Christmas Wishes: The Heat is On

As another year draws to a close its time to extend Christmas wishes to everyone reading this.
But the Heat is On!

40 degrees in Melbourne means the following:

• Libraries and other free air-conditioned places will be busy. 
• Lots of people can't afford air-conditioning and older people die in greater numbers in the heat.
• So do dogs and other furry pets!
• Kids left in cars - please, please no!!!!!
• Peak water use in the morning as everyone tries to prepare their plants for the heat
• Northern hemisphere trees will get stressed and drop their leaves, perhaps for the rest of the summer as a response to the heat. Normally takes a couple of weeks to show something other than crispiness.
• Train cancellations - 16 trains of 2000 cancelled early and more will cancel later. Perhaps some heat buckling the rails later on,
• The Melbourne Southern Star Wheel (like the London Eye ) may have its engineers checking it anxiously. Its structure buckled under 46 degree heat in 2009 and its been closed since then. Due to re-open this weekend I think.
• Air conditioning units will be on full all day - solar power units will make sure that some of this peak is being generated by the sun! Thus making life cheaper for us all.
• Freeways today have been RS. Still RS and will continue as people get stressed in the heat and traffic.
• Grass and Bushfire risk is very high today. Not yet extreme or catastrophic.
• Tony Abbot and co will be making life more difficult for all renewable energy projects. He doesn't believe in subsidies for businesses like Holden, which is fair enough. But when will he remove the fuel subsidies for the transport industry, mines etc. Will he remove the land and reduced tariffs for the coal industry. Will he make things more of a level playing field so that big business doesnot unfairly compete with small



Christmas Lights

• Short answer no!

So to all of the environmental activists out there: have a great Christmas and be prepared for an interesting, tumultuous New Year. Lets hope people power can be successful. I'm beginning to think a double dissolution might not be a bad idea but ...??

Climate Council's Report

Christmas Cake & Donations- How to divide the portions

As I sit down to write this post my Christmas Cake is cooking gently in my electric oven. Its another cool overcast day here in Melbourne, ideal weather to cook cakes and not suffer heat stroke.
Once cooked I will have to write strict instructions on the cake tin to make sure the cake is kept intact for Christmas Day. Or I can do what my mother does and freeze the cake, bringing it out when I defrost the turkey.
More worrying is how to divide my donations to charity this year. There are so many needy people and organisations. With the various environmental groups reeling in shock with Federal Governments decisions to repeal the Carbon Tax, axe the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, dismiss the Climate Commission, approve the dredging of the harbour at Abbott Point, Queensland for an expanded Coal Terminal and encourage logging in Tasmanian World Heritage areas, I don't know where to turn.
Now Getup has another save the ABC campaign which also is deserving of help.

So sorry to some of my normal people focussed charities, I'm going to divide my donation dollars and support some of these environmental campaigns. After all people need to live in an environment that supports them with clean air, water, sustainable energy, sustainable work and reliable information. As worried Holden workers are finding to their cost.

As Tony Abbott said prior to his election win as reported by SBS News on the idea of a mandate:

“As an Opposition our job is to hold the Government rigorously to account. Oppositions are not there to get legislation through. Oppositions are there to hold the Government to account, and unless we are confident a piece of legislation is beyond reasonable doubt in the national interest, it is our duty, as the Opposition, to vote it down.”

Yo Yo Spring & Extreme Weather

Melbournians are quite used to Spring being the season that yo yo's - up one minute with 36 degrees C, down to 12 degrees with Antarctic winds the next. This spring has seemed quite cool and definitely wet.
My water tanks are completely full to overflowing. The winter doona is still on my bed, though it got thrown on the floor last night after Summer officially started.
The Bureau of Meterology (BOM) is warning that the cold weather will return later this week. So the doona hasn't yet been packed away until next April.

However, the statistics from the BOM show that we have continued the warming trend shown earlier in the year. The Conversation's article "Australia records its warmest spring on record "shows this year has been record breaking throughout the year.
I watched the Catalyst special on ABC TV last night -How to get prepared for extreme weather - laughing at the extremes the film crew put their hapless families through while simulating a fire and flood.
The two main points of the special were: Be prepared- have your disaster plan written down and regularly actioned and that the number of extreme weather effects are increasing - were demonstrated nicely.

As a suburban dweller, I belong to that lazy majority that has no written disaster plan.
I have an emergency box which has my important documents and occasional other things in it. I run a fairly comprehensive pantry so can keep myself fed for a couple of weeks and so long as the water tanks are moderately full will have access to water (unpurified). I also have access to multiple means of cooking including a gas barbecue which allows for some independence in the event of disaster to electricity and gas supply.
I have a wood burning combustion heater and fuel supplies. I have solar hot water and PV.

But if I had to evacuate then all bets are off for preparedness. See the CFA Fire Plan Template.
I should be better prepared for storms and other events following the experiences of my family in the Christchurch earthquake.
So perhaps my Christmas Season need to include writing and practicing a disaster plan.
What about you?

Consilience, Science and Politics

Today's ABC Radio National's Science Show gave one of the best discussions on why the scientific method works. Consilience Powers the Big Scientific Ideas by Paul Willis talks about the multiple lines of evidence that interweave and support a scientific theory. Big ideas such as the Theory of Evolution and Climate Change are supported by thousands of experiments by thousands of scientists, who vigorously attack, repeat and extend the results of those who came before them. Thus the theory builds robustness,
nuance and specificity.

