By Melanie Sjoberg
ADELAIDE — Senator Bob Brown spoke to around 100 people on September 12 at the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel to launch the SA Greens' federal election campaign. The meeting also marked the third anniversary of the formation of the Greens in SA.
Brown talked about the importance of the "Green vision" and of putting the need for sustainability on the political agenda. He said the Greens' proposed "eco-tax" on polluters was an alternative to Howard's GST. He stated that the imposition of an $84 per tonne tax on carbon monoxide production would eliminate the need for a payroll tax.
The Greens would propose a "something less than a 1% levy" on speculative financial transactions, Brown said.
The Greens oppose uranium mining at Jabiluka and support the Mirrar people's right to decide how their land is used, Brown said. Brown added that the ALP offered "a window of hope" on Jabiluka because it is sitting on the fence about shutting the mine and "might fall the right way" if elected.
The Greens are directing their preferences to the ALP before the Liberals, and putting One Nation last.
Craig Wilkins and Michelle Drummond are the Greens' Senate candidates for SA, while Mark Moran is contesting the marginal seat of Adelaide. Deb Cashel is running in the Liberal-held seat of Hindmarsh. Moran has been active in the campaign against the Hindmarsh Island bridge and Cashel has been active in the fight against the marina development at West Beach.
Wilkins told Green Left Weekly the Greens support scrapping the HECS scheme and a guaranteed minimum income for all. He added that the Greens call for the age for independent status to be set at 18 and for the voting age to be reduced to 16.