For media inquiries please contact Michelle 0439 645 372
Email: media@michellemeares.com
ABC TV News 24 Feb 2011
Protest against Tony Kelly’s Scuttling Announcement – Interview with Michelle Meares
Latest Media Releases
State Government scuttling plans drive two new election candidates
7 March 2011 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OUTRAGE at the NSW Labor Government’s handling of the ex-HMAS Adelaide debacle has driven an Avoca Beach and a North Avoca resident to challenge the system.
Michelle Meares and Ben Smith will stand for election at the upcoming State Election on March 26.
“This NSW State political system does not work,” Ms Meares said. “Our concerns have not been addressed. Nor have the concerns of many, many residents in NSW.
“Look at Barangaroo. Look at the Electricity sell-off. Look at the early closure of Parliament.
“They are selling out all our public assets. Including our beach, which could be ruined if this ship is scuttled at Avoca Beach.”
Ms Meares is contesting the State seat of Terrigal currently held by Liberal MP Chris Hartcher.
Ben Smith is standing for election in the Upper House.
“This is a critical time in the history of NSW. 15 years of gross mismanagement, fiscal abuse and corruption have brought this once great state to its knees. I want our children to have a bright future and it is up to us right here and right now to set the correct course for recovery. Our actions now at this critical junction will determine the viability of this state for the next 50 yrs.”
“We should not be forced to protect our beaches from our own Government. This is why I am running. The spin and untruths from the Labor State Government have been outrageous.
“Through their poor planning and disgraceful decisions, the State Government has convinced us to run.
“Part 3a was introduced into planning laws to allow the minister to circumvent community consultation and due process on major or state significant projects.
“This Government has been lacking in fiscal responsibility: this is apparent in their squandering $8.5 million trying to sink this ship off Avoca without proper studies or community consultation.”
Michelle Meares, Independent for Terrigal: 0439 645 372
Ben Smith, Independent for the Upper House: 0409 693 205
www.unitedwestand.com.au
Download Media Release: Empire Bay Residents Power Up To Fight Electricity Threat [PDF]
Empire Bay residents power up to fight electricity threat
Media Release – Immediate Release 11 August 2010
FOLLOWING revelations that a proposed Empire Bay electricity sub-station is unlawful, residents are holding a public meeting tomorrow (Thursday August 12) at 10am at the site on Empire Bay Drive, near the service station.
The bushland was zoned for conservation and protected by Land and Environment Court orders made in 2003 for bushland regeneration and preservation.
EnergyAustralia’s planned high voltage electricity substation would breach the court order.
Independent candidates for Robertson, Michelle Meares and Jake Cassar, are supporting alarmed residents with concerns about the substation and proposed overhead high voltage power lines.
“We must make sure the public gets their voice heard and hopefully the community’s wishes adhered to. It would seem they have not been considered here.” Mr Cassar said.
“People who have lived here safely for years are now faced with possible health risks from the proposed overhead power lines which stretch for more than 3km from Empire Bay up to Avoca,” Ms Meares said.
“EnergyAustralia want to increase ordinary power lines to high voltage 66,000 volt lines, but they are using safe-sounding words such as “modernise” the lines to allay fears.
“These are the same type of power lines that Wamberal residents fought two years ago. These 66,000 volt lines are documented to have health risks.”
Children under the age of 15 who lived within 200m of high voltage power lines have close to twice the risk of developing leukemia, according to a UK study by Oxford Childhood Cancer Research Group.
The study was the biggest-ever publicly funded one in the UK using 33 years of data on 29,000 children including 9,700 with leukemia.
“Additionally health and fire risks of living near a sub-station are causing concern among people who have long lived in the area.”