Meanwhile, those who attack some of these consensus theories, do so by cherry picking- single criticisms built into improbable heights. Most legitimate scientists talk about the known knowns, the known unknowns and the unknown unknowns. By which they mean the grey areas and questions still to be answered and indeed asked. Thus building consilience.

Such scientific processes are different from what the rest of the world uses. Politics is the art of the possible - getting the members of the party and the people to agree to what is proposed. We saw this week what happens when the science becomes politically savaged when the Federal Parliament House of Representatives repealed the Carbon Tax, Australia's price on Carbon Pollution. Its a shameful episode in our history - economic theory, scientific theory and politics coming to very different results. I too can only say sorry this has happened like Ross Gittins in the Sydney Morning Herald

I've always felt that until and unless our economic systems are soundly built on the long-term energetic's of our natural world, we will do nothing productive, sustainable or correct. I look forward to the battle in the Australian senate on the Carbon Tax Repeal. As someone who gathered in Melbourne's Treasury Gardens and signed several petitions, I hope the small minority of people who are genuinely concerned can sway the political process in this time of greed and insanity.

Warsaw Climate Talks about Money

Various reports on the non-progress of the Warsaw Climate Change Talks should come as no surprise to Climate Change Activists.
The Guardian Reports on Sunday 17 November2013 :  Climate change pledges: rich nations face fury over moves to renege. " The developing world also wants the rich western nations to commit to establishing a compensation scheme for future extreme weather events, as the impact of global warming is increasingly felt. And they want firm signals that rich countries intend to find at least $100bn a year by 2020 to help them to adapt their countries to severe climate extremes"


Also check out the Germanwatch Report: Climate Change Performance Index 2014 where Australia ranks near the bottom and is sliding downwards.

Given the Conservative side of politics ( in Australia) has always said they will do something if everyone else agrees and then walks away from high level attendance at those international meetings, its pretty obvious that they will do nothing other than extract our carbon resources and damn the poor and developing worlds to further poverty. Damning our own rich country in the process.

Can you imagine Australia giving more $$ to any poor country as a result of trying to adapt to severe climates?
Meanwhile the Climate Council has released its latest report

regarding warm October Weather. They will have trouble getting Victorian's to agree if November turns out to be the same, as we have had unusually wet and cold weather (or so it seems). This again shows how science and individual perspectives collide. My sense of the weather and the measurement of Climate are two separate things.

Science can, by its very nature, completely counter intuitive and you reject it at your peril.

Rally attracts thousands

The Treasury Gardens was a sea of red and green today as thousands turned up for the National Climate Action Day Rally. The beautiful green of the spring trees and blue sky contrasted with the red T-shirts of the protesters.

Melbourne Climate Change Rally- 17 Nov @ 11 am

Sunday 17 November is the day for the various Green Groups to rally outside of Treasury Place Melbourne at 11 am. Join with the Australian Conservation Foundation and others in the community.

Hopefully, I and some of my family will be there, protesting against the repeal of legislation designed to address the moral, physical and economics issue of atmospheric pollution through the emission of greenhouse gases - otherwise known as Climate Change.

I would have preferred an outright majority in the recent Federal Election to help ram home the importance of this issue,  but I urge the Labor Party to continue to take a stand along with the Greens.

As Tony Windsor mentioned recently on Jon Faine's Program on ABC Radio, soil carbon has a hard time staying bound in Australian soils. Not tackling the chief emitters of CO2, the electricity, gas and other industries is like burying out heads in the sand and wondering why we can't see clearly.
Listen here (from 13.6 minutes in):

Federal Parliament Resumes: The Calm before the Storm perhaps?

Like many 'normal' people I've been astounded by the lack of media surrounding the various decisions and policy directions of the new Abbott Coalition Government.
Any utterance from the previous government, not an official Coalition but an uneasy alliance of groups, was met from many influential media commentators with a form of viciousness and hysteria that effectively blocked any conversation on what was actually happening.
The current calm, honeymoon period would seem welcome except that I suspect the very media restraint has more to do with control than anything real.

My acquaintance with the 48 Laws of Power indicates Law 4: Always say less than necessary is being followed scrupulously by both Coalition politicians and their media colleagues. Thus we hear very little happening about the "Stop the Boats" promise. News is seemingly coming through, supposedly from Indonesian sources, of boats being stopped at sea, being 'sent' back to Indonesia and having this action refused by the sovereign Indonesian Government. The boats are then taken to Christmas Island.
End result - the policies are not working!
So although the Boat numbers have slowed, before and after the elections, due to the government policy of off-shoring the migration, the boats have not stopped. But our daily 'information' has.
"Knowledge is power" said Sir Francis Bacon (or the latin translation)
Lack of media criticism is worrying but lack of media hysteria is not.

Today Tony Windsor, ex Interdependent MP from New England, gave a thoughtful answer to why the Carbon Tax should not be repealed (ABC Radio 774) . As a farmer of many years and politician as well, I have always been impressed at how he actually answers the questions, not with personal attacks, OTT hysteria and a rising voice of anger, but a considered statement of his views, experience and indication of actual knowledge. He will be missed.

So the first action of Tony Abbott's Government will be the repeal of the Carbon Tax. I urge all the opposition parties in both Houses and particularly the Senate, to hold firm. Don't abolish the Carbon Tax. The people are not always right particularly if fed misinformation, business is not always right and the environment is needing a helping hand. We must pay for our pollution and we must allow policies that affirm the right of the environment ahead of almost anything else.
Can you imagine Typhoon Hiyan hitting Brisbane or Sydney?? What cost for a few $$ per day to us all, including business?

