Archive for the ‘Peak Oil’ Category

Media Release: 17th August, 2013: Top Bloke in Fraser for Australian Democrats

20/08/2013

australian-democrats-logo-300ACT Democrats 2013

Media Release: 17th August, 2013:

Top Bloke in Fraser for Australian Democrats

The Australian Democrats in the ACT have announced their candidate for Fraser for the 2013 Federal election.

Darren Churchill is the party’s National President and has stood as a candidate for the ACT Legislative Assembly and for the Senate in 2010. Darren has lived most of his life in the Canberra region. He has worked as a secondary teacher, in the music industry as a casual relief teacher and occasional fitness instructor and as a consultant. Darren’s main policy interests are sustainability, drug law reform, food security, energy security and a sustainable population for the ACT and Australia, as well as policies that give ordinary people a “fair go.”

Darren was endorsed last year by an Australian Democrats members’ ballot for the Senate but made a strategic switch to Fraser in the last month.

“The Australian Democrats have 31 years of successful parliamentary experience to draw on. We are known for our ability to deliver stability for government, and to deliver positive results by negotiating to improve legislation.” Darren said. “If the people of Australia once again deliver a hung parliament, you the voter can ensure that I am there to guarantee better results using the Democrats ability to effectively use the crossbench for the greater good.”

I am contesting the election to fight for Sustainable Prosperity for Australia, which includes food and water security, energy security and a stable population size that gives us a sustainable and liveable Canberra and Australia. A vote to elect Churchill, will mean a greater of variety of views will represent Canberrans in the Federal parliament, providing a more representative outcome.” said Darren

Darren has drawn pole position on the ballot paper. “I’m at the top of the ballot paper, so people should think of me as a top bloke in Fraser and vote accordingly.” Darren concluded.

Darren Churchill

darren.churchill@australian-democrats.org.au

Tel: 0412 196 473

 

Darren July 2010

Darren Churchill

Candidate for Fraser (2013)

Darren Churchill, 48, has lived most of his life in the Canberra region. Originally from Goulburn, he now lives in Kaleen. Darren has a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Newcastle and a Graduate Diploma in Education from the University of Wollongong. He has taught in secondary schools in both NSW and the ACT.

Darren has also worked in the music industry doing sound and lighting, and in the early 1990s was a band manager. Currently, Darren works as a political and fitness consultant. As a Christian (Anglo-Catholic), he has strong views on human rights, equality, social justice and inclusiveness. In the long tradition of the Australian Democrats, he stands with the voiceless the marginalised and the oppressed in the fight for justice and equality.

Darren is greatly concerned about animal welfare and food labelling. He was active as a volunteer in the campaign to reinstate South Sydney Rabbitohs to the NRL, and was active in the Canberra Cosmos and Belconnen Blue Devils Supporters Groups. He supports the proposal for an A-League team for Canberra.

Darren has been outspoken on matters of privacy, civil liberties, drug law reform and sustainable population.

Darren stands for getting the balance right in legislative decisions. The result needs to be the right mix for the environment, the economy and social justice. He is a straight talker who represents the core Australian Democrats values of honesty, tolerance and compassion.

If elected, Darren will give: support for the construction of a Very Fast Train system to link Canberra to Sydney and Melbourne; support for low carbon energy sources to give us a clean reliable sustainable energy future, and support for increased investment in high tech export products from the ANU, the CSIRO and local manufacturers, to help give Australia an alternative to agriculture and mining exports. Darren will work to ensure Canberra and Australia’s population does not exceed the carrying capacity, recognising that strategies to manage population will require appropriate planning, proper consultation and a whole of government approach

Darren will bring the Australian Democrats’ 31 years of legislative experience to the House of Representatives, continue the same process of working for good legislative outcomes and offer practical, balanced solutions for Sustainable Prosperity.

Darren Churchill

darren.churchill@australian-democrats.org.au

Tel: 0412 196 473

Posted in Energy, Environment, Federal Election 2013, Peak Oil, Sustainable Population, Sustainable Prosperity, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Media Release: 28th February, 2012: Gillard reshuffle: PM should create an Energy Security portfolio

28/02/2012

DARREN CHURCHILL

National President

darren.churchill@democrats.org.au

Tel: 0412 196 473

28th February, 2012

Gillard reshuffle: PM should create an Energy Security portfolio

The Australian Democrats say that Julia Gillard should take the opportunity presented by her cabinet reshuffle to create a new portfolio of Energy Security which would head the development of plans to deal with an impending energy crisis.

National President, Darren Churchill, says that with worldwide demand for oil increasing at the same time as supply is reducing, the oil prices will keep going up with far-reaching impacts, yet the Federal Government seems unaware of this dramatic phenomenon known as peak oil.

“An Energy Security Department and Minister would be charged with spearheading the transition to a lower energy economy, with extensive rollouts of new public transport infrastructure, development of emergency fuel storage locations in regional areas, and encouragement of the manufacture of ultra-light/electric vehicles.

“At present there is a Minister for Resources and Energy with an implication that this issue is merely about digging up the resources and exporting them, which misses the point about the sort of future we will have if a business-as-normal attitude is adopted.

“If people are struggling and swearing now at fuel prices of $1.40 it will be much worse when they hit $3 or $4 per litre. And when this happens, the price of all goods will go up because of the increased freight costs.

“Oil is a major component of fertilisers, so they too will go up in price and add to the cost of food.

Farmers will have to significantly raise their prices because of both the amounts of fuel they use in planting, reaping and getting products ready for market and the cost of fertilisers.

“Picture how much plastic we use – just look at an office desk for a start – and imagine the impacts of oil shortages on the production and availability of plastics.”

A study prepared for the German army has concluded that the economic damage of what is known as ‘peak oil’ is almost impossible to quantify – but they predict economic instability and unemployment and perhaps the complete collapse of our banking systems, stock exchanges and financial markets.

“Our governments – federal and state – have procrastinated on this for four decades. It is difficult to understand why most Australian politicians fail to even mention this problem because it will hit sooner and harder than the impacts of climate change.

“For the future good of Australia we urge the PM to take urgent action, and we encourage governments to borrow or steal any or all of the solutions listed on the Democrats’ website if Australia is to get through this crisis” said Mr Churchill.

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