Author Archive: robyn

Making Solar Thermal Happen 5th August

solar thermal photo

Tuesday 5th August 6pm

Allan Scott Auditorium (H2-16), Hawke Building, City West Campus, University of South Australia (55 North Tce Adelaide)

Join the Repower Port Augusta Alliance for an evening discussing why and how we can make solar thermal happen in South Australia. With Dr Keith Lovegrove, solar thermal expert, Climate Change Institute at ANU (Canberra); Dr. Peter Burdon, Senior Lecturer at the Adelaide Law School and members of the Port Augusta campaign group.

http://www.repowerportaugusta.org/

CLEAN Climate Emergency Network

Entry by donation

Facebook RSVP

Mark Diesendorf 100% Renewable for SA 16 June

You are invited to join the Conservation Council SA ‘In Conversation with Dr Mark Diesendorf’ to discuss 100% renewable electricity for South Australia.

16 June 111 Franklin St Adelaide at 6pm

Dr Mark Diesendorf presents his newest report showing that South Australia could produce 100% of its electricity from renewable sources. This will be a critical conversation to inform submissions to the SA’s Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission. Come along, get inspired and learn what we need to do to make it happen!

About Mark Diesendorf:

Associate Professor Mark Diesendorf is Deputy Director of the Institute of Environmental Studies, UNSW. He teaches, researches and consults in the interdisciplinary fields of sustainable energy, energy policy, sustainable urban transport, theory of sustainability, and ecological economics.

Free Tickets RSVP: here

Enquiries: Cat Beaton

cat.beaton@conservationsa.org.au

(08) 8223 5155

Nuclear free SA coalition meeting 2nd June

All welcome at a meeting to continue the coalition of people interested in keeping SA nuclear free.

Tuesday 2nd Jun 5-7pm upstairs at the Prince Albert Hotel 254 Wright St

Drinks and dinner available

Hosted by Nuclear Operations Watch Port Adelaide

Enquiries: robyn.wood@foe.org.au

Friends of the Earth Adelaide is a member group of NOWPA

NOWPA logo

Please make a submission – attack on environment groups

(Another) attack on environment groups

The Coalition government is trying to silence anyone who stands up for the environment.

Some of their actions include:

  • The new Standing Committee on the Environment review of tax deductibility for environment groups listed on the Minister’s Register (see below).
  • The push by Minister Richard Colbeck for a secondary boycott ban to apply to environmental groups.
  • The recently released ‘Re:think, Better Tax system Better Australia’ discussion paper which calls for a review of the Not for Profit sector’s tax deductibility.
  • The cuts to the Environment Defenders Office (EDOs).
  • The government has axed the Grants to Voluntary Environment, Sustainability and Heritage Organisations to 150 groups in the 2014 budget. This program had bipartisan support since it was set up in the 1970s.

Is the new Inquiry the government’s chance to take green groups tax status off them?

It has been announced that the House of Representatives Environment Committee will hold an inquiry into environmental groups who are eligible to receive Tax-deductible donations.

While the chair of the Committee has assured us ‘it’s not a witch hunt’, it is hard to see this as anything but another part of theideological attack on the environment movement being waged by the Abbott government.

The Committee says “over 600 environmental groups are currently deductible gift recipients (DGRs). This allows them to access tax-deductible donations to fund important, practical work to improve the natural environment. We need to ensure that tax deductible donations, which are a generous concession from the taxpayer, are used for the purpose intended and expected by the community.”

[Above: the FoE International meeting in Sri Lanka, 2014. The environment needs strong voices.]

The terms of reference suggest that activities which involve on-ground environmental works constitute ‘appropriate’ activity.

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