I am listening to Tony Abbott, on the radio, repeating the mantra - 'Let the Australian people elect the Prime Minister not the faceless men in the Labor Party'- not quite a direct quote but nearly.
Last time I looked at a book on politics it clearly states, the people elect the party and the Party elects the Leader to become Prime Minister.
We don't yet have a directly elected Prime Minister!
Mis-information and populist quoting again!
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Rambunctious Rudd Ascendancy (Again)
Last night's turbulence saw the overthrow of Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the restoration,to the leadership of the Federal Labor Party, of former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
This Labor Government has initiated many firsts. First to throw out a first term Prime Minister. First to install a female Prime Minister. First to have so many damaging leaks from within the Government Party aimed at de-stabilizing said PM. First to tackle Climate Change via a price on Carbon (aka Carbon Tax) but in a way guaranteed to offside so many people. First to re-install a previous PM to the leadership while still in power! But not the first to show the back-stabbing, power moves and power machinations within political parties. So many of these 'firsts' showing many politicians in extremely self-serving and poor light.
What has pissed me off most is the collateral damage to people I respect and admire. To hear that Tony Windsor and Rob Oakshott have resigned, for 'family' reasons is saddening, though understandable. I believe, their negotiations have brought much needed funding and programs to Australians, particularly in regional areas.
The NBN, Carbon Pricing, education funding and attempt at Health Reforms have been a hallmark of the Labor Government.
All these initiatives are worthwhile and their discussions brought some much needed sanity and reflection on policy. What is questionable was the ability of the Government, a minority Government, to implement these reforms fairly and equitably. Something I don't think our State, Federal and local politicians think much about. The me generation of citizens are well and truly clamoring.
My family was brought up with Midnight Oil music resounding in the car and house constantly. Peter Garrett has good reason to resign now that Mr Rudd is back. It is sad to see Garrett go, though I always preferred to think of him as a loud and effective Environmentalist. I wonder where that leaves the Gonski reforms for Victoria? The loss of so many Labor ministers is both sad but also allows for renewal.
The next few days may see an early election. Roll on the policies people and less of the lemon & Labor chaos! (Faint hope I fear!)
This Labor Government has initiated many firsts. First to throw out a first term Prime Minister. First to install a female Prime Minister. First to have so many damaging leaks from within the Government Party aimed at de-stabilizing said PM. First to tackle Climate Change via a price on Carbon (aka Carbon Tax) but in a way guaranteed to offside so many people. First to re-install a previous PM to the leadership while still in power! But not the first to show the back-stabbing, power moves and power machinations within political parties. So many of these 'firsts' showing many politicians in extremely self-serving and poor light.
What has pissed me off most is the collateral damage to people I respect and admire. To hear that Tony Windsor and Rob Oakshott have resigned, for 'family' reasons is saddening, though understandable. I believe, their negotiations have brought much needed funding and programs to Australians, particularly in regional areas.
The NBN, Carbon Pricing, education funding and attempt at Health Reforms have been a hallmark of the Labor Government.
All these initiatives are worthwhile and their discussions brought some much needed sanity and reflection on policy. What is questionable was the ability of the Government, a minority Government, to implement these reforms fairly and equitably. Something I don't think our State, Federal and local politicians think much about. The me generation of citizens are well and truly clamoring.
My family was brought up with Midnight Oil music resounding in the car and house constantly. Peter Garrett has good reason to resign now that Mr Rudd is back. It is sad to see Garrett go, though I always preferred to think of him as a loud and effective Environmentalist. I wonder where that leaves the Gonski reforms for Victoria? The loss of so many Labor ministers is both sad but also allows for renewal.
The next few days may see an early election. Roll on the policies people and less of the lemon & Labor chaos! (Faint hope I fear!)
Friday, June 21, 2013
Winter Sunshine
As we draw near the Winter Solstice, when the shortest days of the year induce winter somnolence, my son reminded me to check the output of our 1 kW Photo voltaic unit. On a cold and sunny day we generated 2.85 kWh of electricity, a bit more than I had expected.
Although the temperature dipped to below 0 degrees C and we experienced a frost, I have been sitting inside without heating, reading my Renew Magazine.
