March e-news 2018

Localising Leanganook and Democracy4Dinner invite you to join our upcoming ‘conversation on democracy’  prompted by Richard Walsh’s book, ‘Reboot: A Democracy Makeover to Empower Australia’s Voters’. Richard will share his vision for a ‘better democracy’ that will increase participation, engagement, and direct representation through a redesign of the electoral system.

Locals Gen Barlow and Cam Walker will help us understand how alternative approaches to democracy and democratic processes already do, and can further, enhance the power of the people to create lasting change in Australia and here in our local communities. They will share their experience on community-led transformative change and explore how alternative democratic processes would interact with the changes proposed in the book ‘Reboot’.

There will be plenty of time for asking questions that explore what a successful democracy might look like and how we might get there, as well as for conversation afterwards.

About our speakers

Interstate guest, Richard Walsh, is an Australian publisher, editor, company director, media consultant, lecturer, broadcaster and journalist. He is the author of nine books including ‘Great Australian eulogies’ and ‘No Holts barred’. His latest book, ‘Reboot: A Democracy Makeover to Empower Australia’s Voters’, is the inspiration for this community conversation.

Gen Barlow is the communications and engagement director with Renewable Newstead, a group working on a commercially viable model for switching Newstead’s stationary energy supply to grid-connected, locally generated, renewable energy. Genevieve is a freelance writer and editor, a columnist for The Weekly Times and lives in Newstead, central Victoria. Read more about Renewable Newstead here.

Cam Walker has worked with Friends of the Earth (FoE) for more than 2 decades. For the past five years he has focused on community campaigning in regional Victoria. The recent successful campaigns against unconventional gas drilling and in support of renewable energy were based on building local democratic grassroots institutions and community power. Cam is interested in the way locally controlled groups can work together across regions to achieve lasting political and cultural change.

Have a look at flatpack democracy in the UK to inspire your thinking. 

Stop Adani local campaign, film and fundraising

From Central Victoria to the Adani Blockade people from across Australia are traveling to Bowen in central Queensland to blockade Adani’s coal port and railway plans. These actions have added to the growing pressure on Adani and its supporters. They demonstrate that as a movement we will Stop Adani, with our bodies if needed. Central Victoria Climate Action are planning to send a crew from Central Victoria up to join the blockade in April. Here’s your chance to Stop Adani!

If you can donate your time to join them, we are fundraising to cover some of the costs for those going. We are aiming to raise $5000, some of which will go to help defray the costs of those donating their time and heading up to join the blockade, and the rest used to support FLAC who are running the blockade camps.

Ways you can support include:

• Donate your time and join the crew heading up north in April? (Chat with Dean on 0403 160 091 or centralvicclimateaction@gmail.com)
• Donate to help pay for airfares and costs of those up on the blockade? (https://www.gofundme.com/adani-blockade-fundraiser)
• Donate some goods or services to our fundraising raffle or help staff our stalls at the Wesley Hill Market (Contact Trevor 0412 250 392 or centralvicclimateaction@gmail.com)
• Learn more about the blockade? (http://www.frontlineaction.org/)

The 30 minute documentary film, #StopAdani: A Mighty Force, was screened last Saturday night to a crowd of locals. The film was followed by Q and A with one of the young people who has spent the past several months at the blockade. CVCA is thinking about organising another screening for those who missed out, so watch this space and add you name to the CVCA email list.

The film reveals an unstoppable movement for change in action and captures the power and passion of people taking extraordinary action to stop Adani from building one of the biggest coal mines in the world.From remote central Queensland where the mine is proposed to be built, to rallies in metropolitan Melbourne and Sydney, this David and Goliath battle is one of the most determined and focused campaigns in Australia’s recent history.

Juru Traditional Elder Carol Prior says about the protest movement, “Adani is dealing with a mighty force. And the more it grows, the harder we’ll be to beat.”

Castlemaine Repair cafe

Congratulations to Chris and the Repair cafe team for their special mention in Mt Alexander’s Community Event of the year award.

Of the February cafe Chris writes: What a fantastic Cafe. So many people….thank you so much to the repairers working away for all that time with crowds of people waiting (including) fabulous knife sharpening. And thanks to Karen and Danny who travel around to Repair Cafes helping to fix things. They’re from Mend it Melton at the moment but eventually venturing around Australia. Thanks to Velvet for her wonderful food and Elke for helping set up. 

A puncture repair workshop is planned for the March cafe so put the word out amongst kids and adults who’d like to learn.  Marieanne does picture frame repairs so spread the word.

Unrepairable things such as printers, stereos etc can go to an after school program in Kyneton and then parts/bits go to the transfer station there. Chris is also checking with Chewton primary school.

Next Repair Cafe is 10.00am to 1.00pm, Sunday March 25th at Ray Bradfield room, Castlemaine.

Growing Abundance Harvest time

It’s harvest time again for 2018 and the first harvest of the season will be Wednesday March 6th at 9.30am. There are plenty of trees in the Castlemaine neighbourhood with hanging fruit. Take home apples and pears, prevent the spread of pest and disease to our fruit trees and help our schools and  local food relief organisations feed our community.

Since the harvest project began in 2011 over 23 tonne of fruit, that would have otherwise gone to waste, has been harvested and distributed to volunteers and in weekly boxes to more than 14 local community organisations.

Register your interest through Growing Abundance website, harvest volunteer on-line form.

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