Storm Clouds over Climate Change Efforts

The election of the Federal Liberal Coalition has emboldened traditional energy suppliers in a backlash against Solar and other renewable energies.
Given that 1 million households have installed rooftop solar, this smacks of powerful entrenched interests defending their bottom line (investment in $$ and profits) ahead of environmental benefits (no surprises there), innovation, cost competitiveness with new technologies (solar and wind) and the wish to pull back on policies that have led to this disruptive change.
As the debate regarding subsidizing the car industry is coming to a head with the new government, so too should the debate regarding subsidizing the coal industry and entrenched energy suppliers.
Yesterdays Renew Economy reported that a South Australian Network Operator intends to cancel any Feed in Tariff's if a household solar supplier installs a fuel cell or battery storage. Leaving aside whether there would be much electricity to feed in if you have battery storage, the move further entrenches the feeling Small Scale Solar Suppliers, like myself, have that we are really not wanted by our major electrical suppliers.

As the article puts it - "Given that the vast majority of South Australian solar households are currently on some type of FIT, this policy effectively wipes out the cost effectiveness of using storage in South Australia for the time being.  Intriguingly, only a few weeks ago some Californian distributors used the same blocking tactics and refused to connect some customers who had purchased solar with storage systems although fortunately, only a  week later new regulations were introduced that mandated the introduction of storage.

It is somewhat telling that in their own industry briefing SA Power Networks acknowledge that “..as customers and the Industry seek the next technological innovation to reduce electricity demand and reliance on conventional electricity distribution networks, the emergence of fuel cells and battery storage systems is starting to gain momentum”. 

And I thought there were some limits on anti-competitive behaviour on the part of monopolies. That Australia, with huge amounts of sunlight would welcome people being responsible for their use of electricity and feed the excess into the grid for the benefit of their neighbours, thus improving the cost situation in peak times such as a hot summer day. Extending this advantage to solar storage is just throwing more dust into the eyes of the naysayers who said solar would not manage baseload power at an affordable rate so will be hard fought by all involved.

But small people such as myself are relatively powerless unless we lobby governments, hence Solar Citizens. As the Renew Economy puts it:

“Solar consumers have the right to a fair contract with electricity retailers, and one that is not to their financial disadvantage, under the Australian Consumer Law.177 However, the structure of the electricity industry, and relationship between retailers and customers, means that solar consumers have limited market power. Where this constrains consumer choice or creates an uneven playing field for solar compared to other sources of electricity, governments may need to intervene to protect consumer rights” .

So are we waiting to hear from State and Federal Governments on this one? I fear a deafening silence.

One last thing. The Climate Change Authority's Draft Report on "Reducing Australia's Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Targets and Progress" is available here with accompanying information, webinars and press releases. 

Take out your Hob Nail Boots

Greenies beware. A paradigm shift is taking place in Australia.

Over the last couple of years quiet and no so quiet changes have been taking place in many States and Federal Realms. More are planned.

Greenies need to unite and take out those boots 'mean't for walking'. Now is the time to start protesting loudly, effectively and clearly against:

1. Taxing the Sun : sign Solar Citizens Petition and email your local State and Federal Members.



2. Protest against removal of Environmental impact review by the Federal Government. See the Conversation's article here on the current patchwork of laws.
Our environment has been subjected to so much already. Watch carefully.

3. Fracking  & Coal Seam Gas - Victoria's moratorium is to be ? reviewed, ? removed? Just what will happen. A Watch and Alert notice here.

Unhappy Koala

Happy Koala

4. ACF Infographic on various environmental views held by the parties at the recent Federal election




4. National Park development : Read the Guidelines for Tourism Investment Opportunities of Significance
in Victoria's National Parks! Is Cattle Grazing considered here as well?


Time for some Halloween Candy perhaps??

Give and Take : Household Budget Roundabout

Recent media reports are suggesting housholders may receive a savings of $550 on their electricity bills as a result of the probable repeal of the Carbon Tax.
This is more than my actual calculated cost of the Carbon Tax.

Other commentary continues with an estimate of how much Direction Action will cost each householder - $1200. This claim also needs to be subjected to scrutiny, see the link to Polifact's Checking service in August 2013, in terms of the estimated, detailed, modelling. Unlike the Carbon Tax I don't have any details to do my estimates and its out of my calculatability league anyway.

So I'll believe neither estimate until I get my actual figures and can compare them.
But of course, by then it will be too late.

A bit like real action on Climate Change and a realization that fundamental reforms to the way we conduct our lives and businesses are needed now to allow us to transform to a decarbonized economy, reduce the costs associated with extreme weather events, and build green jobs for those people who are suffering from the decline in manufacturing, retail and now agricultural jobs. And also to allow the little people, like me, some ability to control their costs other than switching off and pulling out of the economy.

The Australian's article, Ben Packham from: The Australian, October 15, 2013, mentions "The Prime Minister said liable entitles - like Clive Palmer's Queensland Nickel, which owes $6.2 million for carbon permits - should pay their carbon tax obligations until then. "

Were you wondering why Clive Palmer entered politics??  His investment in the 2013 election may have a good return perhaps? 

Climate Council: Tune In on You Tube

Regarding the Climate Council's Live You Tube Stream on October 3rd.

