Greens in Blacktown & Mt. Druitt

Press Council decision

The Australian Press Council has viewed an article published by The Herald Sun in August 2004 as ‘irresponsible journalism’. The Council’s decision can be viewed here. The article, ‘Greens back illegal drugs’, was critical of Greens Party policies in the lead-up to last year’s Federal election. Following publication of the article, Senator Bob Brown lodged a complaint with the Press Council. The Council’s decision has been appealed by the newspaper. This incident brings into focus the role of the media, particularly in the critical period in the lead-up to an election. A Sydney Morning Herald article by Alan Ramsey on this issue can be viewed here.

Greens call for increased spending on mental health

The mistreatment and wrongful detention of Cornelia Rau emphasises just how vulnerable people suffering a mental illness are. This is not the first time an injustice like this has happened and it tragically won't be the last . Fortunately for her she is Australian and will now get the proper treatment she needs but what of the plight of detainees.

"It's a known fact that many other detainees in detention centres are suffering the same mistreatment as Cornelia. The Greens have been advocating closure of these centres because of the inhumane conditions" said Blacktown Greens convenor Debbie Robertson.

"There are thousands of 'Cornelias' out there who are not getting proper treatment 'and slip' through the system becoming homeless, abandoned through lack of understanding or wrongfully imprisoned, - and this will keep happening until both State and Federal governments work together to increase funding dramatically. At the very least, bring it
up to other OECD countries" said Debbie.

NSW has the highest rate of mental illness in Australia yet the government has cutback funding for mental health services and have reduced the 24 hour crisis service to business hours. 1 in 5 people suffer a mental illness. NSW also has the highest rate of suicide (20%, mostly males) for those aged between 15 and 30..

In our prisons a staggering 46% of inmates are suffering an illness when imprisoned. There is no systematic diagnosis and treatment provided for these people and they leave prison very often in a worse state than when they were gaoled.

The Greens call upon both State and Federal governments to increase levels of mental health funding as a matter of urgency especially in areas like Blacktown and Mt Druitt. (17th February 2005)

Greens call for Government take over of Westbus services

Blacktown Greens Convenor Debbie Robertson today called on the NSW Government to take over the running of the Westbus fleet, saying bus services were too important to be left to the private sector.

"The Greens call on new Transport Minister John Watkins to wipe the slate clean. He should end the discrimination against Sydney's west and take over the Westbus fleet immediately," Ms Robertson said.

"For too long, the people of Western Sydney have had to endure private bus services that are more expensive and less comprehensive than the public bus network in inner Sydney."

"It is no longer acceptable for the Labor local members like John Aquilina (Riverstone), Paul Gibson (Blacktown) and Richard Amery (Mt Druitt) to sit back and let Western Sydney residents suffer sub-standard public transport while the constituents of Liberals on the North Shore and Eastern Suburbs enjoy regular bus services day and night and even on week ends.

"They must not let Mr Watkins pick another profit-driven, cost-cutting private bus company to take over the Westbus services. It'll just mean more of the same for long-suffering transport users in the West.

"It would just be throwing good money after bad. It would no doubt horrify most Western Sydney residents to learn that the state government was giving about $1 million per week in subsidies to the foreign owned Westbus - and that was for what is no kind of bus service at all compared to areas serviced by Government buses.

"And all our do-nothing local Labor representatives have been able to do is look on in silence whilst this money was frittered away by the Westbus shareholders in the UK - apparently without any oversight or minimum service level requirements.

"Westbus's insolvency is a unique opportunity for the people of western Sydney to get superior government-provided services. Mr Watkins should seize his chance to make a real difference.

"Private bus companies are about making money, while the government is about providing services. When it comes to buses, passengers must come before profit," Ms Robertson said. (Febraury 2005)

Read more about The Greens Transport Initiatives

Do you recycle your greywater?

Are you interested in saving water and keeping your garden growing despite watering restrictions? If you are like many people in Blacktown City and region you recycle the water from your washing machine onto the garden. But how many well meaning people know that some cleaning detergents contain high levels of salt?

Soil and water salination is already an issue in Blacktown City and people who recycle their waste washing water may be unknowingly making the problem worse by dumping up to 80 grams of salt (that's over ten teaspoons!) into the garden PER wash.

The SLF Cleaning Group in Victoria has an exciting new project that will help you to prevent salt damage to soil, plants and waterways. You can read more at the Sustainable Living Foundation website.

A Victorian company that sells greywater reticulation systems has a lot of information on the use of greywater.