How many surveys does it take to change a politician?

I thought I'd crank up the blog again, because there's so much going on behind the scenes.

On Friday I went to Hobart for the EPHC meeting  - this is where all the state and federal environment ministers get together to make decisions as a group. I wasn't invited, but I had heard that our own Victorian Environment Minister had decided not to attend, so I knew it was the best chance ever for a good environmental outcome.

The timing for the Victorian Greens private member's bill for a 10c deposit on drink bottles, cans and cartons was strategic to try and have an impact on the decisions made at this very meeting.  I wanted them to know that if they didn't act, the Greens would.  There is also a Greens Bill about to be debated in NSW, and one in the Senate.  We have them surrounded! 

As it turned out, our campaign had an impact.  It was a small impact, though, so we are going to push ahead, working as a team, with state and federal drink container deposit bills until we either win in each state, or the government is forced to bring in a national scheme.

You have to hand it to the Still Wild Still Threatened campaigners in Hobart!  When I arrived at the Wrest Point Casino venue, they were dressed up as Gunns Ltd logging company bosses, eating what looked disconcertingly like raw meat from the innards of a Tasmanian Devil fluffy toy.  They assured me it was in fact vegan stew.  Not the best advertisement for vegan food I've seen, I'm telling you. 

Other protesters were dressed up as possums, and had shimmied up the flag poles to hang a banner.  They stayed up the flag poles, looking all cute and fluffy and sleepy.  When I went inside, Casino security staff were trying to persuade them to come down by telling them that the flagpoles were rusty and unsafe, and they might fall and kill everyone.  Later, I heard they arrested the possums. 

So, I expect the casino will remove those unsafe flagpoles any day now.

A Victorian volunteer was planning a protest, which didn't quite come off.  She had a mask of Gavin Jennings, and was planning to hang around in front of the cameras with the mask on, saying "of course I'm the Victorian Environment Minister.  Do you see anyone else around here who looks like me?  Do you think any environment minister worth their salary would miss such an important meeting?".  But when she heard the police arrested the possums up the poles, she thought they wouldn't hesitate to bust a minister in a mask. 

In the end Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett announced a survey of public attitude on drink container deposits.  He wanted to look like the government was doing something, so they have an excuse to vote against container deposit bills. Like we need another survey.  That  very morning, the media was running a story about the 96% public support for drink container deposits.  My report Turning Rubbish Into Community Money details the results from an earlier survey,a t 94% Victorian support - so it's even growing.  How many surveys does it take to change a policy!