Did anyone who was not already a concerned Climate Change citizen tune in?
Are we only preaching to the converted ( to use the quasi religious terminology our critics accuse us of?)
Can we reach the small number of deniers?
Can we reach the larger but still quite small numbers of not-quite-sure's?
How many are there of the 2 categories above and why to do they have so much influence in today's media environment.
What can you do to combat the influences of the powerful and entrenched!

Sit back and watch it unfold.

Quieter Times

I've been a bit quiet on the blog front lately. Although there have been lots of reports on Global Warming, more bushfires in Sydney including a grass fire at Homebush Olympic stadium which incinerated quite a few cars, I've fallen into a bit of a blue funk.
It suddenly seems a bit pointless to care whether the globe is warming or not. After all the Australian Federal and State governments have now decided that other things are more important.

Hopefully my slightly depressed view will change with the arrival of more regular warm weather. We have been having lots of rain, wind and occasional cold days to remind us that summer is not here yet. And yet all the records keep tumbling around Australia indicating the climate is indeed hotter. The recent Climate Council QandA with Will Steffen was very interesting.

As a result of the wind and rain yet another fence is half fallen down, so I'll have to get my fencing contractor back again after talking to the neighbours. That's 3 fences this year!
The new Liberal Government is quietly going about its business, preparing for the repeal of the Carbon Tax and trying to talk down its softening of policy on "Stopping the Boats" after Prime Minister Abbott was lectured on respecting Indonesian sovereignty. Perhaps some mending fences for them as well
ABC's Clark and Dawe's take on this was hilarious.

But I surprised myself by agreeing with Joe Hockey, our Federal Treasurer today "There's a salient lesson here for the rest of the world in what's happening in the U.S. The world must live within its means and you cannot wait until five minutes to midnight to deal with the massive debt burden left by previous generations"

I hope he also understands you can't take the environment services for granted without leaving his children and grandchildren in environmental "deficit"
Somehow I don't think he sees the fiscal economy as a rogue subset of the real global natural economy.

Its time for a glass of wine and chocolate! Halloween soon!

IPCC Report Today & Footy Final Tomorrow

http://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/#.UkYH9YbI0rU

While the IPCC publishes its latest report today, much of Melbourne's population and media are concentrating on the Australian Rules Football Grand Final tomorrow. Footy Clubs Hawthorn, Victoria versus Freemantle,  WA.

The Hawks vs Freo!
May the best team win in a fair, fast and furious game. The media are out in force and the weather is predicted to be inclement for the game.

But the fight over Climate Change action will go on and on and on.
With record Queensland September heat (this last week), and 166 km winds in Melbourne yesterday, more bushfire warnings around NSW, the angry weather of Australia continues.
The hot air around the upcoming IPCC report has been moderately intense with the naysayers out in force.
To read this fifth assessment report, click here.

I look forward to reading as much of the report as I can as well as any commentary from the Climate Council, Climate Institute and others.
And no I don't think we should discuss this in an adverserial, debating format. The Conversation's "Adversaries, zombies and NIPCC Pseudoscience" by Michael J I Brown gives good reasons for this. The scientists and governments have been doing their peer review and commenting over the last 5 years as part of the report process. I'm sure enough compromises on the 'truth' have already been made.
So go away NIPCC!
More on the Ethics of reporting Climate Change from the Conversation's Tim Dean.

The climate truth is out there, no matter the reports, words on TV, newspaper or other media.

Donations, Money, Power, Politics and Climate Council: Australian Hot Air

With the axing of the Climate Commission by the newly incumbent Abbott Government we are seeing the re-grouping of scientists, economists and those interested in Climate Change.

Tim Flannery has today announced the opening of the new Climate Council funded by the community.
If you want their work of education and reasoned advice to continue, please donate.
Yes I have!

The Climate Commission's brief, to explain climate change to Australians, obviously didn't work very well judging by the number of climate skeptics that continually pop-up on TV and media generally. But is that their fault or that of powerful vested interests in business and the media?

Mr Abbott's government has passed the education function to the Bureau of Meterology. I wonder if they will get any funding to effectively do that? I haven't heard anything as yet. Will Climate Change information be displayed prominently on their home page? Lets wait and see.

Many years ago, in my past life, I remember signing secrecy agreements, restricting my ability to comment to the media without express permission from my management. We protested this vigorously!
As a Council Employee my Code of Conduct asks for something similar.

But as a private citizen I expect to be able to comment appropriately. And use appropriate means to convey my concerns to our elected politicians.

As Paul Barry on Media Watch pointed out headlines the the Australian Newspaper such as "We Got it Wrong on Warming, Says IPCC" showed only one thing. That the Australian can't be trusted to get it right!

A retraction from the Australian was posted later but the damage had already been done. Lying, over-exaggeration and self-interest of the powerful is common in this brave new world of media. Good to see Paul Barry and Media Watch bringing them to account.

Laws of Power: Enough said.

Just a few more Laws then I'm done!
Law 7: Get others to do the work for you, but always take the credit
I would say many people in all walks of life use this one regularly. I find this one particularly annoying and a true leader always gives credit where credit is due.

Law 9: Win through actions, never through an argument.
In spite of all the media around, the main way people understand is through demonstrating, not explicating. However, this law doesn't always hold true. Though the hapless Carbon Tax was demonstrated for almost a year, unfortunately it had implacable opposition so it will, eventually, be crushed. Among almost all the developed nations, Australia will be one of the few to throw out a market based mechanism in favour of a hodpodge of Direct Action. Big Business and Climate Change Skeptics won this one!

