Environmental Law

Friends of the Earth Adelaide > Environmental Law

Trans-Pacific Partnership rejected by the Senate in their inquiry report

February 11, 2017

We have had some good news from the Senate Inquiry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership. AFTINET (Australian Fair Trade & Investment Network Inc) have been campaigning against the TPP for years. You can join up to receive AFTINET updates here:

Friends of the Earth Australia is a member of AFTINET.

The AFTINET website reports:

“One of our big campaign wins last year was getting a Senate inquiry into the TPP.

“The report has now been released and it’s another victory for fair trade. In it, Labor said the failed TPP’s implementing legislation should be deferred, since the US’ withdrawal killed the deal. The Greens and the Nick Xenophon team have consistently rejected the TPP.

“This means that the Government cannot pass the TPP legislation, because Labor, the Greens and Nick Xenophon team have a majority in the Senate.

“The report also reflected many of our criticisms of the TPP.

“This is another victory in our seven-year campaign, and will help to ensure that the TPP is not used as a bad model for future trade agreements like the RCEP.

“You can read more in our media release.

– AFTINET”

Environmental Law, Old_Notes

Make a quick submission to AVPMA about Roundup being found to be a potential carcinogen by the WHO

December 24, 2016

Please make a brief email submission to the APVMA Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority asking them to take notice of the World Health Organisations findings that glyphosate (Roundup) is a potential carcinogen. This is being organised by Friends of the Earth Melbourne.

Link to make an easy submission here

Roundup is widely used for weed control around the world, especially in home gardens and by councils. It is also used on GM crops and to help non GM crops around harvest time.

From the FOE Melbourne website:

Last year the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) – declared glyphosate – the main ingredient in the herbicide RoundUp – a probable carcinogen. We hoped that the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) – would intervene to protect our health. It hasn’t.

The APVMA has decided not to review its current approval for glyphosate because it claims to know better than the specialised cancer agency of the World Health Organisation. Why so? Because it has access to unpublished industry data that has never been subject to peer review and that regulators refuse to make public!

Who trusts the word of giant chemical companies over the World Health Organisation?

Monsanto has made enormous profits from virtually unrestricted use of glyphosate and now the truth has come out. Monsanto has lied to us again – and the APVMA must stop supporting an industry that is putting all of us at unnecessary risk.

Contact us if you need help with your submission adelaide.office@foe.org.au

Actions, Environmental Law, FoE, Food, Old_Notes

, , , , , , ,

Important: Talk to your MP about nuclear waste dumps

September 25, 2016

One of the most important things you can do to prevent nuclear waste dumps in SA is to talk to your MP. MPs are saying their constituents are not contacting them opposing the dump proposals and silence is either seen as consent, or that its not a big issue for constituents.

You don’t need to be an expert, just talk to your MP about your own perspective and speak from the heart. Its a good idea to ask them for their position and opinion and which way they would vote. Its particularly important to speak up about the international dump during October and November.

State MPs

Talk to them about your opposition to SA becoming the world’s nuclear waste dump. Let them know your environmental concerns, worker and public safety concerns, future generations, lack of respect for Traditional Owners and transport and terrorism risks. Tell them you want to keep the legislation that currently bans nuclear waste dumps.
More information here and here.

To find your State MP look up your suburb to find your electorate here then find which MP represents your electorate here.

Federal MPs

Talk to them about the federal government’s plan to put a waste dump at Wallerbedina, near Barndioota, near Hawker in the Flinders Ranges.
Talk to them about the need to keep federal legislation that bans the establishment of nuclear waste dumps in Australia. Ask them how they would vote if a bill to change the legislation was introduced.
If your MP is Labor, ask them to keep strong to the Labor platform of banning nuclear waste dumps and ask them how they would vote if a proposal to overturn the ban were introduced.
More information here.

To find your Federal electorate and Federal MP search here.

Any questions? Contact us at adelaide.office@foe.org.au

Clean Futures, Environmental Law, Nuclear, Old_Notes

,

Important petition: Block the TPP legislation in the Senate

September 24, 2016

We don’t normally share petitions but this is an exception, calling on Labor, the Greens and Cross Benchers to block the TPP legislation in the Senate.

“The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (or TPP) is a dangerous trade deal with the potential to destroy thousands of Australian jobs.

The deal was negotiated by Malcolm Turnbull behind closed doors and allows corporations to sue our government just for making laws in the public interest. The TPP risks our jobs, our health and our democracy.

We have to defeat the TPP because:

it allows corporations to sue Australia just for making laws in the public interest (like lowering the cost of medicines for the sick).
it will force Australia to take even more workers on dodgy visas, undermining our wages and conditions and allowing corporations to make a killing off the backs of exploited foreign workers.
it says it will protect workers and the environment but is vague and almost unenforceable.
We have to stop this corporate power grab –and we can.

Malcolm Turnbull doesn’t have the votes to ratify this dangerous deal if Labor, the Greens and the crossbench Senators unite to block it.

Sign the petition calling for all parties to vote down the TPP and to stand with Australians.

Environmental Law, Food, Mining, Old_Notes

,