No Problems! Money No Enough? Just print as much as you need! It is LEEgal! Why not? If the govts can do this, so can you!
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/odd/5641155/money-worries-town-prints-its-own/
Money worries: town prints its own
ABC June 10, 2009, 10:49 am
Stimulus.. Local, independent businesses in the town can opt to trade with the Baroon Dollar.
ABC News © [Enlarge photo]
The old dairy farming town of Maleny in Queensland's Sunshine Coast hinterland, perched lushly on the Blackall Ranges, now attracts tree changers, hippies, artists and weekend tourists.
In 2004 Maleny locals made headlines for trying to stop the construction of a Woolworths on the banks of the town's Obi Obi Creek, which was a platypus habitat.
After long stand-offs, they lost that battle and the supermarket was built.
But this time they have taken on a bigger opponent and have decided to hit back at the global financial crisis.
They are going to print their own money.
The Baroon Dollar - named after Lake Baroon near Maleny - will be printed and sold at local, independent businesses to encourage locals and visitors to keep buying up locally.
Darren Mitchell is the coordinator of the Baroon Dollar project and he told ABC Local Radio that businesses can put their hands up to accept the region's new tender.
"We're creating our own stimulus package," he said.
"Rather than just relying on Kevin Rudd's stimulus we've decided to create our own. We've combined a sort of think-local-first program that often chambers of commerce hold around the country.
"But we've combined it with a new initiative which is printing a community currency which works as a paper voucher and that binds shoppers to local, independent businesses."
Australian first
Mr Mitchell says the Baroon Dollar can be used in towns across the hinterland, including Montville, Mapleton and Kenilworth.
He says the initiative is the first regional paper-based community currency in Australia.
"It creates a central pool of money that's used also in part for community grant schemes and micro financing," he said.
"Shops need to sign up to be part of th project and we're getting good interest at the moment."
But, with many locals still refusing to shop at Woolworths, Mr Mitchell says the supermarket giant will not be invited to sign up for the Baroon Dollar.
"We're not going to actively ask the chain stores," he said.
"People don't often realise that when they spend their money in chain stores across the country, up to 80 cents in their dollar leaks straight out into the global financial casino as I like to call it."
But Mr Mitchell says the project is not just the latest anti-Woolies campaign.
"It's a movement that started really in the UK and US for local economies to create resilience and to encourage local production of food in the local area," he said.
"It's basically part of a movement that encourages farmers markets and encourages eating locally.
"It's a great symbol for the Sunshine Coast hinterland."
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/odd/5641155/money-worries-town-prints-its-own/
Money worries: town prints its own
ABC June 10, 2009, 10:49 am
Stimulus.. Local, independent businesses in the town can opt to trade with the Baroon Dollar.
ABC News © [Enlarge photo]
The old dairy farming town of Maleny in Queensland's Sunshine Coast hinterland, perched lushly on the Blackall Ranges, now attracts tree changers, hippies, artists and weekend tourists.
In 2004 Maleny locals made headlines for trying to stop the construction of a Woolworths on the banks of the town's Obi Obi Creek, which was a platypus habitat.
After long stand-offs, they lost that battle and the supermarket was built.
But this time they have taken on a bigger opponent and have decided to hit back at the global financial crisis.
They are going to print their own money.
The Baroon Dollar - named after Lake Baroon near Maleny - will be printed and sold at local, independent businesses to encourage locals and visitors to keep buying up locally.
Darren Mitchell is the coordinator of the Baroon Dollar project and he told ABC Local Radio that businesses can put their hands up to accept the region's new tender.
"We're creating our own stimulus package," he said.
"Rather than just relying on Kevin Rudd's stimulus we've decided to create our own. We've combined a sort of think-local-first program that often chambers of commerce hold around the country.
"But we've combined it with a new initiative which is printing a community currency which works as a paper voucher and that binds shoppers to local, independent businesses."
Australian first
Mr Mitchell says the Baroon Dollar can be used in towns across the hinterland, including Montville, Mapleton and Kenilworth.
He says the initiative is the first regional paper-based community currency in Australia.
"It creates a central pool of money that's used also in part for community grant schemes and micro financing," he said.
"Shops need to sign up to be part of th project and we're getting good interest at the moment."
But, with many locals still refusing to shop at Woolworths, Mr Mitchell says the supermarket giant will not be invited to sign up for the Baroon Dollar.
"We're not going to actively ask the chain stores," he said.
"People don't often realise that when they spend their money in chain stores across the country, up to 80 cents in their dollar leaks straight out into the global financial casino as I like to call it."
But Mr Mitchell says the project is not just the latest anti-Woolies campaign.
"It's a movement that started really in the UK and US for local economies to create resilience and to encourage local production of food in the local area," he said.
"It's basically part of a movement that encourages farmers markets and encourages eating locally.
"It's a great symbol for the Sunshine Coast hinterland."