Law 15: Crush your enemy totally
Pretty obvious and this is what has happened to the Labor Party at State and Federal Levels. The Queensland State Labor Party lost the election and was reduced to only 7 seats in a parliament of 89. Crushed like an ant.
Tony Abbott's victory was resounding but not quite the crushing defeat it was feared.
However crushing Labor & Greens Carbon Abatement policies will happen swiftly.

Law 17: Keep others in suspended terror: Cultivate an air of unpredictability
Welcome to the Federal Public Service!  11,997 'redundancies' to go.
This has been used in the corporate world for years, but with the growing casualisation of the Australian workforce, more people are living on the knife edge.
However, I am supremely grateful we are not living in North Korea!

I'm Trying to Cultivate Serenity!

More Laws of Power

To continue
Law 4: Always Say Less Than Necessary:
Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less.
Stop the Coal Mining!

Law 5: So Much Depends on Reputation - Guard it with your life
I hope Bill Shorten understands this.
I hope Federal Labor members understand this and stick to defending their Carbon Pricing Scheme.
Mr Abbott certainly understood this and the previous law!

Law 6: Court Attention at All Costs
Everything is judged by appearances. When Opposition Leader, Mr Abbott was out and about all around Australia, running, swimming, pressing the flesh. Grabbing headlines with short, forceful, negative slogans (see Law 4). Now that he has gained power, fewer press conferences, but still saying as little as possible.

The Victorian Liberals govern with one vote, Geoff Shaw now an independent MP, charged with 23 counts of obtaining financial benefits by deception and one count of  misconduct in public office. But not a peep out of Labor Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews about  'illegitimacy of the Government', something we heard about long and clearly from Tony Abbott when a similar problem occurred in Federal Parliament.

Clive Palmer is courting attention appearing larger (easy that one), more colourful, more mysterious.

Climate Change Science Digest

 As a Sept 13 Take Part article says "Labor’s “polluter pays” carbon tax will be replaced with Abbott’s more expensive “taxpayer pays” in which taxpayer funds will pay for emissions mitigation at lowest cost within Australia. Both systems promise to reduce the country’s emissions by a paltry five percent by 2020."

BTW 3 Public Servants down, 11,997 to go!
Carnage, here we come!!!

The 48 Laws of Power: Sharpen Your Pencils!

This is the name of a book my Mad-Scientist husband bought some time ago. Given the overwhelming trouncing of the federal Labor/Green Government in the recent Federal Election, its time to look at these Power Laws.
Law 1: Never Outshine The Master:  

By Robert Greene, 1998

Something Malcolm Turnbull has had to manage, successfully it seems.
Major failing by Labor Party and reason they got chucked out - revolving door of leaderships peeves the people off, big time!

Law 2: Never Put too Much Trust In Friends, Learn How to Use Enemies.
Friends are easily aroused to envy - hence the rise of Julia Gillard and the backstabbing by Kevin Rudd. See her Guardian Essay.
Clive Palmer is interesting as he is certainly one who can use Enemies. His current success in Parliament and his performance on ABC TV, Q and A last night was fascinating to see.
I would imagine Tony Abbott knows all about this one also.

Law 3: Conceal Your Intentions
This was a major ploy by Tony Abbott and the Federal Liberals in the last 3 years with minimal policy details, costings at the last minute and 3 word sound bites.
Clive Palmer also looks to be guiding people down the wrong path, envelope them in enough red-herrings (ex-military conspiracy in the Australian Electoral Commission on Q and A perhaps?). Bring along a Pen next time you vote!
Federal Labor was open and overly transparent, except when back-stabbing, deal-making and back tracking!
So the Conservation Movement is in for a fight with Abbott intending to allow fishing in Marine Parks, Commercial development in National Parks and opening the Great Barrier Reef to oil drilling and huge development of Coal shipping facilities, roll back of World Heritage forests in Tasmania. All mentioned in the first week of power!
Leaving it up to State Governments to do the 'Conservation' after many years of state over-development, resource extraction, land-clearing, fracking in farming areas, water pollution and coral reef degradation.
Hand in Cookie Jar surely!

But that's enough Power for now. I'll go back to the birthday cake I need to start icing!!

Post Election Blues- Down the Toilet

The people have spoken loud and reasonably clearly!
The Federal Liberals & Tony Abbott won a resounding election victory.
The Greens and Labor look like they won't hold the balance of power in the Senate with a plethora of micro parties getting seats, making it very messy. We won't know the full number until all the preference deals are done.

Green ideas down the toilet!

Labor was punished for dis-unity, lack of loyalty and for not being able to clearly sell its message. The Greens were punished for daring to be party of a minority Government and supporting fairness for all.
The two brave independants who supported the minority Government were punished in other ways.

So RIP the Carbon Tax
Bye bye the Climate Commission and Clean Energy Fund
Goodbye 12000 Public Servants - after all you are considered to be wasteful.
Welcome to soil carbon from a party that in the past has encouraged Land Clearing and industrial agriculture that leaves the soil bare of carbon and which blows away to settle on the peaks of the Southern Alps in New Zealand.

Welcome to the Brave New World.
Welcome to the world of Big Business!
(money talks, fear talks, the people talk)

Will the Liberals have Mandate after Tomorrow?

