(We) can do better

Sustainable Population Australia, Victorian and Tasmanian branch, Annual General Meeting, 2.00pm Saturday July 12 th 2014, Balwyn Library meeting room. Guest Speaker: Jenny Warfe, spokesperson for Blue Wedges: “Politics, Population and Ports.” NOMINATIONS WELCOME - ALL POSITIONS!

The Sustainable Population Party invites members and supporters to meet in Hawthorn for an informal meeting to discuss a number of key issues. Please RSVP: CLICK HERE

The Hon Richard Marles, MP

The Hon Richard Marles, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, was a guest speaker at the Australian Institute of International Affairs Victoria, on 2nd July, 2014.

The Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) is an independent, non-profit organisation seeking to promote interest in and understanding of international affairs in Australia.

(124 Jolimont Road, East Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3002)

The right to demand protection for Australia's iconic, irreplaceable environment is a liberty that must be preserved at all costs. But if the Tasmanian government has its way, soon environmental protesters could be punished with a mandatory minimum of three months in prison.

It sounds like something out of a fantasy novel, but it's true: Tasmania's Lower House has passed a law that could see three-month minimum prison sentences imposed on environmental protesters. The new laws would also include fines for those who incite and encourage protests.

Julianne Bell of Protectors of Public Land Victoria will be the speaker at a meeting of concerned citizens "Protecting Heritage and Public Interest in Banyule," Sunday July 6th, 2.00pm for 2.30pm, Seddon St. Community Centre, Ivanhoe. Ivanhoe Civic Precinct Master Plan includes demolition of the current library and privatisation of three lots of civic land. You can attend the meeting and be listed to speak at the start of the meeting.

Ivanhoe’s much loved Chelsworth Park, on the Yarra flood plain near the southern entrance to Banyule, is currently being considered for a 20 +10 year Commercial Lease between Banyule City Council (BCC) Ivanhoe Grammar School (IGS) - A commercial entity.

A Commercial Lease threatens the ability of our Community to decide how the park will be used, over a period of expected high population increase in Melbourne and Ivanhoe and a growing reduction in private residential space - as the number of multi-unit dwellings increase due to Government policy.

(image: cleared land of what used to be Haig Street Primary School, Heidelberg Heights - sold for $16 m for multi-storey developments)

The price of local children gaining access to public education within walking distance from their homes in Heidelberg Heights just got sold for a price tag of $16,000,000.

One hundred and eighteen new double story dwellings will attract families with children who will require access to schools. Due to the nature of "planning" in Victoria, students will be forced to travel further, and enrol in mega-schools, so that "surplus" land can be supplied for housing and massive population growth!

Two really interesting and engaging videos of "Sqwark and Whiskey playing," from Bonnie Thomson's you-tube channel. In the second one the magpie hangs onto the dog's tail in a new kind of wrestling hold.

Environmentalists and democracy activists, please watch this video on a new paradigm that could help us be more effective and organised on our issues. When truth exposes the absurd bases of traditional power, it makes us laugh with joy and empowerment. Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert thus penetrate the global financial bulldust in a stellar episode talking about the digital currency revolution underway that will turn the financial vampires to dust and remove the shadows from the rest of us. It is time to learn about the reality of 'non-fiat money, crypto-currencies, crypto-bullion, bitcoin, swarm, crypto-equity, peer-to-peer financing, crowd funding , bit pacer, m pacer,' and all that stuff. They also talk about people taking control of parliaments in the same way. Video inside. The first part is the guts of it. There is an RT program ID in the middle that you can fast-forward. The second half is an interview with Swarm, which describes itself and crypto-equity. Truly stimulating new stuff here!

The admirable tenacity and personal sacrifices of people involved over a long time in fighting the East West Link on the streets and in the courts have finally effected some changes, but the fat lady has not sung yet. The huge Elliott Avenue toll road exchange that threatened the viability of Melbourne Zoo, will not go ahead. Royal Park woodlands near the zoo will also be left standing. What will happen instead is not yet clear and no-one can relax. The East West Link, if it goes ahead in any form, will be a kind of cut-off point for environment and democracy in Melbourne. The huge efforts already expended by the public should have seen the toll way cancelled and forgotten That it survives in some form draws attention to the tragic influence of the growth lobby over our laws and government. (Candobetter.net editorial)

Russia’s president has blamed the turmoil in Ukraine on the country’s newly-elected leader Petro Poroshenko. Vladimir Putin also criticized the West for its intention to turn the planet into a "global barracks."

This article, with the embedded video has been copied from the article of the same name of 29 June 2014 on Global Research. As is said in the introduction, the video should not be viewed by children.     See also: About Ukraine.

We bring to the attention of Global Research readers a film by Russian TV journalist, author and host of the "Moment of Truth" Andrei Karaulov. "Ukrainian fascism." The film is dedicated to the tragic events in Ukraine.

This song contains photos from protests in multiple US states as well as some from Europe. The footage is very impressive. Music is a great way to communicate, so send this round if you want to help resist the technology that is fracking democracy as well as razing entire landscapes. Fracking costs more than it is worth in terms of production as well, according to Bloomberg. See inside.

(image: Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_108 )

Australia 108: 100-storey Southbank skyscraper approved by Victorian Government.

Construction of the Australia 108 skyscraper, the first 100-storey building in the Southern Hemisphere. The building, which would be built at 70 Southbank Boulevard, will stand 319 metres tall, with 1,105 apartments over 100 floors, once completed.

Moreland residents seeking to divert funds for the East West Toll Road and Tunnel into public transport initiatives will gather together with groups and individuals from across Victoria for Saturday's 1pm Trains Not Toll Roads rally outside the State Library at La Trobe and Swanston streets.

Melbourne’s outer suburbs have accommodated almost half of Victoria’s undemocratically imposed population growth during the past five years, yet they have been allocated only seven percent of the Napthine Government’s 2014/15 budget for key infrastructure.

What's different about this petition to tackle overpopulation in Australia? It is published on the Australian Wildlife Protection Council (AWPC) site. AWPC, it seems, is the only wildlife group that remains real and courageous when it comes to protecting our fauna. AWPC is entirely staffed by volunteers, is Australia-wide, and hasn't just become some kind of professional fund-raising organisation. This one comes from Matt Moran of Brisbane, Australia and is posted on the Australian Wildlife Protection Council site here.