Media Contact
Michelle Meares – 0439 645 372
Jake Cassar – 0405 424 124
Childhood cancer in relation to distance from high voltage power lines in England and Wales: a case-control study
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC558197/?tool=pmcentrez
Independents in Key Marginal Seats Join Forces and Ask: Will the Real Health Minister Stand Up at Today’s National Press Club Address
Wednesday 11 August 2010
Across health there are hundreds of community groups advocating for improvements in health. For four women across 3 states the lack of any real action in maternity reform has led them to stand as independent candidates.
Michelle Meares, Amy Bell, Sally-Anne Brown and Rebecca Jenkinson are standing in the seats of Robertson, Macquarie, Corangamite and Dickson respectively. These seats are ultra marginal and these women are united by a common passion to improve maternity care for Australian women rather than seeing health services dominated by the self interest of the Australian Medical Association (AMA).
Maternity reform was the first cab of the rank in Rudd’s health reform plan. Nicola Roxon announced funding midwives through Medicare for the first time. “This legislation had the capacity to greatly improve care for women across the country and was initially well received.” says Rebecca Jenkinson, teacher, mother of 2 children and independent candidate for Dickson.
Whilst consultation with a range of stakeholders has occurred it has been clear to those participating that the medical lobby has controlled the decisions within the reforms. “Nicola Roxon has put the self interest of the doctors union above the needs of Australian families as they continue to suffer, especially in rural and remote areas.” said Sally-Anne Brown a nurse and midwife from rural Victoria, running in the electorate of Corangamite.
“In the last month we have come to the conclusion that Nicola Roxon is not really Australia’s Health Minister and Peter Dutton is not the shadow minister. The real minister is Dr Andrew Pesce, President of the Australian Medical Association.” said Michelle Meares, IT consultant and mother on NSW’s Central Coast. “Despite unprecedented support from the women of Australia for maternity reform, Minister Roxon turned her back on them caving to pressure from the AMA that has resulted in legislation being snuck through, signed off by the Governor General the day before the election was called.”
The Determination (National Health Collaborative arrangements for midwives Determination 2010) passed on the election eve requires medical sign off or agreement before women can receive a Medicare payment for private midwifery care. This legislation gives doctors the power of veto not only over the practice of midwives but also the choices pregnant women make.
“This move looks likely to contravene Australia’s commitment to the Convention on the Elimination of all Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). How can the women of the ALP introduce legislation that prevents a woman from making decisions about her own body, giving veto to medical practitioners” said Sally-Anne Brown. Amy Bell, mother and nurse from the Blue Mountains region adds “Women have asked us to step up and represent the voices of women on this issue and they are standing behind us all the way.”
Rebecca Jenkinson is also dismayed that Shadow Health Minister, Peter Dutton has also refused to take a stand on this issue. “As a member of his electorate I am aware of the women that have met with and written to Peter Dutton. We are yet to see any positive protection from the coalition for the rights of women to make decisions. We can only assume that Minister’s Roxon and Dutton believe the AMA has more currency than Australian families”
All candidates report great support on the ground. For too long maternity care has been thought of as a ‘soft issue’. One only needs to see the catastrophic effects of postnatal depression, family breakdown and child abuse to know that how we support new families, especially mothers matters greatly. Amy Bell adds “Maternal suicide is the leading cause of death in the first year after birth – we have to look at more positive ways to support women.”
These candidates join together to ask when will Nicola Roxon and Peter Dutton (who are speaking together today at the National Press Club) be honest enough to announce that the AMA is the real driver of health policy in Australia.
Contact:
Rebecca Jenkinson 0439 765 633
Michelle Meares 0439 645 372
Sally-Anne Brown 0438 708 693
Amy Bell 0432 928 014
Download Media Release: Gas Turns up Heat on Truth and Politics [PDF]
Gas Turns Up Heat on Truth and Politics
August 6, 2010
With less than 200 votes separating Labor and Liberal in the Central Coast, NSW, seat of Robertson at the last federal election, residents’ increasing cynicism counts.
Political spin about natural gas exploration is angering the 307,000 residents in the marginal seats of Dobell and Robertson.
