Voices of Wentworth

As Wentworth residents we’re so lucky to have extraordinary pristine beaches and parks to enjoy! But behind the scenes there’s a volunteer group that has picked up over 500,000 pieces of litter in just over two years… 

Voices of Wentworth chats to Mylene Turban about her volunteer for Responsible Runners Bondi and Climate Fresk 

Mylene moved to Australia from France just two years ago, she is a Process Engineer within the sustainability, water and renewable energy sectors and a consultant on the circular economy, climate change and carbon emission reductions. 

Passionate and positive about the impacts our daily actions can have she says, “many people start their environmental journey with waste reduction, they start to understand there is an issue…where is my waste going, and what are the consequences of the waste I generate?” 

Mylene’s top tips on what we as Wentworth residents can do to protect our environment and mitigate climate change? - Educate ourselves on the key issues - Reduce single use plastic - Join a local community garden 

Mylene also suggests to: - Use our vote to elect representatives who have positive policies on climate solutions - Divest our money from banks and superfunds that invest in fossil fuels - Walk and use public transport for our daily commute 

http://www.transitionbondi.org/initiatives/#rr

Recorded Live at a Town Hall meeting Thursday 25 November

We were informed and inspired by our panel, who were clear with the message: yes to more action (fewer consultant reports), yes to more funding and a very big yes to changing the face of our representation. 

Guests speakers
Dr. Belinda Smith -  University of Sydney  
Eleanor Campbell - Bondi Beach Cottage  
Licia Heath – CEO Women Election Australia   
Yvonne Weldon - Candidate, Lord Mayor Sydney 

This was recorded as a virtual Town Hall meeting on October 28

 Greenwashing is when political parties - and the media - make misleading claims about the impact of climate policy, technology and carbon accounting.

You know that the winner will be votes, and the loser will be our future.   It’s time to set the record straight with our guests:

Tim Buckley, Director of Energy & Finance at IEEFA,
Alia Armistead, climate and energy researcher at The Australia Institute
Jonathan Holmes, journalist and former Media Watch Presenter as we go fact-diving into the economic, political and technological realities behind the deluge of greenwash. 

 Voices of Wentworth volunteer, Delia Burrage, gives a 6 minute wrap of how your elected MP, Dave Sharma, represented you in parliament this week. 

Voices of Wentworth volunteer, Delia Burrage, gives a 6 minute wrap of how your elected MP represented you in parliament this week.

Key message of the week? Write to Mr Sharma & say 'Support the Stopping PEP11 Bill regarding gas exploration off Sydney's coast.

MP Dave Sharma on PEP11: https://www.davesharma.com.au/news/pep-11

Opposition Leader's net zero motion: https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1449954932300288006

Christian Porter's blind trust: https://theconversation.com/government-shuts-down-move-to-refer-christian-porters-secret-funds-to-privileges-inquiry-170300 

Recorded on 6th October 2021

Kath Naish and Delia Burrage of Voices from Wentworth spoke to Anthony Whealy QC about the resignation of NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian following news that she will be the subject of an investigation by the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). 

We discussed the timing of the ICAC's announcement, whether Ms Berejiklian was required to resign, the NSW ICAC process and supervision/oversight of its activities. We also discussed the need to balance the potential harm to the reputations of individuals against the need to uncover corruption and maintain trust in our elected officials. Finally, we looked at what lessons can be learned from the various State and Territory ICAC models around Australia to build the most effective Federal Integrity Commission.

Recorded as a virtual town hall on 23rd August 2021
Featuring:

 Craig Reucassel- commentator and  Director of "Big Deal"

 Anthony Whealy QC - Chair of the Centre for Public Integrity

 Professor John Daley- (Melbourne Law School) Chief Executive of the Grattan Institute 

Many improvements are needed within our political systems to regain public trust in our national leaders. Moreover, integrity in politics is arguably central to achieving sensible policy on a range of issues such as climate action, women’s safety, national security, environmental protection and economic reform. 

We spoke about: - the need for reform of the laws regulating political donations and caps on election campaign spending; - why national policy reform gridlock is a problem and how we can address it; - the current status of the Government’s position on introducing a National Integrity Commission as well as the Labor Party’s recent announcements regarding their own proposals ad how these match up to Independent MP Helen Haines’ existing Integrity Commission Bill; - the need for a new approach in Australian federal politics to deliver much-needed policy reform where the two-party system has failed to do so; - the position of Wentworth MP Dave Sharma on the need for an Independent National Integrity Commission and other integrity measures such as political donations reform and addressing misleading political advertising; - the need for greater transparency from government including through the Freedom of Information laws

 Following on from our June Town Hall,

Featuring
Professor Andrew Carr, Director of HIV and Immunology at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney

Professor Kerryn Phelps, former President of the Australian Medical Association and of course, the former Federal Independent Member for Wentworth. 

We discuss the current state of play with vaccines, vaccination rates and targets, the Doherty modelling, vaccine equity and quarantine facilities. 

Recorded as a virtual Town Hall on 22 July 2021

Recorded as a virtual Town Hall on Thursday 26 August 2021

Featuring:
Rachel Walmsley - Head of Policy & Law Reform at Environmental Defenders Office. Rachel was a member of the Australian Panel of Experts in Environmental Law (APEEL) and of the Consultative group established by Prof Graeme Samuel for the EPBC Act review.

Basha Stasak- Nature Program Manager at the Australian Conservation Foundation. Basha leads ACF's campaigns to protect and restore Australia's natural environment.

Gerard Early - Director of BirdLife Australia. Gerard’s extensive career in environmental and public sector issues has seen him advising the Commonwealth and State Governments, industry proponents and community groups on the processes under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).  

"Australia’s natural environment and iconic places are in an overall state of decline and are under increasing threat. The current environmental trajectory is unsustainable.” This was the key finding of the independent review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) led by Professor Graeme Samuel AC, released on 28, January 2021. Eight months later, the Federal Government has still not fully responded, nor has it yet acted on any of the 38 recommendations. Instead it has tabled legislation to hand over Federal environmental approval powers to State and Territory governments. 

Meanwhile, the Federal Court has held that the Minister for the Environment owes a duty of care to Australia’s young people to prevent physical harm by way of personal injury caused by climate change impacts from coal mine approvals. The Minister has also overseen the reversal of Unesco’s ‘in-danger’ rating of one of our most precious natural assets, the Great Barrier Reef.