Now that the media has all but wiped off any chance of the Labor Party winning tomorrow's Federal Election, I ponder Tony Abbott's word "Mandate"
Mr Abbott claims to have a mandate to roll back the Carbon Tax and replace it with the Coalition's Direct Action Policy.
Polifacts Australia tested the statement "All Coalition policies are fully costed and fully funded." and gave it the  thumbs down, False rating, specifically noting that "On Direct Action, Abbott argues that the policy was looked at by Treasury following the 2010 election and they "found no fault with it".

Actually, a scathing Treasury note from July 2011 found that: "The economic costs of direct action would almost certainly be even larger because it would be less efficient than a market-based carbon price mechanism."

It also referenced Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency modelling which indicated Direct Action would only achieve a quarter of the abatement promised by the Coalition."

See also Polifacts on Emissions Intensity Falling issues

So does the Coalition have a mandate?

Unfortunately it probably does, which will make the remarkable achievement of the last few years, that of actually getting a Carbon Abatement Policy through the Federal Parliament and seeing it actually work, a sad historical accident in the overwhelming selfishness of Australian Politics.

If the Greens don't hold the balance of power in the Senate, as also seems likely, then we will have to absolutely blitz the Labor Party to hold onto this legislation in the Senate as well as persuade the 'kooky' right wing Senators to keep it in place. Not easy Jan!
But the Labor Party and Greens also had a Mandate in the last Federal Government. They were a Coalition who governed, just like Abbott will be tomorrow, no matter what Tony says or does. Labor & Greens had a mandate based on negotiating a Carbon Price!

But no matter if the worst befalls it - Australia will still go down the path of Global Warming. 

CO2 doesn't care if Kevin or Tony wins tomorrow. 

Our insurance premium's will go up as more of our fragile buildings experience climate extremes

Leptospermum scoparium 'Nanum Rubrum' flowers

, electricity prices will go up as we rack on the air-conditioning and the Renewable Energy industry will get crafty in obtaining investment and demonstrating to knowledgeable people that they are already cheaper than the current providers. If my local neighbours are telling me they will go off grid as soon as possible, then they will once storage technology becomes feasible.

Mark Diesendorf, Uni NSW & friends released a report showing the march towards renewable energy is almost unstoppable. Lets hope so for all our sakes.

Meanwhile my spring flowers are enjoying the record breaking above 20 degree start to September in Victoria! Lets hope the garden survives the coming hot summer.

Last Chance - The Dying Days of the Federal Election Campaign

With the Federal Election entering its last week here are my requirements for a good government

1. Strong and continuing action on Climate Change (not just 3.2 Billion A$ as perTony)
2. Jobs which reflect a sustainable environmental policy- eg solar installers
3. Farming which produces quality food in a care for environment way - fewer oil based products and use of diverse species suited to Australian conditions (not Monsanto latest!)
4. Care for community - reduce the inequalities I see all around me with education, training and equity policies.
5. Jobs for young people to allow them to become independent and strong.
6. Government for all the people - not just your state or local government area. Act like a country Australia!
7. Health for all - within reason! We can't bankrupt ourselves with our health budget.
8. Reduction in the cost of housing (so my kids-20+ can afford to move out!!)
9. Competent, caring and incorruptible politicians

There's more but that will do for now.

See the Australian Electoral Commission Guide to the Election




So what will I get??
See you after 7th of September for the wake!

Greens Launch:

The Australian Greens 'launched' their election campaign yesterday at Brisbane. Obviously Queensland is where this election is at with K. Rudd and T. Abbott spending lots of time up there as well.

The Australian Greens are facing a reduced vote following the Australian public's perception of their role in the last Federal, minority Government. The fall-out of not having a clear winner in the 2010 election will be made plain in this coming election.

So it will be very interesting to watch what Tony Windsor says on Australian Story, ABC TV 8pm tomorrow- entitled "A Voice in the Wilderness". A key Independant who helped form the patchwork that was the last federal government, he will have insights into the process of governing. Policies for Regional Australia, key infrastructure (NBN) and the Carbon Tax are all part of his legacy and perhaps his measured thoughts may help to change perceptions of incompetence that haunted the politicians of the last few years.

I was brought up with a 2 party (left/right orientation), first past the post system. But my country of origin has, since I migrated to Australia, moved to a more truly representative system. You get a patchwork of small parties leavening the major parties. Sometimes adding extreme 'colour' in terms of behaviour.

For Australians pining after the tried and true 2 party state, I hope for the sake of our environment, they also respond to Christine Milne's appeal to enable the Greens to hold the balance of power in the Federal Senate. But beware of preference flows.

As a previous older statesman, Australian Democrat Don Chipp, once remarked- Lets keep the Bastards Honest!
(PS: and where are the democrats now? Lets hope the Greens survive their brush with governing and leadership change)

Economics of Climate - Liberal Policy costings fail!

Yesterday the Climate Institute released a report undertaken by SKM-MMA and Monash University Centre for Policy Studies on the cost of the Coalition's Climate Policy. This report outlined a black hole of A$4 billion using the Coalitions Direct Action to combat Climate Change.
Setting aside whether the modelling done by the above groups is accurate, partially accurate or even if you believe its a complete fiction, one has to ask where and how the Federal Coalition will get the money to pay the big polluters to, pretty please, reduce their carbon emissions.

Coalition Climate Policy Report

The Conversation also has addressed the problem today.