“We are hearing conflicting reports about whether the drilling is going ahead. Who is telling the truth? The people of the Central Coast deserve the truth from those who are seeking to represent our community in Federal Parliament.” Independent Candidate for Robertson, Ms Michelle Meares said.
When the natural gas exploration was revealed to the public in late July, (http://express-advocate-wyong.whereilive.com.au/news/story/four-drilling-sites-likely/ July 22) Liberal candidate Darren Jameson was quoted in the Central Coast Express Advocate that he was “shocked, disappointed but not surprised” to learn about the plan.
“The governments have taken this community for granted,” he said in the Express Advocate. “We haven’t been consulted. What about the emergency issues, what about if something goes wrong.”
Perhaps a talk along the party line followed, because only two days later Mr Jameson was saying on NBN News we should understand what the benefits are as well.
But it wasn’t just the Liberal party dancing to the tired spin.
Both Labor candidates, Robertson’s Deborah O’Neill and Dobell’s Craig Thomson, claimed victory last week “in stopping the drilling” (http://express-advocate-wyong.whereilive.com.au/news/story/central-coast-gas-drilling-cancelled-claim-labor-federal-election-candidates/)
Odd, and a little embarrassing for Ms O’Neill, considering the exploration companies, Advent Energy and Bounty Oil and Gas, have cited their intention to go ahead with exploration in October 2010.
Meanwhile Ms O’Neill was quoted in the Express Advocate on August 2 saying: “This is a huge win for the people of the Central Coast who have stopped Advent Energy’s plans for offshore drilling off our coast.”
“I have been opposed to this plan from day one but we couldn’t have done it without support from the local community.
Similarly, Mr Thomson, the member for Dobell, prematurely said the news was a huge relief for local residents.
“We’ve fought this proposal tooth and nail and it just goes to show a little bit of people power goes a long way.
“I am delighted that the company has listened and withdrawn its application,” Mr Thomson continued.
At a media conference with Julia Gillard in Wyong on Tuesday, Mr Thomson told journalists the drilling exploration would not be going ahead.
“On this same day Advent Energy, was at a conference in Melbourne busy spruiking the benefits of the Central Coast offshore gas site.’ Ms Meares said.
Today (Friday 6 August) MEC Resources has issued a media release:
“MEC’s investee company Advent Energy Limited (“Advent”) has advised that its preparations for drilling within PEP11 are still running to the schedule announced to the ASX on 27 July 2010….Ocean Patriot has been contracted by Advent to drill an exploration well in PEP11, and is anticipated to be available to commence drilling in the fourth quarter 2010.”
“Someone is misleading our community.” Ms Meares said.
MEDIA CONTACT
Michelle Meares
Mobile: 0439 645 372
michelle@michellemeares.com
www.michellemeares.com
Download the Advent Energy presentation here (Tuesday 3 August 2010):
http://www.adventenergy.com.au/ASX%20MMR%20Microcap%20Conference%20Presentation%20030810.pdf
Audio of the Executive Director for Advent Energy, Mr David Breeze discussing the project (Tuesday 27 July 2010):
http://www.brr.com.au/event/67074/mec-resources-to-present-and-the-upcoming-australian-microcap-investment-conference-in-melbourne-on-the-3rd-of-august-2010
Download the MEC Resources media release here (Friday 6 August 2010):
http://announcements.fortbridge.net/2010/08/06/mec-resources-confirms-drilling-preparations-offshore-sydney-basin/
Download Media Release: Gillard Fails to Kick Green Goal [PDF]
Climate Action group member Mira Wroblewski (left) and Independent candidate for Robertson Michelle Meares stage a silent protest as Prime Minister Julia Gillard a visit to Wyong NSW, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2010. Photo: AAP Image/Alan Porritt. Download high resolution photo here: http://bit.ly/aOcTNB
Gillard Fails to Kick Green Goal
August 4, 2010
Despite being handed an opportunity to get real and talk about climate change yesterday (Tuesday August 3) on the Central Coast, Julia Gillard stuck to the soccer script.