"The full cycle: How sustainable is solar PV" by Alex Bruce, pg 40 (issue 124 Jul-Sep 2013) explained the concept of Life Cycle Assessment. Here all the energy inputs into the device- resource extraction, manufacture, transport, life-cycle use and death- are calculated and and compared with the energy produced by the unit. The full range of inputs is discussed in the report but given my mathematics is a bit challenged, I'll accept the author's conclusion.
Their case study indicated that the PV unit paid for itself in CO2 equivalents in just over 3 years.
With an expected lifetime production of power of greater than20 years that's a clear win for the carbon sustainability of PhotoVoltaic panels.
A quote in the article "It is better to be vaguely right than exactly wrong" comes comes from Carveth Read, the British philosopher and logician.
So renewable energy, generated by the sun, wind, geothermal etc, sounds vaguely right to me. That we are only slowly getting there is no reason to turn our back on the development of these technologies. Change is always hard particularly for entrenched interests such as the fossil energy producers.
If renewable energy can produce 13.14% of Australia's energy in 2012 (Clean Energy Report 2012 reported in Renew Magazine ) and provide employment for 24,300 people then there is room for considerable improvement.
The same reports indicated 90% of people took some kind of action to reduce their energy bills in 2012. Price signals from combined actions such as the Carbon Tax and Renewable Energy Targets are having an impact, so lets keep them.
So join with others who feel renewable energy use is important. Join the ATA, subscribe to Renew Magazine, join Solar Citizens and other advocacy organisations and put your voice and political power behind these organisations.
But beware of "Turbulent Times Ahead" - but that's another story written by Ben Eltham in New Matilda.
Although the temperature dipped to below 0 degrees C and we experienced a frost, I have been sitting inside without heating, reading my Renew Magazine."The full cycle: How sustainable is solar PV" by Alex Bruce, pg 40 (issue 124 Jul-Sep 2013) explained the concept of Life Cycle Assessment. Here all the energy inputs into the device- resource extraction, manufacture, transport, life-cycle use and death- are calculated and and compared with the energy produced by the unit. The full range of inputs is discussed in the report but given my mathematics is a bit challenged, I'll accept the author's conclusion.
Their case study indicated that the PV unit paid for itself in CO2 equivalents in just over 3 years.
With an expected lifetime production of power of greater than20 years that's a clear win for the carbon sustainability of PhotoVoltaic panels.
A quote in the article "It is better to be vaguely right than exactly wrong" comes comes from Carveth Read, the British philosopher and logician.
So renewable energy, generated by the sun, wind, geothermal etc, sounds vaguely right to me. That we are only slowly getting there is no reason to turn our back on the development of these technologies. Change is always hard particularly for entrenched interests such as the fossil energy producers.
If renewable energy can produce 13.14% of Australia's energy in 2012 (Clean Energy Report 2012 reported in Renew Magazine ) and provide employment for 24,300 people then there is room for considerable improvement.
The same reports indicated 90% of people took some kind of action to reduce their energy bills in 2012. Price signals from combined actions such as the Carbon Tax and Renewable Energy Targets are having an impact, so lets keep them.
So join with others who feel renewable energy use is important. Join the ATA, subscribe to Renew Magazine, join Solar Citizens and other advocacy organisations and put your voice and political power behind these organisations.
But beware of "Turbulent Times Ahead" - but that's another story written by Ben Eltham in New Matilda.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Post Carbon Non-Future
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| Loy Yang Power Station 2010 |
The full report "The Critical Decade 2013" can be got from the Climate Commission but it was interesting to see former Defence Force Chief Admiral Chris Barrie joining in the fight on climate change.
Several papers eg "Cool Dudes" by McCright & Dunlap 2011, in "Global Environmental Change" - indicate the conservative nature of many older people, particularly in the US but also clearly evident in Australia. The Conversation reported on the rise of "gerontocracy" and how this may imperil Australia's democracy. Strong words but I suspect, as someone not quite white haired, that there is more than a bit of truth in the report.
Unfortunately the continual reporting of possible ongoing leadership crises in the Federal Labor Party has completely hijacked any meaningful discussion of policy topics for the upcoming Federal Election. Perhaps everyone is waiting for the election date to get closer before blitzing us public but I suspect not.
Do you think the Australian Federal or State governments are capable of leaving coal in the ground when the economy languishes? I don't think so.