When the recent Federal Labor party dropped its policy of paying owners to decommission old Coal Fired Power Station (which used to belong to us, the Victorian people a decade or so ago), there was a deep sigh of relief in our household.
It seemed incongruous, in a party who supposedly stood up for equity and working people, progressive social and environmental policies to be paying big business off.

Now we may have the Federal Liberal Party, who bats for individual choice, free markets and the ability of the rich to control even more of the common wealth pool, about to do the paying are we seriously expecting big business to do anything other than take our money (rent-seeking) and then do whatever they think is best for their bottom line and shareholders?? See this article by the Climate Spectator.

We just need to look at how well the free markets and big business in the car industry have managed to be innovative, cut costs and manage their business to make money and jobs for Australians.

The Climate Commission's infographic says it all and we are like the Ostrich sticking its head in the sand.
Roll on Election Day and the Government we deserve to have.

WA revisits its Feed In Tariff

Join them. I have!!

Congratulations to Solar Citizens and other groups who protested the West Australian State Government announcement it wished to change the Feed in Tariff for Solar house owners who were promised 40c. The announcement that they were going to reduce this to 20c was greeted with protests. People Power Lights up WA gives the full story.
As someone who purchased Solar Power a number of years ago I too am on a Feed In Tariff that is greater than the paltry 8c per kWh that is the current tariff. I hope the current Victorian State Government doesn't think to try and follow their West Australian brethren. However, I would personally prefer that Solar Power stands on its own feet, so to speak, and have most subsidies removed. Governments of all persuasions have bugger all credibility in this area with short-term thinking and swinging policies.

I think the tide has turned (sorry another metaphor) and so many people are now aware of the benefits, pitfalls and experience of solar power. I hope the current increases in electricity costs will continue to drive solar uptake and the current schemes to promote them are at arms length from all forms of government.

The Federal Liberals have promised to Cut the Carbon Tax and many of the various public service bodies, including the Climate Commission which are promoting the move to renewable industries.
Perhaps even the RET (Renewable energy Targets will be in the firing line, though supposedly both parties agree to the 5%  carbon reduction  reduction target.
"Election 2013 Issues: looking after Australia", by Andrew Campbell (The Conversation website) gives a good run-down on some of the problems of Government short-term thinking, unsatisfactory interference and general inability to have a bi-partisan approach to improving our environment, livability and climate problems.

If the current polling on the Federal Election is carried through to the actual Election Results then we had better be prepared for a steam roller (another metaphor!) over all sorts of things.
Perhaps I'd better get my protest shoes on and banners prepared.

Election Madness

As the September 7th Federal election announcement hit the news media last Saturday, before the actual announcement, I realised the radiowaves, ABC TV and newspapers would be almost unwatchable/unreadable for 5 long, cold, windy weeks.

So inspite of a number of interesting articles in the Saturday Age newspaper (business section) 3rd August 2013, we will get slogans (Stop the Boats, Axe the Carbon Tax) and spin from all the major parties.
1. Michael West "Demand for power down, demand for profits up" Pg 9 talked about the reality of falling power demand and the "fact that company budgets and profits are stuck on network spending".

2. Ambrose Evans-Pritchard wrote on Pg 12 "Peak oil : its still a harsh reality" that "the output of the five big oil majors- Exon, BP, Total, Cheron and Shell - has fallen by 26 per cent despite a relentless hunt for new fields" and I might also say the development of shale oil fields in USA and Canada.

3. Peter Hannam's article "Consumers switch on to solar power" shows that despite the falling Australian dollar and in spite of subsidies removal, householders are still installing lots of solar. Talks about large scale Solar Farms still abound though Spain seems to be changing their tariffs sufficiently to bankrupt the Solar Thermal Installations us greenies like to trumpet. See the blackly entertaining "Spain levies consumption tax on sunshine"

In the current election both parties are worried about the cost of living for 'working families'. So here goes with my responsibility list.

• Electricity regulation falls largely into the State responsibilities, as we have seen with the reduction of the Victorian Feed in Tariff to 8c.
• Petrol pricing is influenced by world pricing (with taxation by the Federal Governments.)
• The cost of housing and rent, a major expenditure by said 'working families' is determined by the marketplace - demand for housing, thus price, is increasing with increasing population. I haven't seen any form of Government influence this except to increase the costs with large handouts to first home buyers.
• The cost of water, in Victoria, is also a State Responsibility. We have seen a major increase in costs due to the ill-fated desalination plant built by the previous Labor State Government.

So how can the current Federal parties manage to help out on this stuff?

Wages for the 'working families' depends on your industry, but the only ones having large increases in earning power over the last decade have been CEO's of large companies, who are asking for tax cuts, no or low levels of paid-parental leave and benefits such as Fringe Benefits taxes.

Public employees are facing major job cuts as the economy tanks. So there will be major cuts to services in spite of promises by Labor and Liberal. With corresponding increases in unemployment and New Start and other Centrelink allowances.

Face it, for the majority of Australians, harder times, higher costs in basic needs and a structurally changing economy will provide considerable stresses. Will this be the "Recession we have to have?" no matter who wins on 7th September?

August Contrary Winds

Sneeze Inducing Wattle Flowers

August is often a most contrary month. Spring seems in the air with flowering wattles but cold winds and rain batter the fragile flowers and keep hay-fever sneezing indoors.
The political landscape is heating up again with announcements of new tax hikes for smokers and a deposit levy on savings in Banks,as well as the Fringe Benefits Tax changes on cars. The much awaited Federal Election date, is still awaited with the Labor Government keeping mum.

