Dear Premier,

I call on you to commit to a clean energy future for NSW and to start the transition to a 100% renewable electricity sector in NSW.

Coal and coal seam gas offer no long term energy future for NSW. The environmental, health and economic costs of perpetuating this state's reliance on fossil fuels for electricity generation are too high.

Please work with emerging clean energy industries and community groups to make this jobs-rich, low-carbon vision a reality.

"MP Jamie Parker has been leading the charge on this
(anti-corruption) issue ... " ABC NewsRadio, 17 August 2014

Were you shocked by revelations at the 2014 Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) hearings, which brought down Premier Barry O'Farrell and, at last count, have seen nine Liberal MPs step aside because of illegal donations? Sadly, I wasn't.

We are determined to make a difference for cyclists in NSW with the push for legislation which requires motorists to allow a metre in distance when overtaking.

NSW is the most dangerous state to be a cyclist, with an average of 11 deaths per year for the past decade, constituting 30% of the country’s total fatalities.

I initiated the national action by giving notice of a Bill to require at least 1 metre overtaking distance when passing cyclists.

Current protections are failing to prevent injuries and deaths on our roads and we must act urgently to save lives.

Lend your support to the campaign by signing the petition: 

The City of Sydney is considering the Mirvac proposal to have their development designated as a new suburb called Harold Park. The obvious question is what are the motivations of the developer to propose this? We are seeking information from the City of Sydney to ask what are the benefits to Mirvac and its development to be excised from Forest Lodge. Feel free to have your say at the City of Sydney web site here before 8 July 2014.

http://sydneyyoursay.com.au/harold-park

We will update you on any feedback from the Council as soon as we receive it.

Jamie with CEO Alzheimer's Australia (NSW) CEO John Watkins, Greg Piper MP and Leslie Williams MP 

Promoting the 2014 Sydney Memory Walk & Jog, Sunday 14 September at Leichhardt Oval #3, Lilyfield.

Find out more HERE

Senator George Brandis
Federal Attorney-General
Australian Parliament House

Senator Brandis,

I am a supporter of section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. The Federal Government needs to rethink its plan to repeal that Act because it is important that we act against racial discrimination and vilification in all areas and that we support legislative arrangements to give weight to that in the courts.

Australia needs the anti-hate speech provisions of the Racial Discrimination Act to protect vulnerable people and uphold Australian values of tolerance and multiculturalism.

Please don’t strip away protections against racially-motivated hate speech.

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the atrocities committed in Tiananmen Square against peaceful protestors for democracy, Greens candidate for the seat of Newtown, Jenny Leong, and I attended a forum in NSW Parliament titled “Why Remember The Past? The Case of June 4th”. Presented by the Sydney Democracy Network in partnership with the Australian Institute of International Affairs (NSW branch) and the China Democracy Forum, the forum was a poignant reminder that so many questions remain unanswered…

Why do the Chinese ruling authorities still refuse to acknowledge publicly the events? Why do so many who survived the massacres still struggle? And how will this shape the political future of China?

It was then a stark reminder of the gulf in democracy between our two countries when my comments on the Tiananmen anniversary were front page news on the Australian edition of the Chinese-language newspaper The Vision China Times. 

The possible closure of women’s specialist services under the government’s homelessness reforms will leave thousands of women in Sydney stranded and without critical support, Greens MP Jamie Parker and Greens Councillor for Sydney, Irene Doutney, have warned.

Mr Parker and Ms Doutney were part of a NSW parliamentary forum today which discussed the closure of women’s refuges and women’s specialist services under the government’s Going Home Staying Home reforms.

These plans enforce a tendering process that prevents community service organisations from applying for funding on the basis of offering gender-specialised services. They will also strip at least $6 million in inner city funds which will be distributed to suburbs and regional areas.