Given that Australia's Coal reserve may contribute 30% of the worlds reserves (McKibben) it seems we do have a bigger influence on the global climate than many are willing to admit.
So perhaps we will deserve increasingly wild and expensive weather lessons. I hope you have got deep wallets for your insurance needs.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Are all librarians gay? AKA Hairdresser question.
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| Walker St Gallery, Dandenong: "Burqas, Veils and Hoodies " |
Who cares and whose business is it anyway!
BS reporting!
Reporters, please lift your game!
Debate the issues not this rubbish !
Sensationalism and stupidity.
Lets not have the wool pulled over our eyes with this type of rubbish.
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| Burqas, Veils and Hoodies picture. |
"Sunny Times Ahead" whilst we flood
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| Flooding Nov 2007 |
Whilst now is a good time to buy current solar technology, the fall in the Australian dollar will lead to an increase in the price of panels, in the short term at least. Long term, I would have thought the outlook is sunny with further reductions in costs and increases in efficiency as more research is done.
What concerned me is the question "Is bigger better?" on page 39 of the article.
In purely economic terms, the answer is no. The changes to Feed in Tariff's(FiT) have mean't that consumers are actively penalized from installing as much capacity as our roofs can stand. This means the Electricity companies are continuing to produce highly polluting, carbon rich electricity, particularly in Victoria with little thought of the environmental consequences. So if you considered only the environment, then big is certainly better!
If all the roofs in Melbourne, capable of producing solar power, were encouraged to produce and feed into the grid, then more CO2 free electricity is produced, less infrastructure in terms of new Coal Powered Generation is required. (Gas Powered generation will be required to load balance at the moment).
Research has shown that the current level of Solar Power, plus other renewable energy is reducing the cost of peak power. It is incredibly short-sighted to reduce this energy input and will make those who are poorer and don't own their own roofs more susceptible to "electricity supply gold plating". See the following article by the Age and checkout the Melbourne Energy Institute web site for more in-depth, knowledgeable articles.
That's why I have joined Solar Citizens, the ATA and the Australian Consumer Association. I want my voice to be heard, my roof to produce as much solar as it can (within my limited budget) and know that I am at least trying to reduce my environmental impact, before it all becomes irrelevant (EROEI stuff).
Monday, June 3, 2013
Riots in London and Europe
As ABC Radio presenter Jon Faine commented today "Whats happening in Europe? With riots in several countries including Turkey, Hungary, Germany, Spain, and England!
Austerity, rise of Fascism and far right wing militants. Is Europe heading for another group of unstabilizing conflicts like that which is engulfing countries in the Middle East?
Are the causes the same? Lake of hope, opportunity, equality and the rule of good laws with good people?
Are the rise of right-wing extremists a response to a growing list of problems we small people have very little ability to control?
I was taught in history as a child, right-wing and far left-wing idealists rise in times of turbulence and change. Simple 'solutions' to complex problems have an appeal to those without hope and opportunity. This is certainly the case in Europe and the Middle East.
Lets hope all that has been built and achieved since the Second World War is not thrown out with carnage and oppression. I don't want this type of stuff in Australia because this time there are far more people in the world, many resource issues and another, Eastern superpower waiting in the wings.
But you cannot deny the swing to the right in current Australian politics and politicians.
I'm watching the DVD "Niall Ferguson Presents "Civilization: Is the West History?" Borrowed from my local public library, that source of reputable information, freedom, democracy, access and equity. All those good things in life.
Austerity, rise of Fascism and far right wing militants. Is Europe heading for another group of unstabilizing conflicts like that which is engulfing countries in the Middle East?
Are the causes the same? Lake of hope, opportunity, equality and the rule of good laws with good people?
Are the rise of right-wing extremists a response to a growing list of problems we small people have very little ability to control?
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| Melbourne's Multicultural Moomba Parade |
Lets hope all that has been built and achieved since the Second World War is not thrown out with carnage and oppression. I don't want this type of stuff in Australia because this time there are far more people in the world, many resource issues and another, Eastern superpower waiting in the wings.
But you cannot deny the swing to the right in current Australian politics and politicians.
I'm watching the DVD "Niall Ferguson Presents "Civilization: Is the West History?" Borrowed from my local public library, that source of reputable information, freedom, democracy, access and equity. All those good things in life.
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