A thread for the very latest Greens news from here and around the world.

Aussie senator denied govt meeting about Assange

The Swedish government has refused to meet with an Australian senator to discuss the future of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

As extradition proceedings against the 40-year-old Australian continue in London, Greens Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam has embarked on a European mission to secure guarantees about Assange's human rights, should he be extradited to the Nordic nation.

Swedish prosecutors want Assange in Stockholm for questioning over allegations that he sexually assaulted two women in the capital in August 2010.

Assange denies the claims and is refusing to return to Sweden, fearing that the country will hand him over to the United States, where his secret-leaking website is the subject of a major investigation.

"We sought a meeting with the (Swedish) foreign minister (Carl Bildt). That was denied,'' Senator Ludlam told AAP on his return to Perth, adding that the minister provided no reasoning for his refusal.

Instead, during the time he spent in Sweden, the senator was able to meet with justice officials and discuss the general process faced by people being extradited to Sweden.

"For us it was a chance to get our heads clear about how it would work if and when (Assange) is ordered to return to Sweden,'' Senator Ludlam said.

"There is nothing out of the ordinary in that respect, if he is sent there ... it appears his human rights will be protected.''

Senator Ludlam also visited the remand centre where Assange would be held while Swedish prosecutors decide if he will be charged.

But his hopes of securing a guarantee from the Swedish government that Assange would not be handed on to the US were not realised.

"t didn't seem appropriate to raise it with the officials I met with. I needed to speak with the foreign minister for that,'' Senator Ludlam said.

Following the trip to Sweden, the Greens communications spokesman met with Assange for several hours to discuss what he had learned.

"I don't think there were too many surprises there for Julian, he was just absorbing the information that I had,'' Senator Ludlam said.

The pair met at Assange's new base at Kent, about an hour out of London.

Since a short time after his arrest on December 7, 2010, Assange was bailed to live at a lavish country estate at Norfolk.

Senator Ludlam said "logistical'' issues led to Assange's recent relocation and he still wears an electronic tracking device and has to report daily to police as part of his bail conditions.

From February 1, Assange will face a panel of seven British supreme court justices for a two-day hearing where he will appeal the rulings of lower courts that he should be extradited to Stockholm.

Senator Ludlam plans to take the information he has learned in Stockholm to the Australian parliament and seek cross-party support for the government to do "everything possible to prevent this extradition''.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10775157

Dam level hits 10-year high


Warragamba Dam levels have exceeded 80 per cent for the first time in nearly 10 years.

The dam, 60 kilometres west of Sydney, is the city’s primary water source. Its catchment stretches more than 9000 kilometres between Lithgow and Cooma.

The last time the dam’s levels rose above 80 per cent was June 2002, according to the Sydney Catchment Authority.

It was at its lowest in February 2007 when it fell to less than 33 per cent.

...


The Greens say the government has manipulated Warragamba levels to keep them lower so the privatisation of the desalination plant at Kurnell is more attractive.

Now that Warragamba’s levels are more than 80 per cent, the supply from the desalination plant has been reduced.

If Warragamba levels stay above 80 per cent for two years, the plant’s supply will be cut off until levels reach 75 per cent again.

The government is trying to sell the Kurnell plant for an estimated $1.5 billion.

The Greens oppose the sale, arguing that the plant should be shut because its output is unnecessary and adds nearly $100 to the average water bill.

They point to Warragamba’s rise above 80 per cent as further evidence it is not needed.


http://www.eco-business.com/news/dam-level-hits-10-year-high/

Come on, it is obvious this is the hard right sticking up for their financial masters, the coal lobby.

When can people protect them from the cancer causing toxics from coal that enter our drinking water and our lungs.

Should anyone that drinks water and breaths have a right to stop a coal plant from killing them?

____ wrote on Dec 24^th, 2011 at 5:32am:



Which is why I recommend a bill to put a wind turbine into the backyard of every greens voter, to combat this insidious blight on our environment.

You should be all for anything that improves the environment right?

I think it would be a winner.

So greens voters will not accept any inconvenience to their lives, even if it is good for the environment?

Always good to know where you stand on these issues.

The Australian whinges about the Greens from page 1 to editorial, Santa Morgan poll has the Greens up 3 to 13. Happy Xmas everyone.

from
Bob Brown
via twitter

BigOl64 wrote on Dec 24^th, 2011 at 5:27am:


Alternatively, they could just use these sorts of turbines...
http://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=15749