2009 “In the Hot-House” Festival

The Melbourne Social Forum (MSF) is a progressive grassroots organisations that provides open space to discuss, share, and act on ideas for sustainable social and ecological justice. Our goal is to help create socially just and ecologically sustainable world through collaboration with community groups, activists, and the wider community.

This year’s event explores “Positive responses to climate change”. Under this umbrella, other vital contemporary themes consisting of human rights, sustainability and social and environmental justice will also be discussed. The current social, ecological and economic challenges facing the world highlight the urgency for us to look for alternatives and solutions.

The 2009 MSF will open on Friday 17th with a public forum at a venue in Melbourne to be announced.

The following panel speakers are confirmed:

• Tanya Ha (Green lifestyle media personality)
• David Spratt (Co-author ‘Climate Code Red’)
• Kirsten Larsen (Policy Research – Victorian Eco Innovation Lab)
• Moses Waqa – Pacific Island Network

The MSF launch will be followed by a two-day weekend festival at CERES Environmental Park in Brunswick featuring workshops, stalls, live music, performances by two local schools, films and art displays (Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th April).

HOW TO GET INVOLVED?

PARTICIPATE – Attend the event with your friends, family and peers.

PROMOTE – Tell other organisations and community groups about this event through word of mouth, your website and email networks.

RUN A STALL – Promote your organisation through holding a stall on the weekend. It is a great way to share knowledge and to spread awareness about your organisation and cause, sell your progressive goods and find volunteers. Email: stalls@melbournesocialforum.org for more information.

RUN A WORKSHOP – Conduct a workshop on the topic relevant to your organisation’s cause. Workshops are an excellent way to put forward new proposals, alternatives and future solutions. Email: workshops@melbournesocialforum.org for more information.

OFFER A CULTURAL EVENT – You can also propose a cultural event, such as a musical or dance performance, visual or performing art that touches on the (broad) themes of climate change or social justice. Email info@melbournesocialforum.org

VOLUNTEER – Offer your assistance by helping out on the event. Email volunteers@melbournesocialforum.org

SUPPORT – Endorse the event, offer in-kind support or some other contribution. Email info@melbournesocialforum.org

The event is an ideal opportunity for you to connect, inter link and develop collaborations with many progressive organisations from Victoria and beyond and look forward to your involvement in this year’s Melbourne Social Forum.

Contact the Melbourne Social Forum with any questions or enquiries and tell them how you would like to get involved.

For a full program of activities, further information and regular updates please refer to the Melbourne Social Forum website

Switch off the CPRS, Switch on Renewables!

The Rudd Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction scheme is a sick joke, written at the behest of the fossil fuel and dirty industry lobbies at the Australian people’s expense.

It will:
- lock in pathetic and unscientific emissions reduction targets of 5-15% by 2020 on 2000 levels
- undermine international negotiations on an emissions agreement by showing Australia is not willing to pull its weight
- Give pollution property rights to polluters, opening the Australian taxpayer up to potential compensation claims in the future when we have a government that will actually take climate change seriously
- Result in a massive transfer of wealth from all of us to already rich, polluting companies, through free permits and other “compensation” giveaways
- Disenfranchise voluntary action to reduce emissions by households and communities.

IT MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO PASS THE SENATE! We demand effective climate change policies!

Come and protest outside your local member of parliament’s office and let them know you want real, science-based action on climate change.

Current confirmed actions include:

VICTORIA
* Office of Lindsay Tanner, Member for Melbourne, 280 King St, Melbourme at 12pm. Info: Pablo on pabs101@hotmail.com

* Office of Kelvin Thompson, Member for Wills, 3 Munro Street, Coburg at 10am. Info Ellen on ellenmroberts@yahoo.com.au

* Office of Martin Ferguson, Member for Batman at 8am, 159 High Street, Preston. Info: Carol on caride@bigpond.com.au

* Office of Jenny Macklin, Member for Jaga Jaga at 10am, 149 Burgundy Street, Heidelberg. Info: Bridgit on bbattova3@bigpond.com.au

* Office of Peter Costello, Member for Higgins at 10am, 1343 Malvern Road Malvern, contact Sue on 0411885126

* Office of Nicola Roxon, Member for Gellibrand at 10am, 1 Thomas Holmes Street Maribyrnong. Info: Shaun westsax@westnet.com.au

* Office of Steve Gibbons, Member for Bendigo at 10.30am, Cnr Williamson and Myers St, Bendigo. Info Dean dc@masg.org.au

* Office of Senator Jacinta Collins, 1013 Whitehorse Rd, Box Hill – More details to come

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
*4pm-5.30pm Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices, 100 King William St, Adelaide, info Gemma gemma.weedall@student.adelaide.edu.au

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
*8am Federal Department of Climate Change, 2 Constitution Ave, Canberra, info Leigh, 0421 282 825

NEW SOUTH WALES
*Office of Anthony Albanese, Member for Grayndler at 9am, 334a Marrickville Rd, Marrickville. Info Climate Action Newtown

*Office of Tanya Plibersek, Member for Sydney – 12.09pm [As the international meeting in Copenhagen will be in December 2009], 422 Crown St, Surry Hills. Contact Climate Change Balmain-Rozelle

*Office of Maxine McKew, Member for Bennelong – More details to come

*Office of David Bradbury, Member for Lindsay – More details to come

*Office of Bob Debus, Member for Macquarie – More details to come

QUEENSLAND
More details to come

WESTERN AUSTRALIA
* Office of Gary Gray, member for Brand, 8.30am, 1/15 Kent Street, Rockingham. Info on info@safeclimate.org.au

TASMANIA
More details to come

NORTHERN TERRITORY
More details to come

For updates, how-to guides and further information go to http://stepitupaustralia.wordpress.com/

If your local member isn’t listed, organise your own or come along to an existing action. Contact any of the people listed above for help in organising an action.

Regional Victorian Climate Action Summit

Regional Victorian Climate Action Summit

Visit the web site – www.rvcas.org.au

Local people speaking out about climate change & stepping into advocacy and politics

If you are feeling frustrated, angry, inspired or ignorant, and want to see our political leaders and decision makers helping us rather than hindering us, then this is for you.

WHERE: Daylesford Town Hall

DATE: March 21st

TIME: 9.30am to 4pm

This forum is being jointly hosted by BREAZE (Ballarat), MASG (Mount Alexander), HREA (Daylesford) and BSG (Bendigo) and is open to all people wishing to speak out and skill up on climate change.

SPEAKERS – Philip Sutton, Damien Lawson, Graeme Drysdale, Karen Corr

Short presentations on the latest science, the political lie of the land – international, federal & state, how to control your political environment, a report back from the Canberra Climate Summit.

ACTIVISM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

A workshop based around- fundamentals of constructive communication, effecting political change- some lessons from past campaigns. What sustains us and what are our drivers in activism.

OPEN SPACE / CAFE OF ACTIVISTS: 2 SESSIONS

These sessions will be framed and facilitated so that real, achievable outcomes with leaders/contact people arise from these discussions.

AND A FUN EVENT AT THE END THE LIKES OF WHICH DAYLESFORD WON’T HAVE SEEN BEFORE!

Further details or to register see the summit website: www.rvcas.org.au

Dean Bridgfoot MASG tel 54706978 or dean@rvcas.org.au

Andrew Bray BREAZE Tel: 0421379646 or andrew@rvcas.org.au

I believe we have reached the stage where it is time for civil disobedience to prevent the construction of new coal plants. – Al Gore, Nobel Prize Winner, September 2008