Folks we invite you join in a campaign we’re calling Postcards for Pollies that’s intended to complement and reinforce this weekends Walk Against Warming. You can participate whether or not you're able to join a walk on the day.
The idea is that on or before WAW10 day (August 14 or 15, depending on where you are) as many people as possible from across the country send a ‘postcard from home’ to BOTH the parliament office and electorate office addresses of the Prime Minister - and likewise to the addresses of the local electorate representative for those participating. Show them where you live and that you want action on climate change!
Anthony Albanese has said “ ... until people on every street corner, in every community, all around the country are telling me they want us to do more, we’re not going to be able to do more!"
Sending postcards sends a hard to ignore tangible message from those streets, showing where those streets are, to a government that needs to be led by the people.
So, a Citizens' Plea for action - on a postcard from home to the people we employ to actively work in our interest. Ideally participants would each send out 4 four signed postcards, each card carrying a quickly read message urging immediate action to address climate change.
The postcards show where the message is coming from - Ballina, Perth, Yarra Valley, Darwin etc. Participants obtain or make their own cards. If four cards is too much, then please focus on the two for the PM. The call has been sent to more than 100 climate action groups across the county, and is now being promoted by community group networks such 100percent (thanks Lindsay), National Community Climate Network, Community Climate Network Queensland, Climate Emergency Network and NGOs such as Oxfam, ACF, Greenpeace and the NCC. If only 10 people from or associated with each network send cards, thats a 1000 cards to each politician at each address! Hard to ignore. Penelope from Sustainability in Stonnington has prepared 26 cards for WAW10 day!
A message suggestion is given below. Ideally the cards would convey the same message, but different groups and individuals may well have different priorities. For us the key thing is to price carbon as soon as possible, and a carbon tax (with dividends to the public ensuring no disadvantage to low income earners) seems to be the best mechanism.
The main thing though, is to make it clear to the politicians that the government is not doing enough to tackle climate change. Further below we've given the parliamentary address for the PM and her electorate office address, as well as a link to addresses for local electorate representatives.
Please forward the 'call to cards' to others in your network. Where appropriate, please ask your family, friends and colleagues to send cards. Let’s aim for at least 150 from each region – a community consensus demonstrated with an assembly of postcards from home.
GetUP! commented this week that “The inside word from Canberra is that the ALP have more climate policy that, if pushed, they'll announce before the election!”. Let's keep pushing!
Have a great WAW10 day, and show the pollies they’re really out of touch :)
Best wishes Peter and Gina from the Wollongong Climate Action Network (WCAN).
ps It would be much appreciated if you could let us know if you go ahead and send cards, and approx how many were sent.
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A MESSAGE SUGGESTION:
Dear Julia (or MP representative),
Greetings from Helensburgh! Julia it’s time, time for REAL leadership on climate change! Be bold - introduce a CARBON TAX now - with rebates ensuring no disadvantage to low income earners. Remember the future and make a real difference. The ETS? Its NOT the way forward!
The weather is changing - wish you were here!
Best wishes from ...
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SEND TO:
General Federal Parliament House address for PM and others:
PO Box 6022
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
PMs electorate office address:
Hon. Julia Gillard MP
PO Locked Bag 14
Werribee Vic 3030
Local electorate addresses can be found via: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/mi-elctr.asp