The boats continue to float or capsize into Christmas Island leading to new, draconian measures to dissuade the people smugglers and refugees/migrants. None seems to be working.

Dick Smith, serial entrepreneur, pilot and social activist flew into ABC TV last night with "Ten Bucks a Litre", a very Dick Smithian look at Australia's energy use and future. The Conversation's analysis by Will Grant "Dick Smith flies planes, weighs energy futures" reflected my feelings pretty closely with the closing scene of Dick sipping a cuppa in a forest shack ringing somewhat hollow.
What was overwhelming was the visual representation of all those open-cut coal and uranium mines and the role Australia is determined to play in exporting carbon dense fossil fuels to the rest of the world, not caring about the climate or about how this will affect our economy, already teetering.

Loy Yang Coal Fired Power Station & Open Cut Mine, Victoria

Although the title of his film was "Ten Bucks a Litre" indicating the rising cost of petrol, little time was spent indicating possible negative effects on the population, a subject that can be found in blogs such as "Our Finite World".
The movement from our current complex societies dependance on fossil fuels to less energy rich resources including solar, wind, energy efficiency and nuclear (for some in th e world) depends heavily on doing it early enough before economic, political and environmental collapse makes it impossible.
By the time petrol is Ten Bucks a Litre, will it all be too late?

Pollie this and that

Australian English is often incomprehensible to others outside in the rest of the world. I experienced this first hand when visiting Canada and the USA some years ago. I had to speak slowly and rephrase much of my language and try and moderate my relatively mild accent!

This election year we have had several additions to the word root "pollie" - meaning politician!

This includes:

Polifacts: http://www.politifact.com.au/ " Home of the Truth-o-Meter" A single digit effect perhaps?? Well known Australian non-verbal expression

Q and A Fact Checking by the Conversation
All these sites evaluating the Politicians.

Fact checking - now there's a non-political activity! Bound not to be read by those true believers, of various persuasions.

Even the ABC has been using the Pollie Filter. Mentioned by Jon Faine, just now on 774 Radio Melbourne!

Galah

Who judges the judges?

Again, the people of course.

No hope for Pollie Free ( in any sense). Even the Galahs are flocking and noisy, especially in drought stricken Queensland!

Magnolia flowering

Magnolia, a photo by Greenstone Girl on Flickr.

Mid winter is the time for my Magnolia stellata to start flowering.This small tree along with Camellias, Jonquils and now Hyacinths make the garden a lovely place to be on these cold but bright days.
Or even the recent, record breaking, 23 degree C midwinter day!
Such a high temperature for winter but preferable to the 40 degrees plus in summer.
The Australian Financial Review gave a succinct article on the state of Carbon policies following the Rudd ascendancy to Federal Politics and the current outpouring of policy 'changes'. Its a pity there is a paywall with all Fairfax newspapers meaning its no use linking to it, but look in your local library for "Up in the air" by Geoff Winestock and Marcus Priest, plus Alan Mitchell's "Risks in Rudd's European union", pages 14 & 15 20-21 July 2013 Perspective pages.

PS I have ordered a couple of copies of the new book "Killing Fairfax" by Pamela Williams for the library - should be a good read even though the papers are not dead, yet!

Via Flickr:
Small tree flowering after a warm spell.

Climate Change, Carbon Tax and the Coming Election

With the change of Labor leadership to a recycled Kevin Rudd, it will be interesting to see if "the greatest moral challenge of our time", that of effective response to climate change will feature heavily in the coming election.
Seeing Malcolm Turnbull on Q and A on Monday made me wince. I felt for his answers to various questions regarding the Coalition's "Direct Action" Policy - including the statement:

"The Liberal Party's policy is to do that with a range of measures, so-called direct action but that involves a lot of things. You know, by competitive bidding of carbon reduction mechanisms and a whole range of measures and but the big difference between our policy, apart from the fact it has a much lower cost than obviously the carbon tax at the moment, is that it is not designed to go any further than 2020....So it is not a long-term policy."
And "I have been a very strong advocate of market-based mechanisms. I have to say, however, being very honest - frank about it, that emissions trading schemes to date have worked better in theory than in practice. The over-allocation in Europe has really been something of a disaster in terms of the emissions trading scheme there."

My remembrance of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme was that more permits were being requested for business by Malcolm (then Liberal Leader), an over-allocation perhaps!.

My early flowering Jonquils

So now we know the Federal Opposition's Direct Action scheme is short-term. So why do it and then have to change schemes?

So is the current scheme, the much maligned, Carbon Tax working?

Matt McDonald, in the Conversation "Why Labor should fight the 2013 election on climate change" writes:
"Greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation hit a 10 year low in early 2013, driven by increases in cost for wholesale electricity and an increase in the share of electricity provided through renewable sources. Both of these dynamics are attributable to the carbon tax."
And "Most industry representatives they interviewed, all from fossil fuel intensive industries, indicated support for increased government intervention to set and maintain carbon pricing mechanisms to create business and investment stability". See the Conversation for the rest and his comments today

Other interesting media discussions on the topic include "Extreme Weather" on ABC TV Catalyst show, explaining in some detail why we have been having such cold, bright weather recently.
Jonathon Holmes, now retired from Media Watch, also reprised the topic "Hot air stoking the climate change debate" on 24 June 13.

So does Kevin have the moral fibre to make this an election issue and keep the price on carbon a market based scheme?