While announcing $10 million funding for the Central Coast Mariners to build a new sporting complex, a silent protest was staged by independent candidate for Robertson, Michelle Meares and Mira Wroblewski from Climate Action Central Coast who held up signs reading ‘100% renewables’ and ‘Fund Solutions, Not Pollution.’
But Julia Gillard was not feeling the green in the room.
Prime Minister Gillard said at the media conference: “I don’t agree with my friends over there” referring to the 100% renewables protest sign displayed.
Julia then started talking about clean coal.
“There is no such thing as ‘clean coal’. The description is a marketing tactic for the coal industry, like ‘safe cigarettes’ for the tobacco industry.” Ms Wroblenski said.
The Prime Minister’s reaction did not surprise candidate Michelle Meares.
“Julia Gillard’s attitude highlights the complete failure of both political parties to take serious action on this issue.” Ms Meares said.
“People want to keep the boat people out? Don’t create them.” Ms Meares said.
At the time of the Tampa crisis in 2001, when 460 Afghan asylum seekers arrived in Australian waters by boat from Indonesia, former US president Bill Clinton commented on the Australian government’s reaction: ‘If you’re worried about 400 people, you just let the world keep warming up like this for the next 50 years and your grandchildren will be worried about 400,000 people.’
MEDIA CONTACT
Michelle Meares Mira Wroblewski
Mobile: 0439 645 372 Mobile: 0425 899 468
michelle@mercuryrising.com.au cagcc1@gmail.com
Photo – Climate Action group member Mira Wroblewski (left) and Independent candidate for Robertson Michelle Meares stage a silent protest as Prime Minister Julia Gillard a visit to Wyong NSW, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2010.
Photo: AAP Image/Alan Porritt
Download high resolution photo here: http://bit.ly/aOcTNB
Download Media Release: Gillard Signs Away Women’s Rights [PDF]
Tuesday August 3 2010
Gillard Government signs away Women’s Rights
FOLLOWING the Government’s backwards changes to national midwifery regulations, thousands of Australian women are voicing their concern.
Their urgent voices have just over a month to address draconian amendments to proposed new laws.
Collectively, thousands of voices have culminated in four women running as independent candidates in critical marginal seats in an attempt to talk to Australia’s law makers.
These four independents will stand in the marginal federal seats of: Robertson on the NSW Central Coast, Corangamite in southern Victoria, Macquarie in the Blue Mountains, NSW, and Dickson in northern Brisbane, Queensland.
“We had no choice but to stand for Parliament. We are standing as Independents to represent the voices of thousands of women around Australia. These women are angry about the effect the Gillard Government’s new maternity laws will have on their birth choices,” Robertson candidate Michelle Meares said.
“The day before the Federal election was announced there were changes made to existing midwifery legislation. Defined as “collaborative arrangements”, the changes, in essence, give doctors a veto over women’s choices.
“Basically, the changes detail that any midwife whose patient wants to claim through Medicare must get permission from a Doctor for the decisions made during the pregnancy and birth.”
“These new laws give Doctor’s veto rights over women’s birth choices.”
“It is unlikely that Doctors will agree to collaborate with private midwives, with some receiving advice from their insurer that collaborating would void their insurance.”
“This is unworkable. It will not allow women to be able to afford midwives for home births.”
After the election, once the caretaker Government steps aside and the Senate resumes sitting, there will a two-week window in which the changes can be disallowed.
“When the senate resumes we have two weeks in which to change the “collaborative arrangement” the Government wants to impose.
A similar situation developed in the US state of New York. But the law was found to be unworkable. It was repealed when the Midwifery Modernization Act was passed in July.
