionate about changing how we eat or just want to know more, Lifecycles: Food will give you a chance to learn, share, and develop some ideas for change that suit your interests and level of commitment.

The Bluestocking Institute's Lifecycles: Food workshop will build on The Politics of Food workshop by helping participants to share their knowledge and develop action plans around ethical and sustainable food production and consumption. The workshop will begin with a brief introduction outlining key issues and discussing methods for taking action on an individual and community level. We will then break into smaller groups in which participants can share ideas, either about issues that they already care about or about areas where they want to learn more. We'll finish with a short discussion period.

For more information or to RSVP:

• visit the Facebook event page at http://bit.ly/LifecyclesFood or
• email us at bluestocking@bluestockinginstitute.org.

Suggested donation $5

Upcoming Event: EcoFair

Lifecycles Workshop #1: Food

This year, the Bluestocking Institute's work will focus on the lifecycles of three different products: food, clothing, and electronics. In each workshop, speakers will give brief ideas on how to translate concerns into action. Participants will also be invited to take part in informal discussion.

The 'Food' workshop will include speakers (TBA) on a range of topics, including ethical grocery shopping, key food policy issues, and fair trade. Snacks will be provided.

Please RSVP on the event's Facebook page.

Cost: $5 waged/ gold coin donation unwaged.

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Image courtesy of Flickr user Darwin Bell.

The Really Really Free Market

Last year's Really Really Free Market was great: it was a mix of workshops, kids running around, music, free food, stuff (musical instruments, old puzzles, clothes, furniture, even a car was being given away), and a lovely sense of community.

This year, there are four Really Really Free Markets planned, and the first is coming up soon:

REALLY REALLY FREE MARKET
3-6pm, Sunday 21 March
Stage Area, North Side of Hyde Park, North Perth.

Bring useful items that you no longer need or want to share freely with other members of your community.

Browse through the things others have brought and leave with what your family needs, regardless of whether you brought something or not.

Bring your talent and give something of yourself: music, poetry, storytelling, lessons.

Or bring your unique service or expertise to share with others: haircuts, painting, knitting, bicycle repairs etc.

Bring a gift of food and share in a picnic lunch with other friends and families from your community or share surplus produce from your garden.

www.rrfmperth.blogspot.com

World Vegan Day Picnic

Those of you who came to (or wanted to come to) the Politics of Food discussion group may want to attend World Vegan Day Picnic:

Tuesday, 13 October 2009 09:58

Join Animal Rights Advocates Inc. for a celebration of vegan food and culture on Sunday 1 November - World Vegan Day! 12-4pm, Sunday 1 November Sir James Mitchell Park, South Perth

For more information, go to the Animal Rights Advocates website.

Guest Speakers, The Politics of Food

We currently have three speakers lined up for The Politics of Food. Each speaker will give a brief introduction to the issues they're concerned with, and participate in the discussion that follows. Our speakers are:

Lynn MacLaren, MLC, The Greens (WA)
Lynn's work spans a wide range of portfolios, including food and GMOs. She has recently been active in campaigning against changes to WA's agricultural policy which allow the introduction of GM crop trials.

Louise Edmonds, Coconvenor, Fremantle Environmental Resource Network
Louise will be speaking about her personal education surrounding the politics of food, including her experiences visiting farms in India and working with Dr Vandana Shiva. She will also give a brief introduction to FERN's work.

Sky Croeser, UWA, Bluestocking Institute
I will be giving a short guide to the complex relationship between our choices as consumers and the global structures of food production.

While each speaker will introduce some fascinating points for discussion, ultimately the evening depends on your participation. We hope that everyone who comes down will feel comfortable talking about their own experiences and areas of expertise, and asking questions of others. Hope to see you there!

Good, clean and fair: small, slow food in a big food nation

Those of you coming to our 'Politics of Food' event may also be interested in a talk the evening before by Carlo Petrini, organised by Slow Food Perth.

CARLO Petrini, Slow Food’s founder and international president, will deliver a free public lecture at the University of Western Australia during a one-day visit to Perth. Hear the man described by The Guardian as ‘one of the 50 people who could save the planet’ – and a Time European hero – talk about ‘good, clean and fair’ food and the challenges that face the world of food.

Date: 14th October, 2009
Time: 5:00pm for 5:15pm
Venue: MCS Lecture Theatre, University of Western Australia Crawley campus [nearest carpark No. 14, off Fairway, or along Myers Street]

Real Food Forum

Those of you who are interested in our 'Politics of Food' event may also want to attend the Real Food Forum, which has been organised by the Greens:

The Politics of Food: dinner and discussion

The next discussion in our Community Scholars programme will look at 'the Politics of Food'. It will be held on October 15th, from 6:30 until 8pm at the Edmund Rice Centre in Fremantle.

The Bluestocking Institute's Community Scholars Discussion Group brings together experts from inside and outside academia, encouraging cross-fertilisation across disciplines and between local, national, and global perspectives. Discussion Groups aim to develop dialogue in a relaxed atmosphere, and address issues of peace and justice.

'The Politics of Food' will be explore some of the ethical and political questions surrounding what we eat, how we eat, and how we produce food. These include:

* What is the role of food in bringing together communities, or holding them apart?
* How can we produce food ethically and sustainably?
* Can movements promoting 'slow food' and organic farming meet the needs of those on a low income?
* Can urban food production and community gardens help to feed the world?

We encourage people from all walks of life to join us for dinner and discussion. Whether you're involved in academia, activism, or just have a personal interest in the politics of food, you're welcome to join us. We encourage you to bring a plate to share, and to begin the discussion: are you vegetarian? Vegan? Do you try to 'eat local'? Do you have food that is important to your community? Are you too busy too cook?

Eating together has always been an important part of building communities: please help us to build a vibrant dialogue around the politics of what we eat.

You can join the discussion on the Facebook group, or stay tuned to this blog for readings and ideas for further discussion.

Who Shapes Our Fears? David Marr Lecture

CASE for Refugees and CARAD Coalition for Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Detainees will be holding their annual community forum, with David Marr as their 2009 inaugural speaker.

Who Shapes our Fears?
The role governments, oppositions and the press play in alarming Australians about refugee boats.

DAVID MARR writes about politics, law and the arts for the Sydney Morning Herald. He has also
presented ABC TV’s Media Watch and written a number of books including a biography of Patrick White and (with his Herald colleague Marian Wilkinson) Dark Victory, an account of Australia’s blockade of refugee boats during the 2001 election campaign. Refugee issues have been a focus of his work for a number of years.

Monday 31 August 2009 6.30pm
Christ Church Grammar School
Centre for Ethics
Senior Common Room
Queenslea Drive, Claremont
Cost: Entry is by Donation

Bluestockings @ Barcamp

This Saturday Perth's 3rd BarCamp will be held at Central Tafe. BarCamps are "user generated conferences — open, participatory workshop-events, whose content is provided by participants", which have a history of focusing on technology but can also be adapted to other issues.

The only other BarCamp I've attended was Bangalore BarCamp 5, and it was great. I went to sessions on social technology, community mesh networks, blogging, and low-budget films, and met a heap of fascinating people.

I haven't been to a BarCamp in Perth yet, so I've no idea what to expect, or what to contribute. Hopefully some of you will come down and bring some ideas.

UPDATE: my post about BarCamp is up over at witty title pending.