News in brief
City buys pollution-free car fleet
The City of Sydney Council has again demonstrated its environmental commitment by purchasing a fleet of 10 new Nissan LEAF electric cars, the largest order of the pollution-free vehicle in Australia. The 10 vehicles will add to the City’s existing four Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric cars and will replace 10 Toyota Prius petrol-electric hybrid vehicles. Unlike petrol or even hybrid petrol-electric vehicles, fully electric vehicles such as the LEAF produce no dangerous pollutants such as carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide. Announcing the fleet purchase, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said: “The recent NSW Government’s State of the Environment Report showed on some days Sydney’s air quality exceed national standards. Electric cars produce no pollution – they don’t even have a tail pipe.”
Wilders’s Sydney visit to spark protests
A public talk by controversial Dutch politician Geert Wilders this Friday, February 22 is expected to be targeted by protestors, with the Socialist Alliance party and other groups launching a social media campaign to mobilise demonstrators. Mr Wilders, the founder and leader of the Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV), campaigns against what he calls the “Islamisation of the Netherlands”. He will deliver a talk in Sydney, entitled “Freedom, Islam and the West” at a location which is being kept secret until shortly before the event. On Monday, about 200 protestors clashed with police at Mr Wilders’ talk in Melbourne.
Cancer charity collector robbed
Police are appealing for public help after a 70-year-old man selling raffle tickets for a children’s cancer charity was robbed at the Broadway Shopping Centre on Sunday, February 17. The man was selling tickets at about 3.45pm when he was approached by an unknown man. As he spoke with the man, a woman allegedly stole a plastic container containing approximately $4000 in cash donations. Leichhardt Local Area Command Crime Manager, Detective Inspector Paul Pisanos, said the theft was shameful. “Stealing money from a children’s cancer charity is such a cruel and low act,” he said. Det Insp Pisanos urged anyone with information to contact police.