Each of the four candidates disagrees with the recently passed legislation forcing midwives into “collaborative arrangements” with doctors. Specifically they are pushing for:
• A guarantee that the medical veto over women’s choices will be removed
• A commitment that women’s rights to informed consent (including the right of refusal) will be expressly recognised in all codes, guidelines and frameworks relating to midwifery practice
• Ensure that privately practising midwives have visiting rights in hospitals across the country
• A commitment to funding and insurance for homebirth to ensure equity for all Australian women
MEDIA INQUIRIES
The four candidates:
Robertson – web producer/consumer advocate Michelle Meares
Phone: 0439 645 372
http://www.michellemeares.com
Corangamite –midwife Sally Anne Brown
Phone: 0438 708 693
http://sallyannebrown.com
Macquarie – nurse Amy Bell
Phone: 0432 928 014
http://www.wix.com/amyrbell/independentformacquarie
Dickson – teacher Rebecca Jenkinson.
Phone: 0439 765 633
http://bit.ly/a4KXOz
Tuesday July 27 2010
The race for Robertson:
Putting our future generations first
INDEPENDENT Michelle Meares of North Avoca brings critical environmental, health and youth issues to the race for the federal seat of Robertson.
Ms Meares, a mother of two and consumer health advocate, highlights urgent issues on the Central Coast:
Ocean protection – questioning natural gas exploration 20km off the Central Coast
Youth future – up to 42 per cent youth unemployment on the Central Coast affects all of us
Climate change – a complete failure by the two major parties to address this urgent issue for our future generations.
Maternity choices - critical midwife legislation outlining restrictive arrangements (that will remove women’s rights) that were passed by the Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon on the day before the election was called.
“If elected, I would work to remove the proposed legislation which would allow a doctor to veto a woman’s birth choice,’’ Michelle said.
“I would support maternity and baby bonuses to enable women to pay for the care provider of their choice, be it midwife, general practitioner or specialist. I understand how important it is to support new families”
Ocean Protection
Ms Meares’ race to Canberra has been fired up by last week’s announcement that exploration for natural gas will start 20km off the Central Coast in September.
“We were not consulted. We do not want a potential Bass Strait sized natural gas field offshore from our beautiful beaches here on the Central Coast.
“Pollution will very likely ensue. Pristine seabeds will be sacrificed for shareholder profits. We saw the result of this in the Gulf of Mexico.”
“Our Governments must protect our oceans and coastal communities first, ahead of business dollars. Our Government must reduce dependence on dirty, dangerous fuels, not encourage more drilling off our coasts.”
Climate Change
Ms Meares also addresses the failure of the major political parties to address climate change.
“I support the introduction of a carbon tax while details of an Emissions Trading Scheme are agreed upon. We must take action today.”
“We must stop building coal power stations and new coal mines. We need to invest more in renewable energy technology and alternative fuels.”
“I am concerned about the impact of proposed Wallarah Coal Mine on the environment and water supply for the Central Coast.”
Youth unemployment and mentoring
“The Central Coast Plan- It Youth was successfully run here for nearly ten years, but as there now no funding for the program, the mentors have no support and it is gradually slipping away. A lot of mentors here feel strongly about the importance of this program – we need to see it or a comparable system put in place.”
“Additionally, further support is needed for youth unemployment.”
“The YGreen and iGreen programs are life-changing projects that encourage youth to train and work in areas affecting the environment, but to do so remotely. Programs like these could enrich the Central Coast permanently.”
“This is important work which provides young people with desperately needed structure to significantly contribute to society, and to be paid to do so.”
“These schemes have a flow-on effect which touches most Central Coast families, businesses, and day-to-day interactions within our communities. It is critical.”
MEDIA CONTACT
Michelle Meares
www.michellemeares.com
Mobile 0439 645 372
Michelle will be holding a launch for the campaign on Wednesday 28 July, at 10.30am at The Rhythm Hut Unit 7/ 141 – 145 Erina St, Gosford 2250