Prosper Australia

Time: 7pm, Friday August 1

A kilogram of beef contains between 15,000 and 100,000 litres of embodied water. For every kilogram of wheat grown in Australia, seven kilograms of topsoil are lost. We give lip service to concerns about peak oil and greenhouse gases, yet our agricultural industry is utterly dependent on unsustainable quantities of polluting petrochemicals.

There’s no reason why this insanity can’t be quickly and effortlessly changed to a geoist system of economics which inherently recognises the true value of natural resources. The major obstacle to change actually lies with the peddlers of our current neoclassical economics. You can side with these peddlers and relax, ignore the food riots, have a beer and flick on the TV, or you can come and be prepared in the knowledge that will help in the transition away from the consequences of our dietary choices.

Speaker: Karl Williams (a.k.a. Mr. Ed)
Venue: Prosper Australia, 1st floor, 27 Hardware Lane, Melbourne
All welcome, light supper provided, gold coin donation, inquiries to Karl Fitzgerald or on 9670-2754

Tuesday July 22nd at 6.45pm for 7pm, Level 1/ 27 Hardware Lane, Melb

Join us for a warm night of films! See the Earthsharing Challenge film Who Owns Anglesea? This 10 minute short film shines a spotlight on housing affordability and how this effects the seaside town of Anglesea.

Following this will be legendary Australian cartoonist Bruce Petty’s inspiring new doco-animation, Global Haywire, a must see for those concerned about the plight of the world and wanting to see a refreshing, humorous documentary.

Beyond the typical critique of the Washington Consensus, Petty looks into the eyes of the Enlightenment and asks if we’ve stuffed it up? The development of systems and statehood, rationality and reason have been distorted. The multitude of inventions, the white goods revolution, computing and bio-technology have done little for genuine liberty. Read a review here.

The usual drinks and nibblies will follow. We haven’t seen you or so long, we hope to see you for a social night.

$5 entry to cover the royalties.
RSVP appreciated

Diary Dates

• The True Cost of Food - Karl Williams presents on Fri August 1st, 7pm
• Economics for Activists - Karl Fitzgerald presents on Tuesdays nights 6.30 - 8pm, Aug 5 - 26th
• 117th Annual Henry George Dinner, Tues Sept 2nd, 6.30pm featuring Terry Dwyer (ANU) @ Pumphouse Hotel Function Room

Following last years highly successful economics for activists series of workshops, Karl Fitzgerald is presently preparing the 2008 material. Designed for those activists interested in understanding economics, the short-comings prevalent in economic theory and how basic economic principles can assist them in their particular interest area, this free short course is essential in this age of economic malaise.

The course will run in July/ August for 4 weeks.

More details to be released soon. Email here to register your place for this free series of workshops.

Monday April 21st, 7pm, Prosper Australia rooms, free

Inspired by the gammut of short sighted housing policies dominating the press, Prosper Australia has invited our resident expert Leo Foley to discuss the role of Community Land Trusts in assisting housing affordability. Leo will discuss how CLT’s have become a successful model for CoHousing cooperatives in the US. Examples from the Opal & Burlington intentional communities will be discussed.

From this an overview will be given on how this form of community management of the commons is superior to present land monopolisation. An understanding of how ‘community’ can be incorporated into economics will then be possible.

Make sure you book in Monday April 21st to attend
RSVP appreciated
Venue: the Prosper Australia rooms.
Free, 7 - 9pm

Thursday March 13th, 7.00pm, Frank Halkyard Library, Prosper Australia rooms

in conversation with Bryan Kavanagh

Join leading economics commentator Steve Keen as he discusses his new report Deeper in Debt. (PDF, 1.5MB)

Assoc Professor Keen, author of Debunking Economics, will outline the perils we face from excessive borrowing. He has leading research on how Australia faces greater recessionary risks than even the US.
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7pm, January 10th, Horses Bazaar, 397 Little Lonsdale Street

Be part of a world first as international comedian Ross Ashcroft (London) delivers his first geonomics based comedy routine! Yes its time we took the mickey out of our two dimensional economic system and laid it bare for all its worth.

Ross runs the Magdala Comedy Club in London and has performed at Edinburgh’s Comedy Festival. He is also a good friend of Fred Harrison, author of ‘Ricardo’s Law’. Ross is over here on holidays and couldn’t resist the temptation to engage in a little ‘rule brittania’ whilst here.
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Frank De Jong’s confirmed appearances:

• Sat July 14th, National Greens Convention (Green Members only)
• Tues 17th, “Speculating on the Earth’s Future”, Whitehorse Greens, Place: Meeting Room 1, Box Hill Library (Entrance just to left of main library entrance in Whitehorse Rd), 7.30pm
• Wed 18th, “Costing the Earth”, Selby Community House, Wombalana Rd (Enter Charles St) MEL 75 K11, 7pm
• Thurs 19th, “Return to the Source: Preventative Policy”, Federal Campaign launch for Priya Carey, Candidate for Batman, Northcote Townhall, High St, 7pm
• Fri 20th, “The Invisible Green Hand versus the Time Famine”, True Cost Economics Forum, Swanston Hall (Melb Town Hall), corner Swanston & Collins St, 9.15 - 1pm
• Fri 20th, “International Wedge Politics”, Melbourne Greens, CII Restaurant, 470 Little Collins St, Melb
• Sun 22nd, “Campaigning on Climate Change: A Canadian Perspective”, Sydney Greens, Venue TBA, 2pm
• Tues 24th, “Climate of Change - Warming to Green Economics”, Warnambool Greens, Regal Cafe, Timor St ($10 p/h for a curry plate), 6.30pm
• Wed 25th, “Economic Rent - Where’s our Money spent?”, Earthsharing Australia, Level One, 27 Hardware Lane, Melbourne, 6.30pm
• Thurs 26th, “Combatting Greenwash Locally - Is less bad good enough?” (PDF 93kb), VLGA, 60L Building, Leceister St, Carlton, 7-9pm
• Mon 30th, “Will Carbon Trading save the day?”, Auckland Greens, Wellpark Naturopathic College 7 Francis Street, NZ, 7.30pm,

Frank’s Biography (PDF 420KB)

All talks are free, RSVP appreciated

“Economics - the fast track to Sustainability”

Friday July 20th

The 2007 TCE Forum will feature Frank De Jong, leader of the Ontario Greens (Canada). He is an expert on environmental economics, having coined the term ‘the invisible green hand’ of market forces. Frank has over 20 years experience in Canadian elections and will bring a balance of political know-how and economic theory.

Economics needs to direct the behaviour of consumers towards looking after the planet. Is Carbon Trading enough?

A new economic paradigm is needed to ensure a liveable planet for future generations.

Frank De Jong will give his positive keynote “The Invisible Green Hand V the Time Famine”, then 3 panels will follow:

Policy Pathways:

Carbon Trading v Carbon taxes. A crucial point in time demands we make the correct decision.

• Cameron Neil (Fairtrade Australia)
• Anna Rose (Australian Youth Climate Coalition)
• Tom Curtis (Earthsharing Australia)

Policy Possibilities:

What are the cutting edge policy options? Also, the practical examples of effective green economics at work.

• Donna Lorenz (Maunsell Engineering)
• Adrian Whitehead (Beyond Zero Emissions)
• David Spratt (Carbon Equity)

Policy Makers:

What do the politicians see as possible and pragmatic? Is it genuinely possible to make policy that will stop runaway climate change? Eg, co2 below 550eppm

• Senator Lyn Allison (Democrats)
• Evan Thornley (ALP)
• Richard Di Natale (Greens)

15 minutes question time will follow each panel.

The Venue:

Swanston Hall - Melbourne Town Hall (to the left of the main stairs, enter from Swanston St)

Time:

9.15 - 1pm

The true cost of avoiding a transition towards a responsible economic system is quickly becoming apparent. Let’s insure against the power of nature by following the money trail and scientifically re-directing it towards a profitable future for all generations.

Free RSVP necessary

Check Frank’s tour itinerary

Fri June 15th, 7.15pm

The launch of Bryan Kavanagh’s (LVRG) groundbreaking report

Bryan Kavanagh will take us through his world leading statistics, analysing economic trends over the 34 years the report covers. He will deliver insights on how the property market is actually the lead indicator of the economy.

Bryan is an experienced property valuer of 32 years. He is one of the world’s leading analysts on the inter-relationship between land and the economy. Did you know that Australia has probably the most accurate land value records in the world? Mr Kavanagh’s Land Values Research Group, is the only agency to collect national land value data. The findings will raise eyebrows!

Hear how the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party has run amok with our tax system, costing rich and poor alike many millions.

How does the sharemarket affect the property market and vice versa? What should the true role of the Reserve Bank be?

• Entry: Gold coin donation. Reports available at $10.
• Level One, 27 Hardware Lane, Melbourne, 7.15pm

Tuesday evenings in May, 6.15pm - 8pm, starting May 1st

Ever wanted to read between the lines of the newspaper? Arm yourself with the tools of modern warfare as Karl Fitzgerald takes you through the key understandings required to ‘follow the money’.

Topics covered:

• Economic terminology - the basic framework
• Economic History via: The Classical - Neo-Classical - Neo-Liberal dichotomy
• Wealth gap - why is it expanding?
• Climate change - can economics address it?
• Housing Affordability - why are we paying so much and what can we do about it?
• International perspective - WTO/IMF

Interactive games and multimedia footage will complement the learning in an attempt to keep the sessions as upbeat and interactive as possible.

Ask yourself why we have it drilled into us that economics is ‘the dismal science’? If we spend our entire life chasing the ‘elusive dollar’ then it makes sense to understand the rules to that game.

The first session is the most important. If you miss another session that is understandable, but we will be building on the first session’s knowledgebase throughout the course.

Cost: Gold coin donation appreciated

Bookings essential