[Greens-Media] Of the party by the party for the party

[Manderson, Roland]

---------------------------
ACT GREENS MLA DEB FOSKEY MEDIA RELEASE
---------------------------

21 June 07

Of the (Labor) party by the (Labor) party for the (Labor) party

As soon as ACT Shelter was mentioned in Estimates today the ACT Labor
Minister for Housing leapt in to describe it as the 'daytime branch of
the Greens'; demonstrating the very negative impact on the community
sector of Labor Government bias in the ACT.

"Clearly the imputation was that ACT Shelter's work was of lesser value,
and required less consideration, because its policy position was one
that the Greens support" Dr Foskey said.

Kerrie Tucker, for 10 years a Greens MLA and presently Greens Senate
candidate for the ACT, was Executive Officer of ACT Shelter for a year
and a half after the 2004 election.

"In that time Ms Tucker oversaw two significant and high quality
projects that articulated and promoted progressive housing policies."

"While the Housing Minister and his staff might resent the effectiveness
of her work, and the high regard in which she is held, it reflects
poorly on him and his government that he feels obliged to attack ACT
Shelter as a result."

"The consequences of the Minister's churlish and bullying approach are
serious.  It is a signal that members of the Greens, and perhaps other
political parties, cannot aspire to work at a high level in the
community sector or in partnership with this government."

"I wonder if in fact he is advising Canberra's community sector
organisations that they need to appoint members of the Labor Party as
executive officers if they wish to be supported by any department he is
involved with."

"It is evidence of an increasingly self serving and undemocratic
government."
 
"When the Labor Party had minority government this kind of abuse of
power could be constrained. Now we have more evidence that as majority
government, Labor Ministers are focussed on the party-political rather
than community interest with which they are charged."

 "Chief Minister Jon Stanhope has enjoyed describing the Property
Council as a branch of the Liberal Party, Mr Hargreaves is tryiong to to
echo the wit and ferocity of his Chief Minister."
 
"ACT Shelter however was set up by ACTCOSS as a peak community
organisation to work collaboratively with Government and the community
sector. It is a non-partisan body that advocates for adequate housing
for the most marginalised and vulnerable members of our community."

 "This political witch hunting and targeting of community sector workers
on the basis of their political affiliations is a serious attack on both
our most disadvantaged people and participatory democracy" Dr Foskey
said.

================================
Roland Manderson   Media Advisor
ACT   Greens    MLA  Deb  Foskey  
Legislative Assembly for the ACT 
ph(02)62050551      m 0412241379
==== www.act.greens.org.au ===== 
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This email, and any attachments, may be confidential and also privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender and delete all copies of this transmission along with any attachments immediately. You should not copy or use it for any purpose, nor disclose its contents to any other person.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------